Page 8 of Tactically Tied

His voice wasn’t even remotely convincing. But that was because he knew it too. He'd known that day back in high school when they'd broken up that they weren't meant for a happily ever after. Ryan hadn't even fought her when she told him she wanted to break up. It was like he knew it was coming. Unfortunately, Ryan didn't catch on quickly enough because Jed wasn't buying any of it.

Jed's gaze shifted between the two of them, his expression a mix of disbelief and something darker—something dangerously close to anger. His mouth was set in a hard line. The easygoing charm he usually wore vanished.

“Getting back together?” he echoed, the words sharp.

Jami swallowed, her throat dry. The weight of Jed’s gaze pressed down on her. She cleared her throat, forcing herself to stand tall. “Who I marry is none of your business, Jed.”

Both Jed and Ryan spoke at the same time. “Marry?”

“I mean, who I date is none of your business.” Jami threw a quick glance at Ryan, who was looking more confused than anything. And a touch afraid.

It was one of the reasons she had broken up with him—aside from that kiss with Jed, which had been the reason she hadn't gotten back together with him. She'd run roughshod over Ryan during their entire relationship. She had no difficulty in managing him and getting him to do whatever she wanted. Jami knew she would have no such luck with Jed Winchester. Like it had when she was a teen, the thought thrilled her as a woman.

Jami found herself momentarily distracted by the way the muscles in Jed's neck tightened, the way the tension seemed to roll off him in waves. She hated how much it still affected her, even after all these years. She couldn’t let him know how it got under her skin, couldn’t let him see the crack in her armor.

“Jed,” she said, grabbing on to the first distraction she could think of, “you should probably get back to your restaurant. Go check on your chicken to make sure it’s not drying out.”

That did it. She'd gotten him right in the pride—his cooking pride. She'd once called his chicken dry. It had been. But he'd never gotten over it.

Jed’s eyes flicked between her and Ryan, his gaze sharpening on Ryan. His lips parted. But whatever he was going to say next never came.

Jami laced her fingers with Ryan’s and gave a gentle tug, leading him toward an empty table. Her heart hammered in her chest as she gave Jed her back. She knew better than to give a predator such a vulnerable opening. When she glanced back toward the door, Jed was gone.

She let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding, her shoulders relaxing just slightly. The coffee shop felt quieter now, the tension between her and Jed evaporating into the morning air, leaving behind an unsettling emptiness.

“What was that all about?”

Jami ran a hand through her hair, trying to gather her thoughts. She wasn’t sure how to explain the strange tug-of-war that had just played out between her and Jed. She wasn’t even sure she could explain it. She had bigger issues to focus on right now.

“I have a way to help you with your... situation.” She didn’t have to say the worddebt. They both knew what she meant. “And I think it could work for both of us.”

Ryan’s eyes narrowed, curiosity flickering in them. “I’m listening.”

Jami steeled herself, knowing that once she said it, there would be no turning back. So she let the words come out in a rush. “If we get married, I’ll get my inheritance. And with that money, I can help you pay off your gambling debt.”

Ryan’s expression changed, interest morphing into something almost calculating. He leaned forward, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You’re serious?”

“Dead serious,” Jami replied, her voice steady. “It’s a win-win. You get out of debt, and I get what I need to keep traveling to culinary destinations.”

Ryan sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he studied her. She saw the wheels turning in his mind, the pros and cons of her offer being weighed. Despite the guilt gnawing at her for using him like this, she knew it was the best shot she had at getting what she wanted.

A part of her couldn’t help but wonder what Jed would think if he knew. Would he care? Would it even matter?

Jami pushed the thought away. This was business. Nothing more.

But as she looked toward the spot where Jed had been standing moments before, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was walking a very fine line.

CHAPTERFIVE

The lunchtime rush was in full swing at Grits and Grub, and Jed was on edge. The sizzling of the grill, the clattering of plates, and the constant hum of kitchen chatter grated on his nerves. Every sound was too loud, every movement too rushed. He wiped his brow, feeling the familiar sting of exhaustion creep in. It wasn’t physical fatigue that had him on edge—it was something else.

“Rob, that brisket is overdone."

The line cook's brow furrowed in disbelief. He grabbed the thermometer from the counter and plunged it into the thickest part of the brisket. The number on the digital display blinked higher than it should.

"You gotta watch the timing,” Jed barked, his voice sharp as he hovered over his line cook.

Rob gave a quick nod, his face paling as he scrambled to fix the mistake.

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