Chapter Twenty-One—Lidia

Rebecca sat on Jace's couch, nursing a cup of coffee while I tapped my toe against the hardwood and eyed her.

Jace stood beside me, giving me the side eye. "I don't believe her," I spat. "Someone robbed her on the way out of work, Jace? Uptown on a busy sidewalk and street. Conspicuous," I said. "And why come here instead of call the police? What are you going to do? You're not Superman."

Jace slid his palm down my back and patted my butt. "Calm down. And what's this obsession with Superman. Didn't you tell me that was your celebrity crush?"

"I mean … look at him. Anyway, can we ask her to leave now?"

Jace smirked but turned me to face him. "I'm going to let her stay in the guestroom, you'll stay with me, and she'll get the picture, Lidia."

I wanted to scream no, but the better part of me swallowed down the slew of ugly words riding my tongue. Maybe … just maybe she was telling the truth.

I pushed away from the wall and watched Rebecca eye me from over her coffee mug. "Are those shorts?" she asked.

"What do they look like?" I asked, eyeing her.

She scoffed. "Why are you here?"

"Why are you?" I asked. "You could have gone to the police like a normal person, but you come here? Suspicious, Rebecca. Were you even robbed?"

Jace came around behind me and braced his palm over my mouth. "Wait for me in my room. And chill out."

I bit the inside of his palm and I felt him groan from behind me. "Yes, Sir," I faked a salute.

He gave me the stank eye that I countered with a pointed look. Rebecca's presence in Jace's home irked me. I could ask myself a million times why she came here, and I don't think I'd come up with a good answer.

I sat on the edge of Jace's bed, my fingers moving over my bottom lip. He'd kissed me until my lips chapped before, and I'd never had that feeling.

A smile hung loosely on my lips when he walked in several minutes later. "So, this is weird," he said.

I sat back with my palms flat against his bed. "Uh, yeah, I'll say. Has she ever come over here before?"

"Not like this. I've sent her here to fetch my briefcase before or pick up documents but never on a personal call." He plopped down beside me. "This is new."

"I don't like it. She interrupted us."

That she did. I wanted that touch more than I'd wanted anything else in my life. Jace chuckled, and pressed me back against his bed, trapping me against his downy comfortable with his weight.

"She won't be here long. Tomorrow morning she'll come to work, and go back home after work, then we can … if you want, spend some time together. I mean—if you want to of course. I don't want to keep you away from your house if you—"

I put my index finger against his mouth. "Now who can't shut up?"

Jace chuckled. "Cute. You want to watch something in here? I didn't think you'd want to go chill with Rebecca for the night."

I yawned. "I think I'll hit the shower and then maybe join you. I won't last long. It's been a long day."

***

The next morning, I wake up to the smell of coffee and distant sound of Rebecca's laugh. I mock her silently and swing my legs off of the bed. Crabby at six in the morning. Not unlike me, per se.

I walked into the kitchen and stare at Jace. He was already dressed with his back to Rebecca as she sips her coffee in a pair of Jace's sweatpants.

Gag me, now. I cleared my throat loudly, making Jace turned to glance at me over his shoulder. "So," I said sweetly. "I guess you forgot all of your pajamas in that big bag you brought over?"

Rebecca glanced over her shoulder and shrugged. "That was my purse."

I walked over to Jace and took the cup of coffee he offered me. "Big purse," I said, taking a sip.

Jace cleared his throat. I glanced up at him. He looked amused at my snark, a smile on his full mouth. I blushed at the thought of my new Jeep in the parking lot, and all the things we did before Stuck-Up Barbie made her appearance the day before.

He reached down and brushed his fingers against the side of my cheek. "Good morning, Groucho. I never pegged you for a bad morning person."

"Only when some people are here," I mumbled beneath my breath.

Jace chuckled. "Get dressed; we'll go get bagels before work. Are you okay to get to work, Rebecca?"

She glanced down. "Yeah, uh, sure. I drove over, so I can get to work. Y'all are gonna be at work today, right?"

"Isn't that what he said?" I mumbled.

Jace elbowed me. "We'll be there. Get dressed," he said, slapping my butt.

Rebecca made a face but kept quiet. That's what I thought.

I got dressed and we rode together in my new vehicle to work. Jace held onto the handle on the way there, giving me reassuring smiles along the way even though he looked scared to death when he thought I wasn't looking.

With a bagel in one hand and second cup of joe in the other, I opened the door with my butt. Rebecca sat behind her desk, avoiding eye contact with me while we walked up to the office.

It felt like forever since we'd been there, and it'd only been one day. So much happened the day before that it was hard to focus on my laptop.

Jace glanced over at me, the tip of his pen between his teeth. He looked like a GQ model, leaned back in his swivel chair, legs spread wide in a suite.

"You're very distracting, Mr. Archer," I said.

He chuckled, patting his leg softly he craned his neck for me to come over. I felt pretty, walking over with his eyes on me, knowing he loved what he looked at. "I've always had a fantasy about bending you over my desk and making you blush, Miss. Lambert."

Keeping my cool, I trailed my index finger around his collarbone and down his impressive biceps. "What can I say, I aim to please, Mr. Archer."

I hopped off his lap and bent over when he grasped my hips from behind and brought me back down to his lap. I felt just how badly he wanted me through his slacks when our office door swung opened.

Mr. Archer—the other one—his Grandfather walked in as if he owned the place. Well, at one point he did, and stopped in the middle of the floor. "Jace, Lidia, nice to see you both."

