Harry’s eyes twinkled. “Is she single?”
“No.” Heather shook her head. “She’s got a boyfriend.”
He shrugged. “Eh. At our age, that status changes hourly.”
Oh God, that’s just what Jase needed. Another boyfriend for Babushka.
“The book club ladies and I want to ask you about a cookie-decorating class. We want to change things up.” Harry rubbed his hands together. “What do you say?”
That sounded like a load of fun. “You all name the day.”
“Aye-aye.” Harry gave her a little salute and scooted off toward Babushka. Heather followed, slipping beside Jase. His hand found hers and he linked their fingers together.
And, dammit, she’d had sex with this man all weekend. But when he linked their fingers together? Butterflies danced through her stomach. She’d been out of the game for a while, so they were practically geriatric butterflies. But they still flitted, and she felt like a teenager who’d just been asked out to the movies.
Meanwhile, Harry was in total flirt mode—wide smile, freshly combed hair, animated talking. Babushka was eating it up, which didn’t bode well for poor Morty.
“You wanna see the room where we’re hosting the prom?” Heather whispered to Jase.
“Will we be alone, and does it smell like mothballs?” His breath played against her ear.
She turned so they were nose to nose. “Yes and no.”
“Then I’m in.” He unlinked their hands and laid his palm on his grandmother’s shoulder. “Heather’s going to go show me some stuff. We’ll catch up.”
“Yes, yes. I’m good.” Babushka brushed off his hand and linked her arm with Harry’s outstretched elbow.
“I’m starting to think this retirement home might not be the best place for her.” Jase glared in Harry’s direction.
“It’s this or Morty’s.”
Jase sighed heavily. “So, this place is looking better and better.”
“C’mon. I’ll show you.” Heather pulled him toward the large rec room with a bank of windows along one wall that led out to a concrete patio with potted plants and benches. An abundance of white-plastic folding tables lined one wall next to a rack of metal chairs. They would set those up with tablecloths for the dance—given that the attendees likely wouldn’t be able to stand for long periods. “I figured we’d put the DJ over there, and the dance floor here, and then snacks and punch right next to the door.”
He took it all in. “You really like doing this stuff, don’t you?”
“Well…yeah.” She did. It gave her something to do and it made people happy. “I’ve got a little dance lesson planned, too. You wanna be my partner?”
“I’m in. Name the day.” He pointed toward the patio. “What about an arch of flowers covering the doorway, and I can bring in some trellises and hang vines. We’ll do it up with lots of flowers.”
“That sounds expensive.”
“We’ll call it a write-off.”
He would do that? Her chest heaved. In a good way. “Still. Maybe stick with carnations?”
Jase made a sour face. “I run a classy shop. We don’t even let carnations in the door.”
“And you don’t mind doing this?” Heather gestured wide.
He tilted her chin up with his index finger. “I’d sell my left nut to have you look at me again the way you just did.”
She leaned up on her tippy-toes and pressed a kiss to the edge of his mouth. “I like your nuts where they are, thank you.”
He moved toward the windows, inspecting the walls around them. “Anything else you want for this thing? I’ll have Elizabeth put together some corsages, and we can bring some single long-stemmed roses.”
“I’m starting to rethink my stance on flowers.” When it was just the two of them, it felt like no one else in the world existed.
He winked at her. “Then my plan is working.”
“Vat are ve doing?” Babushka breezed into the rec room.
“Jase and I…” Heather glanced to him. “We’re…”
And just like that, when another person showed up, she turned into a stammering mess.
“Heather’s planning a prom for the residents here. I’m helping.” Jase strode back, his hand caught hers, and he pulled her into his side.
“I vill live here. I have decided.” Babushka clapped her hands, and apparently, that was that. “I vill start paperwork.” She headed toward the offices at the front of the building.
Jase hadn’t moved his arm, it was still slung around Heather, nestling her against his side.
“Are you good with this?” Heather asked, looking up at him from under her lashes. “Your grandmother living here?”
“The alternative is her living with that idiot from Blackhawk. So, yeah, I’m good with this.” Jase gave her a side squeeze. “I’ll talk to Eli, get him to do the food for this thing.”
That would be amazing, but… “We really don’t have that much of a budget, Jase. I was just thinking like cookies and punch or something.”
“He owes me. I’ll call in a favor.” He caught her stare. “You’re doing it again, sugar.”
“Doing what?”
He traced the column of her neck with his fingertip. “Looking at me like that.”
“I’ll stop.” She glanced around the room instead, doing a mental catalog of all that needed done.
Jase tilted her face back to him. “Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.”
Oh.
Well.
Oh.
19
Chapter Nineteen
Jase was working construction again, Babushka was settling into her new apartment, and Heather, Claire, and Velma were doing an impromptu let’s-dissect-Heather’s-life-choices at Velma’s place.
“I thought you were off men.” Velma settled into the white leather sofa.
“I was. But Jase and I... I don’t even know what happened, it just did.” Heather took an oversized gulp of chardonnay. “And mostly, it’s been amazing.”
“Mostly?” Claire asked.
