Page 34 of Substitute Bride

“Good for them.”

It still felt like James was observing her, and it was starting to get on her nerves. When she put the last sandwich together, she turned around and gave him an almost challenging look. “You don’t think I’m going to faint away in your presence or something, do you?”

He blinked. “Of course not.”

“Then why do you keep looking at me?”

“Why wouldn’t I look at you?”

“You never have 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.”