Page 8 of Love Among Vines

CHAPTER SEVEN

JADE

The second she entered the private dining room at Alder and Oak, all her hopes for a drama-free dinner evaporated.

She had barely managed to avoid Nate during the rehearsal at Barrington Terrace.

He had caught her eye more than once, but she would rather log-roll into the lake than spend a single moment talking to tweedle dick.

And now she was seated directly next to Nate’s dad, Reginald. Great.

Her shoulders hunched up as she sat. She should have asked Kenya for a sip from her flask before dinner. But then everyone would have gossiped about how she smelled like the alley behind a bar on Cinco de Mayo.

Dinner began with toasts, each more uncomfortable than the last.

“From the first moment Ashley brought Nathan home, I knew that you two would be together forever.” Tracey, a neurosurgeon and dedicated collector of ceramic cats, held her champagne glass aloft, tears in her eyes.

Jade slumped in her seat. When would this night of torture end?

“This union of families is certainly cause for celebration,” Reginald said minutes later. “I believe in my bones that the two of you were meant to be.”

Jade bit the inside of her cheek. Nate’s parents had always been pleasant to her.

But they had never once described them as meant to be .

There had always been a feeling, from their very first meeting, that they were disappointed in Nate’s choice.

Jade didn’t wear the right clothes or have the right career path.

Even when she was successful in the art world, her middle-class upbringing was apparently insurmountable for Reginald and Patricia.

“Some of my partners’ wives have asked about your latest collection, Jade,” Reginald told her through a mouthful of steak.

She picked at the tortellini on her plate. It was delicious, but not enough to keep her from wanting to sprint out of the room.

“Things have been quiet on your website for a while,” he added. “You must be working on something big.”

“Yes, I’m in the middle of a really unique collection,” she said with the best smile she could muster. Unique in that it was completely occupied by blank canvases, but he didn’t need to know that.

She pulled her phone out of her purse and fired off a quick SOS to Rett. Would he really follow through on his promise to interrupt the rehearsal dinner to bring her earrings back? He hadn’t texted her all day. But he was at work.

“Fabulous. Well, when it’s finished, I’m sure they’d love to be the first to know. I’ll email you their contact information.”

“That’s…great.”

“Jade, are you seeing anyone?” Tracey suddenly piped up and leaned across the table, broccoli speared on her fork.

What was this, twenty questions day?

“Oh, I?—”

“Jade.” Someone tapped her shoulder. Her heart lifted an inch, and she turned, half-expecting to find Rett. But no. It was just Nate.

“Yes?”

“I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second.”

The word no was on the tip of her tongue. Which was the lesser of two evils—an uncomfortable chat with Nate or being grilled by a bunch of adults who were perpetually disappointed in her?

She glanced across the table at Kenya with a plea in her eye.

Kenya screamed, and the dinner party crashed to a halt.

One of the groomsmen ducked under the table. Camila leapt onto her chair. Everyone else frantically searched the room.

“What? What is it?” Ashley’s dad, Frank, had jumped out of his seat with his hand on his hip. Had he really brought a gun to the table? What kind of trouble was he expecting in a pink bed-and-breakfast in the middle of wine country?

“Sorry, I thought I saw a mouse. But I think it was just a shadow.”

There was a collective sigh of relief. Several people chuckled.

“Thank you,” Jade mouthed across the table. Surely that was enough of a diversion to keep anyone else from asking more questions.

Kenya nodded and raised her glass in a silent toast.

“Jade?”

Oh, for fuck’s sake. She whirled around again. Nate was still standing there. Her hand curled into a fist.

“Yes?”

“Can we? Talk?”

She would rather be tossed face-first into a dumpster outside a daycare.

“I really don’t think that’s appropriate,” she said in a low voice.

“Come on. Please?”

He looked sincere. But he had also looked sincere the day he asked her to move in with him.

“What were we talking about? Before the imaginary mouse? Oh, right.” Ashley’s mom turned back to Jade, a question on her lips.

