How We Fell in Love: Grace and James's short story Read online

  I shrug, noncommittal. “I think I want to drink.”

  “Me too. I want to get to know each other, since dinner was the Shea and Jackie Show.” When he takes my hand, his fingers lock with mine, and a slow grin moves over his face. “And let’s be honest, I give that another week or two before Shea gets bored.”

  I grin. “You think?”

  “I know,” he says with a wink. My stomach clenches, but before I can even enjoy the feeling, he is pulling me with him. We reach the VIP area before I even realize it, and I fully expect James to flash the guy some money. He doesn’t, yet the rope opens. He guides me in with a nod to the bouncer before taking me to a spot in the corner. I sit down as he takes out his phone, typing on it vigorously. “I’m texting Shea so he knows I’m in my spot.”

  “Your spot?”

  “I sold this place and got the owner one hell of a deal, so he takes good care of me.” Oh. I watch as he orders wine for us from a waitress who has appeared before tucking his phone back into his pocket. He then takes his coat off, laying it across the back of the couch before sitting down beside me. “So.”

  I give him a small smile as I lean back in the couch, my eyes on his. “So.”

  “So…” he draws out, though his eyes are playful. “Jackie is exhausting, huh?”

  I snort. “A bit.”

  “That’s why they won’t last. She’s too in his face. He needs someone who will complement him, someone he can protect, someone kind and sweet. Not someone over the top.”

  My mouth parts a bit in surprise. “That’s what I think.”

  “Well, you’re his twin. You know him better than I do, but I take pride in our friendship.”

  “How long have you known him?”

  James smiles. “Just about six months. I sold him his place, and we became fast friends. He sucks at golf.”

  My face breaks into a grin. “He says he’s good.”

  “He’s a liar.”

  “He is,” I agree, recrossing my legs, my black high heel dangling off my foot. I see his eyes shoot to where my shoe is hanging before he looks back up at me. I should take in my surroundings, the vibrating music, the lights, and all the people, but when it’s just James and me, I don’t want to look at anything else but him.

  “I have a confession.”

  My grin grows. I love his eyes. They’re so playful but serious. “Do you?”

  “I do,” he says and then leans in, his eyes dancing. “When Shea and I became friends, I remember seeing a picture he kept in his wallet of the two of you. I said you were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. And if I ever got the chance to meet you, I would take you out.”

  I raise a brow at that. “Yet my brother had to set this up.”

  His grin grows. “You do realize you’re sort of intimidating?”

  “Me? No!”

  “Yes. And I thought telling you the truth, that you were way more qualified than chain-smoking Mandy, would tickle your pickle, but you looked at me stone-faced. You make me nervous.”

  I snort with laughter. “You’re insane. Me?”

  “You,” he says slowly. “So, yes, your brother set this up. But he won’t set up our next date.”

  I blink slowly, my lashes kissing my cheeks. My face hurts from grinning at him. “Who said anything about another date?”

  He laughs loudly. “See? You’re busting my chops!”

  Our wine comes, and just as it flows, so does our conversation.

  “I’ve heard stories of your family—small but loud.”

  I smile, missing my mom and dad. “My dad is loud, which makes Shea louder, and then, of course, me by default. Mom is sweet and over the top with her love. Basically, the best mom ever.”

  He smiles against his wineglass.

  “I miss them greatly. Boston too.”

  “Will you go back?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t think so. I like it here, and Shea is here.”

  He smiles again. “You two are very close.”

  “We are.”

  “That’s nice. I wish I had that.”

  My heart flutters before I swallow hard. “Your parents passed, yes?”

  He doesn’t look sad as he nods. “Yes, when I was about six. My grandparents raised me.”

  That sobers me up a bit. “I’m very sorry.”

  He sends me a soft wink. “Thank you.”

  “Any siblings?”

  “Nope, my brother died in the car crash too. They were on their way to pick me up from a sleepover.”

  My heart aches for the young boy he was. To carry that kind of guilt has to be suffocating.

  “I’m okay. Loads of therapy, don’t worry. Don’t get me wrong, I miss them and all, but I don’t blame myself anymore.”

  “That had to be tough.”

  “Sucked, and I was a bad kid, lots of behavior issues.”

  “Seems fair to assume that would happen.”

  He shrugs, and his boyish grin makes my heart pitter-patter. “But then I turned into a good teenager. I decided I wanted to make them proud, so I followed in my grandfather’s footsteps and joined his firm. He died when I was twenty, and I inherited everything. So I knew I had to be a great adult. My grandma was very adamant about that. She wanted me to know I had a legacy to uphold. When I lost her, I decided I had no other choice than to be the adult they wanted me to be. To make them proud.”

  “So you have no family?”

  He shrugs, and I see a bit of sadness in his eyes. “I don’t. I have some cousins who only call when they need money. But for the most part, it’s just me and my firm.”

  “Wow. I can’t imagine.”

  “I don’t recommend it,” he laughs, but then he shrugs. “But I’m working hard and making sure I am building my future. I work, I try to be kind, I go to church on Sundays, and I happen to think I’m hilarious.”

  I smile. “You’re all right.”

  He grins. “Which means I’m basically husband material.”

  I snort. “You’re insane.”

  “Just saying.”

  My face warms as I smile against my glass. I must be drunk because I don’t think he’s wrong. Not that I think I’ll marry this guy. That’s crazy. I’m too young for that. But he would be a good marrying type. We share a long look, my body sizzling as I gaze into his eyes.

  “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-nine.”

  I slowly nod. “You’re six years older than me.”

  “Oh? You have an age rule?”

  “I don’t do more than five.”

  His eyes burn into mine. “Can you make an exception?”

  I take in a deep breath, my whole body catching on fire. “I think I can.”

  “Well, you two look cozy.”

  I glance at Shea, who has Jackie leaning into him and a huge, “I’m about to have loads of sex” smile on his face. The fact that I know his sex face should send me to therapy, but instead, I say, “We are. What’s up?”

  I feel James’s eyes move over my body as Shea grins down at me. His gaze then shifts to James. “We’re gonna head out. Bro, you think you can take my sister home?”

  James is nodding before Shea even finishes his sentence, but I say, “I can get a cab.”

  “No way. Cabs aren’t safe,” James says with a shake of his head. “I’ll take you.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to trouble you.”

  “You’re absolutely no trouble at all.” His eyes are dark and all-consuming, leaving me breathless as Shea nods, that stupid grin still occupying his face. “Awesome. I’ll be home late—”

  “You aren’t staying?” All eyes go to Jackie as she glares, hurt. “You can stay.”

  “No, I’ll go back home.” Shea pulls his gaze from her visibly upset one and looks at me. “Text me when you get home.”

  “I will,” I say, and then he holds his hand out to James.

  “Take care of her.”

  “Will do.”

  Shea and