He left them to it and that smarted.
Clearly he had no idea she had her own workload to consider. She’d put in her resignation and now she had one week to tie up as many loose ends as she could. There was a ton of work to be done this weekend. Work she’d planned on doing whenever she got a spare moment.
Unlike Matt, who could just walk out the door and forget his obligations for a time.
She looked at Megan. “Well, pumpkin. It’s just you and me again. Would you like the house tour?”
Megan stared at her.
“Right. The house tour it is,” Lana said, refusing to let her irritation with Matt spoil the rest of her and Megan’s day.
The one-level house was spacious and exuded elegance and style, encompassing every possible luxury. There were four bedrooms, one of which was Matt’s, tempting her to peek inside but she decided not to.
There was a formal dining room she probably wouldn’t use in their short married life, certain Matt would be careful about inviting anyone for dinner.
And she really loved the informal living room that allowed her to look out a wall of windows over a swimming pool and feature garden. She was especially pleased to see the pool was surrounded by the legally required child resistant fence.
It was a beautiful house, far different from the one she’d been raised in. Her parents’ house had been moderate, but those four walls had shaken with yelling and abuse more often than not.
Shuddering, Lana put that to the side. This house was one she would be proud to own if her marriage had been a true one. As it was, she’d try to enjoy being here without letting herself get too attached to it.
Just as she wouldn’t let herself get too attached to the Valentes.
For lunch, Ruth suggested Lana take Megan out on the patio in the sunshine. Megan played happily in the playpen they had set up beside the table, while Lana took the opportunity to unwind away from Matt’s presence.
Half an hour later, Megan started getting cranky and Lana put her to bed. Thankfully she went straight to sleep.
Now it was work time for herself.
Quietly closing the connecting door between them, she kicked off her shoes and spread the paperwork out around her on the bed. No doubt Matt would want to use the study, and while she could, too, she’d be able to concentrate better in her own space.
Sunlight streamed through the window, making her sleepy. She continued to work until the warmth made her too tired to think. Perhaps she could take a quick power nap….
She shook herself awake. No, she needed to get this monthly report done. She couldn’t let herself fall asleep. She needed this time while Megan was asleep or she’d have to stay up half the night working.
But that sunlight was so warm … so …
Something touched her shoulder and her eyes flew open to see Matt standing beside the bed. The sunlight had waned and shadows now darkened the room.
“Lana, it’s almost dinnertime.”
She sat up in a rush. “What? How?”
“Don’t ask me questions I can’t answer,” he drawled.
She ignored that.
Good grief, had she really slept the afternoon away? “Where’s Megan?”
“Ruth and I have been looking after her for the last couple of hours.”
She ran her fingers through her hair. “Hours? I can’t believe I didn’t hear her crying.”
“She was fine. I came home and she was playing happily in her crib. We’ve been in the living room getting to know each other. Then Ruth helped me bathe her and give her dinner. She’ll be ready for bed soon.”
Lana had the feeling that she was rapidly becoming “surplus to requirements” where her daughter was concerned.
“You’ve been working?” Matt asked abruptly, his gaze on the various papers and files.
She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and grimaced, more at herself than not. “I was supposed to be working, but I fell asleep before I got much of anything done.”
His dark brows knitted together. “Why are you working on a weekend in the first place?”
Her lips tightened. Was it okay for him to work on a weekend and not her?
“I put my resignation in, remember? I’ve got a load of work to do before I leave.”
“Surely they could get someone else to take over?”
“Eventually, but I don’t like leaving them in the lurch.” She pushed to her feet and smoothed her knit top down over her slacks. “At least after that sleep I’ll be able to work late tonight.”
“No.”
She’d been about to step into her shoes, but the comment snapped her head up. “What did you say?”
“I said no. You’ve had a busy week. I don’t want you working through the night.”