“You think I, we—” she used her hand to encompass both Adam’s mother and herself “—want you to be married so badly that you needed to fake a relationship?”
Teddy refused to answer. She held her mother’s gaze but did not reply to the question.
“And what about that proposal on Thanksgiving?” Adam’s mother asked him. “Were you going to go as far as planning a fake wedding?”
“Of course we weren’t,” Adam replied. “We were going to break up just before Christmas. You’d be disappointed, but you’d stop with the marriage tests for a while.”
“Mom,” Teddy hesitated. “I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
“Well, you have. The whole family, in fact. Your sisters were already talking about being bridesmaids. And even though your father never said it, he was glad you’d finally found someone to care for you.”
“And I was thinking of finally being the mother of the groom,” Ann Sullivan addressed them both. “I thought you’d be over Veronica and Chloe by now and ready to start a new life, but I see I was wrong.”
Teddy looked at Adam. “Who’s Chloe?” she asked.
Ann Sullivan froze. Teddy noticed her reaction, but the question went unanswered when Teddy’s mother spoke.
“Can I take it you two are not in love with each other?” Gemma Granville asked. It took all the courage Teddy had to look at Adam. She didn’t know what to say. She wanted him to answer first. She wanted to know why he’d told her about Chelsea and Veronica, even introduced her to the woman, but failed to mention anyone named Chloe.
“We’re not,” he finally said. His answer was for the two mothers, but his gaze never left Teddy’s face.
Teddy felt a dagger plunge into her heart.
* * *
The two mothers looked as if they’d been shocked. Even if they were expecting confirmation, they weren’t prepared for it. Dr. Sullivan stood up and Gemma Granville did the same.
“There’s to be no wedding?” Gemma said.
Teddy shook her head. Her hands were in her lap. She’d pulled the one Adam was holding away when his eyes told her that his mother’s comments were true. She felt the weight of the square-cut diamond on her third finger. She twisted it around so the stone wasn’t visible.
“No wedding,” Teddy said.
“Well,” Dr. Sullivan said on a resigned sigh. “Then I’ll be leaving.” She turned to Gemma. “I’ll see you later.”
She went to the door and pulled it open. Adam stood up. “Mom,” he called, but she continued walking, going out into the December afternoon. Moments later they heard her car start.
“Teddy, I’ll call you later,” he said over his shoulder as he, too, headed for the door.
Teddy got up and called him. She followed him into the foyer. At the door she took his arm to stop him. Immediately, she dropped her hand as if his touch burned. They watched his mother back down the driveway and drive away.
“Don’t forget this.” Teddy looked at the huge ring on her finger for several seconds. Then she pulled it off and handed it to him. “We only got it today. I’m sure they’ll take it back.”
“I need to go now, but this isn’t over. I’ll call you.” Adam quickly kissed her cheek and left. Teddy knew their show for the parents had become so natural that his kiss was still part of the charade. She couldn’t see a need for further conversation. They hadn’t wanted a relationship from the start. Now that everything was out in the open, there was no need to do anything except hope they could mend the open rift with their families.
She watched as the second car in her driveway exited and headed in the same direction as the previous one. Back in the living room, her mother was standing in the same spot.
“Can we talk?” Teddy asked.
“Is there anything more to say?”
“I’m sorry,” Teddy began.
She could see emotions playing across her features, then disappear as a new one replaced the last.
“I know you’re disappointed in me. But I had a good reason. At least, I thought I did. I love you and I only wanted to please you.”