Momentary Marriage(21)
“Hello?”
“I’ve had it!” Amy’s anger radiated over the phone wire.
“Thank God, you finally called. I was beginning to think you’d been murdered in the subway.”
“No,” her sister snapped. “I just couldn’t come in to work, couldn’t talk to anyone.”
“I’m sorry,” Kelsey said miserably. “This whole situation is my fault.”
“No, it isn’t,” Amy disagreed impatiently. “Doug’s a big boy. He knows just what he’s doing. He came over last night, said something about ‘not meaning to upset me’.”
“Well, that’s good,” Kelsey said, brightening with the hope that her little talk with him had made an impact.
“No, it wasn’t good. He sort of apologized. Then he started talking all weird about you dating ‘tough guys’ and I told him what you did wasn’t any of his business. Then he got mad at me and we had it out.”
“Oh, dear.” Kelsey couldn’t attribute the sudden sinking feeling in her midsection to the bagel.
“You can have him,” Amy declared passionately. “He can go on being your little slave, running every time you look his direction—“
“That’s not what I want,” Kelsey protested.
“It doesn’t really matter. That job offer in London came through,” Amy went on, a sob breaking through her voice. “I can’t stay here and watch him drooling over you. I have to leave New York. It’s the best thing to do.”
“You can’t leave,” Kelsey objected immediately. “I’ll miss you too much. Besides, you love Doug and…he needs you.”
“He doesn’t need me,” Amy disagreed tearfully. “We had a terrible fight last night. He’s just as furious with me as I am with him. I’m such a wreck that I called in sick again this morning. I’ll probably end up getting fired.”
“No, you won’t. You’re a great worker. I can’t believe you and Doug fought about who I date.” Kelsey sighed impatiently, tapping her pencil against a stack of proofs.
“That was just the starting point—“
A movement in the hallway drew Kelsey's glance. Jared stood in her doorway, his dark suit jacket slung over his shoulder, the pure white of his immaculate shirt making his shoulders look even broader.
He looked cool and delicious enough to eat. Kelsey immediately glanced down at the cream cheese stain on her blue shirt.
“—from there,” Amy continued, “we went to the specific dangers of you dating Jared.”
Kelsey’s gaze swung to Jared’s face. He stepped into her office and seated himself in the chair on the opposite side of her desk.
“The dangers?” Kelsey's throat suddenly felt very dry. Just how much of Amy’s conversation could Jared hear?
“Yes. I got so angry at the stupid way he talks about you, like you’re little Bo Peep looking for your sheep, and then he said he was just trying to protect you.”
“Uh, why?” She probably shouldn’t have asked, she realized instantly.
“Because he said Jared is a wolf. He’s never had a long term relationship since his divorce years and years ago. Doug says you’ll get hurt.”
“Oh.” Like she'd ever planned on a long term relationship with a man. Their mother’s continual attempts toward that goal had certainly never netted her much beyond a decent investment portfolio. Kelsey preferred to earn her own retirement fund.
“But I told him that was just an excuse,” Amy declared. “He doesn’t need to worry about you. You’re certainly tough enough to go up against Jared. It’s not like you’re inexperienced or anything.”
“Of course not.” Kelsey smiled nervously at Jared.
“Then I told him you were probably having a better time with some guy at that very moment than we were,” Amy said bitterly.
“That, um, probably didn’t help matters,” Kelsey commented.
“Nothing is going to help.” Amy broke into tears.
“Don’t cry,” Kelsey begged her, no longer worried about Jared’s presence. “We’ll make it okay. I’ll find a way.”
“I’m just wasting my life waiting for Doug to get a clue,” Amy said, between sobs. “I’m going to London.”
“No!” Kelsey implored. “I’ll convince Doug that I’m not available. I’ll talk to him tonight. Tell him again that there’s no hope of us ever—“
“Don’t waste your breath,” Amy said viciously. “He won’t believe you.”