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Becky shoved me towards the bathroom.
“Get dressed. I’ll handle Prince Charming.”
I grabbed clean clothes and practically dove into the bathroom. I showered and changed in less than five minutes. I dragged a comb through my wet hair and walked into the living room.
“Brothers? Sisters?”
“No.”
Becky was giving Jace the third degree. I almost laughed. He looked supremely uncomfortable. And she looked like a mother hen. It turned out she was a better friend than I realized, too.
I decided I better rescue him.
“Hey.”
His eyes lit up as he stood, raking them over me.
“Hi beautiful.”
I blushed as he pulled me in for a quick kiss. Becky winked at me knowingly as we left. I rolled my eyes at her, hoping she’d be okay.
“Text me if you need me.”
“I’ll be just fine, you guys have fun!”
“Where are we going?” I asked as Jace helped me into the passenger seat.
He smiled at me.
“You’ll see.”
He drove me across town to a nice area. It looked clean, pretty, and safe. I could see families… kids playing… people planted flowers. We got out of the car and I followed him, having no idea which way he was leading me. There was a row of cute little houses up ahead that looked adorable. We walked up to one and he slid the key inside it.
“So. Do you think you could live here?”
I turned around to look at him. My heart was thudding.
“It’s beautiful. But I can’t afford anything like this. Or sign a lease.”
He tilted his head to the side.
“It’s for sale. No lease.”
I swallowed. Did he want me to buy this place? Did he care about my money after all? I didn’t want to touch my trust. A big part of me just wanted to give it to charity.
“I started working when I was thirteen. I’ve been saving up.”
“Oh,” I breathed, impressed by his work ethic.
I shook my head, trying to clear it. This was too much. Too fast.
“I’m supposed to go to Japan in the fall.”
“Okay.”
I stared at him. Was he giving up that easily?
“I’ll go with you. I can still buy this place for us to come back to after, right?”
He meant it. He really meant it.
He wanted to be with me.
For real.
Chapter Seventy-Eight
Jace
Frannie looked surprised as I showed her around the house. It had just been gut renovated, along with every house on the block. A couple guys I knew had worked on the construction so I knew it was in good shape. It was one of the last houses available. I’d been eyeing it for a while. But now I had a reason to actually move out of my dad’s place.
“It’s very nice, Jace. But I don’t understand. You want to buy this place?”
I nodded slowly, keeping my eyes on her.
“For us.”
“You want to live with me?”
“I want to marry you, Frannie.”
Her jaw dropped. Obviously the girl had no idea how I felt about her. What did she think I was fucking talking about when I said she belonged to me?
“I don’t know what to say.”
I walked over to her, lifting her, backing her up until her back pressed into the wall.
“I told you. You’re mine.”
She swallowed nervously, looking like a frightened little bird.
“Don’t you think this is kind of fast, Jace?”
“No,” I rubbed my knuckles over her cheek. “I don’t.”
“I have to think about it…”
“You do? You sure about that?”
She inhaled sharply.
“Yeah. Um, don’t we have to be at the track soon?”
I let her slide down my body. There was no way she would miss my obvious erection.
“Yeah. I do.”
I turned and walked out of the house. The house that was supposed to be ours dammit! Fury was pumping through my veins. What the hell did she want from me? I told her I wanted to marry her. Isn’t that what all girls wanted?
She followed me out meekly and waited while I locked the door.
“Did you call your doctor yet?”
“No, I… I must have overslept.”
I didn’t look at her. I had a sudden feeling that maybe I wasn’t good enough for her.
Maybe she didn’t want me.
I clenched my jaw and drove her to the Logan Raceway. This was the most important day of my life. And somehow, it was going horribly wrong.
If she didn’t want me… I didn’t know what the fuck I would do.
We drove in silence until I pulled into the staging area for the cars and pit teams. Clyde and Flannery ran over and started prepping the car.
Frannie and I sat there, not moving. Not looking at each other.
“Is this Flannery’s new car?”
“No, this one’s mine.”
I turned to look at her.
“I’m not the poor little dirt bag you think I am. I’ve worked hard. Just because I didn’t go to college doesn’t mean I’m not good enough for you.”
Her eyes grew wide and wet with tears.
“I don’t think that, Jace! I don’t! I like you just the way you are!”
