Page 4 of Discretion

She hesitated a moment longer, and I thought my heart might lunge out of my chest. Finally,finally, she whispered, “Yes.”

“Good.” I leaned over to give her a quick peck on the cheek. Then I opened the door and stepped out onto the curb, holding out my hand. She placed hers in mine, and then I led her to the entrance to the garden.

She didn’t try to release my hand even now that we were out of the car, and I intended to hold on for as long as she’d let me. I guided her through the ancient archways, and she gasped as we crossed the threshold into the center of the old church. Candles lined the stone walkway, surrounding a picnic blanket where a basket awaited us.

“Jasper.” She shook her head, lifting her hand to her mouth.

“Do you like it?” I asked, hating the desperation that crept into my tone. I’d never been so eager to impress a woman. I’d never wanted something more.

And with Halle, I definitely wanted more.

That was why I’d planned this evening. To show her that this wasn’t just about sex—at least, not anymore. Not for me. I was falling for her—hard.

I’d thought falling for someone would scare the fuck out of me, but nothing had ever felt more right. I wanted Halle in my life, permanently. And I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

“It’s beautiful.” She spun slowly, taking it all in. The lanterns that hung from the majestic limbs of the tree. The plaid blanket artfully draped over the ledge where we’d share our meal. The sky up above, a cathedral full of stars.

“You must have really wantedto impress her,” Darla said, interrupting the memory. “Who was that for?”

If I knew Darla, and I did, she was mentally cataloguing every interaction, calendar appointment, and detail from that time period. If I weren’t careful, she’d put the pieces together.

Shit.I couldn’t let her find out that it had been with Halle. She was my sister’s chief of staff, for chrissakes.

I mimed zipping my lips shut. Darla narrowed her eyes at me.

“Did this mystery woman love it?” Beth asked, and I latched on to her question, grateful to have a pretext for ignoring Darla’s question. “Did you make love beneath the stars?”

I chuckled.These women.

“Yes, she loved it. At least until her so—” I tried to regroup. I’d nearly slipped up and mentioned Halle’s son, and now Darla and her friends were watching me even more closely. “Her—” I cut myself off again, trying not to mentionKai. “She had a family emergency.”

“So romantic.” Beth pretended to swoon, but Darla was still staring at me. Hard.

No joke. It had been the perfect evening until Halle’s ex had called. Kai had gotten a stomach bug, and he was throwing up and wanted his mom. I didn’t doubt the fact that Kai had wanted his mom, but based on everything Halle had told me about her ex, I also suspected that Craig hadn’t wanted to deal with a sick kid.

I gnashed my teeth at the reminder. Yes, I’d been disappointed that our already limited alone time together had been cut short. But I’d been concerned for Kai. And what was Craig thinking, demanding that Halle come pick up Kai? I got that Kai wanted his mom, but what kind of father didn’t want to be there for his son?

More than anything, I’d hated the defeated look in Halle’s eyes. The resignation. The fact that she’d tried to do something for herself, and it had backfired.

Darla sipped her sangria, her eyes on me the entire time. But it was Becky who spoke next. “Then what happened? Are you still together?”

I shook my head, glancing away. After that, Halle had pulled back from our fling, from me. Even once Kai had recovered, I’d sensed a coolness from her. A distance.

When I’d tried to bring up the idea of a future together, she’d shut me down. It had gutted me—her unwillingness to even discuss it. And then I’d returned to LA, and that had been the end of it. The end of us.

“That was it?” Beth frowned. “It just…ended?”

“It’s complicated,” I said, hoping they’d leave it at that. “And long-distance is not for the faint of heart.” Though, soon, the distance would no longer be a factor.

It was a big reason why I was here—ready to beg Darla to come back if necessary. My life already felt out of control,and with Halle relocating to the LA office, I was going to need stability more than ever. Without Darla, I was adrift.

“Honey, if she’s not interested, I am,” Beth said.

I chuckled. “Thanks, Beth. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“No, seriously.” Beth shook her head. “What’s wrong with her? You’re handsome, rich. And from everything Darla tells us, kind and considerate.”

“Aw, Darla.” I feigned embarrassment. Though, truly, I was blushing.