eyes.
Macy laughed.
Jaime made a shooing motion with her hands. “Go on. She’ll join you in a minute.”
“I’m okay,” she assured him. “I’ll find you when we’re done.”
Curious about why Jaime wanted her alone, she encouraged him to go.
Jaime reached out to shake her hand. “Sorry about that. I’m a bit protective of him,” she said. “He’s like a brother to me.”
Weird, she’d never seen anyone kiss a brother like that, but Macy kept her mouth shut. She shook the woman’s hand.
“You have a great house,” Macy said. Her mind was awhirl with questions.
“Belonged to my great-grandma. We’ve tried to keep the restoration accurate, but it isn’t easy.”
She motioned for Macy to follow her.
“We’ll put your coat in here.” Jamie stood in front of a long hall closet and held out her hand for the garment.
“I—that is, my costume’s quite revealing.”
The woman judged her warily. “It can’t be any more revealing than mine, or some of the others in here. Tara has a French maid’s outfit on. Every time she bends over to get some food, she flashes her red thong to the entire room. It can’t be any worse than that.”
Macy slipped off the coat, feeling exposed.
“Well, you are as pretty as he said. It’s not fair that you have those legs and that chest.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond to that...compliment?
“He’s head over heels for you.”
“What?” The sudden change in topic had Macy’s mind spinning.
“Blake. We’ve never seen him like this over a woman. He called every single person at this party and told them they’d better welcome you or else.” She laughed at Macy’s grimace. “I know. But he’s protective that way. I like the fact that you stood up to me back there. I have a feeling you and I could be friends. But there’s just one thing you should know.”
“What’s that?” Macy walked next to her as they entered the living room full of people.
“If you hurt him, I will do the same to you.” The threat was undeniable. “And I always mean exactly what I say.”
Macy was about to tell the woman to back off, but she was equally protective of Blake. “If it makes you feel any better, I think he’s the most incredible man I’ve ever met.”
Jaime seemed to be in shock. “Oh, you have it just as bad for him. Interesting. I can’t wait to see how this plays out.”
She wasn’t sure about what to make of that comment, but across the room she spotted someone she knew.
“Excuse me, I see a friend of mine.”
Josh, the veterinarian from the shelter, stood by a bay window talking to another guest.
When he saw her, he smiled brightly. “Hey,” he said and hugged her, “I didn’t know you’d be here.” He left an arm around her shoulders, which she didn’t mind at the moment. She was grateful to have at least one other person, besides Blake, be nice to her.
She shrugged. “I’m on a date. He was the one who was invited.”
Josh’s eyes widened in surprise. “Good, good. Seems like you’re assimilating into the town really well. Let me introduce you to Brendan Tucker. He and his wife, Jaime, are the hosts of the party.”
Macy shook the man’s hand.
“I met your wife,” she said, searching for something polite to say.
The two men laughed. “She can be a bit much, but she’s a sweetheart once you get to know her,” Brendan said.
“I’ll have to take your word on that. Frankly, I’ve dealt with insurgents who were less scary.”
The men howled.
“So who’s your date?” Josh asked.
“I am,” a deep voice said from behind them. “And I’d appreciate it if you’d get your hands off my woman.”
“Blake,” Macy admonished. It made little sense. Why would he act so jealous? It was ridiculous. They barely knew each other and Josh was a genuine good guy.
“Who’s going to make me?” Josh said with heat in his voice.
What was happening here?
Macy ducked away from Josh’s arm and stood apart from the two
Macy laughed.
Jaime made a shooing motion with her hands. “Go on. She’ll join you in a minute.”
“I’m okay,” she assured him. “I’ll find you when we’re done.”
Curious about why Jaime wanted her alone, she encouraged him to go.
Jaime reached out to shake her hand. “Sorry about that. I’m a bit protective of him,” she said. “He’s like a brother to me.”
Weird, she’d never seen anyone kiss a brother like that, but Macy kept her mouth shut. She shook the woman’s hand.
“You have a great house,” Macy said. Her mind was awhirl with questions.
“Belonged to my great-grandma. We’ve tried to keep the restoration accurate, but it isn’t easy.”
She motioned for Macy to follow her.
“We’ll put your coat in here.” Jamie stood in front of a long hall closet and held out her hand for the garment.
“I—that is, my costume’s quite revealing.”
The woman judged her warily. “It can’t be any more revealing than mine, or some of the others in here. Tara has a French maid’s outfit on. Every time she bends over to get some food, she flashes her red thong to the entire room. It can’t be any worse than that.”
Macy slipped off the coat, feeling exposed.
“Well, you are as pretty as he said. It’s not fair that you have those legs and that chest.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond to that...compliment?
“He’s head over heels for you.”
“What?” The sudden change in topic had Macy’s mind spinning.
“Blake. We’ve never seen him like this over a woman. He called every single person at this party and told them they’d better welcome you or else.” She laughed at Macy’s grimace. “I know. But he’s protective that way. I like the fact that you stood up to me back there. I have a feeling you and I could be friends. But there’s just one thing you should know.”
“What’s that?” Macy walked next to her as they entered the living room full of people.
“If you hurt him, I will do the same to you.” The threat was undeniable. “And I always mean exactly what I say.”
Macy was about to tell the woman to back off, but she was equally protective of Blake. “If it makes you feel any better, I think he’s the most incredible man I’ve ever met.”
Jaime seemed to be in shock. “Oh, you have it just as bad for him. Interesting. I can’t wait to see how this plays out.”
She wasn’t sure about what to make of that comment, but across the room she spotted someone she knew.
“Excuse me, I see a friend of mine.”
Josh, the veterinarian from the shelter, stood by a bay window talking to another guest.
When he saw her, he smiled brightly. “Hey,” he said and hugged her, “I didn’t know you’d be here.” He left an arm around her shoulders, which she didn’t mind at the moment. She was grateful to have at least one other person, besides Blake, be nice to her.
She shrugged. “I’m on a date. He was the one who was invited.”
Josh’s eyes widened in surprise. “Good, good. Seems like you’re assimilating into the town really well. Let me introduce you to Brendan Tucker. He and his wife, Jaime, are the hosts of the party.”
Macy shook the man’s hand.
“I met your wife,” she said, searching for something polite to say.
The two men laughed. “She can be a bit much, but she’s a sweetheart once you get to know her,” Brendan said.
“I’ll have to take your word on that. Frankly, I’ve dealt with insurgents who were less scary.”
The men howled.
“So who’s your date?” Josh asked.
“I am,” a deep voice said from behind them. “And I’d appreciate it if you’d get your hands off my woman.”
“Blake,” Macy admonished. It made little sense. Why would he act so jealous? It was ridiculous. They barely knew each other and Josh was a genuine good guy.
“Who’s going to make me?” Josh said with heat in his voice.
What was happening here?
Macy ducked away from Josh’s arm and stood apart from the two
Similar Books
