1022 Evergreen Place

“Oh, heavens, I’m not sure. It must’ve been twenty years ago. The previous owner hadn’t kept up the place, but that all changed when Mack bought it. He’s made such a difference.”

Mack’s heart sank all the way to his feet. He glanced covertly at Mary Jo and was surprised she didn’t react to the news.

“Mack’s made improvements, then?” she asked without letting anything slip.

“The difference is like night and day,” Charlotte said.

Mack stayed quiet, for fear that any remark he made would damn him all the more in Mary Jo’s eyes.

“I’ve kept you long enough,” Mary Jo said after a moment. “I’ll come by on Wednesday with Noelle.”

“Ben and I will see you then.” Ben started to push the cart away when Charlotte turned back. “I’ll find out whatever I can about Joan Manry and Jacob Dennison in the next couple of days and tell you what I learn on Wednesday.”

“Oh, thank you. I can’t wait.”

Mary Jo yanked the cart away from him and steered it back to the diaper aisle at a clipped pace. Mack had to hurry to keep up with her. The anger and betrayal she felt seemed to radiate from her rigid back and stiff shoulders. Unsure how best to proceed, Mack trailed silently behind her.

Not a word passed between them as Mary Jo finished her shopping. He stood, still silent, as she paid for her purchases and exchanged pleasantries with the friendly cashier. The woman’s name tag said Christie. He thought he’d seen her before, but troubled as he was, Mack couldn’t remember where.

Mary Jo seemed quite cheerful—until he caught her eye. Her gaze narrowed and Mack knew there’d be no reprieve for him. She was upset and she wasn’t going to forgive his deception easily.

Once she’d paid and collected her bags, Mack dashed ahead of her and unlocked the car, opening Mary Jo’s door. Usually he put Noelle in her infant seat but this time Mary Jo did it, not giving him a chance. With nothing more to do, Mack slid into the driver’s seat, and simply waited until Mary Jo got in. His hand on the ignition key, he looked at her.

“Can we talk about this?”

“No.”

Her voice was stark.

“Uh, can you let me know when we can talk about it?”

She didn’t answer.

“I guess that means it won’t be anytime soon?” he asked, attempting a bit of levity.

“Probably not.” She stared out the passenger-side window.

Mack exhaled slowly, then backed out of the parking space. He drove in silence.

“Just when I thought I’d met a man I could actually trust,” Mary Jo blurted out five minutes later, “I discover that not only did you outright lie to me but you continued with the fabrication when you had every opportunity to set the record straight. Were we not discussing this very matter no more than thirty minutes ago?”

“Well, yes, but—”

“Can I trust anything you have to say?”

“Yes,” he insisted.

“I doubt it.” She looked pointedly out the passenger window again, her arms crossed.

“Would it help to say I’m sorry?” he asked. And he was. But once he’d told her someone else owned the duplex, he couldn’t ever find a way to introduce the truth. He wished now that he’d tried harder.

“No.”

“That’s pretty harsh, don’t you think? Okay, I screwed up. I admit it.”

“Fine, apology accepted.”

Despite what she said, it certainly didn’t sound as if she meant it. “Thank you.”

“Why did you lie?” she demanded.

“Okay, good question. I was afraid—”

“Of what?”

“Afraid you wouldn’t agree to the lower rent payment if you knew I owned the duplex.”

She threw him an angry look. “You’re right, I wouldn’t have. What I want to know is why you felt it was so important for me to move next door to you.”

“Because.” He didn’t have an answer that would satisfy her. He couldn’t very well say he’d fallen completely and totally in love with her and that he couldn’t stand the thought of losing Noelle. Not that she was really his to lose …

“‘Because’? Oh, that explains everything.”

“I wanted to be nearby in order to protect both of you,” he returned, losing his own patience. “What’s so underhanded about that? If David showed up, I wanted him to deal with me, and leave you and Noelle alone.”

“I can take care of my own problems,” she snapped. “I don’t need a knight in shining armor riding to my rescue.”

More like tarnished armor, he reflected, but didn’t say anything.

“Besides, David did show up,” she added.

“And you panicked,” he reminded her.

“Yes, I did panic, and then you jumped into hero mode again, asking me to marry you.”

That hadn’t been one of his finer moments.

“Of all the ridiculous solutions to come up with,” Mary Jo muttered. “And I was frightened enough and foolish enough to say yes.”

“We came to our senses,” he said.

“Yes, thankfully.”

He sighed. “I’m sorry, Mary Jo. I was wrong to mislead you.”

“You did more than mislead me. You lied.”

“Okay, I lied.”