coffee.
She took down cups and saucers from the cabinet, and while she got the coffee service together, Emmett moved around the living room, restless and unsettled. His eyes searched out the books in her bookcase, the framed prints on the wall. He seemed to be noticing everything, taking inventory of her likes and dislikes.
He was thumbing through a volume of poetry when she put the coffee things on the dining-room table.
He put the book down and joined her at the table. She put cream and sugar into hers. He left his own black.
âIâve got some cookies around here somewhere,â she offered.
âNo need. I donât have much of a sweet tooth,â he said. He stared into his coffee. âHow did you know?â âKnow what?â
He looked up with a rueful smile. âThat I needed to talk about the kids.â
âYou picked a fight for no reason,â she murmured dryly. âI used to have a friend in school who did the same thing. She never said what was bothering her. She picked fights until I made her tell me.â She fingered the rim of her coffee cup. âOr maybe you didnât exactly pick a fight for no reason,â she added sadly. âYou arenât over Randy and Adell, really.â
He moved restlessly in the chair. âItâs going to take time.â
Her eyes lifted to his. He didnât know that Adell was pregnant. How was she going to tell him? How could she tell him?
He saw that curious expression and scowled. âThereâs something,â he said slowly. âSomething youâre holding back. What is it?â
She averted her gaze to the coffee cup. âNothing.â
âNow you sound like one of the kids.â He moved her coffee cup out of her reach and caught her hand in his over the small table. âOut with it. You made me talk when I didnât want to. Itâs your turn.â
âEmmettâ¦â
He nodded reassuringly. âCome on.â
She winced. Her big, dark eyes were full of sadness, sorrow. âAdellâ¦is pregnant.â
He didnât react at all for a minute. He let go of herhand and sat back in his chair. He let out a long, rough breath. âWell.â
âYouâd have found out sooner or later. I didnât want to have to be the one to tell you.â
He looked at her. âYou didnât? Why?â he asked, letting the shock of what heâd learned pass over him for the moment.
âYou resent me enough already because of my brother,â she said miserably.
His eyes searched her wan, sad face. âDo I?â he wondered aloud. It didnât feel like hatred. No, not at all.
He drained his coffee cup, and she took it, and hers, into the kitchen. She felt terrible. Working helped sometimes, so she busied herself loading the dishwasher. There wasnât much, but sheâd saved last nightâs pots and pans to make a load. Behind her, she felt Emmettâs eyes and could only imagine the torment he must be feeling. She wanted to console him, but she didnât know how.
After a minute, Emmett got up and poised himself against the kitchen counter to watch her work. He didnât want to think about Adell being pregnant by her new husband. He wasnât going to let himself do that now. Later would be time enough.
Melody was graceful for such a tall woman, he thought reluctantly, watching her hands as she put the dishes into the dishwasher.
She noticed the look she was getting. It made her tingle. Heâd long since taken off his dinner jacket and tie and Stetson. His long-sleeved, pristine white shirt was partially unbuttoned and the sleeves were rolled up. He looked elegant and rakish, and Melody was surprised that he seemed to find her so interesting. Heâd beenmarried, and she knew very well that women still chased him. He had more experience than any man sheâd ever dated. It made her nervous to remember how vulnerable she was with him, how easily
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