today.”
Should he warn her? No, that’d increase jeopardy. Alternative measures were necessary. “You’ll handle it.”
“I will, but it’d be easier if it weren’t with all Robert’s friends.”
Joe grunted. “They’ll be too busy trying to find out what you know that isn’t being reported in the press to give you much grief.”
“True.” She sighed. “Okay, you’ve worked your charm. I’m calm.”
“At least I’m good for something. You like my voice.”
“You’re good for lots of things and I love your voice. There’s a hint of an accent in it that soothes me.”
“You picked up on that?”
“Obviously, Joseph. I just said I did.”
“You did, but … it’s Cajun. I’ve worked hard to get rid of it. I had to—critical in my job. For some reason, around you it surfaces.”
“I think I like that. I take you to a different place.”
“You do, sha. But don’t try to sidetrack me. You said you loved my voice.”
“I did.”
“Women never use the love word about anything except shoes or dessert unless—you really do care about me.”
She covered a laugh with a cough. “I told you, I’m a caring person.”
Protecting her heart. She was amazing—beautiful, brilliant, kind, and good. And nurturing. So nurturing. The kind that was faked annoyed him. But Beth’s brand was genuine, potent and powerful, and it made her irresistible to him. Didn’t she know how special that made her? Apparently not, or she knew but didn’t trust it. “You’re a paradox.”
“Excuse me.”
“You’re open and caring but also guarded—at least, with me. Or is it with men? Did someone hurt you, Beth?”
“I don’t want to talk about this.”
“I’m sure you don’t. But when I didn’t want to talk, you insisted. I’m insisting.”
“Why does it matter?”
“It matters.”
“You’re forcing me to make a choice I don’t want to make, Joe.”
“What choice? It’s a simple question.”
“Do I live a life someone else defined for me, or do I define it?”
“Good question. How will you answer it?”
“Honestly.” She paused. “Does anyone reach adulthood without having her heart broken at least once?”
“But yours wasn’t just broken. It was shattered.”
“How do you know that?”
“In a thousand ways, sha. Who was the jerk, and why were you hung up on someone so shortsighted?”
“Shortsighted?”
“You’re a treasure. A man with sense would know it.”
“Thank you, Joe.”
“It wasn’t a compliment. Just stating the facts.”
“That’s even better. Let’s say he hid the truth about himself well. We dated six months. It was serious. Very serious—for me.”
“You loved him?”
“I did. I don’t anymore.”
“Fine line.”
“Yeah. Crossing it’s pretty easy when you’re with a guy at a New Year’s Ball, surrounded by all your family and friends, and a glamorous woman catches your guy’s eye and he dumps you on the spot.”
“He dumped you at the ball? In front of everyone?”
“Yes.”
“He humiliated you.” Fury seeped through Joe’s voice.
“It was quite the chatter—and a real shocker. Everyone thought he was so perfect. Handsome, charming—you know, like you—not that you’d humiliate a woman … You wouldn’t, would you, Joe?”
“I can’t believe you have to ask. I’m definitely insulted.”
“I didn’t think you would, but I didn’t think he would either. So naturally I have issues with my judgment.”
“Gorgeous, it’s his judgment that should be questioned. Not yours.”
“I’d agree, but until that happened, I thought he was a good man.”
“He was shortsighted and shallow—and he lacked compassion and respect.”
“Now you’re getting the hang of how I felt. But I’m over it now.”
“No, sha. Not yet. But you will be. All you need is a man who appreciates you for the treasure you are.” He grunted. “Was Nora there when this happened?”
“She was.”
“How’d she
Should he warn her? No, that’d increase jeopardy. Alternative measures were necessary. “You’ll handle it.”
“I will, but it’d be easier if it weren’t with all Robert’s friends.”
Joe grunted. “They’ll be too busy trying to find out what you know that isn’t being reported in the press to give you much grief.”
“True.” She sighed. “Okay, you’ve worked your charm. I’m calm.”
“At least I’m good for something. You like my voice.”
“You’re good for lots of things and I love your voice. There’s a hint of an accent in it that soothes me.”
“You picked up on that?”
“Obviously, Joseph. I just said I did.”
“You did, but … it’s Cajun. I’ve worked hard to get rid of it. I had to—critical in my job. For some reason, around you it surfaces.”
“I think I like that. I take you to a different place.”
“You do, sha. But don’t try to sidetrack me. You said you loved my voice.”
“I did.”
“Women never use the love word about anything except shoes or dessert unless—you really do care about me.”
She covered a laugh with a cough. “I told you, I’m a caring person.”
Protecting her heart. She was amazing—beautiful, brilliant, kind, and good. And nurturing. So nurturing. The kind that was faked annoyed him. But Beth’s brand was genuine, potent and powerful, and it made her irresistible to him. Didn’t she know how special that made her? Apparently not, or she knew but didn’t trust it. “You’re a paradox.”
“Excuse me.”
“You’re open and caring but also guarded—at least, with me. Or is it with men? Did someone hurt you, Beth?”
“I don’t want to talk about this.”
“I’m sure you don’t. But when I didn’t want to talk, you insisted. I’m insisting.”
“Why does it matter?”
“It matters.”
“You’re forcing me to make a choice I don’t want to make, Joe.”
“What choice? It’s a simple question.”
“Do I live a life someone else defined for me, or do I define it?”
“Good question. How will you answer it?”
“Honestly.” She paused. “Does anyone reach adulthood without having her heart broken at least once?”
“But yours wasn’t just broken. It was shattered.”
“How do you know that?”
“In a thousand ways, sha. Who was the jerk, and why were you hung up on someone so shortsighted?”
“Shortsighted?”
“You’re a treasure. A man with sense would know it.”
“Thank you, Joe.”
“It wasn’t a compliment. Just stating the facts.”
“That’s even better. Let’s say he hid the truth about himself well. We dated six months. It was serious. Very serious—for me.”
“You loved him?”
“I did. I don’t anymore.”
“Fine line.”
“Yeah. Crossing it’s pretty easy when you’re with a guy at a New Year’s Ball, surrounded by all your family and friends, and a glamorous woman catches your guy’s eye and he dumps you on the spot.”
“He dumped you at the ball? In front of everyone?”
“Yes.”
“He humiliated you.” Fury seeped through Joe’s voice.
“It was quite the chatter—and a real shocker. Everyone thought he was so perfect. Handsome, charming—you know, like you—not that you’d humiliate a woman … You wouldn’t, would you, Joe?”
“I can’t believe you have to ask. I’m definitely insulted.”
“I didn’t think you would, but I didn’t think he would either. So naturally I have issues with my judgment.”
“Gorgeous, it’s his judgment that should be questioned. Not yours.”
“I’d agree, but until that happened, I thought he was a good man.”
“He was shortsighted and shallow—and he lacked compassion and respect.”
“Now you’re getting the hang of how I felt. But I’m over it now.”
“No, sha. Not yet. But you will be. All you need is a man who appreciates you for the treasure you are.” He grunted. “Was Nora there when this happened?”
“She was.”
“How’d she
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