Midnight Lily(63)

"Okay," I said, glancing at the nametag pinned to the lapel of his suit. Why would he be wearing a nametag? I frowned, blinking at it, unable to read it from across the kitchen. He suddenly began advancing on me, and I sucked in a breath, my eyes shooting to his face. I pressed my butt against the sink, unable to back up any more than I already had. Jeffrey came to within a step of me. He brought his hand up and ran his knuckle down my cheek. I flinched. "You seem so jumpy around me. Why? I'm here to help you. I only want—"

"Lily," my grandmother called from the foyer. Jeffrey stepped back.

"In here," I called loudly. Jeffrey gave me one last assessing look and then turned and left the kitchen. I heard him chat briefly with my grandma and then the front door closed. A few seconds later, my grandma came into the kitchen carrying a bag of groceries. I took the bag from her and she leaned toward me as I kissed her on her cheek.

"Are you okay? You look peaked."

"I'm okay," I said softly. "I was going to make a salad." I turned toward the refrigerator.

"That would be great. All the ingredients are in the crisper."

"Grandma, about Jeffrey—" The chiming of the doorbell cut me off. "I'll get that," I murmured.

I walked through the living room and into the large foyer, peeking through the curtain next to the door. It was a woman, turned halfway away, but I recognized her immediately. She was the woman from the charity benefit. The woman who had been with Ryan. "Good grief," I whispered. What more? She turned and saw me peeking at her. Taking a fortifying breath, I opened the door. "Hello?" I asked, pretending I didn't know who she was.

"Don't pretend you don't recognize me," she said. "I can tell by your expression that you do. My name is Jenna. May I come in?"

I stared at her. She was somehow even more beautiful when dressed casually in jeans and a sweater. Her auburn hair was down and curled around her beautiful face, and her deep brown eyes were a stunning contrast to her creamy complexion. "How did you know where I live?"

"I'm good friends with a client who helped organize the charity event," she said, not elaborating. I supposed she had access to the guest list and all the information pertaining to that. I sighed and stood back, holding the door open to her. What a wonderful way to wrap up a wonderful day.

"Who's there, Lily?" my grandmother called.

"Someone for me," I called back, gesturing for Jenna to follow me to the formal living room to the right of the foyer. Doubtless my grandmother would listen in at the door, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Not today. I took a seat on the couch and Jenna sat down on the loveseat, facing me.

"I guess I'll just get right to it," she said. "I know who you are. I know about you, and I've come to tell you to stay away from Ryan."

What the hell?

I let out a small laugh. "You know about me? You know what exactly?"

"I was listening when you talked to him in the lobby. I heard what your grandmother said about you being ill. About you being in a hospital—a mental hospital, I assume. A whole year? You must have been very, very disturbed. Are you still? Disturbed that is?" She cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes as if she could tell more about my mental state if she looked hard enough.

I felt myself pale and clasped my hands in my lap. I wasn't sure I had ever felt such deep loathing for someone before. Snake. "I'm not sure how my situation is any of your business, Jenny, was it?"

She gave me a smile, but it dissolved into something verging on a sneer. "Jenna," she corrected, her voice dripping phony sweetness. "Listen, Lily, Ryan told me in detail about his own struggles, poured his heart out actually. He's finally healing from his loss. Do you really think he needs to bring more unpredictability into his life? More chaos and uncertainty? If you care about him at all, which I suspect you do by the way you looked at him at the event, surely you see that I'm right."

I paused, regarding her, trying my very best not to let her see how much her words affected me. It was the crux of my pain regarding Ryan, in fact. How did this horrible woman know that? It was as if she could look right inside my heart, and that was not tolerable. And the fact that he'd shared his deepest secrets with her just . . . hurt. This was the woman Ryan had feelings for now? I supposed I should be personally offended by his poor taste in women. He'd been kissing her. His mouth had been on the mouth of the woman in front of me now, capable of spewing such ugly, hateful things. And I had told him he should be with her? I had practically demanded he choose her. Because I'd thought it was right, better. I didn't answer her question.

"He and I are just beginning something very special. I suppose he feels some attachment to you being that you were there during a very rough time in his life, and I suppose he feels as if he can't turn you away now. He must feel very sorry for you." She shook her head as if the thought was one that made her sad. "So, do the right thing—do him the favor of not having him make a choice that will cause him guilt. He doesn't need one more thing weighing on his mind."

"I'd like you to leave my home now."

"Happily. I'm done here." She stood. "Think on what I've said. I'm sure you'll realize I'm right."

"Goodbye, Gemma."