before.”
His expression was starting to turn grumpy. “Of course, I
have. Why wouldn’t I look at you?”
“Because I’m your nanny and I was always in the background.
There was no reason for you to look at me before.”
“I’ll have you know I look at my nanny all the time.”
She could tell the words had been an automatic rebuttal that
he hadn’t really thought through. For just a moment, amusement flickered on his
face, as if he’d heard what he just said and found it funny. Rose felt a wave
of laughter too.
Before either of them could actually laugh, though, James’s
phone rang.
He looked at the screen and gave a low groan. “Marta.”
Rose could completely understand why he didn’t want to talk
to her. “So don’t answer it if you don’t want.”
“I better. If I don’t, she’ll just keep calling and get more
and more annoyed.” He stiffened his back, as if he were steeling himself, and
then he connected the call. “Hi, Marta.”
Rose could hear the woman’s voice, even from where she was
standing. She couldn’t hear the words, but she could hear the shrill tone of
it.
Marta must be upset about something.
After a minute, James said, “Wait—wait!”
Marta obviously didn’t wait. The sound of her voice
continued vaguely, increasing in volume although not in clarity.
“Marta, excuse me, but that’s not what happened.” James was
looking tense, almost angry.
Rose suddenly realized what must have occurred. Genevieve
had made up some sort of story and reported it to Marta.
James made a face as he continued to listen. After a minute
he said, “That’s not true at all. I never once cheated on Genevieve. I never
even touched her until after the engagement was broken.”
Rose understood then. Genevieve had told a story about James
cheating on Genevieve with her, with Rose . She felt a sick clench in her
gut at the realization.
It was one thing to know she’d been silly the previous day.
It was another to know that everyone around her knew as
well.
James had turned around, showing her only his back. She
assumed he wanted to hide whatever expression was on his face. That meant,
whatever he was feeling right now wasn’t good.
Finally, he must have interrupted her, “Okay, just wait
right there. You haven’t heard the real story, and you must understand that she
has reason to not give you the whole truth. I’m telling you right now that I
never cheated on her, and I’m definitely not resisting my true feelings for
Genevieve. I no longer have any feelings at all for her except extreme
frustration. I don’t want to be with her. I never want to be with her. You’re
going to have to accept that.”
Marta must have broken into his speech because he made a
throaty sound of annoyance.
“No,” he burst out. “No! I’m not going to listen to this.
I’m very sorry if you’re upset, but who I have a relationship with is not your
business at all. If I want to kiss Rosie, then I will—any time I want. If I
want to go out with her, then I will. If I want to marry her, then I will. And
there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Rose felt her heart jump up in her throat at his rough
words. He turned back around, his face slightly damp with sweat and his hand
pushing through his hair.
“That’s all,” he said. “I don’t want to be rude, but I’m not
going to listen to this. We can talk later, when we’re both cooled off some.”
He disconnected the call and set it on the counter with a
groan, glaring at the phone as if the device was to blame.
“This is a damned mess,” he muttered.
Rose wrapped her arms around her stomach in an instinctive
defensive posture. “I’m so sorry.”
His eyes shot up to her. “It’s not your fault. Why would you
think it’s your fault?”
“I don’t think it’s my fault, but I’m involved. I’m just
sorry it’s such a mess.”
He sighed. “Yeah. I’m sorry you’ve gotten wrapped up in it.
I don’t know what to do about Marta
His expression was starting to turn grumpy. “Of course, I
have. Why wouldn’t I look at you?”
“Because I’m your nanny and I was always in the background.
There was no reason for you to look at me before.”
“I’ll have you know I look at my nanny all the time.”
She could tell the words had been an automatic rebuttal that
he hadn’t really thought through. For just a moment, amusement flickered on his
face, as if he’d heard what he just said and found it funny. Rose felt a wave
of laughter too.
Before either of them could actually laugh, though, James’s
phone rang.
He looked at the screen and gave a low groan. “Marta.”
Rose could completely understand why he didn’t want to talk
to her. “So don’t answer it if you don’t want.”
“I better. If I don’t, she’ll just keep calling and get more
and more annoyed.” He stiffened his back, as if he were steeling himself, and
then he connected the call. “Hi, Marta.”
Rose could hear the woman’s voice, even from where she was
standing. She couldn’t hear the words, but she could hear the shrill tone of
it.
Marta must be upset about something.
After a minute, James said, “Wait—wait!”
Marta obviously didn’t wait. The sound of her voice
continued vaguely, increasing in volume although not in clarity.
“Marta, excuse me, but that’s not what happened.” James was
looking tense, almost angry.
Rose suddenly realized what must have occurred. Genevieve
had made up some sort of story and reported it to Marta.
James made a face as he continued to listen. After a minute
he said, “That’s not true at all. I never once cheated on Genevieve. I never
even touched her until after the engagement was broken.”
Rose understood then. Genevieve had told a story about James
cheating on Genevieve with her, with Rose . She felt a sick clench in her
gut at the realization.
It was one thing to know she’d been silly the previous day.
It was another to know that everyone around her knew as
well.
James had turned around, showing her only his back. She
assumed he wanted to hide whatever expression was on his face. That meant,
whatever he was feeling right now wasn’t good.
Finally, he must have interrupted her, “Okay, just wait
right there. You haven’t heard the real story, and you must understand that she
has reason to not give you the whole truth. I’m telling you right now that I
never cheated on her, and I’m definitely not resisting my true feelings for
Genevieve. I no longer have any feelings at all for her except extreme
frustration. I don’t want to be with her. I never want to be with her. You’re
going to have to accept that.”
Marta must have broken into his speech because he made a
throaty sound of annoyance.
“No,” he burst out. “No! I’m not going to listen to this.
I’m very sorry if you’re upset, but who I have a relationship with is not your
business at all. If I want to kiss Rosie, then I will—any time I want. If I
want to go out with her, then I will. If I want to marry her, then I will. And
there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Rose felt her heart jump up in her throat at his rough
words. He turned back around, his face slightly damp with sweat and his hand
pushing through his hair.
“That’s all,” he said. “I don’t want to be rude, but I’m not
going to listen to this. We can talk later, when we’re both cooled off some.”
He disconnected the call and set it on the counter with a
groan, glaring at the phone as if the device was to blame.
“This is a damned mess,” he muttered.
Rose wrapped her arms around her stomach in an instinctive
defensive posture. “I’m so sorry.”
His eyes shot up to her. “It’s not your fault. Why would you
think it’s your fault?”
“I don’t think it’s my fault, but I’m involved. I’m just
sorry it’s such a mess.”
He sighed. “Yeah. I’m sorry you’ve gotten wrapped up in it.
I don’t know what to do about Marta
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