The Best Man's Bride

by Jamie Dallas

  And, most of all, Evan would flip out once he knew the conditions of their agreement.

  This had bad idea written all over it.

  He leaned his forearms against the cool marble counters and dropped his head into his free hand. Considering he was paying her twice her normal fee, there was no reason she shouldn’t be able to afford a flat.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said.

  “I’ll sign a new contract,” Hailey said quickly.

  “Done.” The word was out before the rest of his brain could catch up.

  “Can I stop by in thirty minutes?”

  Jace glanced back at Evan, who was now leaning against the granite island. “Double that, and it’ll be fine.”

  A long pause followed. “Is Evan there?”

  “Um hmm.”

  “Okay. I guess I’ll take this opportunity to run by his place to pick up a few things.”

  “Sounds good,” he replied.

  She clicked off, and Jace returned the phone to his pocket.

  “Was that Hailey?” Evan didn’t even bother to sound casual.

  “She’s agreed to sign a new contract and finish the launch.” What he wouldn’t give for a whiskey right now.

  “Excellent,” Evan said, his face relaxing. “That probably means she’ll be coming home soon too. Then we can talk.”

  “No.” Jace leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t want this to get weird between you two. She’s not staying with you, and I’m going to have her set up an office somewhere else so she can stay focused on the task at hand.”

  Evan’s face tightened, and he pushed his cap back. “And what are you going to do? Play middleman?”

  He didn’t answer, which was apparently answer enough for Evan.

  “Great.” Evan spat the word out as if it was sour fruit. He looked ready to launch into a tirade when suddenly the other man froze, his eyes narrowed on something on the table by his couch.

  Evan walked over and picked up the item before Jace could even move.

  The pearl-covered hair decoration Hailey had left behind.

  Shit.

  “Look—”

  “Stop.” Evan’s voice was icy cold, and he pushed his hat back so Jace could see the pure hatred burning in the other man’s eyes. “I don’t know what you promised to get her to come back, and I don’t know what happened last night. But don’t you dare get any ideas with her. She’s too good for someone like you, and she knows it.”

  Someone like him. That was rich, coming from Evan.

  Jace studied his partner. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Everything between us has been business only, and it’s going to stay that way. We need Hailey to follow through with this launch, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

  Pissing off Evan was not in his plan. Sun Tech would be screwed if Evan left, and Jace didn’t want to do anything to make Evan angrier.

  Evan tried to stare him down, but Jace had it over him in terms of height and intensity.

  “Fine. This is nothing but business. But if she calls me, I’m not ignoring it.”

  Something told him the last thing Hailey would do was reach out to Evan. He kept that thought to himself as Evan tossed the comb in the trash and stormed out the front door.

  Evan was in the elevator when Jace found himself saying, “She’s too good for you too.”

  *

  “Seriously? You won’t let me up until I sign the new contract?”

  Jace couldn’t help but smile as Hailey’s mouth pushed into a pout. She flipped through the pages he handed her the second she stepped foot into the building.

  He had asked one of the contractors to set up a little table and a seat at the entrance door. On the table, he set a duplicate contract and two pens.

  “You know, they have a word for people like you,” Hailey muttered as she flipped through the pages.

  “Ruthless?” He shot her his killer grin.

  “Not quite what I was thinking,” Hailey replied. She absentmindedly pushed her bangs off her forehead. “I see you got rid of the cancellation clause.”

  That was not the only thing he’d adjusted. He had specifically written this one so that Sun Tech would pay a third of the contract up front. She’d get the remainder after the launch.

  He wasn’t risking anything this time around.

  “Thanks for holding the money hostage,” Hailey grumped. She grabbed the pen and scratched her initials across the page. “I’m thinking of another perfect word to describe you.”

  “Devilish?” he asked.

  She shook her head and began to sign her name.

  “Sexy?” he threw out there.

  Hailey’s hand halted on the page. She glanced up at Jace, her eyes running over his body as her face turned about ten different shades of red, clashing brilliantly with her red hair. Her long strands swung over her face as she ducked her head down.

  “You’re too full of yourself.” Hailey tucked her hair behind her ear as she dated and initialed the rest of the contract, revealing her still-pink cheeks.

  And, damn, if that flush didn’t appeal to him a bit too much. Far too much considering that she was in his apartment for the next three weeks.

  He had debated offering her one of the empty condos, but he didn’t want to risk impacting the sale price. Plus, it would be easier to have her in his apartment. The more available she was, the more time they could work together on final details. The added bonus was he could make sure she stayed in one place instead of walking out.

  “Here.” Hailey shoved the contract at him. “My life is signed on your dotted line.”

  His fingers brushed hers as he pulled the contract out of her grasp. Her eyes connected with his for a hot second before she glanced away. Hailey obviously had her reasons for returning, but she certainly didn’t seem thrilled by the idea. She had been nothing but sharp edges and brusque words since she showed up.

  And he was too stubborn to ask what changed her mind.

  He flipped through the contract to make sure everything was signed and dated. “Let’s head on up.”

