“Shh.” He put a finger over my lips. “I’m not looking for my first love. I’m looking for my last.”
He leaned over and put his lips on mine. It was a sweet, soft, still kiss—but it was more than that. It was an apology, a promise, a new start. It spoke of letting go, of moving on, of falling in love. I shivered, and Jack put an arm around me. “You cold?”
“Not at all,” I said, feeling warmth flow throughout my body. “Now I want to know how you found me.”
Jack grinned sheepishly. “Your friend Jaime.”
“Jaime!” I yelped. “She said she was too sick to come tonight!”
“She gave me her ticket.”
I shook my head, trying to piece it together. “So you called her?”
“Yes. Last night. I was trying to think of a way to surprise you, and Georgia gave me her number.”
I giggled, my whole body tingling. “Oh my God, this happened in one night? It worked. I’m surprised.”
He just smiled at me for a moment, almost a little sadly. “I missed that laugh. I was scared I’d never hear it again.”
“Now you can hear it as much as you want.”
“I wanted to tell you.” He cleared his throat. “I’m moving into the house. I decided to buy out Pete and Georgia so they can afford the Oliver place.”
Squealing, I threw both my arms around his neck. He smelled delicious, and I breathed him in deeply. “Oh my God, that’s amazing! I’m so proud of you.”
His arms closed around me. “Thanks. I wouldn’t have done any of it if it wasn’t for you.”
Unwilling to let go, I kept my chest pressed to his. “I feel like we have so much to catch up on.”
“It’s all good stuff.”
“Pete and Georgia must be so happy.”
“They are. And it’s only possible because of Brad. He said he’d wait a little longer for me to buy him out so that I could afford to make this happen.”
Reluctantly, I stopped strangling him and sat back. “I’m so happy for you. And for them. That’s wonderful about Brad, too.”
Jack nodded. “For the first time in years, I feel like I can breathe. Like I have something to look forward to.”
I couldn’t stop smiling. “You don’t know how happy this makes me.”
He hauled me across his lap, and I looped my arms around his neck. “You don’t know how beautiful you are when you’re happy. I want to put that smile on your face every day.” His brow furrowed. “But I’m hoping I don’t have to wear this suit to do it.”
Laughter bubbled out of me. “You can do it in nothing, believe me—and you’re going to.”
“Hell yes I am,” he drawled. “The sooner the better.”
“Not so fast, cowboy. You’re wearing the hell out of that suit, and I need to get my fill before I take it off you, one piece at a time.” I leaned back and admired him, my belly fluttering. “I didn’t even think you owned one.”
“I didn’t.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Jaime?”
“And Quinn. Nice guy. Knows a lot about clothes.” He shook his head. “Mostly I just stood still and let them dress me.”
“They did it well. When I saw you walking across the room toward me, I swooned. Nearly fell right over.”
“I’d have caught you.” His arms tightened around me. “I’ll always catch you.”
I’ll always catch you, too, I thought as our lips met again. Now let yourself fall.
Thirty-Five
Margot
I didn’t want to stay at the event very long, but I did want to introduce Jack to my family. We found my father schmoozing a few voters in the Great Hall, and he shook Jack’s hand enthusiastically when he heard Jack owned a farm. Dad probably thought I was helping him “shore up the base” with the introduction, but that was OK. Eventually I’d explain to him that Jack wasn’t Big Ag and probably didn’t have the same views on farming policy he did, but for now it was enough that they’d met.
My brother Buck raised an eyebrow at me when I introduced Jack as my date, maybe because I hadn’t brought a date to a function like this since Tripp. But ever the charmer, he gave Jack his hand and a slap on the back like he was an old prep school buddy. When my brother learned Jack lived near Lake Huron, they talked for a few minutes about fishing on the Great Lakes, something they both enjoyed. Never mind that as kids Jack had worked on the boats while Buck had chartered them—it was something they had in common, and I was glad for it. Flashing Buck a grateful smile, we moved on to my mother.
Muffy was still in the Rivera Court. Near the bar, of course. “Mother, this is my friend Jack Valentini. Jack this is my mother, Muffy Lewiston.”
“Nice to meet you.” Muffy extended a hand, and Jack took it as she scrutinized him. “Valentini, did you say? Good heavens, what a lot of syllables.”
I rolled my eyes. Muffy had a thing about syllables in a last name. One or two was ideal, three was fine as long as it didn’t end in a vowel, but four—plus the vowel at the end—was just too much.
“Uh, yes.” Jack looked at me for help.