I stood up quickly. "Good morning, Sir," I blurted out.

Jace stood up behind me, maneuvering me out of the way, where I felt cemented to the ground. "Grandfather. It's nice to see you. What brings you this way?"

They shook hands. "I wanted to take you both to lunch. We have things to discuss."

What things? I wondered if it was the contract, and my nerves grew. Jace and I were serious, but not marriage serious and I didn't think a promise would cut it for Mr. Archer.

"What time do you want to meet?" Jace asked.

"Noon. Let's go down to Taste of Texas."

"Alright," Jace said. "We'll meet you there."

Jace waited until he turned the corner to look back at me. "So," he said, walking closer. "That was unexpected. I didn't think we'd see him again until the wedding."

"Are you nervous?" I asked. "I mean does he want to talk about the contract?"

Jace shrugged, running his fingers through his hair. "I don't know, Lid. I'm hoping he sees we're serious and … I don't know. We'll play it by ear."

He reached forward and pinched my chin. "Let's get caught up so we can beat him there."

We worked hard scheduling new exhibits and dealing with a few buyers when Rebecca burst into the door. She looked worried. "Boss, what happened to your car? I went to get my purse out of mine, and I noticed yours wasn't there."

Jace glanced up from his computer. "We drove in Lidia's."

Rebecca looked confused. "I didn't see hers either."

I couldn't help but smile. "I got a new one."

Rebecca's face deadpanned, and she swayed on her pencil thin heel. "That Jeep is yours?" she laughed. "I know you can't afford that. Who …" she trailed off when realization washed over her.

She crossed her arms, making her breast push up to her chin. "Oh, you bought Lidia a … car?"

I looked over at Jace who looked irritated that she was talking about it. "And …" he asked.

"And nothing," she said shrugging it off. "See you two after lunch." She let the door swing shut harshly behind her. What a drag.

Jace sighed. "Oh the trouble you cost me, Miss. Lambert."

I smirked. "Is it worth it?"

"Absolutely."

***

Jace's knee bounced in a steady rhythm underneath the table at the restaurant. I watched him from above my fruity drink with an amused smile on my face.

"Calm down," I said, reaching over and patting his thigh. "I'm sure everything will work out."

He tossed me a look and finished off his glass of scotch. "You're right," he said. "I'll think about what we'll do tonight."

Warmth spread over my skin causing goosebumps up my arms. "Whatever will we do?" I whispered.

His gaze drew behind me and I knew Mr. Archer had made it. "Glad y'all made it," he said, sitting down beside me. He wore a suite which seemed out of place for a retired businessman, but who asked me.

"Wouldn't miss it," I said, taking my final sip of my drink. I needed a little liquid courage to get through this meeting. By the way his brows folded down over his wise eyes, I knew he did mean business.

Mr. Archer insisted we ordered our food and get our food before we began. Jace gave me a long side gaze before starting in on his steak.

After several quiet minutes, Mr. Archer put his fork down and interlaced his fingers on the table in front of him. His graying hair was parted and slicked back—almost reminding me of a stereotypical Mafia member.

"Seth's wedding is this coming weekend," he said out of the blue.

Jace made a face but swallowed his food, not giving into that comment.

He glanced up at me. "Will you both be attending?"

"Yes, Sir," I said with a nod. I assumed I would go with him, and since Jace didn't object, I figured it was in the clear.

He nodded slowly. "That means he'll be married before you. And that leaves two months to your birthday, Jace, and you know what that means."

Well let's get right to the case.

Jace sat back in his chair, holding his knife like a toddler would a fork. I cringed at the spaced-out look on his face. I wanted to speak, but I knew he wasn't talking to me.

"Grandfather. I've just started dating Lidia. I can't force her to marry me—"

"What year was it that you signed the contract, Jace?"

Jace frowned. "Eight—nine years ago."

"That's how long you've had to marry. It's not my problem that you waited until now to date—"

"But I just found her," Jace interjected. "How am I supposed to force love. I'm not Seth. I can't marry someone I don't love—"

"Spare me the tragedies, Son." His dark eyes met mine across the table. "We both know you're intentions with dating Lidia was just to fool me."

Whoop there it is. No one is pulling the wool over Grandfather's eyes.

"That's not true—" Jace said.

"Isn't it? You come up with a girlfriend when you haven't dated in years a week after I speak with you on the phone? Do I look dense to you? I think Lidia has done wonders for you, you've smiled today, and that's not normal. You had a stick so far up your ass that nothing made you happy. But I won't be fooled into letting you keep this job. If you're not married in two months, the job goes to Seth."

He wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin and glanced over at me. "You, young lady, are not to blame in this. I admire you—you're real and honest—and I think you care for Jace. And I think he cares for you. I see it on his face. You've softened my Grandson and for that I'm grateful. Do not marry Jace if you don't love him, don't feel obligated to do so. But … he won't be your boss much longer if he isn't married. I'm sorry." He stood up and walked over to the waiter, paying before leaving us behind with half empty plates.

Jace braced his elbow against the table and held his cheek with his closed fist. I watched the emotion dance across his handsome face, and his jaw clench several times before he let out a harsh sigh.

I took a leisurely bite of steak and eyed him. "So," I said slowly. "Want to get desert and charge it to your Grandpa?"

The corner of Jace mouth tugged into a smile. "Get it to go. Whatever is the most expensive."

I grinned.