It sounded off when she said it like that. It soundeda stupid. "It's
the way it is."
"Because you say so."
"I told you how it is, Grace. I gave you the choice."
Her jaw hurt from clenching it. "People like to say they've given
somebody a choice when what they're really saying is'do this my way.' I
don't like your way, Ethan. Your way only takes into account what was
and doesn't add what is, or what could be. You think I don't know what
you expected? You'd take your stand and sweet, delicate Grace would just
fall in line."
"I didn't expect you to fall in line."
"Then crawl off, wounded, and pine after you for the rest of my life.
You're getting neither. I'll give you a choice this time, Ethan. You
straighten yourself out, you go on and think things through for the next
eon or two, then you let me know what conclusions you've come to.
Because my stand is this. It's marriage or it's nothing. I'll be damned
if I'll spend the rest of my life pining over you. I can live without
you." She tossed back her head. "Let's see if you're man enough to live
without me."
She whirled around and stalked off, leaving him fuming.
"upstairs," anna hissed at Seth. "He's coming inside. Now it's my turn."
"Are you going to yell at him, too?"
"Maybe."
"I want to watch."
"Not this time." She all but shoved him out of the room. "Upstairs. I
mean it."
"Hell." He stomped to the stairs, waited a moment, then slipped back
down the hallway.
Anna was pouring herself a homey cup of coffee when Ethan slammed the
back door. Part of her wanted to go over and give him a big, sympathetic
hug. He looked so miserably unhappy and confused. But the way she
figured it, there were times when it was best all around to kick a good
man when he was down.
"Want some?"
He flicked a glance at her and kept walking. "No, thanks."
"Hold it." She smiled sweetly when he stopped, when she all but saw the
jittery waves of impatience shimmering around him. "I need to talk to
you for a minute."
"I'm about talked out for the day."
"That's all right." Deliberately she pulled a chair out from the table.
"You sit down and I'll talk."
Women, Ethan decided as he dropped into the chair, were the bane of his
existence. "I guess I'll take the coffee, then."
"All right." She poured him a mug, brought him a spoon so he could dump
his customary heaps of sugar into it. She sat, folded her hands neatly,
and continued to smile.
"You stupid jerk."
"Oh, Jesus." He rubbed his hands over his face, left them there. "Not
another one."
"I'm going to make it easy on you at first. I'll ask a question, you