Page 45 of Till Death Do Us Part

Her eyes glanced at the dancing crowd before she took me by the arm and hauled me toward the office. She shut the door behind her and stood against it.

“John didn’t tell you yet.”

“Tell me what?”

“He came to me with a deal. Same thing you’re asking. I was going to be straight with you, but he told me to wait until tonight. I agreed to his offer. I would have done it for nothing, but my parents’ housereallyneeds a new roof, and we can’t afford it. You know my dad is in the early stages of dementia, and it’s been rough. I couldn’t pass it up. Anyway. John’s sending a crew over to the house this weekend. And we’re going shopping.” She motioned between us. “That’s the story.”

“Manipulative bastard!”

He’d planned this all along. He knew Margot was going to send me over the edge and that I’d agree to spend the weekend with him. He knew how jealous it was going to make me. My gut, where Felice Maggio was concerned, was spot on.

Enoughmy ass.

“Whoa.” Elsa held her hands up. “I’ve never heard you curse like that. Did he bring that woman to the event to make you jealous?”

“I can’t be a hundred percent positive, but I told him no about this weekend, and I think he assumed bringing her would make me jealous enough to agree.”

“He assumed correctly, the manipulative jerk.”

Elsa stumbled a little when someone opened the door. “Visitors are not allowed in here,” she said to Jack. Her face didn’t hide her irritation at him barging in.

What the hell was he doing here?

“I’m not a visitor,” he spoke to her but looked at me. “Well, I won’t be soon enough. I’m here to see Roma.” He flashed a bright smile in my direction, then winked. He looked back at Elsa. “I was at the engagement brunch. Remember?”

“I remember you.” Her tone wasn’t all that friendly. She was still clearly irritated he hadn’t bothered to knock.

He gave her a dismissive look and met my eyes again. “I saw you rushing from the bathroom. I tried to catch you, but the crowd’s too thick and I lost you before I could. Seems like there’s always a fire chasing you.” He grinned. “Reminds me of the color of your dress.”

“What are you doing here, Jack? This is a work party for me.”

“We get invites to this every year. John sends them to rub it in our faces, and I usually attend to piss him off. This year, your family got invites. I’m attending on everyone’s behalf.” He gave the middle finger, like he was giving it to John.

“It’s for a good cause,” I said, feeling defensive on Felice’s behalf.

“My dad tried to have it audited for years, but nothing ever came of it. So, yeah, this event is for a good cause, but nothing else he does is.” He waved a dismissive hand. “You don’t need to be bothered with details. Isabella told me you were working. She thought I’d be a nice surprise.”

Nicewasn’t the word I’d use, but I plastered on a smile and nodded.

He smiled at Elsa. “Can we borrow your office for a second?”

Elsa looked at me.

I shrugged like I didn’t care, but I hoped she’d caught the words I’d try to imply with my eyes.Come back in a few and save me from him.

She must have read it because she nodded subtly. “Kerry is probably going to need you soon. This is a big party, Roma.”

“I only have a minute, Jack,” I said to him after she shut the door. “I’m working.”

He picked up items we had around the office, studying them. Some of them were replicas of fossils; others were dinosaurs carved out of stone. A patron did them by hand.

“Why are you working here?”

The question stopped me for a second. “You do know I’m a paleontologist?”

“Dad might have mentioned it. But why? I mean, this is so manly. I’ve never known a woman who liked dinosaurs before.” He set the whittled T-rex down. “You’re gorgeous. You don’t need to work. Especially after we get married. You’re going to live a life of luxury, not have to dig around in the dirt and stain your nails.”

“I live that now,” I said. “Being around my passion, for me, is a life of luxury. I’d even like to take a hiatus from the museum and get in some field time at some point.”

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