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Chapter Thirteen
Simon hated the way his statement snuffed out the glow in Caroline’s eyes. He considered her apartment in Atlanta and understood why she was so attracted to this house. He’d grown up in a big house with a pool out back. He might have worked his butt off to get through college and start up his business, but he could have taken the easy road and let his parents foot the bill.
Caroline hadn’t been given the luxury of choices. She’d come from a modest background. She’d worked herself to near exhaustion to finish law school while making ends meet. Then he’d swooped in and dressed her in expensive clothes, paraded her in front of his family as the woman he loved and in a week’s time he would return her to her tiny apartment and her day-to-day scramble to survive.
His heart reverberated like a struck gong. Is that really what he intended to do? What he wanted to do? Dump her back in her life and go on with his? Without her in it?
Granted, bringing Caroline home was the most fun he’d had in years, and he couldn’t recall the last time he’d felt this happy. His chest hurt at the idea of never making love to her again, and he couldn’t shake free of the images of his children in that house, children he and Caroline made together in that big master bedroom. But did he want his life to change?
Simon stared at her, unable to imagine not seeing her every day, not holding her in his arms every night. But what did that mean? Did he see her in his future?
Yes. As simple as that, he realized he loved her.
“I’m glad you’re being such a jerk about the house,” Hannah told him as the rest of the family filed out the door. “It means that you’re not going to be Mom and Dad’s favorite anymore. I for one wouldn’t have rejected this incredible house.”
“I’m not their favorite,” he responded, gripping her arms to give her a little shake. “You’re the one giving birth to their first grandchild. And you wouldn’t reject the house because it would mean you’d have a built-in babysitter living five blocks away.”
She pulled a face at him, but her huge grin ruined the effect. “Not to mention I don’t make a zillion dollars a year and can’t afford to be choosy.”
“Be nicer to Caroline,” Sarah added, getting in the final dig. “It’s not her fault that your parents wanted to do something huge for you two.”
Resentment built at her scolding. “You and Hannah are pretty settled in Charleston. Would you accept the house if it meant moving?”
“Hannah would never badger me to move, and Caroline won’t either. But yes, I’d have accepted the house if it made her eyes shine the way Caroline’s were. I wouldn’t want to be the one to take that happiness away.”
Inwardly Simon flinched. “I’ll be sure my mother keeps her eyes open for another home in the neighborhood.” He meant for his grin to be gently spiteful, but it felt sad instead.
Caroline barely waited until his family closed the front door behind them, leaving her and Simon alone in the Charlton Street house, before she pointed her finger at him and started making demands. “You have to tell your parents the truth about us.”
“Look, if you’re worried about the house, don’t be.”
“Are you listening to yourself? Your parents bought us a house.”
“They only put money down to take it off the market for a few days.”
“You just aren’t getting it, are you?” She raised her left hand and showed him the diamond engagement ring. “They think we’re getting married.”
“Don’t worry about it. Everything will work out fine.” Simon wished he felt as confident as he sounded.
Caroline dropped her hands into her pockets and shook her head. “I don’t believe that’s true. That’s why I’m going back to Atlanta tomorrow.”
Of all the things that he expected they would argue about today, her leaving had not been on the agenda. “You can’t leave.”
“I can and I will. I can’t do this anymore. I’m going to give you back the money you gave me for my tuition. You need to tell your family the truth. Today.”
What was she saying? She was leaving? She couldn’t do that. He had fallen in love with her. He needed to figure out what that meant for him, for them. “You were supposed to stay until after New Year’s.”
“I was supposed to pretend to be your fiancée too, and you can see how well that turned out.”
Now Simon’
s own temper flared. Damn it. He loved her and she intended to leave him. Until that moment, it never occurred to him that she might not feel the same way he did. “It turned out great. You were so convincing that my parents bought us a house.”
“I thought you said they only put down money to take it off the market,” she shot back. “And I’d like to point out that I wasn’t convincing, Simon. We were convincing.”
He caught her meaning and stalked toward her. “Yes, I think we both found it easy to pretend we were engaged. Why do you suppose that was?”
She shook her head and threw out one hand to ward him off. “Do you really need me to say that I find you attractive? I would have thought that throwing myself at you would have spoken loud and clear.”
