Chapter 19：We're alone

It suddenly occurred to him that she had a point when she said they didn't know each other. He decided that the situation would have to change. He spent the rest of the early morning hours trying to come up with ways to do just that.

After Louis announced that breakfast was ready, Leo waited for Jessica to come down the stairs so they could go to the dining room together. He wondered if he would ever get over his initial pleasure of seeing her. Her curly brown hair was pulled back with a light purple barrette that matched her dress.

Though her eyes were dry, he noticed that they were slightly red and swollen from crying. He wondered why she didn't get him if she needed someone to comfort her. Then it occurred to him that she might have been crying because of him. He took a deep breath and sighed. He hoped he wasn't the cause of her sorrow. He prayed it was her father's departure that did it.

―Good morning, Jessica, he greeted her with a warm smile. She seemed to be surprised to see him waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.

―Oh. Good morning, she slowly replied. Leo. My name is Leo. He wondered why she didn't say it. ―You didn't have to wait for me before eating breakfast, she told him as soon as she reached the bottom step. ―You're my wife. I want to eat with you. ―You don't have to pretend you care.

―I'm not pretending. She looked around the hallway. ―The kitchen is this way, correct? Winning her over wasn't going to be easy.

―Yes. May I escort you? He extended his arm to her. ―No, that's alright. I can walk without assistance. Icicles seemed to hang from her words.

―I was being polite. ―There's no need. We're alone. ―What is that supposed to mean?

―I know the reason you wanted to marry me is so I can help you look good to your clients. Well, they aren't here so there's no need to put on a show.

―Is that why you think I married you? He couldn't believe his ears. ―Of course. A man in your position wants a wife who can make a good impression. She walked toward the kitchen. He quickly followed her.

―That's not why I married you, Jessica. I honestly do want to be with you. ―Seriously, you don't need to keep up the charade. I agreed to one month with you. I'm sure at that time, you will discover I'm not the kind of woman who's suitable for your lifestyle. He gently reached for her hand to stop her. It worked. She was looking at him.

―You promised you wouldn't ruin my purity. The way she said it made it sound like being intimate with him would soil her. He let go of her hand. It took him a moment before he could speak.

―On second thought, I eat somewhere else. Without looking back at her, he grabbed his hat from the hat rack by the front door and left the house.