Chapter 14

Jarrod knew that he shouldn't feel jealous because Nick was doing nothing wrong. He was simply going to dance with his "sister-in-law". Jarrod was being irrational, but what about this situation was rational? However, jealous he was, and he watched as Nick put one hand around Katelyn's back, then took her fingers in his other hand. Nick leaned close and said something, and Kate shook her head. Now he was talking again, but they weren't dancing yet. She smiled up at him.

What could he possibly be saying?

Jarrod continued to watch Nick and Katelyn, not paying attention to his mother's and Carol's conversation. Thankfully, the music ended. He settled back in his chair, relieved that they would return to the table now. He took a sip of champagne and almost spit it out when the orchestra started the next piece and Nick swept Kate into another dance.

Jarrod stood and excused himself from the table. He made a comment about rescuing Kate from Nick's two left feet that made the women smile. Jarrod walked up to his brother and tapped him on the shoulder.

"May I cut in?"

Nick turned and smiled at Jarrod. "Of course! But I have to say you've been remiss in teaching your wife certain things." Nick winked at Kate. She took his teasing gracefully and turned to Jarrod with an embarrassed smile as Nick walked away.

"What did he mean by that?" Jarrod asked, watching Kate's face.

"I've never waltzed before. It was so embarrassing. I must have stepped on his feet at least five times. Can we go back to the table now?"

Jarrod stepped in closer, putting his right hand behind her back and holding up his left hand for her to take.

"You're not going to make me step on your toes, too?"

Jarrod smiled. "My feet were made for walking on, kitten."

"Not the tops!"

"Come on," he coaxed, wiggling his fingers. "How would it look if you danced with my brother but refused to dance with me, your ever-devoted husband?"

Appearances, appearances! Everything was how it appeared with him. Wasn't there a shred of emotion behind anything he did? Something to hang her hopes on? She guessed not. Well, then, he deserved bruised toes.

Nick watched the couple as they danced across the floor. Something didn't seem quite right in his mind. He had known that Jarrod was seeing a young lady in town, but he didn't think her name had been Katelyn. And although nothing had been said recently, Nick got the impression that Jarrod had called things off with the woman. Of course, Jarrod had been staying in San Francisco quite a bit lately and Nick had to wonder if Katelyn was the reason. And why didn't Jarrod mention anything to the family about her if he was getting that serious? Could the man not at least warn his family about his impending nuptials? Did he always have to run off and elope?

Nick felt badly for his last thoughts. Jarrod had met his first wife, Beth, on a train coming from Washington, D.C. Their courtship and marriage had been short, had ended tragically. Well, Nick wanted nothing more than his brother's happiness and looking at them now as they made their way back to the table, he looked happy. Kind of.

Jarrod had just seated Katelyn when their first course arrived.

"For a wedding gift, I'm calling Carlotta. She'll completely redo the townhouse." Victoria smiled enthusiastically at Katelyn. "Whatever you want."

"Redo?"

"Yes. Carlotta is the decorator I hired to decorate the townhouse when Jarrod first moved in. But I'm afraid it is terribly masculine. Fine for a bachelor, but not at all suited for a young couple."

This was getting worse by the minute. Kate couldn't let Jarrod's mother spend money on a decorator when there was no real reason for it.

"They aren't staying at the townhouse for much longer. There is this gorgeous house for sale that they are looking at." Kate's mother broke in and to Kate's horror, she went on to explain about their two places.

"Well, then. We'll just have Carlotta do the new place."

"No!"

"Katelyn!"

Clearly her mother was aghast at Katelyn's curt refusal, but Victoria lay a gentle hand on the woman's arm.

"That's all right, if Katelyn doesn't want Carlotta, we'll find a decorator she feels comfortable with."

"No, no, no. There isn't going to be any decorator or house or anything because -" The four stunned faces halted her. She clamped her mouth shut, realizing now was not the time or place to clear her conscience, but the truth screamed in her head all the same: Because we are not married!

Her words hung there in the silence, and Katelyn looked at Jarrod. Do something!