“It’s just, this morning I was pretty sure he was going to break up with me. Like we’d had our weekend of fun and he was done.” And boy, was the weekend fun.
“But?” Claire pushed, her own glass of wine in hand.
“But then he didn’t. And he’s been really sweet.” They’d gone to the assisted-living center with Babushka. She liked the place, Jase was okay with it, and she signed the lease.
“I feel like I have to be the one to say this.” Velma paused and set her iced tea on a coaster. “I just think that for your first foray back into the world of dating, Jase may not be the best option.”
Like Heather hadn’t already thought that very same thing a thousand times.
“It’s just that I don’t think this is a healthy relationship when he didn’t even want to acknowledge you to his family,” Velma continued.
“I don’t know.” Claire sat taller. “Jase isn’t Mr. Commitment, but neither was Brek. I mean, who would’ve called that one? Your relationship with him didn’t exactly get off to a great start. It took time.”
Claire made a good point—no one in their right mind would’ve expected a guy like Brek to settle down and enjoy married life. Or someone with Velma’s particularities to be all in with a guy like him. And yet? He and Velma were happy. Blissfully so.
“What we need is a strategy for your heart.” Velma was ready to make a list, Heather could feel it.
“V?” Brek hollered from the nursery where he was getting Lily changed.
“Hang on.” Velma stood and pointed to both of them. “Don’t say anything until I get back.”
Velma scooted down the hallway.
“You think I need a strategy for my heart?” Heather asked Claire.
“I think you need to decide what you really want. If you really want to be alone, then do that. If you really don’t want that, then don’t. But don’t be afraid to try with Jase.”
“I’m back.�
�� Velma returned, baby in hand.
“And I’m out.” Brek kissed his wife and sat to put on his motorcycle boots.
“Before you go. What do you think of the whole Jase-and-Heather-getting-together thing?” Velma asked. “It’s the topic of conversation tonight.”
Brek stood, stretched, and bent down to peck another kiss on Velma’s lips. “My opinion is that I don’t have an opinion.”
“That’s not helpful,” Velma replied. “Did you hear Jase is helping Heather with the prom thing she’s planning?”
“Nope.” He grabbed his leather motorcycle jacket and pulled it on, zipping it up to the collar.
“Really?” Velma asked, unconvinced.
“Believe it or not, we don’t sit around and gab all day,” Brek replied.
“That is not entirely true,” Heather said. From what she’d witnessed that afternoon, the boys talked a lot.
Brek grinned at her. “Don’t spill the secrets.”
“So, we’re going to the prom,” Velma told him.
He stared at her a beat. “Of course we are.”
“I’m just wondering when you’re going to ask me to be your date.” Velma bounced Lily and grinned up at her husband.
“My ring on your finger?” he asked.
“Well, yeah.”
“Done deal.” He kissed her again, and then Lily’s head.
“You should never just assume anything,” Claire said to his back.
“Brek, did you get that DJ’s name like we talked about?” Heather asked. “For my prom?”
“Shit, yeah,” he said. “I’ll text it. He said he’s in.”
“You know you’re the best, right?” Heather asked.
Brek grunted and did a two-finger wave before heading out.
Claire stood to top off her glass. “I’m gonna make Dean ask me. He’s gonna have to do a full promposal.”
Cotton stuck in Heather’s throat. Flashbacks to high school and a very uncomfortable prom night with no date. That wasn’t now, though. She had a sort-of boyfriend, not that they’d labeled anything yet. But he was helping her plan prom, and they were sleeping together, and he was holding her hand. So, yeah, he was her prom date.
She’d just go with that.
20
Chapter Twenty
Senior “Senior” Prom Countdown: 3 Days
Heather was in Jase’s bed, again. She’d met up with Jase at his apartment after her girls’ night and then they’d continued their weekend fun late into Monday night. She ran her hand over his pillow. Around four a.m., he’d kissed her and told her he was heading down to the shop to get some work done. A few extra hours of sleep had done the trick, but it was time to get up and head to work.
She rolled from the bed, dressed, and headed downstairs.
Music blared from the speakers in the flower shop. Shirtless Jase was in his zone again—a private dance party to Warrant while he worked on a vase of gardenias. She paused at the foot of the stairs that led from his apartment to his shop, drinking him in.
He danced her way, and she knew the moment he saw her. His lips stopped moving to the beat of the song, and his eyes did that thing they did whenever he saw her—the instant soft thing. “Heather. Hey.”
She couldn’t hear the words, but she could read his lips well enough. Her blood heated, and she tingled all over, right up to the roots of her hair.
He turned off the stereo, Warrant singing about cherry pie zipping to a stop. She moved to him, reaching up on her tiptoes to kiss him. He tilted his head, deepened the kiss, and held her close against him, his hands in her hair. Early mornings weren’t so bad with Jase and a good make-out session.
“I guess this is the part where I tell you I have to go,” she said once he broke the kiss, her mouth only millimeters from his. “The shop opens in an hour.”
“Then this is the part where I tell you I’d rather you stay.” He grinned.
“And this is when I remind you that you have work and then are spending the evening with your family.”
