He leaned forward, his hands clasped in front of him. “Look, you must realize a quickie marriage in Vegas isn’t exactly the best way to start a lasting relationship.”
He was blunt and Amber respected that. And he obviously didn’t know what to make of her, not that she blamed him. If the situation were reversed, she’d look out for her family, too. A family she didn’t have. Both her parents had been only children, leaving Amber without siblings or cousins. She envied Mike his relationships, she realized for the first time.
It was another void she hadn’t let herself acknowledge until now. And another good reason to create a lasting future here—if she and Mike were meant to be.
The front door opened and a beautiful woman with auburn hair hanging past her shoulders walked inside. Derek’s surprised gaze slid the other woman’s way for a moment before turning back to Amber.
Amber leaned toward Derek, wanting to end this conversation before their visitor heard. “I’m not going to hurt Mike,” she assured him.
“What do you call deserting him the morning after the wedding?” Derek pinned her with his gaze, cutting her no slack, not dropping the subject as she’d hoped.
“Back off, Derek,” the woman said, her high heels clicking against the floor with every step. “Everyone has a past, everyone makes bad choices now and then. You ought to know. It’s what they do with the present and future that counts. I’m Derek’s wife, Gabrielle, by the way,” she said, striding over to where Amber sat.
Amber smiled at the other woman, grateful for her show of support. She rose. “I’m Amber. It’s nice to meet you.”
Derek pushed himself up from the chair. “I thought we agreed you were going to stay home today?” Derek asked.
Clearly he hadn’t wanted her to meet his cousin’s ne’er-do-well, temporary wife. But despite the censure in his tone, love and pleasure shone in his face, softening his features. These two shared the real thing, Amber thought, and a whisper of jealousy flushed through her.
Envy.
She wanted what they shared. More than she’d even realized.
Gabrielle shook her head and her glossy hair fell over one shoulder. “I said I’d stay home and work—I’m a writer,” she explained to Amber. “But then I realized that Amber could probably use some help getting settled, not to mention some company. It’s not like Edward’s going to give her any.”
“Where is he, anyway?” Amber asked. There’d been no sign of her host since she’d arrived.
Derek shrugged his shoulders. “He said he was going out. That could mean any number of things.”
“How did he take the news that I’d be staying here?”
Derek paused, probably trying to find a nice way to express his uncle’s words.
“Never mind,” Amber said. “I can only im
agine. Where’s the skunk?”
“The what?” Gabrielle asked, glancing nervously around the room.
Amber laughed. “Stinky Pete. He’s Edward’s descented skunk. Edward doesn’t like to advertise Pete’s lack of odor though. He thinks it will keep visitors away.”
Derek pinched the bridge of his nose. “What the hell will he think of next?”
Gabrielle shuddered. “I think it’s safer not to ask.”
Derek’s cell phone rang and he answered. “Hi, Dad.” He paused. “You ran into him where?” Derek listened, then, “Yes, I know why he’s buying extra food and things. I’ll explain later.” Again, Derek paused. “No, don’t get him riled up. I’ll talk to you when I get home.” He flipped the phone closed.
“What is it?” Gabrielle asked, placing a hand on her husband’s shoulder.
Derek shoved the phone back into his pants’ pocket. “My father saw Edward at the supermarket in town, talking to himself and buying more food than one man needs.” He shot a glance at Amber. “Don’t worry. People won’t automatically think he has company just because he’s stocking up. They’ll assume he wants to avoid coming back to town for a while. But I’d move your car around back to be safe.”
“I will.” She paused. “If you don’t mind my asking, why would your father wonder about Edward’s shopping habits? Wouldn’t he make the same assumption everyone does?”
“My father knows his brother pretty well, but their relationship is strained. Hank, my father, lives with my uncle Thomas,” Derek said.
“You see, Thomas and Edward fought over a woman,” Gabrielle continued. “She married Thomas, and Edward stopped speaking to his brother. He blamed the curse, moved to the far side of town, and when his marriage to Mike’s mother didn’t work out, he became a recluse,” Gabrielle finished helpfully.
Derek shot his wife an annoyed glance. “She didn’t need so much detail.”