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“I don’t agree,” she returned defiantly.

Charles frowned and muttered something she couldn’t hear.

“I must say I’m surprised you caught on so quickly, what with me being so subtle and all.”

“Let’s clear the air once and—”

“But the air is clear,” she said, waving her arms wildly. She knew she was going too far with this, but the momentum was building and she couldn’t seem to stop. “I’ve been found out, and now it’s all over.”

“Over?”

“Of course. There’s no need to pretend anymore.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Revenge. It’s supposed to be sweet, and it would’ve been if you hadn’t caught on when you did.”

“Just what did you intend to do?” he demanded.

“You mean you don’t have that figured out, as well?”

“Tell me, Stephanie.” His voice was hard as ice and just as cold.

“Fine, if you must know. Once I got you to the point of proposing—” she paused dramatically “—I was going to laugh and reject you. It seems only fair after the way you humiliated me. You laughed at me, Charles, and it was going to be my turn to laugh at you. Only you found me out first….”

His frown deepened into a scowl. “Your father—”

“Oh, don’t worry, he didn’t know anything about that part. Getting him to shame you into a marriage proposal was tricky, but I managed it by telling him I was afraid you were…trifling with my affections.” She gave a deep exaggerated sigh, astonished that he seemed to believe all this.

“I see.”

“Oh, you’re too clever for me, Charles. What can I possibly say?”

“Perhaps it would be best if you left now.”

“I think you’re right. Well, at least you know what it feels like to have someone laugh at you.”

Charles walked to his front door and held it open for her. With a jaunty step, Steffie walked out of his house. “Well, I’ll see you around, but you don’t need to worry—I won’t be spying on you anymore.”

His jaw was clamped tightly shut, and Steffie realized she’d succeeded beyond all her expectations. Charles was disgusted with her. And furious. So furious that he couldn’t get her out of his home fast enough.

“You can’t blame a girl for trying,” she said with a shrug once she’d slipped past him.

In response, Charles slammed his door.

By the time Steffie was inside the car, she was shaking so badly that she could hardly insert the key into the ignition. Her breath seemed to be trapped in her chest, creating a painful need to exhale.

Like Charles, she was angry, angrier than she’d ever been in her life. In one rational corner of her mind, she knew—had known all along—that it was a mistake to goad him with all those ridiculous lies.

But the shocking thing, the sad thing, was that he’d believed them. To his way of thinking, apparently, it all fit. And as far as Steffie was concerned, there was nothing more to say.

In time, she’d regret her outburst, but she didn’t then. At that moment, she was far too infuriated to care. In time, she’d regret the lies, the squandered hopes—but it wouldn’t be soon.

* * *

“Well?” her father asked, his expression pleased and expectant as she let herself into the house an hour later. “Are you two going to look for an engagement ring in the next few days?”

“Not exactly,” Steffie said, moving into his den. As he’d promised earlier, her father was waiting up for her, reading in his favorite chair.