Jessica froze, her body tensing for a split second before she shoved Timothy
away with all her strength. She yanked theforter up to shield herself, ring at him with a wariness that hadn''t been there before.
"It was just a kiss. Was that really necessary?" Timothy scoffed.
She never used to react like this.
Her rejection stoked his frustration-ever since Herbert Wheeler had shown up, Jessica hardly let Timothy touch her at all.
Jessica silently cursed her inability to speak; if she could, she would have called him a creep to his face.
As if he even realized where he''d tried to kiss her.
After making sure the nket was secure around her, Jessica reached out and signed, "Trying to pull that stunt in broad daylight at the hospital? Get out. I''ll change by myself."
Timothy''s irritation softened, if only a little.
She was shy-especially in the middle of the day, in a hospital room no less. With her temperament, of course she couldn''t ept it.
As long as she wasn''t pushing him away for another man, he could live with it.
He was still coaxing her, after all; thest thing he wanted was to drive her so far that she''d nevere home again.
So he left the room.
Jessica dressed in a hurry and slipped out of the ward.
Timothy was waiting outside. He caught her hand and led her toward the exit, his grip firm and possessive.
She ignored him the entire way home. When they returned to The Gilded Whisper Estates, Henry was nestled up against She, chatting with her. "Miss She, could you please talk to my dad? Tell him now''s not the time for a wedding. If he''s not embarrassed, I am!"
"Henry!" Timothy''s voice was cold, sharp as ice.
Henry looked up and saw his father''s stony expression. Remembering the scolding he''d received at the paper-cutting contest that morning, he shrank back and clung to She''s arm, hiding behind her.
Jessica almost hoped they could talk Timothy out of this. She didn''t want a wedding, either.
"Timothy, Jessy, you''re back," She greeted them politely, then turned to Timothy. "You shouldn''t be so harsh with Henry all the time. It''s not good for his development."
Just then, Mabel appeared and announced, "Sir, ma''am, dinner''s ready. You cane to the table."
Timothy had intended to lecture Henry, but with dinner ready and guests around, now was hardly the time.
Neither he nor Jessica had eaten lunch, so he said, "Let''s eat first."
He reached for Jessica''s hand, leading her to the dining room. Pulling out her chair like a perfect gentleman, he waited for her to sit before taking his own seat.
She brought Henry over, and the two of them sat across from Timothy and Jessica.
Timothy, all smooth manners and quiet authority,dled a bowl of soup for Jessica and set it in front of her. "You just got over a high fever and skipped lunch. Have some soup-it''ll settle your stomach."
His voice was gentle, almost tender.
She felt as if her heart were being squeezed.
Once, that kind of tenderness had belonged to her.
Jessica kept her head down, quietly eating.
Whether She was there or not, it barely seemed to matter to her anymore.
Timothy kept serving Jessica, picking out pieces of food for her-even removing
the bones from the fish before cing it on her te.
For She, every moment of this dinner was agony.
Jessica nced up from time to time, her gaze flickering to She.
She''s expression was a study in contradiction.
And Jessica didn''t believe for a second that She and Timothy shared nothing but friendship.
She was a woman-she''d been in love-she knew exactly what it looked like.
And She was still desperately in love with Timothy.
Jessica looked at Timothy and tapped her fork toward the shrimp on the table.
He immediately picked one up, peeled it, and put it in her te.
One wasn''t enough-he peeled another. Then another.
She could barely stay seated.
Henry, meanwhile, looked utterly bewildered. He couldn''t understand why, all of a
sudden, his father was being so attentive to his mother.