Runaway Groom (14 page)

April breathed in, but said nothing.

“After the miscarriage we both decided it was a good idea not to go through with the wedding.”

“You said it was his idea.”

June bit her lip. “Well, we decided it would sound better if he was the one who didn’t want—”

“What about the other men, June? The multiple possible fathers?”

June crossed her arms. “He told you?”

“He told me.”

June pushed her hair back with a shaking hand. “I couldn’t let Mum and Dad know about…” She swallowed. “I was young, boys chased me…”

“So you cheated on your boyfriend with other guys. Slept around and became pregnant. Why Matthew? Why did you choose him as the one you would marry?” She couldn’t keep the anger in any longer, couldn’t pretend to understand or to sympathize. June had destroyed her relationship with Matthew, with Amy. Had made him the bad guy and a pariah in Brookbridge. For what? Just to save her wretched reputation?

“Matthew was my boyfriend, the others were just…”

“Friends with benefits? Fuck-buddies? What?”

April stood and paced the floor.

“I was young.” June whined.

“You were young seven years ago. You’re not young now. Now, you’re a grown woman still playing the sympathy card for being abandoned by the runaway groom. You could have told the truth any time over the last seven years, people would understand. But instead…” The blaze of anger was burning itself out, replaced by a simmering sadness. “People have hated him for deserting you. It isn’t fair.”

“Do you love him?”

None of your damn business.
“That’s between Matthew and me.”

“Mum and Dad won’t be happy about Matthew being in your life. I’m not happy about it.”

April gritted her teeth together. “I don’t think your opinion of my relationship is something I’m inclined to take into consideration.”

“He’s using you.” June stood. “Face it, April. I sent him the invitation to my wedding, you turned up on the doorstep soon after, and he saw the perfect way to get back at me for loving someone else.” She picked her bag off the table. “I’m going to have to see him, to talk to him about this. I don’t want my little sister hurt.”

In two steps April was toe-to-toe with her elegant sister. “Back off,” she hissed. “Back off now, June.” Her arms quivered with the strain of holding them at her sides.

“You don’t understand anything about men.” There was a bitter edge to June’s words. Her mouth twisted. “There’s no way any man is going to turn down a sure thing. And if you’re living in his house, you’re here, you’re available.”

“Stop.” Bitter bile rose in April’s throat.

“He’s made you love him, hasn’t he? I can’t forgive him for that. And neither with Dad. We were going to take you out to dinner tonight.”

“Did you come by taxi?” April walked to the kitchen door.

“No, I hired a car. It’s parked outside.”

“In that case, I suggest I give you your dress and you can try it on at the hotel.” She couldn’t stand being in the same house as June for a moment longer, and she wouldn’t be the one to leave. “If there are any problems with the fit you can tell me over dinner.”

She took the stairs two at a time, slid the silver wedding gown into a dress cover and carried it downstairs.

“And if you could hold off from telling Dad about my relationship with Matthew, I’d appreciate it. I’ll tell him myself.”

She opened the front door wide, and watched her sister walk away.

Chapter Eleven

When Matthew got home, the familiar sound of the sewing machine hummed through the air. Clutching the box he’d brought from work, he climbed the stairs. June must still be here. He didn’t want to see her. Any love he’d ever had for her had seeped away months after their split. In retrospect he’d been in love with someone who didn’t really exist.

She’d always courted attention, even back in school. Had needed to be the most popular, the one receiving the most attention.

April and June were as different as chalk and cheese. April always sought to fade into the background, dressing in black and wearing the bare minimum of make-up. Instead of artifice, her true self shone. She was funny and charming. Sexy and sweet. She’d effortlessly charmed not only him but everyone in his office. She’d even charmed his clients. The gift he clutched in his hands demonstrated that more clearly than anything.

Letting June visit her here meant she’d decided to go public with their relationship, no matter what her sister had to say about it. Matthew had left the office as soon as possible to be here and support her.

He pushed the door open. The machine’s noise drifted to quiet.

April turned. Her smile made something twist inside.

