The Wager

Chapter Forty-five

Jake was going to give them exactly five minutes alone before he burst into the wine cellar, guns blazing. He had just been about to offer to escort her when Jace rose from the other end of the table. Jace had exchanged a weird look with Grandma then left.

Eyes narrowing, Jake took a sip of wine and watched the door, waiting for their return. He checked his watch. Damn, it had only been thirty seconds.

“My, my.” Grandma pulled up a chair next to his. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Huh?” Jake flinched when a bird landed on the doorknob. Wow, how pathetic was he?

“You’ve chosen well.” Grandma sighed. “Why, I would have picked her myself, had I anything to do with matters. But my matchmaking days are over, as you well know.”

“Right.” Jake licked his lips and checked his watch again. A minute and a half. He was in Hell.

“… so I just need you to sign here.” A pen was forced into his hand. He barely glanced down at the paper and signed his name where Grandma’s hand was hovering, then handed the pen back to her. “Three minutes, Jake, it’s been barely three minutes. Not much can happen in three minutes. Well, except…” Grandma chuckled. “That one time your grandfather and I only had five minutes and you won’t believe the ways we—”

Jake jumped to his feet and stomped toward the house.

The Titus’ wine cellar was like something out of a magazine. There was a granite bar on one side of the room with leather stools lined up along it. They even had their own brand of beer, since brewing was one of Wescott’s hobbies. Wine bottles lined most of the walls. It could be like heaven. Even the company wasn’t so bad, except again, he wasn’t who she would have chosen. Maybe she just needed to be thankful.

“So.” Jace pulled a bottle out. “How about this one? A vintage merlot?”

“Sure.” Char couldn’t care less. Mindlessly she wandered toward the bar. A few framed pictures were scattered across the table top. One of them was of Jake and Travis as kids. Kacey was between them, kissing Jake on the cheek.

Kacey had always been where Char wanted to be.

Not that she’d ever been jealous enough to end their friendship, but with Kacey things had always been so easy.

“You okay?” Jace came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

“Yeah.” Char tensed. “Why do you ask?”

“Because I’ve been talking to you for the past few minutes and you haven’t even made a sound. I swear I was worried you weren’t breathing.”

Laughter escaped her lips before she could stop it.

“There it is,” Jace whispered.

“What?” She turned around to face him.

“The laughter. I like the way you laugh. You don’t do it enough.”

Char licked her lips and leaned back against the bar. “It’s been a rough week. What can I say?”

Jace nodded. “I know.”

How could he possibly know? He didn’t even know her!

“Unrequited love isn’t for the weak.” He reached for the corkscrew and opened the wine, pouring her a small glass and one for himself. He lifted it into the air, clinking it against hers. “How are you holding up?”

“How do you even know—?”

Jace laughed. “I’m not stupid. But let me ask you one thing.” He took the wine from her hands and set it on the table.

“What?” His eyes were so clear and beautiful it was hard not to get lost in him.

“Do you think…?” He tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned his forehead against hers. “That maybe the reason you love him, or think you love him, is because he never returned your feelings? Maybe what you really need is closure.”

Char trembled beneath his touch. “Is that what you’re offering, closure?”

Jace’s hands cupped her face as his thumbs ran over her bottom lip. “I don’t like being second, Char. But I’d be willing to be your second. That is, if you would have me. I’d love to take you out on dates, wine and dine you, make you feel deserving, because honestly, as a man, that’s my job. To make you see you how I see you. And I don’t think you see yourself clearly. I think your whole life can be summed up into one word.”

She tried to pull back from him but he held her firm. “Yeah, Dr. Phil, what’s that?”

He smiled sadly. “Almost. That’s how you define yourself. Almost. And it makes me sad, because you’re not an Almost sort of girl.”

“And you’re the expert on what type of girl I am?”

“Absolutely.”

“Well then, what am I?”

Jace tilted his head to the side and gently ran his left hand down the side of her throat. “Forever. You’re the forever girl.”

His mouth met hers softly before he pulled back. “The question is, do you want to forget him? Do you want to move on? Maybe with me? Or would it be enough? Would my words, my money, everything about what a relationship with me would mean, would it be enough to permanently abolish him from your memory?”

Char’s lower lip trembled. With a small gasp she shook her head. “No, Jace. I’m sorry, but no.”

With a brilliant smile he pulled back. “I’m glad.”

“Huh?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “I took acting class for fun in high school. I have to admit, this has been the best time I’ve had in years.”

Confused, Char could only stare at him. “You jackass! You pretended to like me?”

“Hell no.” Jace took her hand in his. “I would gladly and happily take you off that ass’s hands, but you don’t want to be taken anywhere. Am I right?”

“I don’t understand.” Char massaged her temples.

“One word.” Jace nodded. “Grandma.”

“No!” Char gasped. “She’s paying you?”

“Don’t need the money, just needed to get over a bad break-up. That woman has been trying to set me up for the past year. She introduced me to Travis, and the rest is kind of history. I was already planning on being at the wedding; it was all too easy. Travis wanted me to meet you. Grandma had other plans. And here I am. Drinking wine while everyone plots our impending nuptials.”

“Holy crap!” Char paced in front of him. “That woman is insane.”

“Insane genius.” Jace lifted his glass. “Admit it. She’s helped more than hurt.”

“She bought me a wedding dress.”

“Isn’t that bad luck?” Jace tilted his head. “Just curious.”

“So you’re not really a pompous ass.”

He seemed to think about it, then said, “No, I don’t think so. But if you ask my ex she’d say that I am and more. I’m just trying to get through the wedding without having your grandmother kill me and bury my body. You know she bought a shock collar, right?”

Laughing, Char threw her arms around Jace’s neck. “I don’t know whether to thank you or slap you for kissing me.”

“Hey.” Jace pulled back and kissed her cheek. “My offer still stands. Your incredible, manipulating Grandmother aside, I would have wanted your number regardless.”

“Thank you.” Char kissed him briefly on the lips.

But apparently it wasn’t brief enough.

Because the next thing she knew, Jake was charging down the stairs, his eyes wild with anger.