If he told the truth, he’d have to say that they’d had nothing together, that it had all been hers—or his father’s. He left to pursue his own dreams, and that maybe he’d learned how to do that from her. Jean would never have taken a job she hated.
“Listen,” he said softly and with sympathy in his voice, “why don’t you stay here tonight?”
“You’re going to your house? The one you bought for her?”
Colin dropped his arm from around her shoulder. “I bought a house here in Edilean before I ever met Gemma. Jean, I want to live here. In this town. What did you call the place? ‘Incestuous,’ wasn’t it? You told me you wouldn’t live in Edilean even if you were in a coffin. You must see that it could never work between us.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this years ago? Now I’m thirty-six and—”
He stood up. “If I’d known it, I would have told you. And please don’t try to make me think that you’re now so old and plain you can’t get another man. From what I hear, you already have one. Or is he actually your brother?”
“Elliot is a guy I work with. I’m mentoring him.”
“As I remember it, you’re a great mentor to young men.” For a moment, they almost exchanged smiles, and Colin knew it was time for him to leave. “Jean, I’m going to go now. I’d say I’d call you, but I don’t think I should. For all your anger, you knew this was coming. My mistake was in leaving it too long. I’ll . . .” He was at the door. “I’m sure I’ll see you around the courthouses.” He left the apartment, feeling part sad for what was gone from his life, and part elated at the mystery of the future that awaited him.
Inside the apartment, Jean stopped the tears and anger instantly.
“Bastard!” she said aloud, then went to the cabinet and poured herself a Scotch. One thing about Colin was that he had good taste in liquor—and he could afford the best.
She looked through the tiny, ugly kitchen to see what she could cook. Nothing. She hadn’t eaten one of those revolting burgers at Colin’s boring friends’ house. She hated the things anyway. Besides, the sight of that girl in her tiny shorts and even tinier tank top slamming away at that hunk of a man, Mike Newland, made Jean lose what appetite she’d had.
Afterward, when Colin had dismissed Jean as though she weren’t important, she’d been furious—but she didn’t show it. In backwater Edilean, she knew to smile until her face ached.
When her glass was half empty, she called her uncle. “Have you eaten?” she asked as casually as she could, but she made sure there was a little hiccup in her voice.
“No. Jean, are you all right?”
“It’s been a rough day.”
“Come over and we’ll talk about it.”
Jean hung up, smiling.
16
YAWNING, GEMMA SCRAMBLED a couple of eggs and put two slices of whole wheat bread in the toaster. Last evening Ramsey and Tess had driven her home. Gemma hadn’t wanted to ride with them, but Joce had nudged her forward. She’d felt instant camaraderie with nearly everyone she’d met in Edilean, but there’d been animosity between her and Tess.
Tess started talking the minute Rams pulled out of the driveway. “Okay,” she said, “I think I came on too strong and made a bad first impression.”
“You scared her to death,” Rams said.
“Not really—” Gemma began.
“Mike likes you,” Tess said.
“That means you could commit murder and Tess would testify in your defense,” Rams said.
“Would you mind?” Tess said to her husband. “I’m trying to apologize.” She looked back at Gemma but didn’t seem to know what to say.
Gemma searched for a common ground between them. “It’s all right. Maybe after the baby is born, we can work out together.”
“If Mike had his way, Sara and I’d be in the gym now,” Tess said.
“That’s a good idea,” Gemma said. “You could do light leg extensions and some arm work.”
Tess shook her head. “You and Mike!”
Gemma was glad when Rams pulled into the Frazier driveway and let her off at the guesthouse. She thanked them, said good-bye, and unlocked her door. They only left when she was safely inside.