Page 18 of Jordan

"I have something to tell you, and I want your promise to listen with an open mind." She picked up the wine again and took a gulp of it.

Leaning back in his creaky chair, Caleb abandoned the file he was perusing. "I don't like the sound of that."

"Caleb, please."

"I'm listening."

Taking a deep breath, she went right to the heart of it. "I'm getting married."

The silence that followed had her nerves fraying.

"Who's the lucky guy?" he finally responded.

"Jordan Wainwright."

This time the silence had her nerves screaming.

"I had no idea you were involved with him. You never said a word."

"I wasn't." She took a deep breath. "It's an arrangement. I want payback for what they did to mama, and he wants to get out from under their thumbs. We went to dinner tonight so that he could introduce me. The wedding is in May."

"Have you been drinking?" The icy tone of his voice had her shivering.

"Just a glass of wine." She tried for teasing, but it turned out flat. "I picked up a bottle of--"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The ice had melted with the fury and had her pressing back against the seat.

"I found mama's diary and--" She told him what she had read.

"Oh, I suppose that makes it okay for you to jump into marriage with Wainwright. Have you gone mad?"

"I assure you, I'm quite sane," she told him stiffly. "I want to pay them back for all the things we went through."

"And you think that's the way to get it done."

"Yes."

"By hooking up with Wainwright."

"Yes. Look, I don't expect you to understand--"

"That's damn good because I don't."

"It's just something I have to do," she plunged on.

"I will be there on the first flight."

"There's no need--"

"There's every damn need. Please don't run off tonight with the intention of getting hitched."

Fear coated her heart. With him hundreds of miles away, she had the courage to carry it through. She was not certain she would be able to do so with him in the same house. Her brother had a way of taking charge.

"I am doing this."

"Not if I have my way and I intend to have my damn way. Was Wainwright pressuring you? Is that it?"

She stiffened. "I do have a mind of my own."

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