The Secret Between Them by Cathryn Parry

Author:Cathryn Parry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

WHEN JESSICA SAW the secluded table for two at Chez Louis, the same seaside restaurant where she and Sebastien had spent their first date, she knew right away she’d made a mistake.

She clutched her abalone pendant so hard she feared she might break it.

She wasn’t ready to sit down with Sebastien just yet. After she’d left the rink this afternoon, still in shock from everything that had happened with Kyle, her schedule had been packed with physical therapy clients. She’d barely had time to collect herself, never mind to think.

The last thing she’d expected was for Kyle to kiss her. Or for her body to react the way it had when he’d touched her...

“This is Jessica,” Sebastien said to the hostess, as the woman held Jessica’s chair and helped her get settled at the table with the romantic red rose and two champagne glasses already set out.

Jessica’s nerves were a jittery mess. She did her best to smooth her skirt and smile at them both.

“I was such a big fan of yours growing up,” the woman gushed, handing her a menu. “I can’t believe I’m finally meeting you.”

Jessica’s smile froze. She glanced at Sebastien, but he didn’t flinch.

“Thanks, Bethany,” he murmured, and gave her a subtle tilt of his head.

“Oh, right. I’ll get that champagne right away.” But Bethany lingered, staring at Jessica with an awestruck look on her face.

Jessica kept her eyes glued on the red rose.

When the hostess finally departed, Jessica faced Sebastien. “Did you talk to her about me?”

“She’s on your side,” Sebastien said. “You know we all are.”

“But she doesn’t even know me!”

“Jess,” he said patiently, “when people watch you on TV like that, caught in a dramatic moment, they pretty much feel like they do know you. Can’t you cut her some slack?”

Can’t you cut me some slack? That’s what he was really saying.

He didn’t want to hear about her problems. During the drive over, he’d spoken about his exhausting plane trip. About his long week and how happy he was to be home and not have to travel again for a while.

It was as if he wanted to believe that everything had gone smoothly at home for her while he’d been gone, even though it hadn’t. Her life was not smooth. It was complicated.

Her muscles tensed so tightly she trembled. But it wasn’t all his fault; she’d been lying to him, too.

I want us to be in partnership.

She’d talked to Kyle about trust and respect and telling the truth when, in fact, she was the one not telling the truth. To anybody.

Reaching for her water glass, she took a long gulp, the ice tinkling. She wanted a partnership with Sebastien, too—a life partnership. More than anything, she wanted him to understand and respect her. And yet she’d never communicated to him the heart of her problem. Kyle had come clean with his secret to her, so should she to Sebastien.

“Sebastien, I have something to tell you.” Jessica placed her palms firmly on the crisp white tablecloth and leaned forward to face him.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.