“No, this is Arlington. Bailey’s Crossroads, actually. I figured you might want to go somewhere quiet.”
I sent him an appraising glance. “That’s very thoughtful of you, Jared.”
He didn’t say anything, and we turned into a parking lot. It looked a bit seedy. I bit my lower lip. “Um, you didn’t bring me here to murder me, did you?”
He laughed. “I know how it looks, but this place has the best Middle Eastern food in town.”
I looked at him dubiously. “Okay, whatever you say.” We got out of the car and walked toward the Jerusalem Café with trepidation. Or at least I did. Jared was as composed as ever.
It turned out he was right, the food was excellent, but it wasn’t long before we ran out of conversation topics. It was just so different than it had been when we were on Caereon together. I had been fascinated by Jared, but now that I knew who he was—and what he was—I was a bit turned off. Plus, his daughter, who was getting bigger and bigger by the day, was starting to feel like the only thing that was connecting us. What if I did decide to try and make it work with Jared? Was this how it was going to be? Were we going to have awkward nights like this all the time?
Plus, there was the unspoken matter at hand. Part of me didn’t want to bring it up. A larger part of me did. While I wrestled with how to ask it, my temper started to flare a bit. And then something very bad took hold of my brain, and possessed me to go down that road. “So,” I asked him, “do you want to tell me who that girl was?”
Jared looked startled. “What girl?”
“You know what girl.” I attempted to stifle my anger by taking another bite of my chicken schwarma.
“Oh, that girl,” he smiled at me, trying to be charming. “She was just a girl.”
“Jared, I wasn’t born yesterday.”
He looked at me, and there was sincerity in his eyes. “Anabel, your brother is no longer my best friend. While I understand that, it makes it hard because I used to talk to him about everything, personal and professional. So now, I’ve had to turn to my friend Carly for confidences.”
“Did you turn to her for anything else?” The tone of my voice was harsh, and I could see Jared’s temper rise.
“No, your phone call interrupted that.”
That stung. “I’m ever so sorry I ruined your sexual conquest.”
“That’s right, baby, a few more minutes and I would’ve sealed that deal.” He was mad, probably as much as I was, but I swallowed hard and continued to provoke him.
“But you didn’t answer when I called. You only did when Meghan called.” That recollection only caused me to get angrier. “So what you’re telling me is that if we hadn’t gotten ahold of you, you would have . . . I mean, you and this Carly . . .”
“Be fair, we go back a ways,” he admonished me.
“Have you slept with her before?”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s a simple question,” I stated, low and dangerous. “Have you slept with her before?”
He stared down at his food, and I started to cry.
Jared looked alarmed. “Anabel, it’s not like that. I just needed some company, and she was there for me.”
“I bet she was,” I sniffled.
He groaned. “Don’t ruin this. Why are you acting like this, baby? We were having a great time.”
“So let’s say,” I managed through my tears, “that you get mad at me one night, and you go to this . . . woman . . . for comfort, and get it in both senses of the word?”
“Don’t be crass, Anabel.”
“You can’t deny it’s a possibility.” I looked down. This was hurting. It was hurting a lot.
“Look, if I’m with you, I’m with you. Nobody else. Okay?”
“Would you stop being friends with her?”
“Now you’re being unreasonable.”
“No,” I defended myself. “I don’t think I am. If I asked you to stop being friends with her, for the sake of our tenuous relationship, would you do that for me, Jared?”
“Only if you got rid of Matt.” It was like he had thrown down the gauntlet, and I lost it.
“He’s my bodyguard! He’s protecting me! That’s completely different from what you were doing.”
“Look, I know this is all probably because of Natasha, but you need to get over it. Matt knows that wasn’t my fault.”
“What?” I stared at him, uncertain. “I don’t understand.”
Jared scoffed at me. “Don’t play dumb with me. I know Matt’s told you about his sister by now.”
“Natasha?” I asked, frowning. Then my eyes widened. “He called her Nat, I never made the connection.”
We sat for a moment, him staring at his plate, me lost in thought. He broke the silence with, “I never meant to hurt her, Anabel.”
A life lesson from one of my favorite childhood books flitted through my head, so I looked at him sadly and said, “Yes Jared, but people like you never mean, it’s what you do.”