  Hailey bent to pick up her bags. Her pants stretched over the rounded curve of her backside.

  If he wanted to keep his sanity over the next few weeks, he really needed to stop checking her out.

  This is nothing but business, he reminded himself. If he told himself that enough, hopefully he’d become less aware of Hailey and how graceful she was as she moved across the lobby.

  He scanned his card at the elevator, and the doors immediately slid opened. He held out a hand to take a bag, but Hailey shook her head and walked into the elevator, dragging her luggage behind her.

  Jace had tried to convert his office into a better guest room before Hailey returned. He had set the futon up with clean sheets and blankets, and even hung some spare hangers in the closet. Hailey glanced around as she dropped her bags in the room.

  Already, it felt different having her here. Even with her tense, awkward manner, the apartment somehow felt warmer.

  He didn’t like it. Cold and simple was a lot easier and a lot less complicated.

  “I’ll get back on the job tomorrow,” Hailey said, wandering through the apartment. Her hand brushed over the guitar.

  “You seem fascinated with that guitar,” he said.

  The instrument had once been his aunt Mia’s. She had taken care of him after his life had hit an all-time low at the ripe age of four.

  “It’s the warmest thing in this whole apartment,” Hailey said.

  “I’m warm.” He sat down on the couch, settling his arms over the back.

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re a warm body, Jace. Big difference.”

  Ouch. But he didn’t counter it. Based on the reputation he tried to maintain, he could see why she’d think that.

  He watched her movements—the smooth motion of her walk, the shift of her curves as she moved around the room. She pulled her h
air over her shoulder, the red somehow brighter against her yellow silky top.

  Hailey picked up the guitar and settled into the gray recliner opposite the couch. He could tell by the way she held the instrument that she wasn’t familiar with how to play it. Her fingers strummed lightly over the strings, and the guitar’s rich tone rang through the room.

  “I know this is an awkward situation,” Hailey said. “But I don’t want things to be weird while I’m staying here.”

  Getting up from the couch, he pulled the guitar from her lap. Just having the instrument in his hands was comforting. Having Hailey here was not.

  “Why would it get weird?”

  Hailey rolled her eyes. “Who knows? Maybe it’s the weird vibe you give off whenever I’m around.”

  “Weird vibe, huh? Is that good or bad?” He sat back down on the couch and began to play as though he didn’t have a care in the world. As if a beautiful woman wasn’t suddenly his roommate.

  Her dark eyes seemed to miss nothing as she watched his fingers play over the strings. “What does it matter as long as this job gets done, and we both walk away happy?”

  “Sounds like a mutually satisfying arrangement.” He resumed his playing.

  “It never changes with you, does it?”

  Nope. And he was going to make it a point that nothing changed between him and her. “What brought you back here?” he asked, changing the subject.

  It was a long moment before she answered him. “Bills.”

  Her terse tone told him she didn’t want to explain any more. He hit a bad note, interrupting the flow of music.

  Wedding bills. It was the first thought that popped into his head, but he forced himself not to pry. He didn’t need to get involved with her problems. As long as she finished this contract on time, that was all he cared about.

  Hailey stood. Her tenseness reverberated through the room as she paced in front of a bookshelf, hands on her hips. She read the titles of his books and studied his pictures.

  “What about Evan?” she asked suddenly.

  The muscles in the back of his shoulders went tight, and he stopped playing. Evan was the last person he wanted to discuss. “What about him? I’ll try to keep him out of your hair.”

  “No, what I mean is, what will Evan think about this?” She motioned between the two of them as though there was something more going on.

  Which there obviously wasn’t.

  “As long as the launch is a success, I don’t care what the hell Evan thinks.”

  The second the words were out, he pressed his lips together. It was a lie. He did care what Evan thought. Evan controlled the purse strings, and while there wasn’t much Evan could do without hurting Sun Tech, Jace knew Evan was in a bad mood and not thinking straight.

  “We can’t hide this from him forever. I’ll need to get my stuff from his place eventually,” Hailey said.

  “Honey, if you want to tell him, by all means, go ahead.”

  “You’re so helpful,” Hailey muttered, sarcasm laced through every word. She shook her head and started toward the hall. “I’m going to unpack.”

  And no doubt get away from him.

  “Hailey,” he called before she could disappear down the hall.

  She stopped. “Yes?”

  He took in a deep breath and let it out. “I’m glad you’re back.”

  He wasn’t used to women coming back. Even though Hailey was here to cover her bills and get a contract done, it was nice to know she returned. Hailey gave him a long look, her dark eyes assessing.

  “Don’t read too much into it,” he said.

  “I’ll try not to.” Then she disappeared down the hall.

  Chapter Four

  Hailey hadn’t stopped working since she had arrived at his apartment five days ago. Which was fine. Great, really.

  Except that knowing she was in his condo while not seeing her somehow made him more aware of her. He found himself thinking about her nonstop.

  He could handle that, or at least he told himself he could, if she didn’t leave her stuff all over the place.

  Jace glared at the closed office door down the hall as he carried the third coffee cup over to the sink. It was impossible to work from home with Hailey in his office and her mugs all over the place.

