My Sweetheart

“One part is mine,” Joseph laughed in the face of Kathy’s expression.

Kathy shrugged. Getting out of bed, the two of them sat at the table. Joseph poured her soup, and added condiments for her, his ministrations precise and gentle. Kathy was at a loss. One day he’d treat another woman like this. The thought wrenched at her.

Impulsively she asked, “Hasn’t Grandfather pushed you to remarry?” She remembered that when she’d become part of their household, Grandfather had been quite nervous about their marriage.

“He hasn’t been around, so no.”

“Oh.”

“You really want me to remarry?” he feigned hurt.

She furrowed her brow. “Not really.”

“Why?”

“No reason,” Kathy replied, and left it at that. The thought of him marrying another woman was torture for her.

“If you don’t want me to, I won’t,” he told her seriously.

Hearing this, she looked up, unable to hide her surprise. “It’s your affair, not mine,” she said evenly, concealing her joy.

“Is that so?” Joseph asked, giving her a long hard look.

Kathy felt she could hide nothing from him. “Of course it is. Or else what?” she countered.

He laughed lowly. “I don’t want to hurt my ex-wife.”

“You won’t,” she insisted.

He stayed with her till that evening, to the point where she asked him, “Won’t you go home?”

you be scared here all alone?”

“No.”

Then I’ll go.” With that,

Kathy’s face crumpled. Just the sight of him walking

in his tracks, turned, and asked pointedly,

forced herself

you company here, how will you make it up to me?” he asked, bending at the waist till

His handsome figure enchanted her. She swallowed hard, her face turning red. He was enticing her on purpose!

right. How?” he asked

stared. What had she gotten herself into? “Well, of course you…” But before she could finish, a searing kiss had covered her lips, a familiar scent filling her nose. Her eyes went wide in shock. He settled her against the head of the bed, wrapped

push him away, but the kiss didn’t last long anyway. Breathing deeply, she forced

lips. He didn’t even look, just went to sit on the sofa and said deeply, “Since your getting hurt involves me, I’ll stay

A tense atmosphere permeated the room, yet even so, she gradually drifted to sleep. Joseph watched as her eyelids fluttered

short. “For you to be

being here is

Kathy’s friend, while you’re

coldly. “Has she said as much?” He had never once heard Kathy mention Bertie as a friend. At this, Bertie’s complexion changed, and his hands balled into fists. Authoritatively Joseph

on

noise had already woken Kathy, but she didn’t want to open her eyes. Yet with them both there, how could

who do you want to stay with you?” Joseph asked, knowing she

to see both handsome men, she felt prickles along her scalp. Evenly she said, “Both of

Get some rest.”

his expression determined, did not. Sternly Kathy

want to see me

replied immediately. She wanted no contact with him. Once the room was quiet, for some reason she couldn’t fall asleep. All she could think of was Joseph’s kiss, and

against the wall, watching Bertie exit. Bertie asked with narrowed eyes, “What, have you

very interested in my