A Love Like Ours

Chapter 2

Or I could simply change my name and move to another country and make my grand escape, and none would be the wiser.

"So, my dear Aria, what brings you to kissing the life out of my poor Justin?" Mrs Kay's blunt question had me stuttering then looking helplessly to Justin for an answer.

But I should have known better.

"She was trying to wheedle her way out of admitting that she had knowingly and wilfully made full use of my body five years ago. ..."

"That's not what ... I was there for business. ... Justin was the one who, ... who, ..." I found myself trailing off, being unable to finish that line of reasoning. This was getting ridiculous. I glanced balefully at first, one pair of sky blue eyes, then at the other, not at all happy to be cornered by a pair of Kays like this. I shook my head, trying to clear out the cobweb of shocks that seemed to have shrouded my usually adequately functioning brain. There had to be a way out of this somewhere. There had to. If only I could actually think. But torn between the heated intensity of Justin's wickedly amused gaze and his mother's shrewd if equally amused ones, and I knew I was done for. The Kays were in league and narrowing in for the kill.

"But this is perfect. It's simply ideal, Justin," gushed out Mrs Kay ecstatically. "This is exactly what we are looking for. It's obvious you two care for each other." I opened my mouth instantly to deny that charge, but she raised a placating hand, indicating she would not be buying any explanations I had to give. "Oh, you may tell yourself all you wish—that your only intention is to atone for your sins in seducing and taking advantage of my poor boy five years ago—but I know better."

I couldn't help but openly sputter at that.

"And then, there's Justin. I'm sure he wishes to punish you for your presumptions in doing so in the first place. Enjoy it, no doubt, he did. And what better way to achieve both goals than with what I am proposing?" said Mrs Kay gleefully.

Justin seemed to have some inkling of what that was, but I, for one, was entirely clueless. Clueless and confused. Confounded. Was Mrs Kay really deranged, or had she in fact really just said all that she just did? And what was she proposing anyway? I turned my own version of large, puppy dog eyes at Justin in enquiry. Mrs Kay was not the only one who could pull at heart strings if the need so required. At my present, I desperately needed some answers. I had this uneasy feeling that these two Kays were trying to out-manoeuvre me at my own game. Not that I had been playing a game. But perhaps I should.

"You told your mother about us!" I said to Justin accusingly. "You invited her to come to your office when she did, knowing I would be there. You planned this."

"Not when she did. No, I can't quite get over her poor choice in timing," he murmured ruefully before shifting to adjust himself in his seat. I glared right at him. I was not having it—whatever it was. I didn't get played. Not anymore.

"Now, now," Mrs Kay intervened placatingly. "Let's not bicker over who did what and who did not. It's not as if Justin doesn't already want to marry you, but now, with the terms of his father's will to consider, I don't see what the problem is."

"The terms?" I murmured vaguely, feeling overwhelmingly bombarded with the unexpected.

"Yes, my dear. Justin must marry before he turns thirty, or he has to forfeit his inheritance. I always did tell you your father was not pleased with your philandering ways, Justin. This was really only to be expected."

I opened my mouth to gape uncomprehendingly at Mrs Kay before turning to assess Justin' s take on this bizarre statement, but his face was buried in his hands. I paused for a moment, almost feeling sorry for him. It could not have been ideal to have been left with one lunatic parent to deal with. It had been in my experience that you needed a minimum of two such parents to balance each other out. But then, I decided enough was enough.