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couldn't not want her. Even knowing how she felt about him, even knowing she'd been forced into marrying him. He tried to summon male pride to combat the weakness, but it was useless. Around her, he had no pride, nothing but need and desire. She could leave him broken and bleeding, and he would still come crawling back to her.
"I promise we'll only have to spend holidays with them, ,, she said, smiling softly.
"That's not much of a consolation."
"Maybe you'll get lucky and Colleen won't ever speak to me again."
"That would be nice," he admitted, then thought he wouldn't want that for her. Despite Colleen's priggish ways, Megan cared for her sister. He would suffer her presence if it made Megan happy.
We'll only have to spend holidays with them. He stiffened as he grasped the meaning of her words and the implication that they would still be together year after year. Would they? Would this mockery of a marriage endure? He thought not. He would perish from need if he had to continue living with her and not be able to claim her as his.
He shifted on the hard seat and wished the meeting would end. Conversations sprang up around them as small groups discussed the merits of each plan presented. Megan listened intently but didn't interrupt. Justin didn't care what they decided. He wanted to believe he would stay, that he and | Megan would have a marriage in more than name, but it wasn't likely. She had been right when she'd accused him of being unable to forgive her for the past. He knew he was right about her being unable to love him for what he was.
Time ticked by slowly and the temperature in the small church increased. If the damn pew had a back, he could have relaxed and dozed off. He shifted again.
"Sit still," Megan whispered, tapping his forearm. "This is important."
He folded his arms over his chest and exhaled. "It's boring. I'm of a mind to just give them enough money to build the schoolhouse and hire the teacher."
"I'm surprised you'd offer so much of your salary for this."
She didn't know, he thought, feeling alert for the first time in an hour. Why would she? No one knew. He grinned. "I wouldn't have to use my salary," he said, realizing he was about to surprise her. Megan wouldn't care about money; she'd never worried about going hungry. But he knew what that felt like. When he'd been no more than twelve, he'd promised himself he would never be poor or hungry again. It had taken almost the entire seven years he'd been gone, but he'd kept the promise to himself.
"How would you pay for it?" she asked, her delicate eyebrows drawing together.
He leaned close and whispered in her ear. Not because he didn't want anyone to hear what he was saying but because he liked being close to her and smelling the rosewater rinse she used in her hair. "I'm rich."
"What?"
She turned and stared at him. Their faces were inches apart. If they hadn't been in the middle of a crowd, he would have kissed her. "I've invested heavily in the railroad. About a year ago, I sold all my shares at a great profit." He allowed himself a moment of pride. "I've got more money than you, your sister and everyone in this damn town combined."
"Then why did you bother coming back?"
Because I couldn't go on without seeing you again.
The thought sprang to his mind fully formed. He fought against it, but saw the truth. He'd gone on about making the past right, about proving the town wrong about him, but the real truth was he'd come back for Megan.
"I had some unfinished business."
Before she could ask another question, someone in the last pew stood up and started walking toward the front. Justin recognized the handsome widower, Cameron Forbes.
As Cameron walked the length of the church, all conversation ceased. Megan straightened and faced front. When he reached Gene, Cameron pulled a small bag out of his trouser pocket and placed it on the table at the head of the aisle. The bag clunked as it settled on the wood. Justin stared at the man. He'd just set down a lot of money.
"There's enough there to build the school and pay the teacher for the first year. Between now and the time that year is over, you can figure out how to keep her paid." Cameron's eyes swept over the assembly. Something dark and painful flickered in his gaze. "I'll build a three-room house on my property, by the main road. The teacher can stay there at no charge. The way I see it, if the teacher doesn't have to board from family to family, it'll be easier to hire someone good. I'll leave the rest of it up to you folks."
