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“Yeah, I’m not buying that buddy,” Miles said.
“Actually, I did,” Stacey admitted. “Mark, Dr. Jensen, the pediatric surgeon at Graces, stopped by my office to see if I could help them come up with some fundraising ideas. We’ve decided on a bachelors’ auction featuring some of the NFL’s star players with the winners having them as their dates to a charity ball.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Emma asked.
“No, she’s not,” Jake confirmed. “In addition, I’m also sticking around to help with some of the promotions.”
“Okay who are you and what did you do with my best friend?” Miles asked amazed.
Stacey and Emma laughed before pushing the guys towards the table for lunch. The afternoon turning into evening which slipped by, and Stacey was amazed at how often it had felt right the four of them sitting around a table laughing as though they’d been doing it their entire lives. As Emma and Miles were getting ready to leave, she took her aside whispering, “I still don’t trust him, but I’ve never seen you this happy.”
“Em, believe me when I say I’m not the least bit in the dark when it comes to what the future will hold for me and Jake, but I was hoping you and Miles could keep it on the down low. I’m enjoying what we have but I don’t want the entire city in my personal life, which is exactly what will happen once it comes out that Jake’s one of the participants of the bachelor auction. Once people know we’ve been seeing each other they’ll come to the ball in hopes of entertainment when I don’t win him rather than for the kids.”
“I’ll tell Miles, and don’t worry, have I ever told any of your secrets?” Emma asked.
“Let’s see there was the one about mine and Lucca’s study spot in college, the one with my promotion over Julia, or how about the one where I was going to go to London for a job interview?” Stacey chuckled.
“Okay, but this time I’ll try and remember, really I will.”
“Thanks Em,” she smiled walking with them out to their car.
“We’ll see you later Stacey,” Miles said giving her a hug. “He’s a good guy once you get past the whole façade he presents to the public. He’s likes to pretend he’s carefree but there’s someone from the past who hurt him. He doesn’t talk about it much so tread lightly.”
“Thanks Miles,” she replied not sure what to take away from it. She knew Jake had been hurt some by the way they had ended things but there was no way he’d have told Miles about his feelings that just wasn’t Jake.
“That went quite well I’d say,” Jake stated as they went back into the house. “Only question now is do I get to stay with you or are you coming back to the hotel with me?”
“I was thinking you could go back to the hotel, and I’d just stay home tonight,” she teased laughing when he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.
“Not a chance in hell Cee…”
“No? Well then, I guess you can stay if you promise to be very, very nice,” she whispered against his ear before his lips covered hers.
The next few weeks slipped past them as she ran from one thing to the next. Every night she slid into Jake’s arms and found their connection growing more. She loved and hated it all at once. When he finally left, she’d be crushed. She pushed those thoughts from her mind, as she got ready for dinner, the first night she and Jake were going out into public together.
Thankfully, they weren’t going to be alone. Several others were joining them including some from the hospital board and some of the football players from there.
“Wow, maybe I should rethink this ‘just friends’ in public thing,” Jake said as she headed down the steps towards him. He gave her a light kiss knowing anything deeper would have him ushering her back up the stairs for the rest of the night.
“Too much?” she asked with a grin as she glanced over the dress again. It wasn’t that bad really; black cocktail length and it barely skimmed her body hinting at it rather than revealing it and she knew it was amazing on her.
“Stunning baby,” he stated ushering her out the door and into the car he’d rented.
They reached the restaurant, and he noticed the number of men watching her. Usually, they noticed him and then the women came up for a chat but tonight all eyes were on Stacey and he wanted to be able to claim her as his. She was his, it didn’t matter what or who was in her past she was still his.
“Ah Stacey,” the host said giving her a bright smile before kissing her cheek. “Your table is right this way; don’t worry Philippe is not in tonight and I won’t tell Paul you are part of the group.”
“Thank you, Cole,” she said allowing him to pull out the chair for her as they reached the half-full table.
“Your normal tonight?” he asked as the others studied the wine list.
“Please,” she agreed.
“You have a normal here?” Lizzie asked sending her a smile before studying Jake. “If I knew PR reps were paid that much, I’d switch professions because this place is insanely priced.”
“I don’t come here that often, honestly I don’t,” she laughed when a couple others looked unconvinced.
“Is that why there’s a line of waiters suddenly begging to take our table?” Mark inquired.
