Page 16 of The Duke's Goddess

“They’re made for each other. She just doesn’t know it yet.” How intriguing that James should think so too. Was it that obvious to everyone? Or only those closest to either Jacob or Sally? Or was James as perceptive as he claimed to be?

She wanted to know his answer. “Is that so?”

“You don’t think so?”

In fact, she did think so, but did she want to agree with a rake?

“Well…” She found Sally on the sidelines sipping a lemonade. Surprisingly, she wasn’t watching them dance. Instead, she was talking with Jacob. A small smile lit her face. “She’s in love with you.”

“No, that’s not love.” He said it so matter-of-factly that Joan was compelled to challenge him.

“She thinks it is. How can you be so sure it isn’t?”

“First of all, love doesn’t exist. Second of all—”

“Wait. That was a rather large first of all. It warrants some discussion.”

“Not sure it does,” James hummed as though he was pondering her prying statement.

“Trust me.” She paused to consider her next move.

“I do.”

That flustered her. “You do, what?”

“I do trust you.”

“You do?” Well, that was odd. He hardly knew her.

But he didn’t expand upon it other than to say, “You seem trustworthy. I’m a good judge of character.” Then he winked and added, “Trust me.”

And…she wasn’t sure if she did or not, so she let that jest go unanswered.

“About love…” She still wasn’t sure what she wanted to say at this point. Try to prove its existence? Seemed an unlikely achievable goal with the time constriction of a single dance. Maybe a simple challenge? Or just a statement of her opinion on the matter?

“Yes. What about it?” His eyes were glimmering. Almost hopeful. Eager for her response. She had better make it good.

“Yes, well, love is love.” That should do it.

He threw back his head and laughed. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

Flustered, Joan pushed the conversation along. “What’s your second point as to why Sally couldn’t love you?”

“Ah yes…Second of all, even if love did exist—which it doesn't—she doesn’t know me.”

“Perhaps she knows enough.”

“She thinks she knows enough,” he corrected.

“You don’t believe in love at first sight then?”

He looked down at her then, and she wished he hadn’t. His ocean blue depths almost pulled her down and away from having her feet on solid ground. She blinked to dissolve the moment, but he continued gazing into her eyes. She had to wonder what the devil he was looking for.

“I would say no, I do not believe in love at first sight.” But his response did not sound as confident as nearly everything else the man said. “It doesn’t matter what I believe about love.” Joan watched his corded neck swallow, knowing there was more to this than what he was disclosing, but she could see he wasn’t willing or ready to discuss it.

He plodded on with his point, “What signifies here is that Sally is better off with Jacob. We both agree on that, don’t we?”

“Yes, that’s true.” She really couldn’t not agree with that. Especially since anyone would concede the point.

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