do have a problem with just prattling on. Do forgive me.â
Celia smiled. âItâs all right. Truly. It is one of those things women like to know. Men are so thick when it comes to these things, but if any awkwardness can be avoided, I would like to know.â
And she could go straight to hell for lying, too. Sheâd just make sure Evan got there first for his role in this debacle.
âItâs all in the past. Rest assured.â
âNaturally,â Celia said drily.
âEvan and Bettina were engaged. It was a long engagement. The truth of the matter is, Iâm just not sure how much of Evanâs affections were engaged. Bettina and Mitchell fell in love, and well, itâs obvious to anyone that those two were meant for each other. Evan didnât take it well, though, and if I hadnât begged him to come to the wedding, I have no doubt he wouldnât be here.â
Lucy smiled and reached out to touch Celiaâs arm. âBettina led me to believe that Evan was just going on about being involved because he wasnât over her yet and didnât want to worry me, but I can see that isnât the case. Youâre even more beautiful than Bettina. I can tell by the way he looks at you that heâs besotted. He never looked at Bettina that way.â
You are such a sucker, Celia.
There should be a law about being so stupid when it came to men. But then sheâd spend a lot of time behind bars if that were the case.
She felt Evanâs approach. It was hard to miss all that tension. Celia glanced up and met his gaze, and she didnât at all try to disguise her fury. Let him stew. He was damn lucky she liked his mom so much or she would have denounced him in front of the entire hotel lobby.
The poor woman didnât deserve to be humiliated just because her son was a first-rate ass.
Evan regarded her warily even as he turned to his mom. âWeâll catch up tomorrow, Mom, okay? Celia and I have had a long day and weâd like to go up and have dinner in the room.â
Lucy patted Evan on the cheek and then leaned up on tiptoe to kiss him. âOf course, dear. Iâll see you both tomorrow for rehearsal.â
She reached back and squeezed Celiaâs hand. âIt was so nice meeting you, Celia.â
She walked toward Evanâs father and the two went in the direction of the restaurant, leaving Celia and Evan standing in the middle of the lobby.
âWeâre on the top level,â Evan said evenly. He gestured toward the elevator and Celia strode in that direction.
They rode up in silence, the tension so thick Celia felt like the entire elevator would explode before it stopped. It was all she could not to tap her foot in agitation as she waited for the doors to open.
When they finally did, Celia stepped out, glanced down the hall and then back at Evan.
âMy key,â she said pointedly. âWhat room am I in?â
Evan sighed and pointed at the end. âWeâre in the two-bedroom suite on the end.â
Her mouth fell open. She reached forward and snatched the key card from his grasp. Then she spun on her heel and stalked down the hall. The hell sheâd share a room with him. He could go find other accommodations or he could bunk with his brother. Theyâd probably have a lot to talk about. Maybe they could compare notes on Bettina.
She jammed the card into the lock, listened for the snick and then shoved it open. She stepped inside and slammed the door in Evanâs face.
Her feet were killing her, she was angry as hell and she was hungry. And she needed to figure out how to get off this damn island.
She kicked off her shoes and then sat on the edge of the couch next to the table with the hotel directory and a telephone. Surely the front desk could make arrangements for her departure.
The sound of the door opening had her on her feet again, and she glared indignantly as Evan walked in and shut the door behind him. He
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