But for once his mind-reading abilities seemed to be on the fritz. He just sat there, watching her, looking as stunned as the others.

Oh, bother! She pushed away from the table, falling back on the only saving grace she could think of.

All out retreat.

"Excuse me," she said, standing, keeping her back straight.

Jarrod and Nick scrambled to their feet as well, and she cleared her throat. "I...I need..." She threw her hands up. "Oh, forget it."

With that she marched away, leaving her so-called husband and his family standing there, staring after her, mouths agape.

Katelyn entered the lavish ladies lounge and sat down at one of the many vanities. She stared at her reflection, hardly able to believe what was happening. How could just this one little lie have gotten so out of hand? She had only wanted to get her mother to back off a bit when she had told her she was seeing Jarrod Barkley. Then in the hospital, the news of Katelyn's "marriage" had perked her mother up so, that Katelyn hadn't had the heart to tell her it wasn't real.

Katelyn rubbed her temples, trying to ease the ache that was just beginning. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her emotions. When she felt she had things under control, at least somewhat, she decided to rejoin the others. She was checking herself in the mirror when she heard someone speak.

"That's a drab little dress. It is off the rack?"

Katelyn turned to a woman sitting at another vanity. There was no one else in the room with them, so the woman had to be talking to her. Katelyn studied the other woman's face and frowned.

Amanda Altman.

"Don't think dressing up can change the fact that you are hired help. Mummy will see right through you. She'll put an end to this little tryst."

Mummy? Good grief, the woman made it sound as though she were intimately acquainted with Jarrod's family.

Maybe she is.

No. Katelyn didn't believe it. She lifted her chin a fraction. "Tryst? I don't think so." Amanda Altman might be gorgeous, but her ill-mannered behavior marked her for what she was: common.

Unfortunately, the woman's sarcasm was anything but common. She all but raised insults to an art form.

"When I say tryst, I mean tryst. Your engagement has never been announced, and no one who is anyone at all has heard about you or the illusion of a marriage. You, love, are a well-guarded secret. I daresay that will be easier that way when he turns you loose."

Katelyn clenched her teeth so hard her jaw ached. Turn her loose indeed! She flung her left hand toward the contemptuous woman. "Does this look like a tryst?"

Take that! Kate thought with satisfaction.

Amanda glanced in the mirror at the ring and laughed haughtily. "That? You think that little trinket means anything? The one he offered me was considerably more substantial. That practically isn't there. He obviously doesn't think much of you."

Katelyn's anger boiled. "This is a wedding ring." She smiled sweetly. "Not a payoff."

Amanda's eyes flickered at that. Score a point for me, Kate thought, but her pleasure was short lived.

The other woman shrugged elegantly. "Well, I admit I'm surprised he actually married you. He's carried this a bit further than usual." She offered Kate a sympathetic smile. "But that is of little importance to me. He may be enamored with you for the moment, but he won't stay faithful to you. You're not his type."

"And you are?" Kate almost choked on the thought.

Amanda turned gracefully on the stool and bore her icy gaze at Katelyn. "Oh, absolutely. Jarrod and I are cut from the same cloth. We're both from high society and not 'common' like you. We'll be together again before you know it." A slow smile pulled at her mouth. "And I do mean together, in every sense of the word."

Katelyn stared at the woman. What was she saying?

Amanda turned back to the mirror and touched her hair. "Do you really think he's at his office all the time...alone?"

Against Katelyn's will, the mental picture of Jarrod and Amanda together formed in her head. The perfect match of tall, dark and handsome with the auburn haired beauty. The haunting image lodged in her brain. The sitting room suddenly felt stuffy and confining.

Kate backed away, but in her rush to escape Amanda, she nearly ran into a woman entering the sitting room. After apologizing, she rushed out the front door of the restaurant.

She couldn't go back to the table. Not yet. Maybe not ever. But she at least needed a few minutes to compose herself, to clear her head. Hopefully, the fresh air would accomplish that.

"What did you expect," she whispered to herself. "Nothing good comes from a lie."