“Yeah.” He bends down and kisses me…and yep, I’
m going to have to reapply my lipstick before we leave, just like he promised.
It’s a good start to the evening, and I think dinner is going to be more bearable with Jake at my side. But really, I can’t wait until it’s all over and I get to have that conversation with him. I can feel everything falling into place, and it feels good.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
JAKE
“So. This is where you grew up?” I ask, staring up at the white, three-story Charleston mansion that has a wraparound porch on every level. The house is obscenely big for this part of town. I now know it’s possible for a home to look smug.
It’s tucked off the main road, and we had to punch in a number for the large iron gates to give us access to the driveway. I can see a well-manicured tea garden off the right side of the home, and the landscaping is so well manicured I wouldn’t be surprised to see a staff of twenty on their hands and knees, cutting each blade of grass with golden shears.
I design homes for a living—some a lot like this one—but for some reason, knowing that this house is a part of Evie’s history is leaving me a little dumbfounded. It’s what this house represents. Wealth. Status. Power. Truth is, I’m feeling a little insecure right now. It’s dumb, but I really thought she was impressed with me and my life. Now, I know that she was just humoring me.
She grabs my arm and tugs me out of my trance. “Don’t look it in the eyes. That’s how it traps you.” Evie lifts up on her tiptoes and kisses my cheek and then drags me and Charlie up to the front door. I think he wants to be here just about as much as I do. “There are two rules tonight: stay close and keep that pretty mouth of yours shut,” she says while nervously running her hands over her dress that shows off all of her gorgeous curves.
I think she was trying to go for a modest look, but really, she just looks like a hot businesswoman. I’m not going to let myself get distracted, though, because I’m pretty sure I should be offended right about now.
“Did you say keep my mouth shut?” Surely, I didn’t hear that right.
“Yep. Seal it up.”
Huh. Well, yeah. Now, I’m a little annoyed. Does she not think I’m good enough for her family?
She’s still fidgeting with her clothes and fluffing her long blonde waves (gosh, it’s hard to focus when she’s doing all that), and I’ve never seen her look so insecure before. She finally looks up at me, and her furrowed brows soften. “What’s wrong?” she asks.
“You just told me to not speak during this dinner.”
“Oh!” She steps closer. I want to be annoyed, but her nearness does strange things to me.
I can see two future paths forming in my mind. One, we go inside and have a tense dinner with her parents. Two, I toss her over my shoulder, haul her off to my truck, and we peel out of here before anyone knows we were ever on the premises, and then we spend the whole night together. She makes me feel greedy. I want Evie all to myself.
“Jake, I’m telling you to not talk for your own good. It doesn’t matter how wonderful you are, or how successful you are. If your last name is not Murray, they will eat you alive. They want me to marry Tyler, and so trust me, anything you say tonight will be twisted around in some way to bite you in the butt.”
“They are really that serious about this Tyler guy?”
She nods, looking remorseful…like it’s her fault somehow. “We are only here to get that check and run. The less we both say, the better. Are you ready?”
I feel like we are about to step into battle. Suddenly, I feel naked. Where’s my sword? Where’s my armor? All I’ve got is this stupid button-down shirt and slacks.
I nod. “I’ll cover you. And if you get in over your head, squeeze my hand three times, and I’ll execute an extraction.”
Her green eyes glow bright. “What if we get separated?”
I step a little closer and put my hands on her hips. “Don’t worry. I won’t let you out of my sight.”
Evie’s eyes darken, and they fall to my mouth.
I’m bending down to kiss her when the front door suddenly flies open. Evie jumps, and I let go of her. We both look to the woman watching us with, somehow, both a bored and angry expression. It’s hard to explain, but you’d know it if you saw it. Kind of like she hates you but also knows she can crush you at any moment.
“Wonderful,” Melony says with mock enthusiasm. “You brought your friend.”
It’s in this moment that I wish Evie and I had already had the talk that’s been rolling around in my mind all day. Because, yeah, that’s all I am to her, technically. A freaking friend. Not for long, Melony.
“Hi, Mama, you look nice,” says Evie, being really generous to her mom.
Melony’s hawk eyes scan down Evie, and she sighs. “At least you’re wearing something on your bottom half tonight.”