The Sweetest Fling (A Stupid Cupid Book) (18 page)

She should have looked at the caller ID. She should have gone back to Jace’s and forced him to tell Tyler. They could have done it all together, faced the first firing squad. Instead, Jace had chickened out. And she had let him. Claire put a hand over the pain in her chest. She didn’t want to hurt her mom like this. Not anyone. Of course she had thought of what people would say and think and gossip. But it all had seemed surmountable when Jace smiled at her in that crooked, boyish way of his, like he was asking—needing—for someone to just love him. For Claire to please just love him.

The ache turned to a sharp pain, and tears welled in her eyes.

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that it happened like this, to her. Why couldn’t she have fallen so hard for Oliver? Or Tyler, for that matter. Why Jace?

But, she knew deep in her soul that fair had nothing to do with it. In truth, she was lucky. She was lucky enough to know, without a doubt, who she was meant for.

And Jace was worth it.

Claire blinked, but her tears fell anyway. “Mother, I’m not in love with Oliver.”
Don’t make her say it. She had to say it.
She took her mother’s hand and squeezed it so she would meet her eyes. “I’m in love with ... someone else.”

Eve’s mouth parted. Her eyes darted between her lap and Claire’s face. Claire nodded slowly, watching the denial slip over her mother’s features, waiting for the gruesome reaction that she’d imagined to be realized.

Half-frowning, half-smiling, Eve shook her head. “Honey, you
do
love Oliver.”

Claire sighed, closing her eyes. “I thought I did, Mom.” She let go of her hand. “But what I really was in love with was the life he could give me. A photograph on a mantel.”

“But,” her mother said, waving a hand through the air. “But, you and Oliver have been together for years now. Surely, you would not have stayed with him all this time.”

The ache in her chest eased. Claire nodded, sensing that the gruesome horror scene might not play out after all. “I know. But six years ago, when I met Jace ...”

“Six years?” Eve demanded.

Claire slowly nodded. She would take this slowly. “I met Jace six years ago. I’ve been in love with him since we met, and I have denied it for years. I told myself it wasn’t real. Then three or so weeks ago, our paths crossed, and I
had
to face my feelings for him. For Jace Fletcher.”

Eve shook her head. She laughed derisively. “Claire, ah, my dearest daughter. You run into a guy you had feelings for—when?—in college? And you believe they are real?” Eve grasped her hand this time. “Honey, if you cross paths with your past—a past you might miss a little—and combine that with last-minute doubts every man and woman on this earth feels before their wedding, well, what do you expect?”

Claire lowered her gaze. If only it were as simple as that. She looked up again, ready to do what was necessary to penetrate the denial. “Mom, Jace may be the only person on this planet who really gets me, and who sees me for
me
. Mother, I’m not sensible. I’m reticent, cowardly, and scared. I do what I hope will make you and Dad love me, what I think is proper, and what will get the least amount of curious attention.”

Eve Byron pursed her lips, but not before Claire saw them tremble. Regret pinched in her chest. She’d spoken too harshly. Briefly, Claire wondered which one caused the glimpse of a tremble, the wedding cancellation or that she loved a man other than Oliver? “Mother, I realize you’ve put so much work into my wedding. But how can I walk down the aisle if I don’t love my husband.”

“Love? Please! Marriage isn’t about love, Claire. How many times have I warned you? Love will not pay bills. Love will not secure your future.”

“How can you truly know that, mother? Didn’t you ever completely and utterly love someone? Not even dad?”

“I think you should leave.”

Claire gasped. “Leave?”

Eve nodded, her gaze cold. Claire felt all of five again, wanting to rush to her skirts and beg her mom to hug her, to not walk away. She’d cooperate. She’d be good. Just, please, don’t take any love away.

“Yes, please go. I can’t talk to you like this.” She looked away.

Claire’s mouth fell open only long enough to snap it shut. Hadn’t she expected this? Wasn’t this everything she’d feared? No. There was a fantasy reaction, too, she realized. A secret hope that her mother would not turn cold and distant, but would simply understand and support her no matter what.

