Read Online Married by Contract by Noelle Adams - Free Book Online Page B

asked, his hand moving up to
stroke her back.
    “Nothing.”
    “You know you’re pressed up against me, right? You always
get tense when something bothers you. I know something is wrong, so don’t lie
to me.”
    She told herself not to be ridiculous. Yes, she provided the
money in their relationship, and he provided the emotional support. It was
working for them both, so there was no reason for her to feel bad about it.
    She swallowed over the pressure in her throat. “It’s nothing
really.”
    “Hey,” Nick said, tilting her head so he could look her in
the eye again. “Something is bothering you. If it’s important, then tell me
about it so we can fix it. If it’s really not important, then take a breath and
let it go.”
    Jenn felt kind of silly, but she gave him a sheepish smile,
took a deep breath, and blew it out.
    She did feel a little better. Maybe Nick was onto something
with this letting-it-go thing.
    “Good girl,” Nick murmured, his eyes soft on her face.
    She scowled. “You didn’t just call me good girl, did you?”
    “What? Oh no. You must have heard wrong. I’d never call you
something so…”
    “Patronizing.”
    “Exactly. I’d never call you something like that.” He wasn’t
smiling, but there was suppressed laughter in his eyes and at the corners of
his mouth.
    “I’m glad to hear it.” She let out another long breath,
releasing the last of her angst about their somewhat unnatural arrangement. “I
don’t know how you keep from stressing the way you do. I wish I could take
things less seriously, the way you do.”
    When he didn’t respond, she glanced up and saw he was
frowning.
    “That wasn’t an insult,” she said quickly. “I’m saying I
wish I could be more like you.”
    “You don’t think I take things seriously?”
    “Don’t be offended! I promise it wasn’t an insult. You’re
just really good at staying relaxed and not getting worked up about things.
It’s like you were saying before. People cope in different ways, and that’s
your way of coping. It’s not a bad thing. I wish I could be like that too. You
don’t keep spinning your wheels, working at something that may or may not pan
out for you. You just let it go.” She was so worried about hurting his feelings
that she kept rambling on, even though she could see on his face she was just
making it worse.
    “I work hard at some things,” he said, lowering his brows
and staring at a spot just past her head.
    “I know you do. I wasn’t implying you’re lazy or anything.
I’m just saying it wrong. I was trying to say I understand and like that about
you—that you don’t keep fighting battles you might not be able to win. I feel
like I’m always launching myself into wars that can’t really be won, but you’re
not like that.”
    “Yeah, but you do that because you’re genuinely passionate
about life. And you think I’m not.”
    She was so upset by his tone and uncharacteristic tension
that she sat up, folding her legs beneath her and gazing down at him urgently.
“Nick, please don’t take it that way. I was trying to say something nice.”
    “I know you were.” He sounded almost resigned now, and she
saw him take and release a deep breath. “I’m not offended by what you said.
You’re right. I never go into a fight unless I know I can win, which means I
don’t try very hard at all. Which means I might even walk away from things I
care about.”
    “I don’t think that’s true, Nick. You’re a really good
friend. And a good son. You call your parents every week, don’t you?”
    “Sure. But I haven’t been to see them in months. And they’re
getting old.”
    Jenn had occasionally wondered why he didn’t visit his folks
more often—since he wasn’t that far away—and she suddenly understood why. They
were getting old, and it was hard for him to see it. And he avoided anything
that might hurt him.
    It was why he’d agreed to their bizarre marriage in the
first place—not really to