Page 46 of Marrying Off My Husband

She leapt from the bed and paced the floor. “It was awful.”

Visions of Eve telling her how boring our date was danced through my mind. Had she cried on Louise’s shoulder, begging her to let her off the hook?

My lips tugged into a wince as I wondered if she’d told Louise about my request.

“I went to Eve’s…”

Here it came.Eve told me you said…

My stomach twisted into a knot as I tried to figure out a way to explain it away.

"And her unbearable sister was there," Louise groaned, raking her fingers through her hair in frustration. "I've only met her twice, but that's enough to know she's outright cruel to Eve."

“Oh, that’s a shame,” I said, my forehead pinching.

“It’s more than a shame. It’s atravesty. Her sister told her off for dating you. And then, do you know what Eve told me?”

I braced myself for what was coming next. “No?”

“Poor Eve said I shouldn’t have told her sister that she was dating you…and do you know why?” Louise twisted to face me, her hands on her hips.

His mind filled in the blanks:because we aren’t really dating. Poor Eve probably didn’t want anyone to know about the fake relationship so she didn’t have to explain it later.

The guilt I’d felt earlier roiled inside me again.

“She said that I shouldn’t have said anything because her sister stole her last boyfriend, and she’d try to do the same with you. Can you believe this woman?”

I shifted on the mattress, relieved to not have my secret out. I didn’t need to face the wrath of Louise right now. Apparently, though, Eve’s sister had managed to poke the bear.

In front of me, Louise continued to amble back and forth. “I mean, first, she says Eve has stooped pretty low to date a married man, and then Eve confides to me that her sister has stolen her past boyfriend and will try to do the same with you.”

I reveled in that fact that Eve hadn’t given our plan away, making a silent note to thank her when I saw her later. As I glanced up from my introspection, I found Louise glaring at me, her foot tapping the floor. “Spencer…why are you not outraged?”

“I am…completely outraged. Super, super outraged,” I answered with a bob of my head.

My weak agreement didn’t seem to help matters. Louise’s features twisted more, her nose wrinkling. “Spencer Whitaker, you need to make it clear that Eve is the only woman you are interested in. And if that trampy sister of hers comes sniffing around you, I expect you to tell her where she can stick it.”

I offered a mix of a head bob and shake, not certain what I should do. “Absolutely. I will…be certain to tell the sister where she can stick it.”

“This isn’t a joke, Spence.”

I leapt from my seat, returning to the mirror to adjust my jacket. “I’m not laughing. I’m not interested in any other women. I’m not going to date…whatever her name is, okay?”

“You had better not. I know her type. She’s your typical sly little vixen. She’s going to come slinking up to you with her sultry stares and her too-tight clothes, and she’s going to say, ‘Spencer…’”

I grimaced as Louise sauntered to me and slid her hand onto my shoulder, batting her eyelashes.

“You’re so handsome and rich. I just want to show you how much you mean to me and make you forget all about Eve.”

I shook my head. “Not going to happen.”

“It had better not,” she said with a wag of her finger at me. “Now, you had better get going.”

She glanced down at my jacket. “Why are you wearing this one? No, wear the light blue.”

“Right,” I said with a nod as Louise retrieved it from where I’d tossed it earlier and thrust it toward me.

I changed jackets and, after another reminder from Louise about my duty to my newfound girlfriend, left the house.

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