He groaned. “Can’t I just pretend I’m sick and come over to your place?”
“I’m watching game shows tonight. I’m way behind on my bingeing, and I need a dose of Family Feud.”
“I guarantee if I come over, we won’t be watching Family Feud.” His hand slid down over her back, resting just below her waist.
Her fingertip seemed to trace circles on his pec on its own. “Don’t make our first fight over Steve Harvey.”
“Are we fighting? Do we get to make up later?” With the way he was looking at her, they’d need to go upstairs for another round before either of them would get anything done.
“Come by after you’re done,” she whispered against his lips.
The cowbell on the door clanked. They both glanced over.
His mom and sister stood there.
“Heather.” Anna’s eyes were bright. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Shit,” Jase muttered under his breath. He dropped his hands and held them up in mock defense. “Whatever you two are about to do, knock it off.”
“We came to invite Heather to tonight’s family dinner, Jason.” His mother adjusted her purse over her shoulder. “Since we don’t get together often.”
“Only every other night,” he mumbled under his breath.
“I figured she’d be here. I was totally right.” Anna strutted over to Jase and held her hand up for a high five.
He didn’t return it.
“Hi,” Heather said cautiously.
The light in his eyes shut down. “Babushka would be the trifecta if she weren’t pissed at everyone.”
“Jase, it’s okay.” Heather gave his biceps a squeeze.
He pursed his lips. “Heather has plans tonight.”
She did?
Were they back to this? Back to his walls around his family. A night with Steve Harvey hardly counted as plans.
“Heather?” Jase’s mother asked.
“I’ve got to go to work.” She chanced a glance to Jase, who had an unreadable expression etched on his face. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Jase, quit being a dingbat. We’ll be nice to Heather and we want to get to know her, too. Stop hogging her,” Anna huffed. “Unless, you really have plans?” She turned her attention back to Heather.
Heather shifted on her feet.
“She does,” Jase replied for her.
Plans that could easily change, but still, plans.
“Give us a second?” Heather asked. “Jase, will you walk me across the street?”
“Gladly.” He grabbed her hand and marched across the street with her, not speaking.
“You don’t talk much when you’re angry, do you know that?” she asked when they got to the door of her shop.
He grunted.
She had to reach on her toes again so they were face-to-face. Well, face-to-face-ish. He was way taller than her, so it was more like chin-to-nose. She pressed her palms against his cheeks and tilted his face to hers. “If you don’t want me there, I won’t come. But I can hold my own with your family—if that’s what this is all about.”
He sighed. “You don’t understand. They seem fine on the surface, but soon enough they’ll be slipping under your skin and you’ll be revealing your deepest secrets without realizing it ever happened.”
“What am I going to say? Tell them that thing you did last night with your tongue?” His eyes flared. She went on, “Jase, we’re just us. They’re them. But they’re a part of you, and I’d like to get to know that part.”
“I went through training you can’t even imagine. Training to prepare me for the worst of the worst this planet has to offer—people who thrive on breaking us down. People who take a Navy recruit and turn him into a pile of mush.” He was totally serious. “Heather, they have nothing on my family. Because my family uses sweet saccharine to lure you in. Then they’ll ruin everything.”
“They cannot be that bad. I love your babushka. Your m
om and sister seem great.”
“Oh, they’re great. They’ll just involve themselves in our relationship.”
“They’re part of you.” She pecked a kiss against his lips. “Let me in. Let me know them.”
“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.” He stroked her cheekbone.
She unlocked the door, pushing it open. “We’ll be in it together. It can’t be that bad.”
He grunted again. She glanced over his shoulder. His mom and Anna were on the sidewalk outside of their shop. They both waved.
“They’re watching us,” she whispered.
“Of course they are.” He turned their direction and gave a little wave.
“Be serious for a minute.” Heather gently grabbed his arm. “Are you frustrated because I’m invited or because they’re sticking their noses in?”
“I’m frustrated because I want you all to myself.” The air between them got heavy.
She linked her arms around his neck. “I think that you’re trying to be sweet.”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
“I’m a big girl. I can handle this.” She glanced to his mom and sister. Yeah, she could handle this. They loved him and she…oh God….nope. Not going there. She really liked him a lot. So she already had something in common with his family.
Like…a whole lot of like.
21
Chapter Twenty-One
Heather held on to Jase’s waist as he pulled his Ducati into the driveway of his family’s huge Cherry Creek home. He parked, and she tossed her leg over the side, pulling her helmet off and hoping like hell her hair wasn’t totally smashed. Jase had assured her the dress code was casual, but she still went with a summer dress and her hair down. She’d even curled it—not that it mattered with the way the helmet had likely smashed the curls.
Jase went with his perpetual jeans and T-shirt combo—this tee had his company logo on the front.
She retrieved the box of cookies she’d made from the saddlebags. Flower-shaped sugar cookies seemed appropriate, decorated with extra-sparkly sprinkles and a dash of edible luster dust. She’d added a dozen chocolate chip, because one could never go wrong with chocolate. “You ready?”
Just the Tip of the Iceberg: Mile High Matched Books 1-3 Page 41