Wild Fire (The Fairy Tale Match Series) Read Free Page B

was seriously wrong with this picture.
    “I am so sorry,” Kerry whispered
looking back and forth between Jake and Laura. She twisted the dishcloth in her
hands so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Laura closed her eyes as the
truth began to slowly dawn on her. It would seem that Jake Carter didn’t know
anything about her after all.
    “What are you apologising for? What
the hell is going on?” Jake thundered as he stepped closer to his sister.
    Kerry took a deep breath. “I was
going to tell you at dinner,” she continued. “Try and break it to you gently.”
    His eyes glinted dangerously. “What
are you talking about? Break what to me gently?”
    Kerry swallowed several times. She
opened her mouth, but no words came out. Jake’s expression turned darker and
darker the longer the silence went on. He advanced on her, his hands curling
into fists.
    “What. Have. You. Done!” he gritted
out slowly.
    Laura just wanted to disappear. If
there was ever a moment she wished the ground could open up and swallow her,
this was it. Humiliation swept up her cheeks, turning them a fiery red. Kerry
looked ready to bolt. “Laura is at the right address. I signed you up with a
dating agency.” She said the words so fast, Jake shook his head as if to clear
his hearing.
    “You did WHAT!”
    “Jake, please, you have to
understand. I was only thinking of you!” Kerry rushed to explain. “You haven’t
been the same since you know what and I thought it was about time you got your
life back. I want my old brother back. The one that could laugh and enjoy
himself. I miss that side of you.” She broke off as her brothers face went from
slack with shock to out and out murder.
    “Are you out of your mind?” he
roared. “How could you do this to me? My life is none of your business!” He ran
his hand through his dark hair, making it stick up in all directions which just
added to his furious look. He looked at Laura from head to toe, as if seeing
her for the first time. She flinched at his rude perusal. He waved his hand up
and down to indicate her person. He laughed rudely. “This is what you come up
with to turn me into the perfect brother? This plain little English prim and
proper lady with a Pollyanna complex? This is the person that’s supposed to put
me right?”
    Both women gasped at his harsh
comments. Laura had never been so humiliated in her life. She knew she was no
oil painting, but had never had anyone rude enough to tell her that to her
face. She blinked her eyes furiously, determined this angry man’s words would
not reduce her to tears.
    He stalked toward Kerry, anger in
every stride he took, until he stood toe to toe with her. He glared down into
her upturned face. “I do not need you sticking your nose in my life, sister,”
he spat poking his finger at her face. “You get that woman on the next plane
home, do you hear me? And don’t you ever, EVER interfere like this ever again.”
He didn’t even wait for a reply before he stormed out of the house, banging the
door behind him.
    Kerry closed her eyes and took a deep
breath. His reaction had been worse that she’d feared. What had she been
thinking? Dan’s face popped into her mind’s eye. She knew exactly what she’d been
thinking and it hadn’t all been about her brother. She looked at Laura still
standing frozen to the spot, her face was stricken and humiliated though she
was trying hard to hide it. Kerry felt even worse. She’d dragged a poor
innocent woman across the globe to be shouted at and ridiculed.
    “I am so sorry,” she said again. “I
shouldn’t have lied to you. I’ve made a terrible mess of things. I’m so, so
sorry.” She felt the tears sliding down her face, but didn’t seem to have the
energy to stop them.
    Laura dragged her eyes to Kerry’s
stricken face. Somehow she couldn’t bring herself to add to the young woman’s
suffering. She walked over and gently patted her heaving shoulders. “You must
have had a very