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"Stop that!" Juliet said, but there was no venom in her voice.
In fact, Juliet was giggling a little more than normal, and when she and Gran exchanged a look, there was some shared secret there. Something had changed, besides Chad leaving. Juliet looked lighter, happier. I wanted to get closer, to talk to her, to hear that laugh up close.
As I watched them pose for the camera crew, Ryan's sausage-fingers groping at Juliet in a way that made me want to see how many times I could twist his pretty head around before it fell off, I thought about Austin's offer. Despite my apology to Juliet and my assertions that my ego could handle the fact that she was taking care of my family—it was only partially true. It was a hard thing to swallow, and not just because of my gender. My whole life, I'd been taking care of other people. Jarred had always been right behind me, always so sure I'd rescue him from whatever ill-conceived stunt or idea he had. And I did. I always saved him.
Until this time.
And I'd made a habit of taking care of Mom, too. I'd rented the best house I could for her—admittedly, it wasn't much. I'd made sure she had a full refrigerator every week. I'd spent time with her, done my best to keep her active and engaged.
But Juliet appearing with her "lubricating" money did things in a matter of hours that I would never have been able to do for the family I'd spent all my time worrying about and taking care of. It had been easy for her. And maybe that was why it was so hard to accept. She hadn't seen the years I'd been struggling to do my best for them, hadn't felt the frustration or worry that it would never be enough.
Maybe I'd grown used to the burden, the worry, the heart-wrenching knowledge that I would never really be able to give them enough to truly save them. And now? Now that the burden had been lifted from my arms as easily as someone taking my suitcase for me at the airport? Sometimes even the best things that come our way are difficult to accept.
But if I took over the firm, it might be different. I'd looked over the email Austin had sent after we’d hung up, and while the offer itself was generous, he'd also attached company financials for the last three years and explained that while he would take a twenty-percent cut of net profits, the rest was mine. And it was plenty. I wouldn't be as wealthy as Juliet, I didn't think. But I'd be a wealthy man. Able to provide for my family. Maybe even provide for Juliet, or at least share the weight.
And that felt good.
What felt better was knowing it was something I'd earned. Austin had offered me this opportunity because I'd worked for it. It wasn't out of charity, or because he felt sorry for me.
And that felt best of all.
Now I just needed to get through tonight, get Juliet safely back to Los Angeles, and I could ask her out on an actual date. On terms that felt right. Not as employee and employer, or charity case and benefactor, but as a successful man who'd worked hard for what he had who was in love with a beautiful and equally successful woman.
* * *
The grassy expanseof lawn glowed under the twinkle lights that had been hung in the trees and from the golden light spilling from inside the huge white tent. There were at least a hundred people inside—all on the list I'd checked as guests had arrived. Christian remained up front while Jack, Chessy, and I stayed in back. And once dinner was underway, we took up positions near the door of the huge air conditioned tent. There was little chance of a security issue at an old woman's birthday party in rural Maryland, but if something were going to happen it would probably be tonight. We remained alert.
I was painfully alert anyway, thanks to the emerald green off-the-shoulder dress Juliet was wearing. It matched her green eyes perfectly and every time I looked at her, my body responded as if she was inches away, even when she was across the room. There was something different about her tonight, but I couldn't get close enough to say exactly what—just that she didn't look scared, not like she had for so many weeks now, when there had been a spark of fear shining through the glossy smile, the perfect exterior. Tonight she looked confident.
She looked incredible.
I stayed as close to her as I could, my eyes hardly straying from her, from the incredible pull she had on me. Watching her made me feel like my future was right there where I could see, embodied in that perfect, glorious package.
Once the meal had wrapped up, Ryan and Juliet were talking, heads close, and she rose, as if trying to escape the conversation. His fingers locked around her wrist, and every protective cell in my body—and that's pretty much all of them—shot into action. I was behind him in a half second, grinding out one word that was command, warning, and, if necessary, declaration of battle.
"Easy."
Juliet looked up at me, her bright eyes meeting mine. "It's fine," she said softly. "Jace. I'm fine."
I forced myself to relax, making sure McDonnell released her wrist, and backed off as they continued their conversation. And then, to my surprise, pretty-boy McDonnell got up, commandeered the microphone from the deejay and launched into a declaration of love.
For Juliet's sister. Tess.
It was not what anyone had been expecting, least of all the magazine reporter, Alison, who hovered near them like a hawk, swooping in with her little notepad just as soon as they finished kissing.
I stared at Juliet, wondering if I could go to her, worry seizing my mind. If the ruse was up, what was the story going to be about now? If the goal had been to distract the media from her scandalous divorce by showing a sparkly new relationship, showing that Juliet Manchester was just fine, how would Ryan's declaration for her sister affect things?
And what the hell had Chad whispered to Alison Sands before he'd finally left?
When things settled down in the tent, and people had gone back to eating cake and dancing, I tried to staunch the torrential flood of worrying thoughts. Juliet didn't look upset, and while Alison was outside, evidently quizzing Ryan and Tess, she laughed as Gran picked up the microphone and rapped along to Bust a Move.
Gran was an impressive old lady. She knew every word to the old nineties rap song, but she also had some pretty good moves to go with it. Though her thin high voice wasn't exactly right for the song, there was no denying that she had the spirit to make it work.
As the party wrapped up and guests were beginning to leave, relief began to take the place of the stress and worry I’d carried all evening. I’d be able to talk to Juliet soon, this was almost over. While I waited for my opportunity, I felt Juliet's eyes on me several times. I'd glance across the space to find her smiling at me, but I couldn't read the expression there. All I wanted was to cross the room, take her in my arms, and ask her to be mine, to give us a real chance. But for now, I was still an employee, and there were still guests. And a magazine crew.
Jack and his bowtie-festooned sidekick, Chessy, who was evidently now part of the security detail, went up front to assist with departures, and I watched as Alison approached Juliet and then sat down with her at a table in the corner of the tent. They talked for at least a half hour, heads close together, and my heart raced when I thought I saw Juliet wiping tears from her face.
I had no idea what Juliet might be telling the reporter, but I would be at her side—if she’d let me—no matter what the fallout would be. We’d weather it together. As equals.
