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He glanced toward her, and she smiled, letting everything in her heart shine because there was no point in trying to hide how she felt.
She was
crazy about Jude.
Unfortunately, he didn’t smile back. Or respond in any way other than to turn back to his father.
Okay, not what she was expecting, but maybe they were having an unpleasant conversation.
Only when she joined him a few minutes later, after he’d finished talking to his father and was finally alone, he was still scowling.
And abrupt in his responses.
Almost angry.
When another family member came over to talk to him, he dismissed them just as abruptly. Good grief, what was wrong with him?
Taking her arm, he gently guided her away from the crowd to where they stood off by themselves.
“Finally, I can breathe,” he practically growled.
He hadn’t had any problems with crowds on their other public outings, quite the opposite, so Sarah just stared, not sure what to say or do. She wanted to comfort him, but he didn’t look welcoming of anything she might say or do.
“Remind me how you convinced me to come to this damn party again?”
Ouch.
Annoyed at his growl, hurt at his accusatory question, confused at his attitude, she lifted her chin and fake smiled. “How could you forget? I held a gun to your head this morning until you finally gave in and said you’d go for fear of your life.”
His eyes flashed quicksilver. “Not funny.”
“Yeah, well, neither is your attitude tonight.”
“There is nothing wrong with my attitude. I told you from the beginning, I don’t want to be here.”
“So you’re determined to make everyone have a bad time?”
“Are you having a bad time?” he snarled. “You seem to be buzzing from one person to the next and are all smiles.”
Who was this stranger who’d taken hold of the sweet man she’d awakened next to that morning?
“Did I miss something?” she asked, totally confused. “You don’t want me to smile or have a good time?”
He closed his eyes, raked his fingers through his hair, then took a deep breath. “I want you to have a good time.” His tone wasn’t thrilled, but at least he hadn’t growled. “I was just ready to leave before we got here.”
“I’d never have guessed.”
“Normally, I appreciate that sharp wit of yours, but at the moment you’ll have to excuse me.” He glanced around the room, almost desperately. “I’m going to go find something to drink. You want something?”
Yeah, she wanted the man she’d made love to back and this belligerent stranger gone.
Not that he waited for her to answer.
She watched him walk away, watched as people came over to talk to him. He shifted his weight, didn’t make eye contact, and just looked awkward.
What was wrong with him?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
