A Bride for Jericho Bravo. Christine Rimmer

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      “My boyfriend dumped me.”

      “I heard. I’m sorry. But … why take it out on me?”

      She sent him a narrowed glance, and then looked at the pavement some more. “Because … I’m insane and possibly a drug addict?”

      “What?”

      She looked up again, a flash of anger in her eyes and then, as before, back down. “I heard what you said to Ash.”

      He winced. But still, she shouldn’t have been listening in. “You were eavesdropping.”

      “No, I wasn’t. It just … happened. I left my purse on the front hall table. Don’t ask me why, I don’t why. But when I realized I’d left it there, I went back to get it. I heard you guys in the study, talking. I knew I had to go past the open door to get to the table. I knew you would see me, and I would feel foolish to have wandered off without my purse—the family idiot on the loose without a keeper. It would be just one more proof that I’m a can short of a six-pack, you know? So I hesitated. That was when I heard what you said.”

      Regret tugged at him. “Look, I really am sorry. I can see now I had it all wrong about you.”

      “Yeah, well. It seriously ticked me off at the time. But now that I’ve cooled off a little, I guess I have to admit that I completely get why you would think I’m out of my mind.”

      “So this, taking my bike, was payback?”

      Still staring at the pavement, she shrugged. “In a totally wussy, pitifully ineffective sort of way, yeah.”

      He touched her strong little chin with his finger, guiding it up so that she was looking at him again. “We can call it even from here. Start fresh. How ‘bout that?”

      She made a disbelieving sound. “You sure you don’t want to have me arrested?”

      He held her gaze. “It’s tempting, but I’ll pass.”

      “Maybe a little time in jail would do me good,” she said half-jokingly, mocking herself.

      And suddenly, he wanted to shake her. She didn’t have a clue about what happened behind bars.

      His exasperation must have shown on his face. Her eyes widened. “Yikes. What did I say this time?”

      Gruffly, he advised, “You don’t want to go to jail. Take my word on that.”

      “Uh. Okay.”

      He gentled his tone. “So, you think you can drive Ash’s Mercedes back to the house without running into anything?”

      She hung her head again. “I could. If I could only find my way there.”

      He understood. “You’re lost.”

      “Oh, yeah. In more ways than one.”

      He felt a surge of something that could only be called protectiveness. It surprised him. He wasn’t the protective type. “Here.” He took her small, soft hand, turned it over and put Ash’s keys in it. “You’re gonna be fine.”

      “Oh, I hope so.”

      “Just follow me.”

      Marnie felt a little better about everything as she followed Jericho through the dark, quiet streets of Tessa’s neighborhood. Her very, very bad day was looking up a little.

      Yeah, she’d let her whacked-out emotional state get the better of her and screwed up royally, stealing Jericho’s bike like that. But somehow, it had worked out all right. She even had a strange feeling she might end up calling Jericho a friend.

      Who would have guessed that might happen?

      Life was no rose garden. But it could surprise you in a good way now and then.

      Even in the dark, she recognized Tessa’s street when they reached it. And she wasn’t far behind when Jericho turned his bike into the driveway beside Tessa’s house.

      Tessa and Ash were waiting on the front step. Ash had his arm around her and she huddled close to him. The headlights of the Mercedes swept over them and Marnie saw that her sister’s face was pale and drawn with worry.

       Way to go, Jones.

      Guilt tightened her stomach and made her feel crappy all over again. She really needed to get her act together. Making Tessa suffer for her erratic behavior was not the way to treat her loyal, generous, loving big sister. Tessa would do anything for her and she knew it. She needed to start showing a little consideration and respect.

      Things got worse in the house. Ash and Tessa were there in the kitchen when Marnie and Jericho came in through the glass doors.

      “Marnie!” Tessa’s relief was painfully evident. “I’m so glad you’re all right….” She started to come to her.

      Ash held her back with a hand on her shoulder. His blue eyes were dark with fury. Marnie realized she’d never seen him angry before. But he was now—angry at her. “What is the matter with you? You had your sister scared to death.”

      “Ash, don’t …” Tessa gave him a pleading look. “It’s okay. She’s okay.”

      Ash was not pacified. He pinned Marnie with an unforgiving glare. “You’re family. That means you’re welcome in this house. But you damn well better not pull any more stunts like this one tonight, or there is going to be big trouble between you and me.”

      Marnie felt his harsh words like blows. They were true words. And that made them hurt all the more. She opened her mouth to say she was so sorry and she would never do anything like that again.

      But Tessa spoke first, her gentle voice soothing. “Ash. Come on.” She turned to Marnie, her eyes moist with tears. “He worries about me. Please don’t take offense.”

      Marnie let out a cry. “I don’t. Of course, I don’t. He’s absolutely right.”

      Ash nodded. “You better believe I am.”

      Jericho stepped in then. “Come on, Ash. Dial it back. She knows she did wrong.”

      Ash shifted his furious gaze to his brother. “What? Now you’re defending her? What’s up with that?”

      Marnie cleared her throat. “We, um, we came to an understanding, Jericho and me. He still thinks I’m weird—but not crazy or on drugs.”

      Jericho explained, “She overheard us talking in the study.”

      “Talking about what?” Tessa demanded.

      Ash answered reluctantly, “Jericho was saying that maybe she needed professional help.”

      Jericho snorted. “I wasn’t nearly that diplomatic about it.”

      “Oh, no …” Tessa stared at her pityingly.

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