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Ignoring her, I search the crowd of overly curious faces for my mother’s copper hair or my father’s wiry eyeglasses. Not here yet.Ugh. They’re going to lose their minds when they find out about this.
But I still have time for some damage control.
Sure, I’ve probably sabotaged the Bradbury investment in my family’s business. That doesn’t mean I’m going to cause more harm to the Greene name by wasting another second under these watchful eyes.
“Well, thank you all for coming today. I assure you, there’s nothing to see here,” I enunciate in my best public relations voice. “Please enjoy the hors d’oeuvres and the violinist.”
The caterer slides out of the closet and rushes down the other side of the hall, away from the guests.
It’s Lance’s turn to goggle at me. “Molly, we’re not done.”
“If the lady wants to be, I think we’re quite finished.” Matthew steps forward, towering over Lance. His jaw tenses beneath his five-o’clock shadow.
I force a nervous giggle. “Yep. All done.”
Focus, Molly. Focus on fixing this. Not on how taut the lines of Matthew’s face look.
The crowd hesitates and then disperses, sweeping Lance away with them.
I rush down the hall, pull open the third door on the right, and step into the Bradbury family library.
When the door latches shut, a shiver zooms up my spine. I spin, finding myself in Matthew’s arms.
“What have you done?” I take a few steps back. I can’t linger too long in his embrace.
“What have I done?” Matthew’s voice is filled with dread. Or is it concern? Regret?He swipes at the creases in his forehead.
“You kissed me?” I ask because I still can’t believe it.
“I did.” Matthew steps closer, and I distance myself, my hamstrings colliding with a desk. I’m pinned. “I’m sorry, I—” He hesitates. “That was so inappropriate. But I saw your face, and everyone was whispering about you. I mean, the asshole was hooking up with someone else. I couldn’t let you deal with that alone. I just—I acted.”
“Did…did you want to kiss me?” I slap my hand over my mouth. Is that seriously the best question I have?Not:Why’d you cause a scene?Not:Did you mean what you said about being in love with me?
“Um, are you alright?” He deflects, and it’s enough of an answer for me. This is all just one heroic rescue.
Am I alright?No. I’m not remotely alright. Absolutely not. I must’ve been the worst kisser ever. Dismay joins the nerves humming beneath my skin.
“Of course. I’m fine. Everything is fine.” My voice cracks, but I hide it with one of my best smiles. “Oh my goodness. Wait. Did anyone from ORO see?”
“No. Just me. Everyone else was in the gardens,” he says. One less thing I’ll need to run damage control on.
“Please don’t tell them.”
“I won’t.”
“Okay.” Tears brim my eyes. I can’t cry in front of him.
“Here, take this.” He hands me the beige handkerchief from his breast pocket.
“Oh, I don’t want to stain it. My mascara would never come out.”
“It’s meant to be used. I don’t mind.” I’ll buy him a new one and drop it off at his desk on Monday. I grab the soft fabric from his fingers and blot it under my eyes. “Also, you can’t be fine, Molly. You just caught your fiancé cheating on you.”
I stare up his six-foot-one frame. There’s a small bend in his nose I’ve never noticed. Rugged and unexpectedly out of place. I have the sudden urge to ask him how it got that way, but when I open my mouth, nothing comes out.
No diversion. No answer to his worried expression.
It’s always been different with Matthew, my real personality slipping into our conversations at work. I’ve had to keep my guard up around him. Something about the way he looks at me makes me want to pour my whole soul out to him.
