The Temporary Wife - By Jeannie Moon Page 0,9
hair, and a similar spray of very light freckles across the bridges of their noses. And then each of them smiled, and Meg felt her heart skip a beat. They both had beautiful smiles that went right to their clear blue eyes.
Meg fiddled with her flowers before putting them on the kitchen table. She liked the side of Jason she was seeing. The man was a billionaire software developer, so it was nice to see him do something simple, like relate to a child.
Too bad it wasn’t enough.
***
The doorbell rang, and Molly tried to jump off the counter, but fortunately Jason was quicker and caught her. “Pizza’s here!” she called.
Lowering her to the floor so she didn’t break a bone, he started toward the foyer. “Come on, Squirt. Let’s go get the pie. I’m starved.”
Meg reached for her wallet, and Jason couldn’t believe she thought he’d let her pay for dinner.
“I’ve got it,” he said.
“Really, I can—”
“Meg, I’ve got it. You’re not paying.”
He left the room with Molly, and by the time he got back to the kitchen with the pizza, salad, and garlic knots, Meg had the table set. Everything may have looked fine, but she was slamming drawers pretty good, so Jason had a good idea he’d screwed up somehow.
“I can buy dinner myself,” she murmured.
He breathed out and sent Molly off to wash her hands, which left him alone with a pissed-off, cornered woman and her wounded pride. “I’m not going to let you pay. You’re a teacher. Be rea—”
“If you tell me to be fucking reasonable, you’re going to get a garlic knot up your nose.”
It took everything he had not to smile. He really wanted to, but he figured she’d get more pissed off, and that would earn him two garlic knots up the nose. Doing something out of character, he played it safe. “I’m sorry. I’ll remember for next time.”
“Okay.” She looked up, frustrated. “I know it seems dumb to you, but I’m still getting my head around all this. It’s hard for me.”
“You’re independent. I respect that, but the big advantage of being with me is that you don’t have to worry about money. Ever again.”
Meg sank in a chair and pushed her hair away from her face. “I’m marrying for money. God, I feel a little sick.”
“Why? I hate to say it, but it’s not uncommon. And I told you, this is about Molly.”
“Maybe, but I can’t help feeling that your father was right about me.”
“Don’t ever say that.” Jason leaned forward, his muscles tightening in his neck. The tension shot over and around his head and shoulders. He hated that his father made her feel that way. He hated it back then and hated it more now. “You’re doing this for Molly. I know it’s not what you wanted, but try to see the big picture.”
“Right. I have to be reasonable. I’m taking one for the team.”
He scrubbed both hands over his face and sat adjacent to her at the table. “If I could think of another way, I’d go there. But I can’t. Their major point when arguing for custody is going to be your marital status. That they are blood relatives who can provide a traditional family.”
“Traditional? Your parents? Are they kidding?”
He chuckled as he agreed. “It’s crazy, I know, but a judge isn’t going to know that they’re completely dysfunctional.”
Meg dropped her head on her arms, and Jason was trying to figure out how he could make this easier when Molly returned, carrying a very large black cat in her arms. The cat was rigid, with his front and rear legs extended while Molly held him around the middle.
“Uncle Jason. This is Moe Kitty.”
“Kitty? He looks like a small panther.” He glanced over at Meg, who was grinning.
“Yes, he does. And he’s all ours,” Meg said.
“He used his box,” Molly said. “I cleaned it.”
Meg shook her head. “Did you wash your hands after?”
Molly froze and looked back and forth, from one adult to the other. She put the cat down and left the room without saying a word.
“I guess we got our answer,” Jason said.
He watched Meg’s mouth turn into a gentle grin. She truly loved the child, and it was obvious Molly returned all the affection. “She’s never boring. Kind of like Grace.”
That was the truth. His sister was never boring. In fact, when they were teenagers, he never understood how the conservative, preppy Meg got along with his Goth sister. But she did. They were inseparable.
“Can