Page 120 of Outrageous

This time it was Eva who stopped, shoved Gabe into an alcove and whispered, “I’ve discovered something dreadful.”

His eyes widened. “Good Lord, what, Eva?”

She swallowed and bought herself a few more seconds while she made sure she wanted to say the words out loud. “I think Mel may be developing a, er, tendre for Tommy.”

Gabriel’s face shifted into an expression of disbelief, and then he laughed.

“What is wrong with you?” Eva demanded. “That’s not funny. It’s—it’s, well, I don’t know quite what it is, but if it is true, it certainly isn’t good.”

“Mel has been wild over Tommy for years, Eva. Trust you to only notice it now.”

It was her turn to stare wide-eyed. “You’re jesting.”

“Ask anyone.”

“Does Tommy know?”

“Lord, I don’t know. I should think he does—he’s not oblivious, like some people.” Eva smacked him. “Besides, it’s not as if Mel has taken pains to hide her infatuation—well, other than from you.”

Eva ignored the dig. “How did I not see this?”

He cocked an eyebrow at her.

“Fine, never mind, I know. I’m Evablivious.” Yet another word Gabe had invented for her. “I never really believed it until this moment,” she said, “but it’s true—I really am oblivious.”

He chuckled and grabbed her in a huge hug that lifted her off her feet. “You are, but we love you anyway.”

“Put me down, you savage,” she muttered. “I’ve always believed Mel and I were close. Why didn’t she say anything to me?”

He lowered her feet to the ground but did not release her, resting his hands on her shoulders and staring down at her.

“I daresay she didn’t want to embarrass herself, Eva.”

“I don’t understand—how?”

“Well, Tommy made his admiration for you obvious—disgustingly so, in my opinion, as did every other single male under fifty who wandered within your radius—while Mel is—” He chewed the inside of his cheek.

“Mel is what? Why can none of you ever finish a thought without prodding?”

Gabe ignored her question. “Mel possesses neither your beauty nor your rather magnetic personality.”

“I’ll give you beauty, because I can’t avoid it in the mirror—but magnetic personality? Ha! You were with me all Season. The only thing I seem to magnetically attract is taunting and abuse.”

He shook his head. “You are, indeed, oblivious. But that is a topic for another day—or eon. Right now I want to know more about your discovery of Mel’s feelings for Tommy. Is that the reason for your distant behavior toward him?”

“Well, that’s part of it,” she said, not completely untruthfully. “How can I marry a man my own sister is in love with?”

Gabriel grimaced with distaste. “When you put it that way . . .”

“What other way is there?”

“I don’t know. You should talk to Mother about such things—you know she revels in opportunities to spout wisdom.”

She punched his arm. “Show more respect.”

“Ow.” He rubbed his arm, his eyes speculative. “I know what you mean about Mel, but, Eva, you can’t make Tommy fall out of love with you and into love with her. People simply love whom they love; there is nothing you can do to change it.”

She wanted to tell him she understood that all too well. Instead, she said, “I realize that, Gabe. But I also don’t have to marry the man my sister has been mad about for what—five?—” Gabe nodded and she groaned. “Ugh, five years of unrequited love? How horrid. If I were Mel, I would have stabbed me while I slept years ago.”