“No June?”

“She’s been and gone.” She took the strip of material from the machine and walked over.

“Is it bad of me to say I’m glad I missed her?”

She linked her arms around his waist and smiled up into his face. “I wish I’d missed her.”

Matthew smoothed a hand over her chestnut hair. “Was it bad?”

She nodded. “Battle of the Titans bad. I threw her out.”

He felt his eyes widen. Leaned down and kissed her, because he couldn’t resist. Her lips parted and his tongue slipped inside, tangling with hers. His body reacted as it always did with the taste of April, springing into instant life.

His hands slid over her curves.

“Hey.” She pulled back. “I have to get ready to go out. Why don’t you come talk to me while I dress?”

“I love watching you get dressed. Especially if it involves you taking clothes off before putting other clothes on.” He waggled his eyebrows, and felt joy explode inside as she laughed.

“You, Matthew Logan, are a complete perv.”

“That’s why you love me.”

She glanced away. “That must be it.”

The words had slipped out without thought. They’d never spoken of love. Never let those words pass either of their lips during any of the hot night-time encounters.

She stepped away, and picked the piece of fabric she’d been working on from the table. “What do you think?” She held it up for his perusal. A wide swatch of emerald fabric, studded with black beads in an intricate pattern.

“It’s gorgeous. What is it?”

“It’s a belt,” she explained as if talking to an infant. “I had this piece in my remnants box, and it was so beautiful, I thought I’d dress up my long black dress a bit.” She wrapped it around her narrow waist on top of her jeans, and fastened it in the back. “You like?” She noticed the box he was holding in one hand. “What’s that?”

He took her hand. “I’ll show you while you get dressed.”

He sat on the bed while she rooted around in the wardrobe.

“So, what’s in the box?” She glanced over her shoulder.

“It’s a present that arrived in my office today. From Albios. To you.”

“To me?” She strode over, sat, and picked up the box. She ripped off the brown paper to reveal a shoebox. Inside was a pair of black Albios running shoes and a thick plastic envelope. “Wow.” She searched inside. “They got my size right and everything.”

“She rang me to check.”

One eyebrow rose. “And you didn’t tell me?”

“I thought you liked surprises.”

“I do.” She pulled out the thick envelope and ripped it open. A black top and matching running shorts fell out when she tipped the packet on the bed. Both had hot pink stripes down the side. There was a card, which she read aloud. “April, we thought you’d like these. Matthew said you hadn’t entered the women’s 10k at the end of the month, but we’ve registered a place for you in case you’d like to. Best, Angela.”

She held up the short top—barely more than a sports bra. “That’s so nice of her.”

“Might you run the 10k?”

She grimaced. “I think my experience at the race-track proves pretty definitively I’m not in good shape for running.”

“You didn’t prepare though, did you? How long had it been since you’d done any running?”

“Years,” she confessed. “I didn’t expect it to be so intense.”

“We could run every evening. I haven’t been out for the past couple of weeks, and I could do with the exercise.” Leaning close he watched her eyes darken. “I could train you.”

“You wouldn’t consider stuffing a bra and joining in disguise, then? Because if you did I’d definitely enter.”

Even the thought made him shudder. “No way. No way in hell.”

She stripped off her jeans and pulled her shirt over her head.

Matthew’s synapses misfired.
What were we talking about?
He stepped close and ran his hand over her flat stomach. “You have a runner’s physique.”

She picked his hand off, like a diligent gardener picking a caterpillar from a rose. “Much as I love you touching me, I’m running against the clock here.” She pressed her lips to his. “And I’m going to be late back tonight, so don’t wait up.” She picked up the long black dress and stepped into it.

“I’ll be awake.”

She fastened the wide emerald belt around her waist.

“What happened with June?”

“She basically told me the only reason you and I are together is because you’re getting back at her for marrying someone else.” Her full lips compressed into a tight line. “She only admitted the truth about the wedding when I confronted her.”

