What I Did for Love (Wynette, Texas #5)(81)

She must have been making more noise than she thought because Aaron began to stir. She wished he’d stop being so stubborn. If he’d just listen to her, she was sure she could get Becky to like him.

“What do you want?” he grumbled.

She headed for the bookcase. “I couldn’t sleep. I need something to read.”

“Get it and go away.”

She liked that he’d started talking like a real person instead of a geek. “It’s my place.”

“Just go to sleep, will you?”

Instead of getting a book, she settled in the chair across from him and pulled her bare feet up on the edge of the seat. “What if we get SARS?”

“That’s highly unlikely.” He sat up, yawned, and rubbed one eye. Other than kicking off his shoes, he was still wearing all his clothes. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to sterilize the dishes Lance and Jade use.”

She wrapped her arms around her knees. “I can’t believe Lance Marks and Jade Gentry are in the house.” Aaron put on his glasses and made his way toward her kitchen. She rose and followed him. “The only celebrity Bram ever invites over is Trevor. He’s great and everything, but I want to meet more famous people than just him. I wish Meg’s dad would show up sometime.”

He got a glass of water. “What about Georgie?”

“Like I care about her.”

“You’re so damned jealous.”

“I’m not jealous!” She turned toward the doorway. “I just think she should be nicer to Bram.”

“He’s the one who needs to be nicer to her. She’s great, and he doesn’t appreciate her.”

“I’m going to bed. Don’t eat my food.”

“You think I can sleep after you woke me up?”

“That’s your problem.”

They ended up watching one of Trevor’s movies. She’d already seen it three times, so she fell asleep against one arm of the couch.

In the morning when she woke up, she discovered Aaron asleep at the other end. For a moment she just lay there and thought about how nice it was to feel safe.



Georgie couldn’t cope with facing the morning, so when Bram, her nonalcoholic husband, got up, she kept her face buried in the pillow. He cracked open one of the balcony doors to let in the morning air, but even when he patted her butt, she didn’t stir. Why rush a day that promised to be memorable in its awfulness?

He left the bedroom, and she dozed off, but hardly any time seemed to have elapsed before he came back. “Do you need to make so much noise?” she grumbled into her pillow. “I like my men sexy and silent, remember?”

“Georgie?”

That tentative voice didn’t belong to Bram. It didn’t belong to a man at all. Georgie’s eyes flew open. She twisted and saw Jade Gentry standing just inside the open balcony door. She wore yesterday’s sleeveless black top and slacks, but somehow she still looked refreshed, even elegant. She’d gathered her smooth, straight hair into a casual knot at the nape of her neck and applied dusky eye makeup and pale mocha lip gloss. Her understated jewelry consisted of silver hoops and a simple silver wedding band. “It’s eight-thirty,” Jade said. “I assumed you’d be awake by now.”

Georgie blinked against the sun and slipped her left hand with its impressive diamond out from under the sheet. “Not to be impolite, Jade, but get the hell out of here.”

“You need to have this conversation.”

“Wrong.” Georgie yanked the sheet free and wrapped it around her naked body. “I don’t want a conversation with either one of you.”

Jade’s eyes fastened on Georgie’s neck. “We’re stuck together for the next two days. It’ll make things less awkward if you and I clear the air privately before we go downstairs.”

“Awkwardness doesn’t bother me at all.” She bunched the sheet between her breasts just as Lance came in through the balcony door.

“Jade? What are you doing?” he said.

“I was hoping to talk to Georgie alone,” Jade replied calmly. “She has other ideas.”

“Like throwing both your asses over that balcony!”

Lance slipped his arm through his wife’s. “Georgie, give Jade a chance.”

Georgie grabbed another fistful of sheet and stalked toward them, doing her best not to trip. “I already gave Jade a husband. And my apologies for that, by the way.”

“Kinky,” Bram said from the doorway that opened into the hall. “Do I get to play, too?”

“Throw them out of here,” Georgie ordered, gripping the sheet tighter. “I’d do it, but I only have one free hand.”

Bram shrugged. “Okay.”

“Stop.” Jade held out her arm. “You and I need to be the reasonable people here, Bram. All I wanted to do was talk to Georgie without everybody listening in. She’s a good person. I want to apologize for hurting her. I know that will help her let go of her animosity so she can heal.”

“How generous,” he said. “I’m sure Georgie’s healing would make you both feel a lot better.”

“Don’t attack Jade.” Lance flexed some muscle. “Georgie, you’ve always been sensible. Jade needs to do this—I need to do it—so everyone can move on.” His gaze went to her neck.