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“Why did you lie?”
“Because you wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t a problem.” I look down at her, finding a wide, glorious smile.
“It doesn’t bother me in the slightest how old you are.” She’s talking bullshit. Of course it bothers her—as proven with her incessant questioning in that regard. Trying to convince me now that I was worried over nothing is sweet but wasted. “Is that a gray hair?”
I get us on the escalator and turn to face her. She still looks delighted, even if she’s trying her hardest not to be.No, baby, that is not a gray hair.Because I just fucking checked for them in the mirror. “Do you think you’re funny?” I don’t give her a moment to answer, dipping and tossing her onto my shoulder.
“Jesse,” she shrieks as I turn and walk off the escalator, pacing through the store, smiling at every person I pass who’s looking on, some wide-eyed, some turning to mush. Mostly the women.
I pass Hans, whose hand slaps into his chest, love hearts popping into his eyes. I give him a nod. “Good day, Mr. Ward,” he calls as we pass.
“So far, so good,” I muse, looking up to the sky and throwing a quick prayer out there that it remains this way.
What, until you’ve got that whopper of a diamond on her finger?
“You got it, Jake,” I say quietly.
“What?” Ava says, bobbing up and down.
“Nothing. You okay up there?” I move my hand to her arse and squeeze, and she jolts on a laugh.
“Oh, I’m fine.”
I smile. “These knocking-on-forty-shoulders holding you up okay?” My smile widens when her hands stroke over the swell of my backside.
“Perfectly fine.”
I lift the bags in my hands for the green-suited man on the door to see. “Hands a little full, mate,” I say as I approach, and he laughs, opening the door.
As soon as we’re in the sunshine, I lower her, watch as she pulls her dress into place, take her hand, and walk us down the street to my car. I release the boot and pop her bags in there, put Ava in the passenger seat, and kiss her chastely. “We’ll grab some lunch at The Manor.” I shut the door before she can protest, because I really don’t have a choice now but to go help John out. “Enjoying your day so far?” I ask as I slide on my Ray-Bans, looking across the car to her.
“Absolutely.”
“Me too.” I start the engine. “Put your belt on.” Checking my mirrors, I ease out of the parking space and check the dash for the time, cursing when I see it’s ticking on. At this rate, we’ll get no alone time before we have to be at The Manor again this evening.
I let the windows down and put some music on, stopping at the lights at the end of the street.
“What’s up?” Ava asks when I curse.
“Watch,” I say, pointing at the lights. “Every single one will be red from here to The Manor.”
“We could always just go home instead,” she muses, shifting in the leather seat as I turn my eyes slowly onto her, not impressed. Not impressed at all. “John needs a hand with something,” I say, my eyes dragging down her front to her boobs.
“Shame,” she whispers, gazing out of the window.
Jesus Christ.
“The light’s green,” she adds, just as a chorus of car horns break out.
I blink and look up, a little disorientated. I can’t see her smile. But I can feel it.
30
It’s exactlyhow I predicted. Every single fucking traffic light shone red for me. I pass through the gates of The Manor, the flashes of sun and shade as I drive through the trees casting a pretty pattern across the gravel. The driveway is, as expected, practically empty, all members staying away, all staff vehicles parked around the back. I pull up next to John’s Range and Sarah’s Audi and see the big guy on the steps, his expression cut with impatience.
I get out and show him my palms, a silent plea not to chew my balls, then open the door and help Ava out. “I want to get done and get home so I can have a few hours of you all to myself.” God help anyone who steals anymore time from me today.
She grumbles something under her breath, no longer playful and teasing, but serious. She doesn’t want to be here.Join the club. I walk us up the steps, frowning at John as we pass. He looks ready to hit something.