“You’re unfair.”
“Why did you call me her name after you did what you did?” I asked, point blank.
“Don’t dance around it, babe. Say what you want to say,” he taunted me.
But I held it together. “Answer the question, Jared.”
“Look, I barely remember that night. Maybe I thought you were her, I don’t know.”
“Maybe you thought I was her?” I gasped. “So what, you would’ve done that to her, too?”
“I need you to stop this,” he warned me. “I can’t handle much more of it.”
“Fine, let’s get back to you kicking your lover to the curb.”
“Do that with Matt, and we’ll call it even.” He crossed his arms.
But I was now done with him. “I don’t have a choice where Matt is concerned, you know that.”
“Well, you seem to feel threatened by Carly, so I think it’s fair that you give up something similar.”
“Oh, no,” I retorted. “Matt’s there for my safety, Jared. I’m so sorry if this offends your sensitive ego, but he’s there for a reason. Carly is only there for you to get some. So no. This conversation is done.”
And it was. I didn’t say a word to him while he paid the bill. When we got into the car I stared stonily ahead as he drove me back to my place. A couple times I turned my head and let the tears fall. When we arrived at my house, he tried to say something, but I jumped out of the car and ran to my front door and let myself in.
When I walked in, Matt was sitting on the couch, waiting for me. He took in my teary eyes and red face and immediately started for the door, but I stepped in front of him. “Move,” he barked.
“No,” I refused. “Let it alone. Everything’s fine, I’m just a bit emotional.”
He looked frustrated. “Anabel, I’m supposed to protect you.”
On impulse, I stood on my toes and kissed him on the cheek. “Matt,” I told him, “you are everything I need you to be.” Then I started up the stairs.
“Wait,” he called. I turned and gave him a tired smile. He started to follow me. “Do you mean that?”
“With all my heart,” I assured him, continuing up to my room. “Goodnight.”
But he caught my arm and I turned back toward him. “Anabel,” he said.
“Yes?”
He gave me a swift, searching look, and then came, “I need to double check your room.”
I smiled at him. “Alright.”
I grabbed my pajamas and went to my bathroom to change, and then when I came out Matt was standing next to my bed. “I figured you would have left,” I commented, sliding under my covers.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay,” he told me.
“I am,” I assured him. “Some things just need to be resolved, and I think I know where to go from here.”
He looked like he wanted to ask me, and I wanted to tell him, but instead he nodded. “Goodnight, Anabel.”
“Goodnight,” I wished him, and when he closed the door I was alone with my thoughts, and I lay awake for a very long time that night.
Chapter 33—Anabel
The next day I was moping in my bedroom when suddenly Matt burst in and threw a suitcase on my bed. “Do you ever knock?” I snapped.
He ignored that. “We’re going away for the weekend.”
“But Mr. Moore,” I pretended to protest, “we’ve only just met. Shouldn’t we wait to start planning holidays together?”
He ignored that. “Look, there are photographers camped out all around your property, and I’m tired of Jared calling here. So we’re going away.”
I brushed a stray hair out of my eyes. “Where?”
“To meet my parents,” he announced.
“Meeting your parents?” I echoed.
“You said you wanted to.”
“Well, yes, but hardly like this,” I told him, pulling myself off of the bed. “I mean, look at me.” I gestured at my belly.
“I do all the time,” he replied.
I stared at him.
“It’s my job, Anabel,” he sighed, frustrated. “Now pack.” He turned to leave, and then paused at the door. “I would bring some of your nicer stuff.”
“Why, are we going out?” I asked, eying my closet.
“My parents insist on dressing for dinner.”
I looked puzzled. “Don’t most people dress for dinner?”
He gave me a wry smile. “Yes, but my parents insist on nice attire.”
“Oh. Well then. I’ll be ready soon.”
“Call Jared so he doesn’t have a coronary,” he called over his shoulder as he exited the room.
As much as I didn’t relish the idea of meeting new people, I was excited about going away for the weekend with Matt. In spite of the fact that I felt like he didn’t particularly care for me, he did seem to be warming a bit, and I hoped that spending time away from the circus that was my life would maybe make our business relationship easier. I would try and ease up on the flirting and teasing . . . but it was just the way I was with him. I didn’t really know why he brought out that side of me. It wasn’t like it was with Jared on the island, where I couldn’t keep my hormones in check. It was just . . .
