Page 63 of Wed to You-
“No.”
The bite in Jagger’s tone caused Chelsea to look at him.
“Why not?” Alexis asked.
“Did Marlena call you? Or my father?”
“Jagger. People want to meet Chelsea.”
“I don’t want people to meet her or her to meet people.”
Chelsea jerked back as hurt and anger flushed through her body. Her brain told her she shouldn’t be surprised. Not even a fancy dress and shoes would be able to cover up the fact that she wasn’t a part of this world. She wasn’t glamorous or sophisticated.
“Jagger.” Alexis’s clipped voice chastised him and then she looked at Chelsea, her features apologetic.
“No. It’s okay. I wouldn’t have anything to wear anyway.” Chelsea stood, intending to go inside. She felt precariously close to crying and didn’t need an audience.
“Chelsea.” Jagger reached out a hand.
“I’m getting a little too much sun. Red hair and too much sun isn’t a good mix. It was good to see you again, Ms. Fairchild.”
“Please, call me Alexis.”
With a nod, Chelsea rushed into the penthouse to her and Jagger’s master bathroom. Closing the door, she sat in the large tub and cried. She wasn’t quite sure why. She was normally a strong woman. But Jagger’s vehemence had struck a nerve. When she’d run through her pros and cons list of what marrying Jagger would mean, she hadn’t considered how unfit she was in his world. She’d didn’t think about having to come to New York as a corporate wife.
She wasn’t a complete hick, but her accent would automatically make people assume she was. Although the Central Virginian Southern accent wasn’t as strong as those in Southwestern Virginia or in the more southern states, there was no doubt she spoke with an accent. While she was educated, she was ignorant of the social norms and rules of people of Jagger’s socioeconomic status. She’d heard about them from Lexie, who on occasion had to attend functions with Drake. But she was out of her element here.
Still, she’d agreed to this marriage and even if she hadn’t anticipated feeling like a frumpy outsider, she had to suck it up and do the best she could. That meant she needed to pull herself together.
She wiped her tears and exited the tub. She washed her face, studying it in the mirror. “You’re a hot mess.” A little embarrassed by her outburst, she gave herself a pep talk about being strong.
“Chelsea?” Jagger’s voice preceded a knock on the door.
She took a deep breath, mustered a smile, and opened the door. “Everything all right?”
His blue eyes narrowed as they studied her face. “I was going to ask you the same question.”
“I’m fine.” She started to push past him, but he blocked her, backing her into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.
“I didn’t mean what I said.”
She raised one eyebrow, but said nothing.
He winced. “Well...I did, but not because I think there’s something wrong with you, which Alexis thinks you heard.”
Chelsea shrugged his comment away. “It’s okay, Jagger. I know I don’t fit in your world.” She made another attempt to escape, but he put his hands on her shoulders, gently maneuvering her against the vanity.
“Let me talk to you.”
The only problem was, when he was close like this, her senses went haywire.
“I’ve told you about my father and his wife. They’re mean, Chelsea. They’ll hurt you or embarrass you or both.”
For some reason, that didn’t make her feel better. “I understand. There’s a lot of material for them to work with.”
He frowned. “What does that mean?”
She blew out a breath. “My accent. My lack of sophistication…”
