Does he? When he touched the side of her face, she could have sworn heat shot from his hazel-brown eyes. “I think he was checking out my boobs.” She frowned. “Well, I thought he was, but it was the sauce I spilled on my top.”
Her friends burst out laughing. “What boobs? Must have been the sauce,” Ava joked.
Jade crossed her arms over her chest like she needed to protect her assets, no matter how small. “I’m deeply offended you said that,” she said stiffly.
“I’m sorry.” Ava wiped the tears at the edges of her eyes. “We know how sensitive you are.” But Ava didn’t look sorry.
“Ava, stop teasing her,” Lauren said, not able to hide her own grin. “It’s not every day Jade falls in lust. Maybe this music teacher will be the love of her life.”
Jade made a small choking sound and shook her head. Her hair was down, and the curls bounced around her shoulders. “Love of my life? Nah-uh. No way. You know I can’t let that happen.”
Ava blew out a long breath. “Yes, the family curse. We hear about it every time you’re with someone new. You end it before it gets serious, because you think they’ll leave—”
“I know they’ll leave.”
“Jade—”
“You both think it’s crazy, but this curse placed on my family over a hundred years ago is true. The women will never be happy in love, because when they fall for someone, the men leave. I have proof.” It sounded crazy to Jade too. Normally she wouldn’t believe in hocus-pocus stuff, but her family’s doomed relationships were real.
“What? A couple of failed marriages and broken engagements—nothing I don’t see in my law firm every day. But you know this already. I can’t keep repeating myself.” Ava threw a look at Lauren. “What have you got to add?”
“If Ava can fall in love and be happily married, then you can too,” Lauren offered.
Instead of taking offense, Ava lifted her glass in a toast. “So very true.”
“I know I can fall in love.” She’d come close a couple of times but ended it before she got her heart broken. “It’s them sticking around that’s the problem.”
Ava threw up her hands in surrender. “I give up. Nothing we say will ever convince you. But wouldn’t you like to see if a guy will believe you’re worth sticking around for?”
She would love that more than anything. But if her own father didn’t love her mother and their family enough to stay when they’d all been so happy, how did she expect anyone else to? The curse was too strong.
But before Jade answered, the sound of a guitar being strummed caught her attention. Turning in the seat to look at the small stage anyone rarely performed on, she saw the man she’d fallen truly, madly, crazily in lust with.
Nate sat on a timber stool, his feet propped up on the footrests with a shiny, black guitar perched on his thigh. His nimble fingers worked their way over the strings like he was warming them up. Then, as if he felt her gaze, he lifted his head and searched through the small Tuesday night crowd until he spotted her. Giving her a wink and a crooked smile, he began playing a tune.
Jade’s chest squeezed tight. God, why did she always have such a reaction to a mere smile from him? She had to remind herself he could also be a big jerk. He’d threatened, no promised her a lawsuit if she spilled his secret.
And then he sang. Words so deep, slow, and melodious came pouring out of him, stealing the attention of the crowd. They paused in their drinking and chatter to watch and listen, entranced by his performance. And Jade couldn’t pull her gaze away either.
He sang about love, loss, and dreams in such a raw and heartfelt way. The emotions in the lyrics poured through her like he was telling her story.
When he finished his set, the crowd got to their feet and applauded. He waved his thanks and made his way to the bar.
“Wow,” Lauren said as they sat back down. “He’s amazing.”
“He sure was, and hot too,” Ava said. “I wonder who he is.”
“He’s my new music teacher,” Jade explained, not taking her eyes off Nate as he pulled back on a beer.
Ava chuckled. “Oh boy…you’re in big trouble.”
Jade turned to look at Ava. “Why do you say that?” But deep down she already believed the same thing.
“You’ll be working with that sexy man? How are you going to do so without wanting to put your hands all over him?” Ava asked.
God, she was in big trouble. But all she had to do was remember he could be a jerk, right? A big one who’s buying her kids new musical equipment and sings like a freaking angel. Yeah, she was in big trouble.
“A class filled with children should help to control your urges,” Lauren supplied.
