Page 8 of An Inconvenient Marriage
I barely had time to properly digest her words when someone’s hand slipped around my elbow.
“Zach, do you have a moment?”
I usually didn’t mind if Sophie interrupted a conversation. She always had a good reason for it. Right now, though, I wanted to tell her to go the hell away. But this was Sophie, the only person who knew how intolerable I could be and still stuck by me.
“This isn’t over,” I said to Natalie.
Our gazes held for a while longer, then I turned and allowed Sophie to lead me away.
4
Natalie
Iblewoutalong breath through my nose and pressed my palm against my roiling stomach. What the heck had I gotten myself into?
“What was that about? It seemed intense.”
Just like magic, and as if she knew I needed her, Everlee appeared in front of me. It took all my strength not to lunge forward and hug her tight. But I knew if I did that, I’d have to face my father’s wrath at some point because that was not how a lady was supposed to act.
“He asked if I was pregnant?”
“What?”
“I know.”
She bit her lip. “What did you tell him?”
“Nothing.” My gaze drifted to where Zach and the beautiful brunette were having what seemed like a heated conversation. “I didn’t have time to say anything before that woman dragged him away.”
Everlee twisted around to see what I was staring at. “Isn’t that his assistant?”
“I think so.”
“Hmm, they look awfully cozy.” Her gaze met mine again. “You don’t think…”
I shrugged. “Would he have married me if they were? Not that it matters. I don’t want his heart, just his help. And I don’t think I’ll get even that.”
“Why not? According to just about every article I’ve read, the man is a saint.”
I pinned her with a stare. “You know better than anyone how those articles can be twisted into whatever whoever wants them to be. The Zach I just met, the one I just married, is nothing more than an arrogant jerk.”
“Oh, sweetie, I don’t know what to say.”
Reaching for her hands, I wrapped my fingers around her palms and squeezed. “Thank you for being here today and every day. And for the dress. It felt good to do somethingIwanted to, even if it was something as small as not wearing what my father picked out.”
“No thanks needed. I just want you to be happy, Nat, truly happy.”
Tears stinging my eyes, I moved to hug my friend, but I should have known better than to think a little happy moment like this would last long with my father in the vicinity.
“Natalie,” he bellowed. “A word.” His attention shifted to Everlee. “I’m sure your mother could use a hand in the kitchen… while she still has a kitchen to work in.”
My friend caught the not-so-subtle threat and gave me a tiny smile before hurrying away. As I watched her leave, I hoped her parents weren’t lying when they’d told her they were going to quit.
If I didn’t come back, my father would definitely find someone to blame, and I didn’t want it to be any of them. Because the last time—and only time—she’d tried to help me escape, my father had threatened to ruin not only her life but the lives of her father, mother, and sister, too.
What if—
“You never answered me earlier.” Cold hands slipped around my waist and held me tight. To the outside world, it would seem like a father lovingly holding on to his daughter. But what the outside world couldn’t see was how his fingers were digging into my side to the point of pain.
