him just made for a lousy liar. Very well. He’d give her a little truth and then change the subject.
“I’m not going to answer those last questions, Jess,” he said finally, taking his empty glass to the sink, running water in it so that the pulp didn’t dry out, stick to the sides. His hands shook as he performed the small task. “In fact, I’m not going to say another word right now, because if I do, we’re going to have one hell of an argument, and that’s not why I came here. I’ll only tell you that what seemed like good reasons to marry—to both your sister and myself, by the way—no longer seemed quite so valid. Maddy called off the marriage because she loves Joe more than she felt comfortable and safe with me. She’s happy. I’m happy she’s happy. End of story. Now, tell me which is my bedroom, okay?”
His last words threw Jessica for the proverbial loop. “Your…your bedroom? Who said you’re staying here?”
He rather liked the sudden squeak in her voice. “Allie, for one. Ryan, for two, and Maddy, for three. As they all own equal shares with you, you’ve been outvoted. Considering that you’d probably vote against the arrangement, that is. Isn’t democracy grand?”
Jessica fought the urge to throw her glass across the room, aimed straight at Matt’s head. Being a practical sort, she knew she’d just have to clean up the mess, both the glass and lemonade and any injury to him, and that took a lot of the satisfaction out of such a mad, impulsive gesture.
“I don’t want you here, Matt,” she said instead, carefully putting down her glass and stepping away from it. “Does that count for anything?”
He pretended to consider her question. “No, I don’t think it does. You shouldn’t be alone.” He’d almost added “at a time like this,” but thankfully caught himself before he could shove both feet in his mouth. “Besides, since I didn’t get to have a honeymoon, I’m overdue for a vacation. I’ve taken the whole month, by the way. Not a bad job, being the boss.”
“A month,” Jessica repeated hollowly. “I’ll go upstairs and pack.”
He let her take three steps toward the hall before he stopped her by saying, “Running away yet again, Jess? That’s so unlike you. Totally out of character.”
She whirled around, fire in her eyes. “Oh, really! And how would you know what’s in character for me? You don’t know me at all!”
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