“You know that’s bullshit, right?” What he had felt for June couldn’t compare with the feelings he had for April. Anger rose in a wave he hadn’t been there to put June straight. “Can I come with you to dinner? I’d like to make sure they both understand how I feel about you.”

“I don’t even understand how you feel about me.”

“I care about you. You turn me inside out, and every time I’m with you, I want to drag you into bed.”

“That’s not caring, Matthew. That’s lust.” Her smile held no trace of anger. “I know all about lust.” Her eyes flicked down his body and up again.

“It’s more than lust. A lot more than lust.” He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. “You’re the only woman I want.”

She blinked. The smile faded and confusion clouded her eyes. “I’m getting a lot of mixed signals here.”

She was right. One minute he was encouraging her to move out, and the next declaring how she was the only woman he wanted. The two positions were un-reconcilable polar opposites.

“I know.” He ran a hand across her cheekbones. He couldn’t explain, couldn’t offer any more insight into the workings of his mind. Logic told him to pull back, but other more powerful emotions demanded he did the very opposite. “I guess I’m confused.”

“Join the club.” Her voice was low and husky. “But I know one thing. You’re in my life and it’s about time every member of my family knows it.” She straightened. “So thanks for the offer of joining us for dinner, but I’ll handle it alone.”

*****

What she needed now was distance. Distance from the emotions that rose in her every time she was in the same room with Matthew. Over the past weeks she’d become so used to their life together the prospect of not seeing him automatically every night made her melancholy. In one way, June had been right. Living with him, there was no choice involved about whether they would be together or not—their overwhelming physical attraction overrode everything. He said it was more than lust, but had baulked at the thought of more.

Distance.

A few drops of rain splattered on the ground as she dashed from taxi to her father’s hotel.

He was waiting in the foyer.

“Hi, honey.”

She breathed in her father’s familiar scent as he hugged her tight. It had been too long since she’d seen him, and being in his arms made her feel safe, as it always had.

“Hi, Dad.” She glanced around. “No June?”

“She’s checking out the room service menu.” He didn’t look happy. Obviously June had revealed what had gone down during the afternoon. “Let’s go through and order, I’m starving.”

His five-star hotel had a Michelin starred restaurant and as such was packed.

Jack gave his name to the hostess, who led them to a reserved table in a quiet corner. The waitress handed over menus and left them to consider.

“You and June had a fight, I hear.” He didn’t look up from the wine list.

“We did. Did she tell you what about?”

His gaze flicked up. “Yes. But I’d like to hear your side of the story.”

The waitress interrupted and they both quickly ordered.

“I’m staying with Matthew Logan. He and I…”

Her father’s gaze was steady. He waited for her to continue.

April swallowed. “He and I are in the early stages of a relationship.” A relationship that could be ended tomorrow, for all she knew.

Jack’s lips compressed. “June told me she thought he’d become involved with you to get back at her for her wedding.”

April’s mouth opened.

Jack held up a hand. “Before you start— I don’t believe that for a moment. June and Matthew were over years ago, and I see no reason to believe he wouldn’t be captivated by you just for yourself. June has a robust ego.”

“Did she tell you anything else?” April bet she didn’t. June wouldn’t want to give up her victimized bride tag to easily.

“What else is there? You’re not…” Jack paled, as if the past had risen from the dead.

“I’m not getting married, and I’m not pregnant. June misrepresented what went on back then, Dad. She admitted as much when I confronted her.”

Jack’s rare steak arrived, and the waitress put down a plate of ravioli before April.

The moment they were alone again, Jack sighed. “Let’s have it then.”

Part of April felt bad, ratting out her sister. But the other part, the other part wanted desperately for her father to understand, to stop blaming Matthew for the events that had happened so many years ago. He deserved to have his side of the story heard, especially as it was the truth.

“When June lost the baby, Matthew was prepared to continue with the wedding, but June wasn’t.” She sucked in a breath. “June was sleeping with someone else at the same time as she was sleeping with Matthew…”

Her father swore, and his knife clattered on the plate. Their eyes met.

“She confirmed it to me today, Dad.”

With a curt nod, he gestured she should continue.