Joseph at least had the grace to look embarrassed. “Of course he isn’t good enough for you. The bloody Pope wouldn’t be good enough for you.”
She grabbed a tissue, dabbing her eyes. “Not helpful, Joe.”
He let out a sigh. “So…does he know how you feel?”
“Yes. I kind of told him. Dumb, huh?”
“Not dumb. Not dumb at all.” He put a hand over hers where it sat on her desk.
“I was an idiot,” Judith said, everything spilling out. “I was just so sick of pretending I didn’t feel anything for him. I just wanted to say it out loud. He…he told me he was selfish. That I…” Her throat closed. “That I wasn’t enough for him.”
Joseph made another growling noise but at least had the sense to stay quiet.
Judith took a ragged breath, gave her eyes one final wipe, then chucked the tissue in the bin. That was it. She wouldn’t cry another tear for Caleb Bloody Steele.
“It’s okay, Joe,” she said in a firmer voice. “I’ll be okay.”
Her brother didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Come to the auction, Jude,” he said at last.
She looked at him. “Why should I?”
His gaze didn’t waver. “To show him what you’re made of. You’re strong, Judith Ashton, and you always have been.”
Judith swallowed. “Yeah, well, sometimes being strong is overrated. I’ve been strong for a long time, Joe, and I’m tired of it.”
“Okay, so go curl up in bed, eat ice cream, and watch crap movies then.”
“There’s nothing wrong with doing that.”
“No, there’s not. But there’s nothing wrong with showing the bastard you’re not going to let him stop you from going out and having fun, either.” He gave her a look. “In fact, I’m going to have to insist on you coming. Your presence is going to be the only thing that’ll stop me from murdering him.”
Judith let out a breath. When her brother got an idea into his head, sometimes it was impossible to distract him from it. “Fine,” she said grumpily. “I’ll think about it.”
…
Caleb adjusted his cuff links, gazing out at the crowd that filled the theater from the backstage area. As predicted, the auction dinner was a sell-out. The calendar had generated so much interest that people were buying tickets for huge sums. He was quietly pleased with himself at the success of the thing. Though, really, Jude’s calendar was what had caught people’s interest. She’d been right to focus on people’s expertise rather than go the generic sexy route. The pictures had brought out people’s passion, too, not just their expertise. And that’s what had been the selling point. Plus her idea for the venue had turned out to be truly stellar, too.
The ache in his chest that had been there for the past week throbbed. No, he wouldn’t think about it. Wouldn’t think about her. He didn’t care. He really didn’t.
He leaned against the backstage wall, staring out at the crowd, restraining the urge to scan around for any small, beautiful, black-haired women with bobbed hair and Cleopatra fringes.
Who cared if she was here? If she was, great, if she wasn’t, no big deal. It didn’t matter to him either way. They were over. Done.
One of the “bachelors”—or in this case, a bachelorette—a high-profile lawyer, came backstage after her auction finished. Her offering of free legal advice had gone for quite a sum and she was looking pleased.
Off to the side, Luke waited, his habitual serious look quite a bit more serious than it normally was.
“Relax, big guy,” Caleb said. “It’ll be no drama.”
Luke said nothing, merely giving him a dark look.
No, he wasn’t going to ask if Jude had come along tonight. He wasn’t going to say a word. “So, is Jude here?”
Shit.
Luke pulled at his jacket, adjusting it. “Yes.”
Double shit. Caleb shoved his hands into his pockets. “And are you all going out after this is over?”
“We might. I don’t know yet.”
“Where do you think you might go?”
“I haven’t decided.”
“To a bar, maybe? A club?”
Luke, in the process of flicking a microscopic bit of lint off his lapel, paused. “Why are you so interested?”
He wasn’t interested. He didn’t care. Caleb lifted a shoulder. “Oh, no reason. Hey, you’re up, mate. And remember, smile at the nice people.”
Luke glared as the MC announced him. Then a tight smile turned his mouth as he stepped on stage.
Caleb realized his hands were in fists in his pockets. With an effort, he relaxed them. Crazy.