The Temporary Wife - By Jeannie Moon Page 0,7
be another way.”
Meg went to the classroom door, poked her head out, and glanced around. Almost as if she was looking to see if anyone was listening. “I’d have to explain things to my family. My mother and sister won’t understand, and forget my brother. I have a boyfriend, and none of my friends will buy what’s happened. I don’t see how this could work.”
“We’ll have to sell it. Make people believe that since Grace died, we’ve taken comfort in each other.” He stepped closer and took up a golden lock of her hair and let it slide between his fingers. “That our grief brought us back together and . . .” He leaned in and locked his eyes on hers.
She sighed.
“That we fell in love.”
Meg swallowed hard, and Jason stopped himself before he went the final inch and took her mouth with his own. Jesus.
Both of them stepped back at the same time, and Jason shook off the lust racing through him. Even as he realized how hard this was going to be, he still believed marrying her was the right thing to do. The necessary thing to do.
“I can’t,” she said, her breaths coming in fits and starts. “I talked to Kevin. He said he’d get me the best attorney. There’s no reason to go through with this.”
He was sure the last person her brother, Kevin, wanted her married to was him. They were the same age and had been good friends until Meg and Jason broke up. And if it had just been a breakup, everyone would have weathered the storm okay, but when Jason’s father got involved, painting Meg as a gold-digging slut, everyone went crazy. Hell, he went crazy.
The Rossis packed and moved off the estate, and Jason didn’t see Meg for years. He saw her when his sister married, and then again the other night, but that was all. He would have seen her at Grace’s funeral if he hadn’t been stranded halfway around the world. He still hadn’t forgiven himself for not being there. He didn’t know if he ever would. So maybe protecting Meg, and making sure Molly was secure, was a way for him to make up for being the absentee brother. Maybe it was a way for him to make things up to Meg, as well.
He had to convince her.
“Kevin’s intentions are good, Meg, but you’re going to need more than a defense. You have to show them Molly will have a stable family.”
“How is it stable if it’s a lie? How is it stable if you’re there?”
“Meg, you know I’m right.”
“You can’t be right. I can’t just give up my whole life—”
“We have to. For a little while. For Grace.”
He knew Meg would do anything for Grace and that bringing his sister into this argument wasn’t fair, but he had to convince her. Mentioning Grace seemed to do it.
When Meg looked up, her green eyes shimmering, her expression resigned, he knew it would be okay. She nodded and then turned, tripping just a little on the edge of the alphabet rug on the floor and Jason felt himself smile.
“I’ll come by your house later and we can talk this through,” he said.
“Okay. We’re having pizza for dinner. You might as well come then. You can spend some time with Molly.”
“Oh, ah, all right. Can I bring anything?”
“No.” Meg shook her head. “We’ll eat about six.”
She’d regrouped, steeling herself against the emotions he knew had to be swirling through her.
But before he turned to leave, to leave this world of children and get back to work, he looked once more into her eyes, and actually thought about what Meg must have been going through. She’d lost her best friend, was raising a child, and now had to face losing the life she’d built for herself. Even if it was temporary, she must be resentful. Things his family had done had wreaked havoc on the Rossi family in the past, and now, once again, her family was taking a hit for his.
***
“Molly, come here and let me do your hair.”
Jason was due at the house in ten minutes, and she’d just gotten Molly out of her post–soccer practice bath. Of course, the little girl wasn’t interested in doing anything but chasing the cat.
And Moe Kitty wasn’t interested in being caught.
“Why doesn’t Moe want to be friends?” Molly asked, shuffling into the room.
Meg wanted to tell her it was because cats were assholes, kind of like men. They were cute and warm