A CONTRACT ENGAGEMENT

Nina managed a smile. “It’s all right. Truly. It is one of those things women like to know. Men are so thick when it comes to these things, but if any awkwardness can be avoided, I would like to know.” She said,

And she could go straight to hell for lying, too. She’d just make sure Julian got there first for his role in this debacle.

“It’s all in the past. Rest assured.” Elizabeth said.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Naturally,” Nina said drily.

“Julian and Loveth were engaged. It was a long engagement. The truth of the matter is, I’m just not sure how much of Julian’s affections were engaged. Loveth and Sam fell in love, and well, it’s obvious to anyone that those two were meant for each other. Julian didn’t take it well, though, and if I hadn’t begged him to come to the wedding, I have no doubt he wouldn’t be here.”

Nina nodded, understanding now why he and Abby didn’t want to attend the wedding in the first place.

Elizabeth smiled and reached out to touch Nina’s arm. “Loveth led me to believe that Julian was just going on about being involved because he wasn’t over her yet and didn’t want to worry me, but I can see that isn’t the case. I can tell by the way he looks at you that he’s besotted. He never looked at anyone that way.”

I’m such a sucker, Nina thought. Only a sucker would fall for something like this. There should be a law about being so stupid when it comes to men. But then she’d spend a lot of time behind bars if that were the case. She was so angry with Julian for doing this to her and making her lie to his kind mother.

She felt Julian’s approach. It was hard to miss all that tension. Nina glanced up and met his gaze, and she didn’t at all try to disguise her fury. Let him stew. He was damn lucky she liked his mom so much or she would have denounced him in front of the entire hotel lobby.

The poor woman didn’t deserve to be humiliated just because her son was a first-rate ass.

Julian regarded her warily even as he turned to his mom. “We’ll catch up tomorrow, Mom, okay? Nina and I have had a long day and we’d like to go up and have dinner in the room.”

Elizabeth patted Julian on the cheek and then leaned up on tiptoe to kiss him. “Of course, dear. I’ll see you both tomorrow for rehearsal.”

She reached back and squeezed Nina’s hand. “It was so nice seeing you again, Nina.” She said,

She walked toward Julian’s father and the two went in the direction of the restaurant, leaving Julian and Nina standing in the middle of the lobby.

“We’re on the top level,” Julian said evenly. He gestured toward the elevator and Nina strode in that direction.

They rode up in silence, the tension so thick Nina felt like the entire elevator would explode before it stopped. It was all she could not to tap her foot in agitation as she waited for the doors to open. When they finally did, Nina stepped out, glanced down the hall and then back at Julian.

“My key,” she said pointedly. “What room am I in?”

Julian sighed and pointed at the end. “We’re in the two-bedroom suite at the end,” he replied.

Her mouth fell open. She reached forward and snatched the key card from his grasp. Then she spun on her heel and stalked down the hall. The hell she’d share a room with him. He could go find other accommodations or he could bunk with his cousin. They’d probably have a lot to talk about. Maybe they could compare notes on Loveth.

She jammed the card into the lock, listened for the snick and then shoved it open. She stepped inside and slammed the door in Julian’s face.

Her feet were killing her, she was angry as hell and she was hungry. And she needed to figure out how to get off this damn island.

She kicked off her shoes and then sat on the edge of the couch next to the table with the hotel directory and a telephone. Surely the front desk could make arrangements for her departure.

The sound of the door opening had her on her feet again, and she glared indignantly as Julian walked in and shut the door behind him. He held up another key card in explanation. He looked tired and resigned.

“Look, I know you’re angry.” he began.

She held up her hand. “Don’t you dare patronize me. And don’t tell me how I feel. You have no idea how furious I am. Angry doesn’t even begin to cover it.” She said,

He blew out his breath and ran a hand through his hair. He tossed his jacket onto the arm of the couch.

She pointed to the door with a shaking finger. “Out. I won’t share a suite with you. I don’t care how many bedrooms it has. Get out.”

“I need a drink,” Julian muttered.

The man wouldn’t even fight with her, and by God she wanted a fight.

“You never had any intention of listening to my ideas, did you?” she asked.

He stopped on his way over to the liquor cabinet and turned back around to stare at her. He even had the audacity to look puzzled.

“I’ve been such an idiot. I can’t believe I fell for this crap. How this was the only time you could fit me in. Blah, blah, blah. How naive does that make me? How stupid does it make me? And I can’t believe you did this to me… I know we aren’t that close, but I thought we were friends… At least to some extent… I… ”

He held up a hand and took a step in her direction. “Nina..”

“Don’t Nina me,” she whispered furiously. “Don’t you dare”

It galled her that she could feel the prick of tears. He would not make her cry. She needed to pull it together and be professional. A really nasty, vivid curse word, one that she’d learned from her brothers burst into her mind. It was certainly appropriate under the circumstances.

Screw professional.