Chapter 40：Talk with him

I just forgot that I have a business lunch meeting with a client. I'm sorry, Jessica. Can we do lunch another time? She looked relieved.

―That is fine. Another time will do. He was annoyed but hid it under a smile. It took all of his effort to finish his breakfast. He stood up and adjusted his tie. ―Well, I should get going.

―Have a good day, she responded. He noted that she didn't stand up with him to walk him to the door. Many times, he had imagined what it would be like to have his wife stand by the front door, wish him a good day, and kiss him good-bye.

This was not going to be one of those times. He thanked her as graciously as he could, considering his bruised ego, and saw himself out the door.

If he wasn't so deeply in love with her, he would hand her the annulment papers and be rid of this farce of a marriage. It was even more irritating that everyone knew it for what it was. He went into the stagecoach that Curtis Thomas brought to the front of the house and rubbed his eyes.

He knew he shouldn't let his frustrations weigh his heart down. He was probably even lucky that she agreed to talk with him the previous day.

Then he recalled how he had to hold her hand and threaten to put her on his lap if she didn't stay. He rolled his eyes. What kind of willingness was that? The poor girl was forced to talk to him.

He thought their conversation went well enough. The kiss had been encouraging. She had pulled him closer to her. He thought their talk after dinner before they went to bed had been a good sign that she was opening up to him.

She was only eight at the time, so it was easy enough to understand why she would fall for his fib. Leo realized that she was very trusting of people.

She was gullible in a lot of ways, and her innocence was very pleasant and even charming. She also told him all about her friends. Her closest two had been Mary and Julie. Though she still liked Julie, she wondered how their friendship would be affected by the situation with Harrison.

Then she talked of Mary and Helen and her mood brightened. When Jessica didn't resist him, she was warm and lively. Her eyes were full of enthusiasm and she smiled.

She had forgotten her goal to resist him and had sat closer to him than necessary, without being prodded to, and she laughed and touched his arm. It occurred to him that she was a passionate and affectionate person. She would make a terrific wife.

The more he learned about her, the more he loved her. Then there was her coolly polite greeting that morning and her obvious disdain to even eat lunch with him. He wondered how she would act when they went to the dinner party at Mr. and Mrs. Walker's residence the next evening.

Would she run off as soon as they arrived and not talk to him again until she was forced to go home with him? When he arrived at work, his uncle noticed his sour mood.

―Want to talk? he asked as he followed his nephew into his office and sat in front of his desk. ―You're troubled. Leo sighed and sat down. ―You're right. I am. He considered his words before speaking.

―Last night Jessica told me all about her childhood, her dreams, her friends, and her family. He stopped talking and stared off into space. ―Of course, this would be distressing because you were listening to her talk about her thoughts and feelings?

His uncle wryly grinned. ―No. I liked it. I want to learn about her. ―I'm having trouble understanding what the problem is. ―This morning I asked her to go to lunch with me and she didn't want to. ―And? ―And what? She doesn't want to spend time with me unless I force her to. I had to threaten to hold her down on the couch if she didn't talk to me last night.

His eyes grew wide. ―Did you tie her down? ―No. It wasn't as bad as that. I told her I'd put her on my lap and hold her if she wouldn't stay in the parlor.

―Of course, she refused, ran out of the room and you dragged her back to the room, kicking and screaming. The staff was greatly alarmed but you threatened to fire them if they intervened. Leo felt a smile tug at his lips.

―Of course not. She sat next to me and we talked. After dinner, she willingly followed me to the room and sat next to me on the couch.

―So you didn't force her. You simply encouraged her. The acknowledgment did little to make him feel better. ―Have you kissed her yet? Leo felt his face grow warm as he admitted, ―Yes, I did. ―You enjoyed it, he noted, amused. ―Did she?

―I think so. She didn't push me away. ―Did she respond? Suddenly, he felt uneasy. Should he be discussing these intimate details with his uncle? He knew his uncle could already tell the answer since he read people easily.