For some reason, seeing her so relaxed around my brothers is really getting to me.
Why don’t I get to experience this side of her?
Why is she so at ease with them but awkward around me?
“And?” Marlen says, sounding annoyed.
“Huh?” I ask, turning back toward him.
“Were you listening to anything I just said?” he huffs.
“Um, yes, yes, I was. The ledgers…” I say the last thing I remember him mentioning.
“Bloody hell. That was how the whole conversation started. You really are smitten, aren’t you, youthful,” he says, shaking his head.
I grin, relieved that he is taking that way.
“I guess I am,” I agree.
“I’m happy for both of you. She seems like a nice girl,” he says, slapping my arm. “We expect her to attend all of the family dinners from now on?” he asks, raising his brows at me.
“We’ll be there,” I chuckle. My family took to her so easily. She has that effect on people, though. She certainly had that effect on me. I suspect that only part of this was an act for her, the part where she had to be my wife. The rest was just her being herself.
I didn’t expect everything to go so smoothly, but it’s definitely a relief.
***
Blair kept her promise. She was the sweetest, most loving wife I could have asked for all night at dinner. She did it so well that there were even times when I was starting to believe she actually liked me. I should be thrilled as we drive back toward our home, but I’m not. I can’t get the image of her smile out of my head when she was talking to my brother. I can’t understand why or how she can be so friendly and flirtatious with him, yet so off toward me.
By the time we get home, and I close the front door behind us, I am struggling to keep the annoyance in check. The last thing I want to do is blow up at her, so I’m doing my best to stay calm. It’s not going very well, though.