Deceived by Jess Michaels Read Free Book Online Page A

didn’t have that past with him, trust me that he doesn’t like me,” she said instead. “The last thing Evan would ever have on his mind when it comes to me is courtship.”
    “I wouldn’t be so sure. He certainly was watching you quite closely at his sister’s wedding.”
    A frown was Josie’s first response. Yes, she had found Evan watching her throughout the day, and evening as well. But he had also asked her about Claire and she had stammered in a moment of weakness. It was likely only his interest in her relationship with his missing sister that drove him to seek her out in the crowd.
    “Perhaps I had something on my face,” she offered instead of the truth.
    “Oh, Josie.” Her mother frowned. “Whatever you say. But today when you see them, be sure to be polite, at least.”
    Josie’s eyes went wide. “Today? See them? What are you talking about?”
    “I was trying to tell you at the beginning before you started arguing with me about your future that we have been invited to spend the afternoon at Briarlake Cross with the remaining Woodleys.”
    Returning to her abandoned chair, Josie flopped down. She had known this time would come. There was no way that her mother wouldn’t arrange to spend time with her friend the dowager, both because the women liked each other and for the attachment to such an important family.
    “And why did we not do this sooner?” she asked softly.
    Mrs. Westfall shrugged. “Lady Woodley only had a few days remaining with her daughter and son and their new spouses before their foursome returned to London. I wanted to allow her family time. But since the others were to depart this morning, I received an invitation requesting we join them today. I accepted on both our behalves.”
    “I think I feel a cold coming on,” Josie muttered.
    “Oh no,” her mother said with a hawkish glare. “None of that now. You’ll come and you’ll have a lovely time and everything will be well.”
    “While I’m wooing Evan, you mean?” Josie said with a glare of her own.
    A laugh was the response. “Just don’t rule the man out. He may not be the ogre you have wanted him to be and you are most definitely not the pariah you’ve made yourself out to be. Give nature a chance to run its course. At least consider it.” Mrs. Westfall stood. “And now I have a few things to do before we make our way to Briarlake Cross. Good morning, darling.”
    Josie halfheartedly returned the goodbye as she stared at her plate. Consider Evan, her mother had said. Consider that he might actually… like her? It was a foolish notion, but it tapped into every secret desire she had held before that long ago afternoon when he broke her heart.
    And even though she knew her mother was blind to the truth, her suggestion was likely all Josie would consider until she saw Evan again and proved to herself that she meant nothing to him and he nothing to her.
     

     
    Josie shifted on the settee and tried to look anywhere but at Evan. It was difficult when there were so few people in the room. Oh, the day had started out benignly enough. When they arrived, Lady Woodley had informed them that Gabriel and Evan were out on a ride around the estate. And though there had been a mild disappointment in that fact that Josie had pushed aside, she had been able to settle into a very nice conversation with Lady Woodley, Mrs. Samson, Miss Gray and her mother.
    But as soon as luncheon ended and they had retired to the parlor overlooking the gardens below, Gabriel and Evan had returned and suddenly the room was now filled with masculine energy and Evan’s odd stares.
    Why did he keep looking at her? And why did he have to be so dratted handsome while he did it? Couldn’t he have had a hunchback or crossed eyes or a pockmarked face if she was trying to hate him?
    “You have a very faraway look, my dear,” Lady Woodley said.
    Josie jolted and blushed at being caught with such thoughts in her head. “I’m sorry,” she said,