Page 30 of Secret Match
They walked downstairs together, but then he kissed her near his office door and told her goodbye.
Her heart sped up as he slipped inside.
Right. She could do something with her time. Something other than wish for Gio’s presence because her heart beat just a little faster near him. Normal routines would be good. She headed toward the library to get a book and found Jennifer Gonzales, who crossed her arms and looked at her. “Kiwi, I’m surprised to see you.”
This was Gio’s home, not Jennifer’s, who hadn’t even been invited. How dare the woman judge Kiwi? Kiwi pressed her lips together and reminded herself to be nice and to take things at face value. “Jennifer, did you choose what Morgan you’re going with?”
Jennifer ignored the sarcastic tone and opened the library door wider so Kiwi could see Caro sitting next to a small breakfast tray with coffee and assorted pastries. Jennifer asked, “Do you have a minute? I don’t have any real friends and I’d like to bounce things off you and Caro.”
Friends were important. Serenity always listened to her and honestly what Jennifer had done to Peter wasn’t any of her business. Kiwi stepped inside the library as she said, “Sure.”
“Kiwi, glad you could join us.” Caro handed her a cappuccino after Kiwi chose one of the huge dark green sitting chairs that she could seriously bury herself in.
The coffee tasted robust and she licked her lips after one sip. Caro turned to Jennifer and asked, “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know what to do.” Jennifer paced between the chairs.
Caro, seated on the other side of the tray, said, “Jennifer is deciding between Peter and Anthony.”
Good. No one was going to make her think about her own life for a few minutes—but then she remembered the ring still upstairs on the dresser. She should have put it away before one of the maids went in to make the bed.
Drat. Kiwi’s heart raced. She knew better than to leave jewels around where people might steal. She tried to excuse herself when Jennifer said, “I figure Caro knows Peter better, and you, Kiwi, know Anthony.”
“I don’t know either very well.” Kiwi sat back and hoped she could make a fast getaway if she answered the questions.
Jennifer clasped Kiwi’s fingers as she said, “Well, I’ve been in love with Peter my entire adult life.”
“But he didn’t love you.” Kiwi extracted her hand, thwarted from running out like she’d hoped.
Jennifer flung her arms upward and then dropped them to hug her rounded belly. “But he’s here now. I’m not sure if I trust he’ll stay.”
Caro stood, censure in her tone. “You stole his sperm to have his child. It’s hard to build trust this way, especially when he professed his love multiple times for his wife.”
Right. Kiwi glanced at the door one more time and then forced herself to stay seated. She’d finish the conversation and then go.
Hopefully everything with the ring would be fine. Gio had known the diamond was there.
“Belle’s gone now,” Jennifer said defensively. “And I didn’t do anything to her.”
Caro shook her head. “Other than never let Peter and Belle alone long enough for them to find happily-ever-after.”
Jennifer let out a long sigh and said, “I wanted to have part of him as he was happily married, but that’s changed now, with Belle gone.”
Pregnancy had changed her life too, but maybe Kiwi could bring this back to an easier solution. She asked, “Why did you go away with Anthony?”
Jennifer stepped back and her lips pursed in thought. Finally she said, “I needed fresh air and to get away. I didn’t know he’d love me too.”
Must be nice to have men lined up. Kiwi kept that comment to herself. Gio was more than enough for her and honestly she didn’t tolerate men in any capacity other than professional. Jennifer had to figure out whatshewanted. “Let’s look at this another way.”
“What way, Kiwi?” Jennifer asked.
Lord knows she had no right answer to anything. She’d messed up her own life so many times she couldn’t count, but Jennifer’s wide-eyed gaze had her stop and measure her questions to guide her. She’d just sworn not to make decisions for anyone else ever again, but this was only advice. “How do you want to spend your life? Do you want to be with a man who might love you, or the man you love but might not love you?”
Jennifer crossed her arms, the long flow of silky brown hair falling over one shoulder. “What are you saying?”
Caro added, “You have to pick the man that makes you happy.”
Jennifer took that statement and zeroed in on Kiwi. “Pfft, like Gio makes you happy?”
