Stuck with Him by Ellen Dominick Read Free Book Online Page B

What if they walked in and I was still in my PJs?
    "Hastings!" Matt's mom yelled. "Don't just stand there, bring us some tea!"
    " Oui, Madame, " he said.
    We all settled on the couches. Mrs. DuFour and Pippi sat on one side, while Matt and I sat on another. He held me close, almost as if trying to protect me. What did he need to protect me from?
    "So Penny, why were you at the library? Do you also collect rare books? You know our Matthieu loves that sort of thing."
    "No, I work there," I said. "I'm a librarian."
    Hastings returned with several plates piled full of cookies. He placed them on the table in front of us.  
    Mrs. DuFour didn't even look up, but I whispered to him. "Thank you."
    She took one of the cookies and started to nibble at it.
    "Oh, a head librarian, that's wonderful!"
    There was a pain in my chest. How did this woman manage to make me feel so terrible?
    "No," I said, "just a regular librarian."
    The word "regular" left a bitter taste in my mouth.
    "So this is your hobby? How nice!"
    My eyes and cheeks felt hot. I looked away from her. Until she came here, everything was going great…
    "No –"
    "No, Penny is a wonderful librarian," Matt said. "It's not her hobby. She loves her job. Right, baby?"
    He hugged me closer and then kissed my cheek. I felt just a little better. He was right, I did love my job.
    "Yes, it's great!"
    "Well, how perfect! What could be better than a book lover and a librarian?" Mrs. DuFour said.
    She cupped her hands together and curled her lips into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
    Hastings came again and placed a large, ornate, silver teapot on the table. He also gave each of us a teacup and tiny saucer.
    "Votre thé, Madame. Shall I pour?"
    She waved him away with one hand. "I'm sure Penny here would love to serve us."
    I bit my lip. I was very close to saying something that I shouldn't have. You should have respect for your elders, but she was pushing me, I could feel it. Still, I put on a smile.
    "Of course," I said.
    My hands shook as I picked up the teapot. As a little girl I had sets that imitated things like this, but I'd never seen a real one. Somehow, I managed to pour her cup of tea without spilling any.  
    But when I got to Matt's cup, he jumped up. His phone was ringing.
    "Not now," he said. Someone spoke to him on the other side of the line, and his face changed. "Can't it wait at all?" There was more talking, and then Matt hung up.
    He looked at me as if begging me to forgive him. "I've got to step aside for a little bit, okay?"
    I nodded. Matt went into his office and closed the door behind him. As I watched them go, I spilled some of the tea on the table and myself. The hot water scalded my skin and stained the dress.
    Immediately, Mrs. Dufour jumped up and patted me down with a kerchief. When I was dry, she sat next to me.
    "Thank you so much," I said. "I wasn't paying attention –"
    "I hope you don't plan on continuing this for very long," she said.
    I thought my heart had stopped. "What?"
    "This charade. I'm sure you thought you hit the jackpot when the two of you were trapped in that library of yours, but don't even think about it."
    What was she saying? I looked over to Matt's sister, but she didn't seem to offer any help.
    "She's right you know," Pippi said. "He's just playing around until he gets married."
    I balled my hands into fists. "What do you know? I didn't go chasing after him. He chased after me !"
    "Of course darling, whatever you want to believe," Mrs. Dufour said.
    I moved away from her on the couch. Were these people crazy? I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
    "I know my son," she said. "And you are temporary."
    "I don't believe you," I said.
    "Well you should, since he's engaged ."
    It was as if the floor had just fallen out from beneath me. My stomach dropped and I felt nauseous. Engaged ? It couldn't be true.
    Pippi pulled out her phone and showed me the screen. There, in a picture, was Matt and a beautiful girl who was everything