When Bella didn’t say anything but looked over at Jason, he shrugged and said, “Throw some dates out to see if they will work for us.”
Megan began rambling off dates, saying the first weekend in August would be perfect since all the Westmorelands away at college would be home and Micah, who was presently in Beijing, had sent word he would be back in the States during that time, as well. Gemma, who was expecting, had gotten the doctor’s okay to travel from Australia then.
“And,” Megan continued, “I spoke with Casey yesterday and she’s checked with the other Westmorelands and that will give them plenty of time to make plans to be here, as well. I’m so excited.”
Jason glanced over at Bella again thinking he was glad someone was. There was something going on with his wife that he just couldn’t put a finger on and whatever it was had put him at a disadvantage. He knew she was upset with the outcome of the Bostwick twins. With all the evidence mounted against the twins, their attorney had convinced their parents to enter a guilty plea in hopes they would get a lesser sentence.
However, given prior mischievous pranks that had gotten the pair into trouble with the law before, the judge was not all that lenient and gave them two years. Bella had insisted on going to the sentencing hearing and he’d warned her against it but she’d been adamant. Things hadn’t gone well when Kenneth, who still refused to accept blame for his part in any of it, made a scene, accusing Bella as the one responsible for what had happened to his grandsons. Since that day Jason had noted a change in her and she’d begun withdrawing from him. He’d tried getting her to talk, but she refused to do so.
“So what do the two of you think?” Megan asked, drawing his attention again.
He glanced at Bella. “What do you think, sweetheart?”
She placed a smile on her lips that he knew was forced. “That time is fine with me, but I doubt Mom and Dad will come either way.”
“Then they will miss a good party,” Jason replied. He then turned to Megan. “The first weekend in August is fine.”
Later, on the ride back to their place, Jason finally found out what was troubling Bella. “I rode over to my ranch today, Jason. Why didn’t you tell me work hadn’t begun on the house yet?”
“There was no reason to tell you. You knew I was taking care of things, didn’t you?”
“Yes. But I assumed work had gotten started already.”
“I saw no reason to begin work on the place yet, given we’re having a lot of rainy days around here now. It’s not a good time to start any type of construction. Besides, it’s not like you’re going to move into the house or anything.”
“You don’t know that.”
He had pulled into the yard and brought the truck to a stop and turned the ignition off. He glanced over at her. “I don’t? I thought I did.”
He tilted his hat back from his eyes and stared over at her. “Why would you need to move back into the house?”
Instead of holding his gaze she glanced out the window and looked ahead at his house, which he now considered as their house. “Our marriage is only supposed to last a year and I’m going to need somewhere to live when it ends.”
Her words were like a kick in the gut. She was already planning for the time when she would be leaving him? Why? He thought things were going great between them. “What’s going on, Bella?”
“Nothing is going on. I just need to be realistic and remember that although we enjoy being bed partners, the reason we married stemmed from your proposal, which I accepted knowing full well the terms. And they are terms we must not forget.”
Jason simply looked at her as he swore under his breath. She thought the only thing between them was the fact they were bed partners? “Thanks for reminding me, Bella.” He then got out of the truck.