Page 63 of About Last Night

At that moment he looked up and recognized her. "Janine?"

Summoning courage, she crossed the lobby. "H-hi," she said, feeling as if she were face-to-face with a stranger.

"Hi, yourself," he said with a frown. "Where the devil have you been?"

She blinked. So much for a happy reunion. Tempted to snap back, she reminded herself of the messages she had to deliver. "Collecting my things," she said, indicating her makeshift bag. "And tying up loose ends." Stepping forward, she pulled away the ice pack and gasped at the dried blood and redness beneath. "What happened to your mouth?"

His scowl deepened. "I fell," he said, gesturing to the marble floor. "It's nothing."

"But you might need stitches—"

"I said it's nothing!"

Drawing back at his tone, she averted her eyes, noticing several people were staring.

Steve noticed too, instantly contrite. He bent to kiss her high on the cheek, a gesture she'd once found so romantic. Now she swallowed hard to keep from pushing him away. Her response wasn't fair, she knew. She had made a huge mistake by agreeing to marry him. He bore none of the blame for her naive acceptance.

"Let's sit," she suggested. "I need to talk to you."

Her heart skipped erratically, and her hopes of easing into the conversation were dashed when Steve asked, "Where's my ring?" He grasped her left hand with his free one.

She attempted a smile but failed. "Um, that's one of the things I have to talk to you about." After clearing her throat, she blurted, "I lost it."

He lowered the ice pack and stared. A muscle ticked in his clenched jaw."You... lostit?"

Tears sprang to her eyes, and she nodded. "Steve, I'm so sorry."

"Where did you lose it?" he demanded. "How?"

She shook her head, her tears falling in earnest now. "I don't know—I've looked everywhere. I'm so, so sorry."

Steve lay his head back against the chair and moved the ice pack to his forehead. "My mother is going to kill me."

Sniffling, she said, "I'll tell Mrs. Larsen it was all my fault, Steve."

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Except you weren't the one who was supposed to get it insured—I was."

"You didn't get it insured?"

His eyes bulged from his head, and his face turned crimson. "I didn't think you'd be careless enough to lose it!" He sat forward, his head in his hands. "Oh my God, my mother is going to kill me."

"I'll repay you," she said. "You and your family. Every dime, I promise."

He seemed less than impressed. Looking at her through his fingers, he said, "First of all, it's an heirloom, Janine. It can't be replaced. And second, I find the notion ofyoupaying me or my family out of our household money, which will be primarily moneyI'veearned, utterly ludicrous."

"Th-that's another thing I want to talk to you about."

"What?"

She looked around to make sure no one was within earshot. "I'm not going to marry you, Steve."

His face took on a mottled look. "You're not going to marry me?"

"That's right."

A purplish color descended over his expression, and he surprised her by laughing."Youaren't going to marryme?"He slapped his knee. "Oh, that's rich. My mother spent all day Thursday calling everyone on the guest list letting them know the ceremony had been canceled, then she spent all this morning calling everyoneagainto tell them the ceremony is on again. And now you're saying she has to call everyone again to tell them the wedding is off again?"

Astonishment washed over her. He was more concerned about his mother being imposed upon or embarrassed than about losing her? "All I'm telling you," she said calmly, "is that I'm not marrying you." She stood and attempted to walk away, but he blocked her retreat.

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