Jack remained where he stood, not bothering to let her past. “So, you’re a celebrity of some sort aren’t you?”
She shrugged. “I wouldn’t say that. I’m sure as swiftly as the media latched on to the story, they’ll forget it. Our story will be yesterday’s news in no time. So are you going to open the door and let me in or do you plan on standing there staring at me?”
“Aren’t you wondering why I’m here?” he demanded.
“Not particularly. You’ve always done what you’ve wanted, so I won’t bother to guess your motives.”
A smirk tilted his full lips. “That was a pretty impressive show you put on at your engagement party a few months ago. Poor Steven looked horrified. Mom said you made a mountain out of a molehill over something easily overlooked.”
“I don’t call finding him in bed with another woman a molehill.”
A scowl crossed her brother’s dark face. “What do you mean you caught him in bed with another woman? When did this happen? What are you talking about?”
Considering Jack never gave a damn about her, his sudden interest in what went down between her and Steven was surprising. “Since Mom seems to know it all, why don’t you ask her? Now would you please let me in?”
He moved back just enough for her to squeeze inside, but when she would have gone further into the house, he grabbed her by the elbow.
“Tell me about this other woman? What did Steven say when you caught them together?”
“Why do you care? It’s over and I don’t intend on talking about it anymore.” She pulled her arm from his grip and walked on.
Her mother was in the family room, setting out hors d'oeuvres on the coffee table. Leila lifted her head and smiled at India. “I’m glad you’re here. You’re just in time. I trust all is well with you?”
India searched for sarcasm in the comment and found none, then paused. Was her mother genuinely glad to see her or was she in the middle of some parallel universe where everything was the opposite of reality? First, her brother actually seemed like he cared about someone other than himself, and then her mother was being nice.
Not trusting what she’d heard, she cautiously replied, “I’m fine, thank you, Mom.”
“You look nice, although I wish you wouldn’t have had all your hair chopped off.”
“Because it makes me look mannish?” India challenged, sure that was where her mother was heading.
“No. I wasn’t going to say that, although longer hair is more feminine. Oh, well, it’s only hair and it will grow back.” Leila began fluffing the pillows on the couch. “Why don’t you have a seat? Our guests should be here shortly, and your father will be down any minute now. He’s upstairs shaving.”
Apprehension filled India. Her mother was up to something and she wasn’t sure she liked it. She felt like a fly being lured to the spider’s web, and her mother was a big black widow, laying in wait for the kill.
“Who are your guests?” India asked, despite not knowing whether she wanted to hear the answer.
“Well, you remember Susan Mulligan, don’t you? She’s in our Jack and Jill chapter. I believe you used to have a crush on her son, didn’t you? Anyway, her nephew is an editor at The Washington Post. She thought it would be a wonderful idea if the paper did an exposé on our family for the society column. Of course they wanted to highlight that little incident of yours, but I agreed it would be a fantastic idea.”
She should have known. Her mother was only being nice, not because she’d had some change of heart, but because she wanted to parade India in front of some reporter and pretend they were a happy family. “By my little incident do you mean me being stuck on an island for two months?”
Her mother waved her hand dismissively. “Of course, India, why else would someone be interested in interviewing you?” There it was. India knew her mother couldn’t go long without getting one little dig in.
“Why else indeed,” she murmured. “But I’m not interested in being interviewed. I got enough of that when I was on Fuamatuu and I’ve already done the Anne Webster Show. I just wish people would leave me alone.”
For a minute Leila’s eyes narrowed, but then she hid her annoyance behind a carefully blank mask. “One more interview won’t hurt. Besides, I plan on mentioning my garden club and the charity event we’re throwing. And your father thinks it would be great to mention his business. A little promo can’t hurt.”
“And what’s Jack going to plug?”
“Stop being silly. He’s just here for moral support like a good brother should be. He’s such a thoughtful boy,” she sighed. “When I called him and told him about this interview he offered to come over. Naturally, I’ll have to mention what a rising star he is at his job.”