  Unfortunately, Evan made it just as impossible to work at the office as well. The man kept asking about Hailey and complaining about saving face with clients and contracts.

  Thankfully the building was nearly complete, and contractor testing the new technology gave him a good excuse to stay at the building instead of being at the office.

  Jace grabbed a couple mugs and moved them to the sink. Over the running water, he heard the office door swing open.

  “I have a great idea for Sun Tech.” Hailey clapped her hands together as she stepped into the kitchen.

  “Really?” He turned away from the sink and was stunned silent by the woman before him.

  Her hair was up in a bun, her bangs brushed over her brows. Today she wore a simple blue dress with a long cardigan.

  His stomached tightened in a way that was becoming familiar every time she entered a room.

  He went back to scrubbing the mug.

  “I hope this idea involves doing your own dishes,” he growled, sounding just like his aunt.

  Hailey set another mug on the counter and grinned up at him. “Of course I’ll do my dishes. At the end of the day like I promised you. You are weirdly neat and clean.” She leaned against the counter, her dark brown eyes bright with excitement. “Well? Aren’t you curious what it is?”

  That smile of hers was contagious. It lit up her whole face.

  He turned off the water and set the mug on the dish rack. Grabbing a green dish towel, he fought to school his lips in a straight line. He didn’t want to notice her smile or how it drew him closer. He wanted to keep everything professional without any desire to reach out and touch her.

  “Give in,” Hailey whispered, as his lips twitched.

  God, how he wanted to.

  “Fine, tell me your idea.” He tossed the towel on the kitchen counter. After this, he was heading to the gym. A rigorous workout would leave him exhausted and with no energy to notice the gorgeous woman living with him.

  “This is great.” She moved to the island and seated herself on one of the tall, high-back stools. “So, there is an urban—”

  His phone buzzed on the hard countertop, echoing in the large kitchen. Evan. The man had been incessant since he found out Hailey was working from Jace’s home office.

  Evan was making him nervous. Hailey’s concerned look wasn’t helping.

  “Sorry about that.” He silenced the call.

  “Everything okay?” Hailey’s voice was soft.

  “Everything is fine. Perfect.” He grabbed the small vase of daisies Hailey had bought and twirled the glass between his fingers.

  Hailey reached over and grabbed the flowers, her fingers brushing against his.

  “It’s fine. Really.” He ran his fingers over his hair, making sure every strand was in place. Perfect. Under control. Her eyes followed the movement of his hands, and a flare of satisfaction shot through him. “I should get going.”

  “Not until you hear my idea first.” Her voice was firm.

  “Do you always get your way?”

  “No. But since you’re paying me double, you may as well hear me out.” She grabbed the green checkered towel and folded it into a neat square.

  Damn, she was cute.

  He dropped onto the stool. “All right, let’s hear it.”

  “There’s an urban planning and research group in downtown that is throwing a cocktail party in two weeks. They are advertising for sponsors.”

  He cocked his head. “Do you expect us to sponsor this event? Before our launch? What’s the point?”

  She pulled up the stool next to him and began to draw invisible circles on the marble island with the tip of her finger. “The point is the mayor will be t
here, financiers, building officials, potential investors.”

  “At an urban planning event? I don’t think so.” He started to walk away.

  “The topic is the impact of technology and sustainability on the urban fabric. Lots of big-name tech people plan to be there as well. Houston may not be Silicon Valley, but after our time in San Francisco and LA, if there’s one thing we know, it’s how to talk with people invested in technology.”

  That stopped him in his tracks. “Go on.”

  “And if Sun Tech is willing to invest in the research and urban planning of the city, it will look good for the company. It’ll be an introduction to Sun Tech before we even launch. This will be a good opportunity to get our name on everyone’s mind.”

  Damn she was good. It was perfect. “It’s good.”

  “Seriously?” She lifted a flame-colored eyebrow at him. “Only good?”

  He cracked a smile at her sassiness. “It’s great.”

  She shook her head. “Wow, with those smooth-talking ways, no wonder women throw themselves at you.”

  “I do it with ease.”

  “Maybe you are losing your touch. I haven’t seen or heard another woman since I’ve moved in. It’s been almost a week.”

  That was because he hadn’t been out since Hailey moved in. He liked her presence. Even being home didn’t feel as lonely. The realization rattled him. He hadn’t felt antsy in this place since she had shown up. Or he had, but the pent-up energy made him want to stay near her rather than go out.

  It was time to get out of here. He stood from his chair, stretching the length of his body to his full height. “I don’t bring women here. But I can go home with one. Would you prefer that I do that?”

  Silence. Her perfect mouth opened, her jaw pushed forward to form the “y” in yes, and then she halted. Froze.

  He leaned forward, bracing an arm against the counter, moving closer to her. He saw the catch in her breath as he narrowed the distance between them, and a small thrill of victory ran through him.

  “You know what? Don’t answer that.” He could read enough on her face to know the answer. Her eyes held his, and in their warm depths there was no missing the flare of heat. “Your expression is answer enough.”