The Dryden Brothers Collection by Debbie Macomber

Author:Debbie Macomber [Macomber, Debbie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488034794
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2018-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 3

“What are you doing here?” Mary Jo demanded the minute she could get Evan alone. With a house full of people, it had taken her the better part of two hours to corner him. As it was, they were standing in the hallway and could be interrupted at any moment.

“If you’ll recall, your mother invited me.”

“The only reason you’re here is to embarrass me.” The entire meal had been an exercise in frustration for Mary Jo. Evan had been the center of attention and had answered a multitude of questions from her parents and brothers. As for the way he’d treated Gary—every time she thought about it, she seethed. Anyone watching them would think Evan and Gary were old pals. Evan had joked with Gary, even going so far as to mention that Mary Jo’s ears grew red whenever she was uncomfortable with a subject.

The second he’d said it, she felt the blood rush to her ears. Soon they were so hot she was afraid Gary might mistake them for a fire engine.

What upset her most was the fact that Evan had her family eating out of his hand. Everyone acted as though he was some sort of celebrity! Her mother had offered him the first slice of chocolate cake, something Mary Jo could never remember happening. No matter who was seated at the dinner table, her father had always been served first.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” Evan said now, his eyes as innocent as a preschooler’s.

Mary Jo wasn’t fooled. She knew exactly why he’d come—to humiliate her in front of her family. Rarely had she been angrier. Rarely had she felt more frustrated. Tears filled her eyes and blurred her vision.

“You can think what you want of me, but don’t ever laugh at my family,” she said from between gritted teeth. She whirled away and had taken all of two steps when he caught hold of her shoulder and yanked her around.

Now he was just as angry. His dark eyes burned with it. They scowled at each other, faces tight, hands clenched.

“I would never laugh at your family,” he said evenly.

Mary Jo straightened her shoulders defiantly. “But you look forward to make a laughingstock out of me. Let me give you an example. You knew I wasn’t married, yet you manipulated me into admitting it. You enjoy making me uncomfortable!”

He grinned then, a sly off-center grin. “I figured you owed me that much.”

“I don’t owe you anything!” she snapped.

“Perhaps not,” he agreed. He was laughing at her, had been from the moment she’d stepped into his high-priced office. Like an unsuspecting fly, she’d carelessly gotten caught in a spider’s web.

“Stay out of my life,” she warned, eyes narrowed.

Evan glared back at her. “Gladly.”

Just then Sarah, one of Mary Jo’s favorite nieces, came skipping down the hallway as only a five-year-old can, completely unaware of the tension between her and Evan. Sarah stopped when she saw Mary Jo with Evan.

“Hi,” she said, looking up at them.

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