Page 133 of The Fiancée Farce
Tansy nodded. “Like I said, Gemma and I had a deal.”
She reached inside her back pocket and pulled out the check Gemma had given her, showing it to Katherine.
“Oh,” Katherine breathed, bringing the check closer to her face. “Oh, my. This—this is a lot of money, Tansy.Easilyenough for you to buy the store.”
Tansy cringed. “As much as I love this store, as much as I wish you wouldn’t sell it, especially not to Scylla, I don’t think I can do it. Cash the check.” Just the thought of depositing it made her stomach hurt. “Even if it means saving the store, taking Gemma’s money feels wrong. Like if I take it, I’m admitting to her that this was nothing more than a transaction, when it meant so much more to me.”
Everything.
Katherine nodded slowly, still eyeing the check a little hungrily. “That’s quite the exhibition of integrity.” She set the check down on the coffee table. “But it does beg the question—whywould Gemma give this to you? You said your deal was money in exchange for your hand in marriage, right? And seeing as the two of you made it down the aisle but never quite sealed the deal, so to speak, I can’t help but wonder if Gemma had some sort of ulterior motive in giving you this.”
As in? “Like what?”
What could Gemma possibly have to gain from giving away that kind of money?
Gemma knew how much Tansy loved the store, how much it meant to her, and yes, once upon a time she’d made a comment about how spending her family’s money on saving a small independent bookstore warmed her heart, but something still didn’tconnect.
Katherine set her hand on Tansy’s knee. “You’re very bright, Tansy; brilliant, even. But I think you might be missing what’s right in front of your face. Maybe you’re too close to see it for what it is, what anyone who has had the privilege of seeing you and Gemma spend more than five minutes together could see.”
Tansy frowned, still not following.
“Perhaps giving you this was Gemma’s way of showing you she cares,” Katherine said. “That this meant more than a mere transaction to her, too. Perhaps this was a gesture.”
A gesture ofwhat? “But then why would she leave?”
Why would she end things between them when it was the only saving grace that had come from this—thismess?
Katherine drummed her fingers against her chin. “What else was it that you said she told you? Let me think... something about how she thought she’d make a terrible wife?”
Even hearing the words secondhand, paraphrased, put an ache in Tansy’s chest. “But she wouldn’t.”
“Well, I’m far from an expert,” Katherine said, exhibiting a rareinstance of humility. “But it sounds an awful lot to me like those words are coming from a place of fear. As I’m sure you know, our fears aren’t always rational.”
No, no they weren’t. Tansy knew that all too well.
“Put yourself in her shoes,” Katherine continued. “Based on what you’ve told me, Gemma believes her family to be destructive. Which I’m swiftly realizing to be true. But my own feelings aside, think about how Gemma must feel. Especially given your history with her cousin. Perhaps she thinks she’s being honorable. Protecting you from her family.” Katherine’s lips twisted to the side. “Protecting you from herself.”
But it was supposed to be equitable, both giveandtake. Not about keeping score, but about making certain the other person felt their worth, felt appreciated.
She could scarcely believe it, but everything Katherine had said made sense.
“I don’t want her to protect me,” she muttered.
All she wanted was for Gemma—
To want her.
To love her.
Love her the way Tansy loved Gemma.
Because she did.
It had never been her intention, but somewhere along the way, Tansy had fallen head over heels for Gemma, and the only thing she wanted was for Gemma to reciprocate.
She didn’t need money or grand gestures.
All she wanted was Gemma.