. . . I liked Matt.
I liked him a lot, and I wanted him to like me as a person. That was all, I told myself. I just couldn’t stand the idea that he may not like me, and I wanted to rectify that. I straightened and began packing while dialing Jared’s number on my BlackBerry.
He answered on the second ring. “Hey, Anabel.”
“Hey, Matt’s kidnapping me,” I sang. “He says we need to get out of town for the weekend so I can avoid the paparazzi. So I won’t be around.”
Dead silence.
“Jared?”
“Oh, I’m here, babe,” he told me, his voice cold.
“Don’t be like that,” I chastised. “It’s for my own good, if I say one more idiot thing to the press, Alexis will have my head chopped off.”
He chuckled. “Well, there’s a point. I just don’t like the idea of you leaving town.”
“I’ll be back soon enough,” I promised.
Jared switched on the charm. “Next time we get together I’ll make it well worth your while, Anabel.”
“Good-bye, Jared,” I replied, and I hung up.
Matt reappeared just as I was zipping up my bag. “Hey, are you ready to go?”
I nodded, pushing away hair. “Do I look presentable enough?”
He gave me a once-over, and I found myself feeling self-conscious. “You’ll do,” he pronounced. “It doesn’t matter, Anabel. My mom isn’t going to like you.” He grabbed my bag. “Let’s go.”
I chased him as best I could down the stairs and out to his truck. “What do you mean? What did I ever do to her?”
He sighed and turned on the truck. “Buckle yourself in and I’ll explain.”
I did so, glowering. “You’re so bossy.”
“So are you,” he returned. “Look,” he said, pulling out of my driveway, “you said on your birthday you wanted to meet my parents, so we’re going to do that. But as charming as you are, I don’t think my mother is going to care for you, and you really shouldn’t let it get to you.”
I was a bit stung. “Okay,” I managed.
“Anabel,” he sounded much warmer now, “it’s just one of those things.” He focused on the road. “It’s my fault, actually.”
“What do you mean?”
“Right before I took the job for Sam, watching you,” he explained, “I was going to take a job teaching, working for my father.”
“Oh.” I was at a loss for words.
“You know,” he said, and I almost caught a sneer, “an acceptable profession. But then Sam asked me to take care of you, and I couldn’t say no.”
“Why not?”
“After I met you, I felt I couldn’t.” He stared at the road. “But she blames you.”
“I see,” I commented, biting my lip and trying not to smile. “So I guess I can expect an equally frosty reception from your father?”
“My dad thinks you’re funny,” he admitted.
“Oh yeah?”
“He thought it was hilarious how you explained to your brother in front of the press why his economic policies didn’t work.”
My cheeks reddened. “I’m slightly ashamed of that.”
“Well, my father is a staunch Republican, Anabel. He thinks you’re golden.” Matt was smiling. “He thought it was genius how you revealed your pregnancy and informed me that nothing pleased him more than the look of abject horror on Jared Sorensen’s face.”
“Well at least somebody’s getting enjoyment out of this,” I muttered, slumping in my seat.
Matt’s arm reached toward me and he began rubbing my shoulder. “I know it’s hard, kid,” he consoled me. “But you’re doing a good job, okay? I just wanted to warn you about my mom, she’ll come around.”
I nodded, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach.
“Don’t be upset about this,” he attempted to reassure me.
“I shouldn’t be,” I muttered. “But I guess for some reason, I wanted her to like me.”
“Not everyone is going to like you.”
“I wanted Alexis to like me, too.”
“She’s an idiot,” he pronounced.
“Maybe she’s right.”
Matt stopped the car. “Anabel. Look at me.”
So I did.
“You know the only reason why she’s like that is she’s jealous of you,” he said. “If she could get over herself, she’d realize you’re pretty great and Sam couldn’t ask for a better sister.”
“All I ever do is make things worse for Sam,” I sighed.
“You could probably watch what you say more, but nobody doubts how much you love him,” he continued. “You okay?”
I nodded.
“We’re almost there.”
“Where are we, anyway?” I asked, adjusting in my seat. “This doesn’t seem like Virginia.”
“That’s because we’re in Maryland.”