Those intense eyes met mine, holding for a moment before she took the arm I offered and followed me out the door. The investor dinner was being held in a rooftop restaurant thatoverlooked the whole city, the windows so wide and large that it made the skyline feel like part of the décor.
I sighed when we walked inside. “Well, this is casual. I wonder where we would’ve been if they’d decided to flex.”
Jacqueline elbowed me lightly. “Behave.”
“Iam.”
“Okay, let me clarify,” she said, sending me a coy smile. “Behave like you actually care about what kind of impression you’re going to make tonight.”
“No one will even notice me, with you at my side.” I smirked, guiding her further in with a hand in the small of her back while I clocked the room out of habit. Jane and Alex stood near the center, deep in conversation with a cluster of investors, while Nate lingered off to the side with a drink in hand, looking like he’d rather be literally anywhere else.
Colin Thayer was easy to spot, but this kind of event was where he shone. This was his arena. His deal. W&S had some stock in the building on the residential side, sure, and Nate’s team had been in talks with the investor’s company for a while now, but this had Colin’s fingerprints all over it.
As we stepped fully into the room, it didn’t take long for people to start noticing us. Jane was first, recognition sparking immediately. Her face lit up as she excused herself and crossed the space toward us.
“Jacque,” she said warmly. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Neither did I,” Jacqueline replied smoothly. “It’s good to see you, though.”
“You look wonderful,” Jane said.
Jacqueline nodded with a hint of shyness. “You’re too kind.”
Colin followed a second later, his smile easy as he shook her hand. “You’re from Ellis & Addeson, right?”
“Guilty,” she said.
He grinned. “That’s good. It means Jesse’s in capable hands.”
I watched the exchange with mild satisfaction, not surprised that she already knew them. Jane went way back with Miranda Ellis and she was in their offices at least every other week. I also suddenly felt eyes on me, though.
When I lifted my gaze, I scanned the room for only a few seconds before I found the source. Alex was watchingme, not her, his expression skeptical and suspicion in his eyes.
I gave him a small, innocent smile, but it didn’t remove the doubting look in his eyes. Jacqueline and I did the rounds, experts at doing the necessary introductions and working the room. She stuck close, handling everything like she’d been doing this her entire life. She was thoroughly involved in every conversation with me until the wives found her. I shot her an apologetic smile, but she waved me off and fell in with them like she’d known them for years.
Every so often when I glanced at her, I felt a strange twinge of pride in my chest. It was potentially concerning, but I ignored it for now.
A couple hours later, I was talking to a man who owned at least three buildings in the city when Alex finally made his move. He caught my eye, tilted his head slightly toward the hallway, and walked off without waiting to see if I followed, but I did.
I wasn’t suicidal and I knew there was a chance he might actually kill me if I left him hanging. As soon as we were out of earshot, however, I pursed my lips and cut straight to the chase. I’d done what I’d been told. He had zero reason to be cornering me right now. “What’s wrong now?”
Alex turned to face me, his arms crossing not so casually over his chest. “How did you find her, Jesse? What kind of vetting did you do?”
I slipped my hands into my pockets and arched an eyebrow at him. “You mean Jacque, my girlfriend of several years? Soon tobe my fiancée? I know it’s been in the off-again phase for a while, but wow. I’m surprised you forgot about her so fast.”
Alex’s expression didn’t change and I shook my head at him, my head cocking as I tried to suppress a smile. “Should I be worried about you, Alex? Your memory seems to be slipping. If you can’t handle being in charge, I’ll be happy to step in.”
For just a second, I thought he might actually lose it right here. I saw the retort forming on his lips and the frustration radiating from him, but then he reined himself in and sighed. “Just do not fuck this up, okay?”
I smiled. “Stop worrying, big brother. She’s great. You couldn’t have chosen a better match for me. I’ve got it completely under control.”
As he held my gaze, some of the tightness eased from his jaw. It was subtle, but there was definite relief crossing his features as he nodded. He didn’t seem entirely certain about Jacque, but at least I hadn’t dragged a model in here by her spindly ankles.
We made it through the rest of the night without incident. All the investors who needed to see us had done so. I did what I needed to do, introducing her properly to the right people. We focused especially on those with wives who talked, and those same wiveslovedher. They would definitely remember her when they spoke to their friends who weren’t here, which was completely in our favor.
By the time we left, the narrative was already starting to change. In just one night, I’d gone from playboy to potential husband. I could practically feel it, see it in the way people looked at us as we said our goodbyes.
When we stepped back into the cool night air, I opened the door of my car for her, waiting until she slid inside before circling around to the driver’s side. The moment the doors shut, I glanced at her and grinned.
