Page 24 of The Fiance Dilemma

“Exactly how much time do you and Adalyn spend discussing me?”

Some warmth rushed to my cheeks, but I tipped my chin up. “Don’t let it get to your head. We talk about everyone. In detail.” And we really did. “I was simply curious because you were analyzing the defense strategy of some local team that consists of sixth graders like we’re sitting at Wembley and the Spurs are playing a Premier League final.”

“Spurs,huh?” he repeated with a smile. It was really small, and lopsided, but at least it wasn’t a frown.

“Tottenham Hotspurs, of course. Not the San Antonio basketball team. No offense to the NBA, but Europeanfootballis where it’s at.”

That slightly bent corner of his mouth twitched. “Sounding like Cam there for a second.”

“Pssh,” I let out. “A girl can know about the English league, you know.” A girl who had also been briefly engaged to a professional soccer player. But I didn’t say that, and I threw Matthew a wink. The brown of his eyes twinkled with surprise. “But yes. I could sound exactly like Cam if I wanted to. He grumbles a lot at games, and I’ve picked up some things.”

“Mind demonstrating?”

I cleared my throat lightly, then shot to my feet.“Oi, Tony!”I shouted in my best English accent.“Bloody get Rashford in. Can’t you see the Bears’ defense’s going to shite?”A few heads turned my way, the referee’s included. “Sorry, hon!” I told Tony, switching backto my voice. “Please carry on and make sure to swing by Josie’s Joint for the aftergame. You’re doing amazing, thank you!”

Matthew’s whole expression filled with amusement. “The resemblance is uncanny,” he said. To which I responded with a little bow before sitting back down. “In fact…” His eyelids fluttered shut. “Oh yeah, I think I can smell shortbread and stale beer if I close my eyes.”

“Youdidask me to demonstrate,” I said with a snort. “And that’s what you think they eat at games? Shortbread?”

“I would,” he said, returning his gaze to the game. “Shortbread is great. I could eat it anywhere, at any time. My sister smuggled a box in her suitcase last Christmas, and it was a life-changing experience.”

I perked up with interest.Finallya piece of information I hadn’t been handed by Adalyn. “Was she visiting?”

“She lives there,” he answered easily. And his profile softened so much it made me pause. “Tay’s in London on a tennis scholarship. It isn’t a full ride, but it was her dream. Fell in love with the sport when we were kids and my dad somehow won tickets to the US Open. She’s been obsessed ever since. It’s a good thing she’s incredible at it.”

I ignored the warmth flooding my chest at the affection in Matthew’s voice. Oversharing was one of my love languages. It wasn’t the best love language to have, but it was the way I was wired. I overshared, and in turn, consumed and filed all and any information that fell into my hands. This was the first thing I’d added to my Matthew binder on my own, and I liked that it had been about his sister and that he’d looked like that while telling me.

“Those are the best things to fall in love with,” I heard myself say. “The ones we find accidentally.”

Matthew’s eyes found mine. That softness was still there, but something else had emerged. It made me… nervous. And it mademe feel comfortable, too. Like I could say that kind of thing around him, but at the same time, like he wasn’t just hearing the words.

“Anyway,” I said, averting my gaze. “It’s good to know. This is the kind of stuff I should know if we… you know. Do this.”

“If?” I heard him ask from my side. “I was under the impression the deal was already sealed. Hard launch and all.”

“Otto said that you looked like this was the last place on earth you wanted to be. And you were a little late, after all. So it crossed my mind that you were on the first flight out of Charlotte. You did look a little like you were entering one of those creepy mirror houses they have at fairs.” I paused. “Even though you agreed to this whole thing.”

A strange hum left him.

It made me want to turn. But I wanted to be casual about what I was saying. So I stayed put, even when I felt his eyes intent on my profile.

“Did I?” he asked.

“Did you what?” I was holding the fort so well, I was proud of myself. “Agree or look terrified?”

“Either. All I remember from those two instances is being immediately and thoroughly sidetracked. By you.”

My stance broke. I glanced back at him. Matthew’s expression was serious in a way that made heat rush up my neck, bathing my whole face. I’d done that. Sidetracked him. I had used my double gaze stare on him yesterday, and I’d climbed him like a tree today.

“Well, that’s not my fault, is it?” I feigned indifference with a shrug. “That’s your prerogative as an easilysidetrackableman.”

“It really is,” he said.

I frowned at him, my façade quickly dissolving. Why wasn’t he joking? My stomach dropped with dread at the logical answer to that: I had done a little more than sidetrack Matthew. I hadpushedhim to do this. I had beguiled him into it, even. And that didn’tmake me a monster as much as it made me a desperate woman with only one way out of a mess she’d started, but I hated the idea of him feeling trapped all the same. Was that why his expression was so closed-off and stern-looking?

“You can jump ship and say no,” I told him. “At any moment.”

Matthew tilted his head in question. Which kind, I couldn’t know.

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