Chapter Twelve—Jace

I knocked three times on Lidia's apartment door and stepped back to wait. I found myself curious to know how that dress would fit her, and even more so of her reaction toward me since the incident in my office.

Unable to help myself, I found that irritation at being called not her type, turn into something sour in my stomach. Why wasn't I her type? I knew she liked that kiss in front of my parents, because I had liked it, too.

I knew better than to lead her on, deliberately make her heart race, but I did it anyway. Call me selfish. The door swung open, and a small blonde girl answered.

Her blue eyes rounded—like she recognized me—but she didn't speak.

"Is Lidia here?" I finally asked.

She glanced down uncomfortably and looked over her shoulder. Scotty walked up behind her and took her spot. "She's getting ready. Come on inside."

Their apartment was small, smaller than what I'd been used to, but decent enough for the two of them. The blonde girl sat on the couch and faced me. "So, you're Jace Archer, huh?"

I fiddled with the cuff on my shirt. "That would be me," I said. "In the flesh." I grinned.

"I'm Daisy," she said, sitting on the edge of her seat. Scotty glared at her while she stared at me relentlessly.

"How much longer is she going to be?" Scotty complained.

Daisy chuckled beneath her breath. "I can't believe it's taking her this long; we all know she doesn't spend that much time on her look.

I jerked my gaze up to her smirk, and I felt warmth grow inside my blood. What was that? A jab? Lidia looked better than a fake tan, dyed hair bimbo any day, but I kept my mouth shut.

I checked the time on my cell phone. We still have ten minutes before we needed to leave. My cell buzzed, and I politely excused myself to the kitchen where I confirmed my arrival to Rebecca and hurried her off the phone.

When I returned to the living room, I caught the dead-end of their conversation and my irritation erupted inside me.

" … I mean I don't see what he sees in her anyway—"

"Drop it, Daisy," Scotty hissed.

Daisy look up at me innocently when she noticed me. "To answer your question," I said. "I see a lot in her, that I don't expect you to understand, especially since you have the mindset of a sixteen-year-old girl that's jealous of someone because they can be themself."

Daisy's smile faded into a tight thin line, and she swallowed hard. "I'm not jealous of her," she said, her voice hardly controlled.

"Then shut it," Scotty said.

Lidia's door opened, and she walked out in the teal dress that I actually confirmed with Gemma before she bought it. The length was just Lidia's style, but to my taste, it tightened around her small waist, with lace sleeves and a high neckline for her sense of modesty.

In that moment, I had no idea why she wouldn't show herself off. I swallowed hard, watching her find my eyes and a smile curl up her heart shaped jaw. "So… I look good, right?" she asked.

I nodded. "You look amazing."

She gave me an I-know-it look and glanced over at Scotty who actually didn't look like he wanted to fight me for once, and Daisy who still looked red-faced and mad.

"It looks like someone died in here," she mumbled and then grabbed her clutch from the living room table. "Don't wait up," she said walking toward the door.

I didn't give Daisy or Scotty another look before walking her out to my car. I helped her inside since her heels proved a little difficult for her to walk in.

She let out a huge sigh when I started the engine. "Do you think I look like a trollop?"

"A trollop? Did we time-travel back in time?"

She huffed. "The dress is just a little… tight."

I couldn't stop myself from glancing down at the way it fit her waist. "You look great. And no one will think you're a trollop, Lidia, we're engaged."

She laughed.

"What?" I asked.

"Not really engaged," I said. "You said it so matter of fact, it almost seemed like it was the truth."

It did feel like it to some extent. Besides the lack of a physical relationship, we did seem like we were engaged. I spent most of my day and spare time with her, the only thing missing was the… sex.

"Listen, Lidia, I'm sorry about earlier today. I didn't mean to put you on the spot in the office. I shouldn't have done it."

I shouldn't have but I was glad I did. The way she looked at me when I asked her about being attracted to me… Even though I could see the lust in her eyes, I loved that she brought me down a notch—or three—without giving me the satisfaction of telling me anything.

Lidia shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "It wasn't that big of a deal. I could tell you were fishing for a compliment."

I tossed her a side-glance. "Me, fishing for a compliment? Lidia, I don't need to fish for them because my self-image is perfectly fine."

She snorted, her hazel gaze slid toward mine, and she smirked. "I'm sure it is," she whispered, checking her lipstick in the pulldown mirror.

As we approached the gallery, Lidia began to ring her fingers together nervously. I stopped in front so the valet could drive the car around but slid my palm onto her knee and squeezed. "Calm down, Lidia. You've done an amazing job at planning this, there is no need to worry."

"I know. But look, oh my gosh, look at the reporters. What if they ask us personal questions about our relationship and I freeze?"

"I'll answer for us. Calm down, here comes the valet."

Toby, the valet I hired for the night, opened our doors and drove my vehicle around to parking, while I helped Lidia out and toward the door. The two reporters looked familiar from other events, and the woman looked like she wanted to pounce on Lidia.

