Page 109 of Burning Love
Talia smiled. “Thank you. I was actually recruited to a few colleges, but didn’t want to play there.”
“We remember when your brother showed up. It was the big talk.”
Jace rolled his eyes. “Which brother is that?” she asked. “I’ve got six of them.”
“Seven if you count your new brother-in-law. What is Jamie Wilde like?”
“Janey,” Lauren said. “We talked about this. Talia is just a person like you and I.”
“It’s fine,” Talia said. “I get this a lot. Jamie is great. Not like an intimidating celebrity, but I don’t spend a ton of time around him. They live in New Jersey and New York splitting their time.”
Jace tried not to think about the fact that not only was Talia’s brother a billionaire but her sister had married an ex-quarterback turned TV commentator celebrity. The whole family had a lot of eyes on them and here he was the orphan with a civil service job and another part-time construction one.
What could he have been thinking dating her?
It should have been just for fun, but somewhere along the lines it turned into more.
Way before he found out she had a bun in her oven.
He turned when the front door opened and Kelsey came in with Rob, then his nephews following.
“Hi, Talia,” Kelsey said. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“You too,” she said.
They were all in the front family room that rarely got used. It was as if Lauren and his father bombarded them before they could get in the door in their excitement.
“Uncle Jace!” Both of his nephews charged him to give him high-fives.
“Hey, guys. William, Jonathan, this is Talia.”
“Aren’t you two the cutest things possible? You look a little like your Uncle Jace.”
He always thought so too, but Kelsey got annoyed when it was brought up.
He wanted to see if she would this time but didn’t.
“Hopefully they are handier than their father,” Kelsey said.
“Hey,” Rob said. “I helped Jace get the swingset built.”
“Rob is good at carrying supplies and handing them over,” he said, slapping his brother-in-law on the back.
“That’s right. But I helped.”
“Why don’t we go in the back and relax?” Lauren said. “I’ve got snacks. Jace, can you get a drink for Talia? We are thrilled you could come.”
He put his hand on her lower back and walked with her to the back of the house.
He noticed his father grinning at that move.
The last thing he wanted to do was guard everything he did today.
“Is there anything I can help with?” Talia asked. “Jace told me I didn’t have to bring anything and I felt bad. I wanted to bake cookies.”
“We don’t need the fire department at your house again,” Jace said.
She gave him a nudge with her hand. “I’m sure you all heard that story and how we met?”
