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This was the break Jack needed, so why was he so hesitant to take it? “I’ve thought about it. I’d rather do things on my own if I can, but if I want to make this happen, I need to look at all my options.”

“Well, if you decide you want to talk about it, let me know. If you want to do it on your own, have you ever considered selling your house? It must be worth a pretty penny, and it’s so much more space than a bachelor needs.”

Selling his house? Well sure, he’d thought about it. But for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He wasn’t quite ready to give up the dream of raising his own family there someday, even if he’d been unable to bring himself to date since things went south with Myrtle. Doug’s question only increased his bad mood. “Why do you ask?”

“I’ve been thinking about buying, and I always admired it. It would be the perfect place to raise a family, and I can’t imagine you need all that space for yourself.”

Raise a family. Presumably with Constance. She would be thrilled. If only he could manage to be happy for her.

In his mind’s eye, Doug carried Constance over the threshold of Jack’s house on their wedding day and then up the stairs to Jack’s room where he began to undress her, and…

Mindless rage mercifully blurred the rest of the scene as he struggled to maintain self-control. Not in his room, goddammit! Or any other room for that matter. He didn’t care how much Constance liked this guy. If anyone was going to make love to Constance in his house it ought to be— Nope. Not thinking about it.

“I can see this proposal isn’t as welcome as I’d hoped,” Doug said with a furrowed brow, stopping at the next tee.

Jack clenched his fists to stop himself from throttling Doug. Never in his life had he been this furious at a man who had done absolutely nothing to deserve it.

Constance. Think of Constance.

Doug lined up his shot for the fourth hole. As he was about to swing, Jack couldn’t stop himself from asking, “So what are your intentions regarding Constance?”

Much to Jack’s satisfaction, Doug bungled his shot, and the ball landed in a sand trap.

When Doug spun around to face Jack, there was a hint of challenge in his eyes. Good. The man could be ruffled. That made him more human.

“My intentions are honest. I care about her a great deal.” Doug’s eyes narrowed. “And what, may I ask, are your intentions toward her?” Doug asked in a sharper tone, gripping his club like he was about to take a swing at Jack’s head.

“Mine?” Jack let out a surprised guffaw.

“Yes, yours. She told me you invited her to go flying.”

So, their scheme to make Doug feel like he had competition was working. He might as well play it up. “I did. I thought she might enjoy a bit of adventure for once.”

“By which you mean I don’t offer her any adventure. So, you ignored the fact that she and I have been seeing each other for months now, and invited her to risk her neck in a flying death trap.”

“Are you seeing each other, or are you just friends? Because from what she told me, you didn’t even kiss her for the first time until Easter.” He probably shouldn’t have mentioned that. Constance had told him in confidence, and none of this was any of his business.

Anger flashed in Doug’s eyes. “I don’t know why she would share something so personal with you, but it is absolutely none of your business. If you were interested in her, you had years to make yourself known. Everyone expected you to—the way you threatened everyone who came near her. But you didn’t. You had your chance, and you wasted it. Constance deserves someone who knows her worth.”

She sure as hell did. And Doug was not the man. Jack stepped close, looming over Doug. “And you do?”

Doug dropped his golf club on the ground and clenched his fists as he glared at Jack. So the man had a temper after all.

“Yes, I do.” Doug was at least four inches shorter and had half the muscles Jack had, but he was facing him down, nonetheless. He had courage. Jack could say that for him.

“I plan to ask her to marry me,” Doug said, clenching his fists at his sides.

The words were like a dagger in Jack’s heart, though he couldn’t say why. This was what Constance wanted. It was what he wanted for her. She deserved a successful, upstanding man like Doug. He was glad to see Doug had some fire in him, that he wasn’t all kindness and humility. Doug would fight for Constance, and that was as it should be. So why did he feel like he could hardly breathe?

“Good. You should,” Jack said at last. The words felt all wrong, but what else could he say? “And soon,” he added, giving Doug a warning look.

“Or you’ll step in?”

“Maybe I will.” He was saying it for Constance’s sake, keeping up their ruse, but in the moment, the threat felt true, necessary, and a little bit exhilarating.

Doug bristled, glaring daggers at him. “She deserves someone safe who can give her a good life, someone who cherishes and respects her. Not someone who flies away to parts unknown every week, leaving her alone. Not someone whose job is so dangerous odds are she’d be a widow in a few years. And definitely not someone who goes behind her back and threatens every man who comes near her but can’t bring himself to court her himself. For a guy who risks his neck every day, you sure are a coward when it comes to what matters.”

Every word Doug said was true. What could Jack say? He didn’t deserve her, and he knew it. He always knew it, which was why he kept his distance. Constance deserved so much better than him.