"Mr. Archer. Your exhibit is one of the most talked about in the town, what did you and Darby come up with for tonight?" she pressed the microphone into my face.

"Actually, Lidia here prepared everything for us. She's brilliant."

Lidia's face morphed into an uncomfortable grimace and she tried to smile. "Ms. Lidia Lambert, you're the talk of the art world, but for a different reason. How does it feel to be engaged to the unobtainable Jace Archer?"

Lidia's face moved into a smirk that only I knew what it meant. "Oh, Jace is… Jace is not as unobtainable as one might think. Behind that unmoving façade is a man that just loves to be held and gushy talk."

I narrowed my eyes at her and chuckled when the reporter’s brows lifted to her forehead. "She's kidding," I said, moving us along. And here I was trying to protect you, you little snake."

Lidia laughed. "I thought it would give us a chance to make a run for it," she said.

"Yeah, now that'll be on the cover of the magazine next week. Jace Archer… lover of gushy talk and wants his fiancé to hold him."

She snorted as we walked into the gallery. Darby's Houston skyline hung from the ceiling as the centerpiece, and I loved that Lidia suggested it. It brought a sense of the city to his work.

Darby's agent greeted us with a smile, holding a glass of champagne. "This is lovely; I appreciate all that you've done to make this a great night."

A photographer comes by and begins taking pictures of us. "Move closer to one another," he orders.

I brought Lidia closer with my palm, her soft sent settled into me like a nice summer day. The flash began to blind me after a while, and I suggested he take more of the artwork than us.

"I need to use the restroom," Lidia said, her eyes distant as she dismissed herself. I watched her walk up the floating staircase to our personal bathroom and disappear.

"Lovely job, dear," Mother said.

She looked like she'd just stepped out of the salon, but I knew better: she had her own stylist that came and made sure she looked like the movie star she always thought herself.

"Thank you," I said, accepting her hug. "You look lovely, Mother."

She tucked her hair and placed her palm on her chest. "Where is your… fiancé? Did you run her off?"

I snagged two cups of wine and swallowed a mouthful of mine. "In the restroom. Is Grandfather here?"

She waved her hand around. "Yes, somewhere with Seth. Leanne made it too, she's such a wonderful girl. She fits in perfectly."

Unable to stop myself, I said, "Why does she fit in mother? Because she dresses like a whore and fits the mold of what you think every girl should be?"

Mother gave me a give-it-up look. "She knows how to speak to people, and is used to this kind of event."

"She's a gold-digger and Seth is using her to try and get my job."

Mom looked offended. "That's not true."

"Whatever you say," I said, walking toward the staircase. Lidia was taking too long, and I had started to think she'd climbed out the window. The bathroom light was on from underneath the door, and I pushed it opened.

Lidia sat in the corner of the bathroom, her legs curled into her chest and taking deep breaths. I sat down our drinks and bent down beside her. "What's the matter?" I asked.

She glanced at me with a worried look. "That was a lot, all the pictures—and I'm just not sure I fit in here."

I nodded. "I felt the same way too when I was younger. The people in my face, the fakeness, the flashes and chatter. It's a lot. But I'll help you if you let me, Lid."

She pressed her forehead into her knees and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disrupt the evening or take you away from the people."

"They'll live," I said, standing and offering her my hand. I helped her up and tucked her hair behind her ear. A small smile tugged at her mouth when she glanced up at me.

For the quickest of seconds, I wanted to bend down and kiss her. Not because anyone watched us, or not for the sake of showing our relationship, but because she looked so beautiful and innocent that it made me want her.

The center of Lidia's brow pulled down and her eyes dropped to my mouth for the briefest of moments. "What …"

"Y'all?" Rebecca shouted from behind us.

I glanced over my shoulder at her short red velvet dress and sky-high heels. "It's time for you to introduce Darby."

We walked out, while Rebecca eyed Lidia's dress. "I know you can't afford that designer, are you already buying her clothes, Jace?"

I glared at her. "I'll buy her the entire Dallas mall if I want," I snapped. "Don't worry about it."

She clenched her teeth and made her way downstairs.

Lidia tsked underneath her breath. "She's the worst."

"Tell me about it."

A crowd accumulated around the makeshift stage in the back room of the gallery. Lidia decorated wonderfully with lights, a fountain and food galore. People actually looked like they were enjoying themselves.

I made my way onto the stage and tapped the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming out tonight. We're very excited to have Darby here at the Archer Gallery for the first time. Let's give him a round of applause." I glanced out over the audience, finding Lidia standing by Grandfather, while Rebecca and Mom caught up on who knew what. "Thank you to my assistant, and fiancé, Lidia Lambert for helping with tonight. She pulled all this together and I'm thankful for her."

Someone let out a wolf whistle as she slid her finger across her throat in a universal I'll-kill-you gesture.