A very deep-seated part of her wanted to reassure her mom that she was right. That Claire was probably just having jitters, anything to not be shut out for hours or weeks or months. How long had the one in seventh grade lasted? Six months. Eve had managed to not touch her daughter for six long months. Over flute lessons.

Jealousy spiked through her. Would Jace’s family do this to him? No. They’d yell. They’d argue. They’d cry and laugh and figure it out. Together. Could they accept even this? The girl that got away is back. But in love with the other brother.

Could the Fletchers accept Tyler’s ex as Jace’s new girlfriend? She should go. She should stop sitting there waiting for Eve to say something. Bizarrely, she almost laughed. Her mind felt that much lighter. She’d done it. She’d faced the demon. No one’s reaction could be worse than her mother’s—not even Oliver’s. Which was exactly whom she had to see next.

* * *

Hell and back?
His twin brother had lost his mind. Worse, Jace was about to lose his temper. He refused to tell him like this. Not in anger, now with his brother acting like a jealous stalker. He couldn’t begin to guess what Claire had heard or how she might react either.

“I have to go to work, Tyler. I’m sorry, but you have to go.” Jace pointed.

Tyler scowled. “You want me to leave? Why?”

“Look, I’m not up for it, Tyler. Go to mom. Go dump on Ashley. I have my own problems.”

“Unbelievable.” Tyler stood. “I thought I could count on you. How many times have you shown up on my doorstep, like a kicked puppy, and I’ve taken you in?”

“You hardly even know her,” Jace said in a low voice.

“What?” He narrowed his eyes.

“You hardly even know her.” He met his gaze. “I’m sorry if that hurts you, bro, but it’s true. Now, please ... go. I need a shower.”

Tyler let the door slam shut, and if his brother didn’t have a clue about Jace’s feelings for Claire now, he never would. Until it stared him in the face.

“You’ve gotta go, Tyler.”

“What? Why?”

“I just ... please go. I have to get ready for work and I’m just not up for it today, okay?” The need to get his brother out the door gripped him by the throat. “I’ve got a migraine coming on.”

“Just not up for what? What does that even mean?”

“Up for you mooning over Claire. Okay?” Mooning over the woman he loved. The woman Jace wished he could finally call his own.

“Whoa. Bitchy much?”

“Yes. Bitchy, bitter, call it what you want. Just go.”

Tyler flipped him the bird and let the front door slam shut.

Jace hurried to his bedroom. The last thing he expected was to find it empty, the window sitting wide open,

Jace sat on his sofa, staring at his shaking hands, wondering what had happened to his world. Upside down didn’t cover it. What was he thinking? He’d nearly told Tyler everything!

Inside out and twisted was more like it. Like a time warp.

His biggest wish was coming true, and with it, his worst fear, too. Tyler was still in love with Claire. So much so that he wanted to try to end her engagement, for what? A second shot at winning her. They were right back to where they’d started.

Jace smitten. Tyler blind. Claire running away.

Karma must have it in for him. Tyler, in all these years had never, not once, been able to hold interest in any single girl. Given more time, even Claire would have lost his attention. Regardless of sex. How could she not, when he never saw her for who she was? He couldn’t see her vulnerability, her vibrance, and her determination. He saw only her presentation, the face she wore for the world, the one that she had removed for Jace during late-night whispers all those years ago.

And now, Jace had gone and thrown Tyler out of his house. He had seen red. In doing so, now in the aftermath, his emotions cooling and recoiling, churning and twisting, he knew he’d begun the end he’d been avoiding for years.

Tyler would find out.

If he didn’t find out from him or Claire, he would figure it out. He was no idiot.

Jace ran a hand over his face. What would he do when he finally knew the truth? What would his family say? How could he face them after betraying his own brother so thoroughly for so long?

Claire was ending her engagement, but not because she couldn’t live another day of lying, of living without Jace. She was ending it because Tyler had spied on and stalked her fiancé and discovered breakup gold.

He put his head in his hands. A headache was making its way into his temples. The scent of her, the feel of their lovemaking, still radiated from his skin. He wanted to curl into himself and pull it inward. But he needed to pull it together and figure out what to do. What could he say? Call Claire? Call Tyler?

Staring at his cell phone on the end table, he mentally scrolled through the phone book. No one. No one knew about Claire. There was no one to call. Screw it. He would just have to bear this alone.

