He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her tight into him.How was she supposed to keep her feelings in check when he kept being so amazing?
“You nervous?”
She nodded.“I am, mostly because I hate lying.But I know what we’re doing is for the right reasons, and a lot of people stand to be helped by this fake union.So, maybe yes and no.”
He kissed the top of her head.“You’ll do great.We’ll do great.Besides, there’s no way I’d let anything happen to you.”
“Thanks, Jace.”But there was so much he couldn’t control.Still, the sentiment was sweet.In minutes, he was snoring, but Aurelie didn’t think there was any way she could sleep, not with the myriad thoughts racing through her brain, starting with how altruistic Jace’s act of marrying her was.
And here she was, wishing for more.Thank goodness she had work at the clinic tomorrow so she could at least feel slightly less selfish.
The problem was, he’d given her a glimpse of what life could look like if she just leaned into his affection.But he’d said he couldn’t give her more.Was this enough?
Moreover, if they did try this out for real, would they last?The way they met, then married?No, that story was a fairy tale, and her life was anything but.Just like Aurelie was anything but a princess.
By some miracle, her body gave out on her and she fell asleep, but that sliver of time had been restless, littered with horrific images of her father, of a faceless Isaac, both hell-bent on tracking her down, destroying her life.
The sun was high overhead when she finally woke, feeling unrested despite the late hour.Turning to find Jace, to talk to him, she was met with his side of the bed squared away and made up.Sometime during the brief period her eyes had been closed, he must have snuck out, leaving her to sleep.Maddie wasn’t in her bed, either.It was also made, blankets folded, the room picked up from the night before, but no baby in sight.
When she finally found them, her heart lurched.
Jace stood over a pan of bacon, a cup of coffee in one hand, Maddie in the other.He’d configured some sort of blanket-tarp-protective wrap for Maddie, an adorably intricate design that did the trick to keep the baby safe from splattering grease.A song wafted over her, the delectable aroma of the breakfast carried to her on the same invisible breeze.
Was Jace humming?It sounded like a lullaby, but either way, it did nothing to lull Maddie into submission.Small squeals of delight came from beneath the makeshift tent, and her chubby legs pumped with excitement.
Aurelie cleared her throat.Good Lord above, seeing Jace like that with her niece made her warm in places that were barely hidden by her small sleep shorts.
“Hey there, babe,” he said, putting down his coffee and coming over to her.He planted a kiss on her cheek, the stubble on his chin longer than the day before.When his mouth closed in on hers, she tasted caramel and coffee.Strangely, neither made her as hungry as Jace’s tongue teasing hers into a passionate kiss that ignited her core, sending waves of heat shooting through her limbs.“How’d you sleep?”he asked.
“Um, not so great last night, so thank you for letting me sleep in this morning.I never heard Maddie cry.”
“Of course.I figured you must be exhausted, so this little squirmer and I came to an agreement that we would be as quiet as we could to give you some rest.I figured a little breakfast couldn’t hurt, either.”
It’s not real, her head whispered.
It might be, her heart shot back.Give it time.
Dizziness overcame Aurelie again, and she sat on a barstool.
“Well, thank you.Can I take her?”Aurelie asked, her arms outstretched.She missed the feel of her favorite baby.
“Nope.You grab a cup of coffee and a seat.Bacon’s almost done, and eggs are in the oven with the toast.We’ll eat, then map out our plan of attack with the case, starting with how needed you are at your job.I have a lawyer friend who can talk us through what we need to prepare for.He’s also doing double duty and finding out how to shut down Puckman.Guy’s a saint.”
That was her term for Jace, come to think of it.
“Dammit,” a voice said from behind them.
Aurelie’s gaze shot up.Owen had come in, his face somber and pulled tight.Had the night gone poorly?Paige came in on the heels of her husband, and it was obvious she’d been crying.Her cheeks were stained with tears, confirming Aurelie’s suspicions.It was made worse when Brad and Sophie followed close behind, both looking shell-shocked.
More than Isaac, more than the looming presence of her father, more than the imminent court case to decide her fate, seeing her friends in such agony filled Aurelie with terror.An alarm rang in the back of her mind.This was more than just a spat between lovers.Something serious had happened.
Unbidden, tears fell from her eyes.That wasn’t like her to be so emotionally charged to the point of crying.Anger, passion, sure, but never grief like this, and over something she wasn’t even aware of.She’d need a nap later; that would help.
Paige looked up, set her purse down on the counter, and ran into Aurelie’s arms.
“So you already know,” she whispered into the crook of Aurelie’s neck, tears falling on Aurelie’s bare shoulder.
Aurelie pulled back but didn’t release her friend.Genuine confusion washed over her, drying her tears.
