His chest tightened. Recognition slammed into him. It was her.
It really was her—the girl from five years ago. The girl who had looked at him with tearful eyes and trembling hands, who had come into his life like a storm one night and then vanished the next.
No matter how hard he'd tried to find her, he just couldn't.
Jake leaned back slowly, eyes narrowing, studying her with new intensity. "Tell me, Miss Howells," he said carefully, "have we met before?"
Bella's heart lurched, panic flashing through her veins. Did he recognize her? It couldn't be. If he did, he wouldn't have asked her that. Besides, she had a reason to recognize his face, but him? He didn't have a reason to. She concluded.
She forced herself to laugh lightly, shaking her head. "No, sir. I don't think so. I'd certainly remember if we had."
