“You need to let me explain before freaking out.”
“You didnotget remarried.”
I glanced at Miranda. Color had drained from her pressed-together lips.
I spoke, mustering up convincing confidence. “We did. Yesterday.”
“I cannot believe you!” Her eyes were wide. “How is remarriage a good idea?”
Pat squeezed her shoulder, grounding her.
“Well, considering the house, we felt like?—”
“Who cares about the house! You can’t just get married to someone all wrong for you—for money! I mean, I didn’t think you would actually do this.”
Miranda timidly chimed in. “It’s only temporary. The money could solve some of Jack’s and my financialissues.”
Jules whipped her head to me. “Financial issues? Jack! You never said anything about financial issues.”
Miranda patted Kacey’s back and told him to run and fetch some cars to play with. He scampered into the house, probably eager to show them to Pat and Jules.
“You couldn’t have just waited six years?” Jules’ voice grew with emotion and disbelief as Kacey disappeared. “Does ‘temporary’ mean you’re going to divorce when you get what you want?”
My chest tightened. My reasons were a lot more important than money. But I couldn’t discuss them right here, right now. “Listen, Jules. It might seem crazy, but it wasn’t your decision to make. Dad didn’t leave us with many options.”
Miranda’s face flushed crimson and moisture gathered in the corner of her eyes. Anger flared in me. Jules was not entitled to barge into my home and upset Miranda.
“But another divorce? You still haven’t moved on from your first divorce, Jack.” Jules wasn’t yelling, but her volume was uncomfortable for the close seating arrangement of the front porch. “Miranda broke your heart! She toyed with you.”
Pat shifted in discomfort, quietly said Jules’ name.
I didn’t want a fight, but that’s exactly what Jules was asking for. I avoided looking at Miranda. Clenching my jaw with a tight swallow, I answered, “There was a lot more to our divorce you know nothing about.”
“Enough to know that doing it all over is a recipe for disaster, and you’re going to get hurt again. The divorce tore you up! She?—”
“The circumstances are different now. You heard Miranda. This is temporary, and we both agreed.”
“This is insane!”
“I don’t need your approval to get married, Jules.”
“I can’t believe you let Dad manipulate you like this!”
I scoffed, fighting to keep my voice level. “Manipulate? What do you know about that? Dad required so much less of you!”
Her jaw dropped. “You have officially lost it. We had the same?—”
Pat forcefully rubbed Jules’ knee. “Hey, baby, you and Jack should table this. Talk more about it later.”
Miranda’s small voice interjected, low and humiliated. “It’s fine. I can leave if you want to talk now.” I didn’t want to look at her, but couldn’t help myself. A tear had trickled down her cheek.
I was officially pissed off.
I ground my teeth together before speaking. “You’re out of line, Jules. There’s a lot you don’t know, and I don’t appreciate you making my wife cry.”
Miranda’s head turned toward me, probably because I called her wife. Fleeting embarrassment muddied my thoughts for a moment. Wasn’t sure why I said that. Sure, I was thinking of her that way, but didn’t want Miranda to know it.
Jules narrowed her eyes, staring me down. Her gaze cut to Miranda then back to me. Right when she opened her mouth to reply, Pat stole her opportunity. “We need to head out before the girls’ appointment.” He turned to Jules and grabbed her hand. “Look, you and Jack have phones. Let’s get out of here, and you guys can talk it out when you’re in a better state of mind. Conversations like this never help anyone.”
