Page 91 of Fairy Tale Lies
“Not with all this snow. And not me in these.” She pointed to a pair of, in his humble opinion, sexy-as-hell red heels.
His gaze traveled along her legs, remembering the equally attractive dress she wore under the ankle-length classy wool coat.
After the fun morning activities, they had to rush. Greta used his bathroom, and he’d gotten ready in the one on the main floor. When she finished and he saw her on the stairs, he almost fucking swooned.
The scarlet, off-the-shoulder dress hugged her breasts, waist, and ass like a lover, flowing down her legs and pooling around those sexy sky-high heels. She’d called it a mermaid gown. He called it foreplay.
Greta squeezed his hand, pulling his gaze back to her eyes. “Anyway, I’m sorry too. I should have said something, cut them off. They’re exasperating. I never know what to say or do.”
Yes, she should have done something, but he didn’t want to argue anymore. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “Let’s get in there and get this over with. Then we can get back home.”
“I love you, Jacob. You know this, right?”
He nodded. Her words were meant to reassure. It hadn’t worked. He’d caught the bleak expression that had flickered across her face, speaking of defeat and lost causes.
He went around to open her door, trying to shove aside the disquiet settling into his bones. Helping her, he placed an arm on her lower back. She cuddled into him, and he tried to convince himself they were solid.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
“You’re right. This isn’t too bad,” Jacob told Greta as they left a small group of acquaintances she knew from the area.
“I told you most of the people here are perfectly pleasant.”
Greta hoped he couldn’t detect the undercurrent of worry in her voice. After the dreadful lunch and tense drive, she had been positive the rest of the day would be disastrous.
So far, her fears were unwarranted. Her friends and acquaintances had been welcoming. Some even remembered Jacob from Jane Glengarry’s infamous party. They joked around with him, thanking him for the added excitement. The interactions with Mother and Nigel were less enthusiastic, polite and distant. That worked for Greta.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Jacob was watching someone across the ballroom, a broad smile making his features even more striking.
“What?”
“I know him. What a small world.” He pointed to a tall, familiar man off to their left. Lucas.
“There’s someone I want you to meet.” Jacob took her hand and headed toward Lucas and Elizabeth.
Lucas’s eyes widened upon spotting Jacob. Both men broke into gorgeous grins, catching the attention of many of the surrounding ladies. Greta couldn’t blame them. The two men exuded too much male sexiness, practically sucking the oxygen from the room.
“What are you doing here?” Lucas took Jacob’s hand and did that guy thing, half handshake, half hug, before introducing Elizabeth. Turning to Greta, he asked, “And, how doyouknow Jacob?”
Jacob’s brows pulled together, his gaze darting between her and his friend. “How doyouknow Greta?”
His adorable look of confusion made her giggle.
“Elizabeth introduced us back at, oh, Jane Glengarry’s party,” Greta nudged him playfully, “before you arrived to spice things up.”
Understanding filled Lucas’s eyes. “Was that you? The one throwing punches? I was inside the house when it happened but heard about it and saw the guy. He was hurting.”
Jacob shrugged. “I’d swung by to get Greta. It’s not my fault her stupid ex was having a hard time accepting she’s with me now. And what it means to keep his hands to himself.”
“Anyway, how do you two know each other?” Greta wanted to move away from the topic of Blake and Jacob’s notorious night.
“He and Will met years back when they were taking classes at Henry Ford College. We became friends as well.” Jacob chuckled. “I swear, I’m becoming part of the Petite Bois disease.”
Elizabeth tilted her head, her gaze bouncing between Jacob and Greta, clearly waiting for one of them to explain.
Greta took over. “He says it’s odd how tightknit our city is, how we all know each other. Now it’s happening to him.”
“It is a maddening disease.” Elizabeth laughed lightly.
