Jamie tightened her fingers on the door handle as something sharp and unwelcome coiled in her chest. She scoffed, shaking her head as she climbed in. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Nolan’s house, where the party was being held, wasn’t visible from the dirt road leading to Clayton’s place. The guests were instructed to park at the main house, and golf carts would shuttle them to the event.
Ruth’s car rolled to a stop just as Nolan and the girls bounded onto the porch. Before the engine was even off Jamie shoved open the door and jumped out, a wide grin spreading across her face.
“Miss Jamie!” Charlotte squealed, running toward her, Emily close behind. Both wore dresses—something Jamie knew they hated—which made her stomach tighten. Hopefully Ruth wouldn’t pick up on it.
“Hi, girls!” Jamie bent down to hug them, straightened, and caught Nolan’s eye. He was dressed in a navy short-sleeved shirt and dark jeans, looking entirely too composed for someone pulling off a surprise.
Charlotte thrust a bunch of freshly picked flowers into Ruth’s hands. “Happy birthday, Miss Ruth!”
“Oh, thank you, sweetie.” Ruth hugged both girls before turning to Nolan with a puzzled expression. “What are you doing at Clayton’s?”
Nolan smiled. “Waiting for you. We’re having a birthday dinner at our house.”
“A birthday dinner?” Ruth’s eyes flickered with surprise before softening. Then she glanced down at her romper. “I should probably change first.”
Jamie stepped in casually. “Why don’t you wear that polka dot dress? It looks great on you. And those black flats go perfectly with it.”
Ruth hesitated for half a second, then shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
“Come in and change,” Jamie said, linking her arm through Ruth’s. “I’m going to wear the black dress and those Louboutins I bought.”
The mention of the overpriced shoes made her stomach clench. She’d splurged on them to cheer herself up after bombing her exams, but the disappointment still lingered. No matter how hard she’d studied, it hadn’t been enough.
And here she was, spending money on shoes she didn’t need to feel like she had control over something. She could already hear Clayton’s voice:A dollar saved is a dollar earned.
She shook the thought away. Tonight wasn’t about her. It was about Ruth.
Nolan helped them carry their bags into the house, where Clayton lay on the floor, play-wrestling with Poppy, Duke, and the puppies. He glanced up and smiled when he saw Jamie’s outfit.
“Nice top,” he said with a laugh. “Want me to sign it?”
“Sure.” Jamie adjusted the straps of her tank top. “I can sell it on eBay for a dollar.”
Shaking his head, Clayton returned to wrestling with the dogs as Jamie and Ruth carried their shopping bags into Clayton’s bedroom to get ready.
Clayton stood when they returned to the living room, brushing off his shirt. Jamie sucked in a breath before she could stop it.
He wasn’t in his usual jeans and cowboy boots. He wore a fitted black shirt, dark pants, and real shoes. The effortless way he carried himself, the way the fabric stretched over his broad shoulders, shouldn’t have caught her off guard, but it did.
And then he whistled.
Jamie snapped out of it, heat creeping up her neck.
Clayton’s gaze flicked over her, his expression unreadable. “Why’d you come in here lookin’ like that?”
“Very funny.” She rolled her eyes, catching the Dolly Parton song reference and trying to act unfazed.
Nolan clapped his hands, eager to get moving. “Everybody ready? It’s nice enough to walk.”
Jamie lifted her heel, flashing the red bottom of her stilettos. “These shoes aren’t made for walking.”
“What are they made for?” Clayton asked, his voice low and laced with curiosity.
Jamie forced a smile, resisting the way her pulse ticked up. “They’re for show.”
Everyone cleared out of Clayton’s house and Ruth drove Nolan while Jamie, Clayton, and the girls piled into his truck.
