That Dog Won't Hunt (Dearing Family Series) (11 page)

Christina fled down the west wing hallway, through the kitchen and family area toward her room. Tears nearly blinded her. She could hear Mrs. Dearing calling for her to stop, that everything was okay, and she shouldn’t feel bad. Jess was just in one of her moods. They’d figure something else out for supper. Lacey called her name too. As Christina reached the top of the east wing hall, guilt got the best of her. She turned and faced them, one hand gripping the door frame.

“P-please … I just … need to be by my…self right now.”

Before they could say a word, she pivoted and scurried down the hall. Jumped into the safety of her room and locked the door.

Christina sprawled across the bed and buried her face in the covers. She cried and sobbed, then cried some more until her head pounded and the tears dried up. She’d known this wasn’t going to work. But did she have to end up being so humiliated? What had she done right since she’d gotten here? Now she’d cost the whole family a special, expensive supper. Everyone would know about it. Everyone would blame her.

It wasn’t fair. Ben shouldn’t have left her for so many hours. Didn’t he know she was uncomfortable here by herself? If he loved her, if he was going to treat her right like he promised,
why
had he gone to play golf? Last night he’d forced her to tell him things she’d never wanted to say. Yet today that conversation made no difference in his behavior at all.

Plain and simple, Ben might think he loved her, but his actions didn’t show it. None of the Dearings needed her. What place could she have in this family? She was still an Ugly Bug, unwanted, unlovable. Always had been, always would be. The sooner she accepted that, the easier her life would turn out—

Someone knocked on the door. Christina stiffened, then raised her head.

The knock came again. “Christina? It’s Jess.” Her voice sounded thick.

Great. The sister Ben was closest to. The one who liked her least of all.

“I’m sorry, Christina, really. It hadn’t been a good day for me, and … Please don’t feel bad. We’re already pullin’ out meat for supper.”

As if one apology could undo Jess’s accusations. Christina’s hurt went too deep for that.

“Are you in there, Christina?”

She glared at the door. “Yes.”

“Will you come out?”

“No.” The answer shot out of her mouth before she could stop it. She started to apologize but choked on the words. So what if she’d said what she felt? Wasn’t that what Ben wanted her to do? Besides, she was tired of trying to please everybody. Clearly it wasn’t working.

Why couldn’t they just leave her alone?

“Please?”

“I don’t
want
to come out, Jess. I don’t want to see
anybody
right now.”

A long silence pulsed.

“Fine then, be that way.”

What a snotty answer. Anger shot through Christina. As if Jessica Dearing had anything to be ticked about. She, who had a loving family and perfect life. Who’d gone joyriding this morning with a man who obviously loved her while Christina stayed home alone and watched three kids she hardly knew. And one of whom was a spoiled brat.

Christina jumped off the bed and strode to the door. Flung it open. Jess was already walking down the hall. “I’m
sorry
about your lobsters, Jess.” The words came out hard. “In case you couldn’t tell, I didn’t mean to do it.”

Jess turned around, surprise, then irritation flattening her face. “You sure don’t sound sorry.”

“Well, I am.”

“Well, good for you.”

They narrowed their eyes at each other.

“What’s wrong with you?” Jess planted her hands on her hips.

“You mean why didn’t I see your stupid lobsters in the sink?”

Jess’s cheeks reddened. “I mean what’s
wrong
with you? Everyone’s tried to welcome you into this family, and you just run around like some kicked mouse.”

“Am I acting like a mouse now?”

“No, and this is a whole lot scarier.”

“Maybe you’re just not used to having someone stand up to you.”

“Maybe you have
no idea
what you’re talking about!”

At the top of the hall behind Jess, Maddy poked her head out of the family room. Her eyes were wide. She must have heard everything. She locked eyes with Christina, then jerked back and disappeared.

Reality hit Christina in the chest. What was she
doing?
She’d spent her entire wretched childhood holding in her rage. Had promised herself never, ever to show it to anyone, especially the man she so desperately loved. Or his family. Now she’d let out the bad Christina—on Ben’s sister, no less. In his parents’ house.

Christina’s shoulders drooped. She flushed hot, then cold. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t know what made me…”

Jess gave her a long look. “Yeah, well, you’d better figure it out. ’Cause you got a mess of fury floatin’ around inside you, girl.”

Her tone kicked anger back up Christina’s spine. She tried to force it down, but it wouldn’t budge. “And what exactly would you call what’s ‘floatin’ around’ inside of
you?
I’ve seen the way you treat Tamel.”

Jess inhaled a sharp breath. “Don’t you dare mention Tamel to me.”

“It’s obvious he’s crazy in love with you.”

“That’s
none
of your business!”

“And how I act is none of yours!”

“It
is
when you’re about to marry my brother!” Jess stalked two steps toward Christina. “I will not stand by and watch him get his heart broken again. No one in this family will.”

Christina drew her head back, stricken. The last thing she wanted was to hurt Ben. “Why don’t you watch
yourself,
Miss Know-It-All.”

Jess’s body went rigid. She pointed at Christina, her voice low and shaking. “I knew somethin’ was off-kilter the minute I saw you. You aren’t what you pretend to be. Now you’ve gone way too far.” Her voice hitched. “I will
not
let you destroy my brother.”

She pivoted and stomped down the hall. Veered left. Christina heard her pounding up the stairs.

Was that a sob?

Weakly, Christina leaned against the wall. Self-loathing and despair poured over her. She’d done it now. Really done it. Maddy was probably still listening from the family room. She’d go tell Mrs. Dearing and Sarah.

No way could Christina face them now.

She escaped back into the guestroom and relocked the door. Fresh tears spilled out of her eyes, no holding them back. She did
not
want to cry. She snatched up her suitcase in the corner and tossed it on the bed. Started throwing in her clothes and toiletries.

The minute Ben came home they were
leaving
. And if he was too mad to drive her, all the better. She couldn’t bear to sit in a car with him for six hours anyway. Couldn’t stand to see the pain on his face. She’d failed him completely. Failed herself too. She’d been a fool to believe she could have her fairy tale life.

Tamel would take her to Jackson, wouldn’t he? She’d pay for the first plane back to Dallas. Find another job. And she would never, ever see the Dearing family again.