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“My parents want me to return to Delaware, settle down and manage the business.”
“And you don’t want to?” She suppressed a gasp. How could he not? Truitt Industries was vast and prominent, even if it had shed its most profitable line two years ago for a song. They’d previously
cornered the market on tincture of opium in America, but even without that...to head that sort of enterprise would be incredible. Jay’d get to devise a strategy to maximize profits over a variety of lines and markets. It’d be like playing chess, billiards, and cards all at once.
“No.” Jay bent his neck, his voice almost serious. “I don’t have a talent for it. It’s better if I just stay away. I have cousins whom everyone finds more suitable.”
“What do you want to do?” She studied him. What did this man enjoy? Besides the obvious?
“I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it.” He shrugged, still staring out over the party. “Travel? I like meeting people.”
“And finding ways to remove their clothing.” She snorted.
He whipped his head around, his eyes wide and she slapped both hands over her mouth. Ugh, she sounded like a hog. Her face grew hot. Double ugh, red was not a flattering color on her.
Jay whooped, his laughter so loud it was a wonder the partygoers below didn’t stare up at them.
“That wasn’t bad.” He wiped his eyes. “Are you offering?”
The cretin had the nerve to lick his lower lip. His full, perfect, lower lip.
“Hardly.” Damn it all, she was sweating again. Next party she was dousing herself in talc. “That’s a negotiation you shall never win, Mr. Truitt.”
“Never is a long time, Miss Nunes.”
Her hands shook so hard her fan bobbled against her wrist. She couldn’t use it. She didn’t dare.
“So.” Ursula cleared her throat. “Back to the previous discussion, how would a temporary engagement solve your problem?”
Jay tugged at his high collar. Perhaps he was becoming a little warm as well. Too bad he didn’t have a fan. That many layers of clothing...perhaps there were some advantages to womanhood. At least her neck was free.
“Isn’t it enough that I find you amusing? The comment to Hugo about the steam engine was brilliant, intentionally and un. In my opinion, you’re the least boring person in Delaware. I’m not sure I want to know all the stories from your past, but as long as I have all my appendages after the engagement ends, I should be most satisfied.”
Liar. Definite liar.
She forced her spine straight. “I don’t believe it. No one, save my father and Hugo, has ever wanted to spend time with me.” She folded her arms and glared as darkly as she could. “This better not be some sort of elaborate prank designed to humiliate me because if it is I will see to it that none of the Truitt businesses ever get a loan from us again. Or any other bank.” Her throat burned, lemons followed by whiskey.
Jay held his palms up to her, almost as if he was about to defend himself from a blow. “Woah, all right. No, I swear, that’s not what this is.” He brushed her shoulder, a small, intentional josh, as if they were friends. “Look, I’m supposed to go to the parties anyway and to attend with a beautiful woman on my arm who can joke and doesn’t require me to be anything more than myself... All I need you to do is jilt me. For once, I won’t be the villain. A good faux broken heart will be enough for my parents to stop trying to make me into something I’m not.”
She gazed into his eyes and scowled. What was sincere? His explanation was almost too neat. There had to be more, but if there was, he certainly wasn’t sharing. Fiddlesticks. She’d never been able to read people, and Jay Truitt was confusing, to say the least.
Still, what exactly did she have to lose? He was right in many ways. Her mind drifted to the letters her father wrote to Hartford Female Seminary, St. Mary’s Hall, Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, and several others, offering generous donations to admit her. The responses were the same. The lump in her throat grew spikes. Certain doors would never be open to her or her kind. Jay Truitt was probably her only hope of getting near Hugo for the next few weeks.
Besides, it wouldn’t be so bad. She’d win, in the end. She’d have a big, beautiful wedding with tons of flowers and jewels and a dress like no one in Delaware had ever seen, and she’d be a Middleton. No one would ever be mean to her again. And she’d have a human companion who wasn’t related to her. Who’d chosen her.
She sucked in another breath—blasted boning, she’d be bruised in the morning. Jay winked again and her stomach fizzed. If only she’d grabbed a few more crème puffs.
“So, if I agreed, how exactly would this work?”
Chapter Three
The Nunes carriage hit a bump and the top of Jay’s skull slammed against the roof—the curse of being tall. At least the vehicle was well appointed, though a little ostentatious for his taste. Who knew one could gild so many types of fabric? He’d counted at least two dozen. Not to mention the trims. But what else could he do? No one had even glanced at him since he sat down almost an hour ago. He yanked at his tie.
Too bad the Nuneses with all their riches neglected to bring ice. The box was like a blasted oven. Worse than outside. A difficult feat as Hell had nothing on summer in Philadelphia.
“You think I’m going to fail.” Hostile was the tone Ursula chose for her opening remark.
Fitting. After all, she hadn’t gotten her way. None of her excuses held muster and she was stuck with him the entire ride. The way she hid nothing—every emotion on the surface—and the problems it caused her were fascinating. So fascinating he’d hardly thought of anything else since his parents’ party three days ago.
