Page 96 of So in Love
“Yes, it is.”Jamie managed to close his mouth before he tacked “sir” on the end.He drank more beer, wishing it would put him at ease.The longer this questioning went on, the more his anxiety escalated.He was just waiting for Chuck—or any one of them—to tell him he wasn’t exactly son-in-law material, which was pretty much what Sir Geoffrey had told him after their first meeting.
Jamie turned his head to look toward the kitchen.Every now and then he heard feminine laughter.He silently urged Crystal to come rescue him.
“You own a house in Ribbon Ridge?”Trent asked.“I’ve got ten acres down the road, and Sam’s about to close on a new place outside town.What’s it got, eight, nine acres?”
“Nine,” Sam said, nodding.
“I’m the only one living on a regular lot,” Fitz said.“But it’s big enough for the kids to run around and have a chicken coop.”
“My half-brother and his wife have chickens,” Jamie said, glad he had something to contribute.Then he recalled they’d asked him about owning a house.“I, uh, rent a loft in town.”
“Like in Portland?”Fitz exchanged looks with his brothers.“Isn’t that the closest city?”
“It’s the closest big city, but our county has some large towns and a small city.I live in Ribbon Ridge, though—we have a downtown.”
“Loft sounds so fancy,” Sam said.“You saw downtown Blueville today.We don’t have anything resembling a loft.”He laughed, and the others joined in.
Trent squinted at Jamie briefly.“You seem kinda young.I think we’ll have to give Crystal a hard time about robbing the cradle.”
Jamie had endured enough.He stood.“Please don’t.Uh, speaking of Crystal, I’m going to go see what she’s up to.”He walked toward where he’d heard talking earlier and nearly collided with her.
She steadied herself by putting a hand on his chest.“Everything all right?”
“Yeah.”Except his insides were twisting like a windsock in front of a used car dealership.“No.Sorry.Your brothers and dad were just grilling me.I’m…” He swiped a hand over his face.“I just need a moment.”
She took his hand and led him toward the front of the house, to a room off the entry that was clearly an office.Flipping on the light, she steered him inside and closed the door.“What’s wrong?”
“I just, I get nervous around families I guess.Okay, around one other family.I never really told you that much about Sadie.”
“Who’s Sadie?”
“She was my girlfriend in England.We dated for about six months.Things were great until she took me home to her family.Her father was a knight and thought I was pretty far beneath her.She agreed, and that was the end of that.”
“That’s horrible.”
“Especially since she’d driven me into crippling debt.”His gaze strayed to a rather large deer head mounted on the wall.“Holy shit.”
“Sorry.Don’t look at it.”She clasped his forearms and turned him toward her.
“It’s just going to stare at the back of my head.Forever.”
Her gaze was full of sympathy.“Unfortunately, yes.Why did she drive you into debt?”
He shook it off.“Because she had expectations.Her family was absolutely minted.”
“Massively wealthy?”
He nodded.“I just wanted to impress her.Did I mention I was young and a complete dickhead?”
“Hey, you saw the effects of my regrettable youth earlier today.I am so not going to judge.”
She had a good point.“I guess I’m just afraid your family won’t like me, and then you won’t like me either.”
“I was afraid your mother was going to hate me forever, but I didn’t think you would.I’m sure you can learn to separate me from them,” she said somewhat wryly.“Anyway, they will love you because I will beat them into submission if necessary.I realize I have insecurities but not when it comes to those lummoxes in the living room.All they really care about is if you make me happy.”
He stepped closer, taking her hand in his and stroking his thumb along the back.“And do I?”
She smiled up at him, her heart in her eyes.“Oh yes.”She leaned into him and brushed her lips against his.He captured her mouth for something longer and far more intimate.
