Ever After (Nantucket Brides 3)

She looked at him and what she saw there made her want to slap him. There was a sneer of disgust on his face. He was assuming that Hallie would now want to run away. She didn’t say anything, just quickly stepped around him and went to Jamie.

When he saw her, his face drained of color. For a moment his eyes dared her to say anything, but then he straightened and stared ahead at nothing.

As he stood at attention, she walked around him and looked at his wounds. Most were skin-deep, but some went down to the muscles. She couldn’t imagine his pain during the injuries, the subsequent healing, and the rebuilding of his body.

When she got back to his front, he was still looking over her head. He seemed to be waiting for her to make the first move, but the emotion that was building inside her was overtaking her sympathy. She was remembering all the tricks and half-lies that had been played by him to cover what she was now seeing.

Reaching out, she put a single fingertip at the end of one long scar that ran from his shoulder to his stomach. “Soldier?” she asked.

“Yes.” He didn’t look at her.

A movement caught her eye. Adam, Ian, and Raine were coming through the gate. They had helped Jamie in his lies.

“You have one hour to get off my property,” she said as she started toward the house. Todd was there, but she didn’t look at him. She was walking fast, her steps full of the rage she was feeling.

Jamie caught her arm. “What do you mean?”

Hallie stopped but didn’t look at him. “You heard me. Go away. I never want to see any of you again.”

“I understand,” he said. “I disgust you.”

She turned back to him. “Don’t speak to me in that tone! You have insulted me—insulted my professional abilities. You have humiliated me.” She glared at him. “You have betrayed me.” She started walking again.

He stepped in front of her, blocking her. “What are you talking about? How have I betrayed you?”

His scarred chest was directly in front of her. “What did you think would happen if I saw you? Saw this?”

“That you’d feel sorry for me.” His voice was soft.

“Right. As I said, you have insulted my entire profession.” She tried to step around him, but he wouldn’t let her pass. She halted, her arms folded over her chest, but she wouldn’t look at him.

“Hallie, please, I just didn’t want you to…to…”

“To what? To be able to help you? Did you think I was one of those bimbos you meet when you’re jetting around the world? But wait! That’s a lie too, isn’t it? You wanted me to think you were some rich playboy who took up space on the earth. You hid the fact that you are a soldier! Not knowing the cause of your physical problems has hindered me greatly.”

She turned back to look at the four men standing to one side and watching them. They all seemed to be astonished by her reaction. “All of you helped him conceal this from me,” Hallie said, so angry she could barely speak. “You gave me this job, then wouldn’t let me do it. I want all of you gone. Now!” She started walking.

Jamie ran after her on his crutches.

When Hallie got to the house she didn’t go into the kitchen. For all she knew there might be people in there. Instead, she went around to the side and threw open the doors to the tea room. Thankfully, it was empty.

Jamie was right behind her. “I never meant to hide anything,” he said, his voice genuinely contrite. “I just wanted to be normal, that’s all. My family treats me like I’m a delicate piece of glass that’s about to shatter if they breathe too hard.”

She turned to him. “Normal? You think this situation is normal?! You’re isolated with your own private physical therapist. I needed to know about your injuries, but you played a childish game of hide-and-seek. Tell me what’s normal about that!”

Jamie hobbled over to be closer to her. “It’s not the physical therapist part that’s the problem, it’s just that you’re so pretty, so desirable. From the moment I saw you I have been out of my mind with wanting you.” He was smiling at her so very sweetly.

“So now I’m supposed to fall into your arms?” Hallie said. “Is that what you think I’m going to do? You admit you’re willing to jump into bed with me and I am supposed to instantly forgive you?”

“Well, I did think it would make a difference if you knew and I thought…” He could see that every word he spoke was making her even angrier. For a second he seemed to hear Dr. Huntley’s laughter at him, saying he’d never been “on the receiving end of a woman’s rage over a man’s prevarications.” And it was true that he didn’t know what to say or do to make her forgive him.

When he made a step toward her, she backed up. “Hallie, please let me explain,” he said. “I thought—” He broke off because his three cousins were outside the window behind Hallie. They were holding up pieces of paper with words on them. Adam’s said “Apologize.” Ian had written “Grovel.” And Raine’s paper said “Tell her you’re wrong.”

“I’m sorry,” Jamie said. “I was wrong. I thought of myself and that’s all.”

“Yes, you did!” Hallie said. “You were utterly selfish.”

He took another step toward her, but again she stepped back.