The phone rang, lighting up and skimming the table’s surface in vibration mode. Quickly, he reached for it, something in him hoping it would be Claire, but knowing it couldn’t be.

It was Ashley. Could he tell Ashley?

Jace cleared his throat and answered.

“It’s time.” Ashley missed her calling as a drill sergeant.

“Time for what?” Jace said, pinching one temple.

“Jace Fletcher, it is time for your niece to come into the world.”

Jace sucked in a breath. “It’s a girl!”

“Shit,” Ashley said low. “Yes. Peanut’s a girl, and so help me, if you tell a single soul, I will ...” The line fell silent.

“Hello?” Jace glanced at his phone screen.

“I’m here,” Ashley answered tightly. “Contraction. It’s easing now. They’re seven minutes apart. By the time we get to the hospital, they should be closer to five, like they told me to wait for. Within four or five hours, we can call everyone in. Until then, just swear you won’t call anyone. Alright? And meet us there.”

“Hospital, yes, okay. Can I bring anything?”

“No. Lawrence has my bag. Oh, no wait. Can you stop and get some donuts? I’m crazy hungry.”

Jace grinned. “Donuts? Right. I’m on it. See you at the hospital.” He hung up and started moving. Nothing like a distraction to help a guy think. This, he could handle. This, he could focus on and not come unhinged. Labor. Ashley’s long-anticipated and very-well-rehearsed labor. In a matter of hours, Jace would meet his niece.

His smile widened. A girl! A sweet little thing to teach how to throw a ball, to show the right way to left uppercut a guy in the chin. Jace would be the best uncle ever. His big sister deserved as much.

A baby. He’d always wanted kids.

Claire. Wouldn’t it be heaven to have kids with Claire? Little brunettes with curls and mocha eyes. Tyler betrayed, his family betrayed, Claire more worried about who her fiancé was with than Jace.

He shoved it all out of his mind, forcing the fear and nausea with it, and drove.

Donuts. Ashley. A baby girl.

In that order.

* *

“Is he on the way?” Millie asked.

“Yes.” Ashley winced.

“Oh my crap, Ashley. I’m so sorry. I’m terrible at this.”

“I know,” Ashley hissed. “You’re kind of terrible at a few things, Millie.”

“Trust me. I know.” Millie scooped a handful of Ashley’s ice chips, her bangles jingling. “But, I am improving. This match only took me six years.”

“Versus?”

No matter what AJ said, having someone on the real side of life knowing what she was turned out to be so amazing. Yes, he’d flip when he found out Millie filled Ashley in on the whole life sentence and Karma Court thing. But, she didn’t care. Finally fixing her mistake and reuniting Jace and Claire was worth whatever hell heaven handed down as her punishment.

How bad could it be?

Certainly not worse than it had been. “Versus a botched love potion, or four. Accidentally outing someone long before he had come to terms with his sexuality. Oh, and a truly horrific episode with a truth serum.”

“That’s it!” Ashley half-gasped, her head thumping back.

Millie paused mid-ice chip. “Oh, no. What is it? Should I get a nurse?”

Ashley swung her head from side to side and made a deeply disturbing moaning sound. Millie backed away. “I’m going to find Lawrence. He’ll be so much better at this. Really.”

Holding her hand out, Ashley shook her head again. “Can’t tell him.”

“Of course I have to. He’s the dad. He needs to be here.”

Ashley breathed out, her shoulders relaxed and she smiled. “No. Lawrence will be back in a minute. Seriously, until Jace gets here, I can’t have him in here. Jace is for Lawrence. Not for me.”

“Really? Uh, I don’t think he knows that.”

“Of course he doesn’t, and you won’t tell him.” She waved her hands. “You’re going to make me forget. You are brilliant.”

Millie frowned. She thought for sure that Ashley was skipping that whole drug route. “Come again?”

Ashley smacked her lips on a chunk of ice. “Truth serum.”

“Uh, nooooo. Trust me. It works a totally different way in the movies.” Millie blocked out the images of poor Match Number Twenty-Four, the police charges brought against the woman, as well as the entire streaking incident before the memories could sock her in the belly.