A Perfect Marriage by Laurey Bright

Author:Laurey Bright
Format: epub

Max swung the car out onto the road while she was still getting her breath back and fastening her safety belt.

"You had a call," she said. "I answered it, but maybe I shouldn't have."

"Why not?" He glanced at her.

"She didn't give a name or leave a message, but I think it was Kate."

"Thanks," he said. "I'll call her back later."

"Perhaps it had better be sooner rather than later. I think I upset her."

He frowned. "What did you say to her?"

"She asked who I was. I told her." It had been automatic, she'd taken hundreds of messages for Max before. And what else could she have said? I'm his soon-to-bediscarded wife-his deserted wife-?

Max let out a breath. "I see."

Had it been so automatic? Celine challenged herself. It had been a short conversation, she'd barely had time to think about what she was saying. But hadn't she known, really, from the first syllable uttered in that young female voice, that it had to be Kate? And taken a certain pleasure in telling her, I'm his wife. Even if it was no longer strictly true.

She didn't much like the picture of herself she was seeing. Spite, vengefulness, was out of character for her. She said, "If you like, I can explain to her what happened."

"Thanks, but it won't be necessary. I'll explain to Kate myself."

"And tell her I slept in your bed?"

"I'll tell her anything she needs to know."

Which might or might not, in his opinion, include that information, Celine deduced. She shrugged. "Well, if you need corroboration-"

"I'm sure Kate trusts me."

Celine couldn't suppress a small, cynical laugh. At Max's sharp glance, she said, "So did I: "

She found herself taking a mean satisfaction in the flush that darkened his cheeks. A muscle twitched under the taut skin as his jaw tensed.

What a nasty person she was turning into, Celine thought bleakly. It was the first time in her life she'd been tempted to deliberately hurt someone she loved. She really felt that if she opened her mouth again it would be to say something horrible, as wounding as she could make it. She swallowed and clenched her teeth tightly together. For the rest of the journey neither of them said a word.

When he pulled into the driveway it was still raining. She said, "Do you want to come in, and take your coat back? You might need it."

She saw him hesitate, then he said, "Yes, I might. Okay."

Just as they got out and he closed her door behind her, the rain suddenly intensified, coming down in sheets, and Celine gasped as it hit her face.

Max's hand on her back urged her to the shallow steps and onto the partial shelter of the porch, but even there the rain drove in, and Max impatiently jabbed a thumb at the electric button a second time before Ted finally opened the door.

"Sorry," he said, standing back as they tumbled in, Max shoving the door closed behind them. "I was watching the cricket on TV, and wasn't sure I heard the bell.

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