known you since before your girl parts knew they were girl parts, and I’ve watched you moon over Jake Malone, despite there being no chance you’d ever meet him. Now you have…Fate has spoken. You’re a one-man woman, and your heart’s already made its choice. You’re toast.”
Dear Lord, please don’t let that be true.
Eyeing Jake’s big SUV parked beneath the old pines, she hoped to kill Max’s matchmaking agenda, at least for tonight. She uttered the lie without an ounce of remorse. “Jake may not even be here, you know. Curfew isn’t for another three hours.”
He shrugged. “I’ve got nothing planned for tonight, and I haven’t seen the twins in a while. I’ll wait.”
After insisting he drive her home, he’d pumped her for details on everything that happened since the reading of the will. She’d spent the entire ride doing her best to say as little as possible. Not an easy task, considering she’d never been able to keep a secret from Max, including her long-time crush on Jake Malone.
Under normal circumstances, she’d have savored describing how she dumped Jake on his ass. Max would’ve gotten a kick out of it, but she could imagine his reaction should he learn of the molten kiss she shared with Jake prior to the dumping. Even worse, what would his reaction be if, when they went inside, Jake picked up where he left off this morning with his blatant flirting?
The matchmaker song from Fiddler on the Roof echoed in her head. She ground her teeth. Why hadn’t she insisted on taking the train? She glanced up with a scowl. “You’re being an obnoxious jerk.”
Max grinned, not bothering to refute her complaint, as the door swung open suddenly and ripped the key from her fingers. Larger than life and looking as if he’d recently come from a board meeting, Jake stood on the other side of the threshold in a stark white dress shirt and black slacks.
In contrast, Max resembled a biker gang president in his battered leather jacket, time-faded jeans, and black boots.
“I’ll be damned.” He shot her a wink. “You were telling the truth.”
Her jaw went lax, then she sniffed. “You thought I was lying?”
He slung his arm around her shoulders, tightening his hold when she attempted to toss it off, and tapped a fingertip to her forehead. “Nah. I just like seeing this zigzag wrinkle you get between your eyes when you’re pissed.”
Her elbow to his rib did nothing to diminish his gleeful sneer. Facing Jake, he stuck out his hand. “Max Grayson.”
“Jake Malone.” Jake’s intent gaze bounced between them as he shook Max’s hand.
Max would never know how close he came to getting dumped on his ass. He was saved when she noted Jake’s watchful gaze crawling over Max’s arm wrapped around her shoulder. Well, well. She might be able to salvage this situation after all. If Max would only cooperate.
Why hadn’t she considered playing the boyfriend card? Surely, if Jake thought she and Max were an item, he’d back off from his heavy-handed flirting. Then maybe her girl parts and her heart would settle down, and she could focus on the all-important task of winning the custody battle.
Tucking closer to Max’s side, she blinked at him with a simpering smile as if he alone could deliver the moon and the stars. Deviltry flashed in his eyes. Not a good sign, but at least he wasn’t busting a gut laughing. She pinched his waist in a silent demand he play along.
Jake stepped back to let them enter. Max proved himself as perversely contrary as usual. He dropped his arm from around her and left her high and dry. She scurried after him, hoping to salvage the ruse, and shrugged from her coat without meeting Jake’s eyes.
“Where are the girls? Uncle Max thought he’d surprise them by coming for dinner.”
Max shot her a pointed smile, but if he planned to contradict her, matching squeals from above stopped him in his tracks.
“Uncle Max!”
Two pair of tiny feet thumped on bare wood as
Dear Lord, please don’t let that be true.
Eyeing Jake’s big SUV parked beneath the old pines, she hoped to kill Max’s matchmaking agenda, at least for tonight. She uttered the lie without an ounce of remorse. “Jake may not even be here, you know. Curfew isn’t for another three hours.”
He shrugged. “I’ve got nothing planned for tonight, and I haven’t seen the twins in a while. I’ll wait.”
After insisting he drive her home, he’d pumped her for details on everything that happened since the reading of the will. She’d spent the entire ride doing her best to say as little as possible. Not an easy task, considering she’d never been able to keep a secret from Max, including her long-time crush on Jake Malone.
Under normal circumstances, she’d have savored describing how she dumped Jake on his ass. Max would’ve gotten a kick out of it, but she could imagine his reaction should he learn of the molten kiss she shared with Jake prior to the dumping. Even worse, what would his reaction be if, when they went inside, Jake picked up where he left off this morning with his blatant flirting?
The matchmaker song from Fiddler on the Roof echoed in her head. She ground her teeth. Why hadn’t she insisted on taking the train? She glanced up with a scowl. “You’re being an obnoxious jerk.”
Max grinned, not bothering to refute her complaint, as the door swung open suddenly and ripped the key from her fingers. Larger than life and looking as if he’d recently come from a board meeting, Jake stood on the other side of the threshold in a stark white dress shirt and black slacks.
In contrast, Max resembled a biker gang president in his battered leather jacket, time-faded jeans, and black boots.
“I’ll be damned.” He shot her a wink. “You were telling the truth.”
Her jaw went lax, then she sniffed. “You thought I was lying?”
He slung his arm around her shoulders, tightening his hold when she attempted to toss it off, and tapped a fingertip to her forehead. “Nah. I just like seeing this zigzag wrinkle you get between your eyes when you’re pissed.”
Her elbow to his rib did nothing to diminish his gleeful sneer. Facing Jake, he stuck out his hand. “Max Grayson.”
“Jake Malone.” Jake’s intent gaze bounced between them as he shook Max’s hand.
Max would never know how close he came to getting dumped on his ass. He was saved when she noted Jake’s watchful gaze crawling over Max’s arm wrapped around her shoulder. Well, well. She might be able to salvage this situation after all. If Max would only cooperate.
Why hadn’t she considered playing the boyfriend card? Surely, if Jake thought she and Max were an item, he’d back off from his heavy-handed flirting. Then maybe her girl parts and her heart would settle down, and she could focus on the all-important task of winning the custody battle.
Tucking closer to Max’s side, she blinked at him with a simpering smile as if he alone could deliver the moon and the stars. Deviltry flashed in his eyes. Not a good sign, but at least he wasn’t busting a gut laughing. She pinched his waist in a silent demand he play along.
Jake stepped back to let them enter. Max proved himself as perversely contrary as usual. He dropped his arm from around her and left her high and dry. She scurried after him, hoping to salvage the ruse, and shrugged from her coat without meeting Jake’s eyes.
“Where are the girls? Uncle Max thought he’d surprise them by coming for dinner.”
Max shot her a pointed smile, but if he planned to contradict her, matching squeals from above stopped him in his tracks.
“Uncle Max!”
Two pair of tiny feet thumped on bare wood as
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