“Fine,” Jade said to Nate. She pushed her chair back and stood up before she could change her mind.

“Maybe outside would be best?” he asked.

“Whatever.”

She followed him on a winding path through the dining area and outside. It had started to rain at some point, so they were trapped under the awning. Perfect.

“Sorry. I know my dad can be a lot.” He smoothed a hand over his slicked-back hair and set his gaze on her.

Those blue eyes used to make her come undone. Now they just made her want to lace up boxing gloves.

“It’s fine. I knew I’d get the third degree all weekend long.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared across the rows of cars. Vehicles zipped by on the highway, but there was no view of the lake from here to soothe her frazzled nerves.

She had been so stupid to agree to this.

“I asked them not to,” Nate said.

“Why?”

“Well, I know you’ve been going through a tough time.”

She bit down hard on her tongue. It was either that or she head-butted his dumb ass into the muddy parking lot.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Things are great.”

“Come on, Jade. It’s me. You don’t have to lie. I know you’re not seeing anyone, and you haven’t painted in years.”

Her mouth dropped open. How dare he? A molten wave of anger that she had been damming up for the last two years threatened to explode.

“We never even really talked after everything that happened,” he continued. “I never had the opportunity to tell you I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

Was that pity in his voice? Oh hell no.

At that moment, a pickup truck pulled into the parking lot. It turned into a spot and out jumped Rett.

Thank. God.

“Jade!” he called as he crossed the lot at a jog, cocky smile visible from a mile away. His gaze shifted between her and Nate. “I’m so glad I caught you.”

Nate looked instantly annoyed, but Jade barely noticed thanks to the now soaked button-down shirt that clung to—of course—a chiseled set of abs.

Rett darted under the awning. The rain had washed his hair out of its perfectly molded place. It hung in his eyes.

She barely had time to register the deep, hot burn of desire that had flared on his approach before he crushed his mouth to hers. He cradled her head in his hand, gentle but firm. Every cell in her body lit up like Times Square.

Holy hell. All the sloppy make outs in dark clubs in the world couldn’t have prepared her for this. If he was a chronic bachelor, who had taught him to kiss like this?

A long, slow pull inside her set her body aflame.

His thumb brushed against her cheek, and her knees transformed into Jell-O.

His tongue slipped between her parted lips.

She snaked a hand around his waist, fisted her hands around his wet shirt.

It was everything a kiss was supposed to be—heat, passion, fireworks. The promise of something deeper.

She had never been kissed like this.

It was too bad it was fake.

Nate cleared his throat, and Rett pulled back. Regret set in immediately.

“I thought you might need these,” Rett said to her. “They’re for tomorrow, right?” He pressed the little blue box into her hand.

Jade blinked. She seemed to have left her brain inside. The ability to form words eluded her.

“Yes,” she finally said. “Thank you so much.”

“I don’t think we’ve met,” Nate said with an expression that suggested someone was spreading manure nearby.

“Nice to meet you,” Rett said. “Everett Rhodes.” He held a wet hand toward Nate, who took it with narrowed eyes.

“Nathan Astor.”

“The groom,” Jade blurted out.

Rett’s eyes darkened. He was a good two inches taller than Nate. Ha.

Nate flinched and drew his hand back. “Well, I should get back inside. Gotta check in with my beautiful bride.”

Ugh.

“I should head out too,” Rett said with his eyes on Jade. He turned to look at Nate. “It was nice to meet you. Congratulations, by the way.”

“What? Oh, yeah. Thanks,” Nate mumbled. As the door slammed shut behind him, a weight lifted from her shoulders.

She clutched Rett’s arm. “Thank you so much. Seriously. I was basically a homicide suspect in a room full of detectives in there.”

“I’m glad I could help.”

He smiled, and for a moment they just stared at each other. Rain pinged off the awning. Petrichor—one of Jade’s favorite smells in the world—emanated from the earth. What was that feeling?

A tingling sensation crept up from the base of her spine. Was that her muse? Could it be? A chill hit her that had nothing to do with the night air. Maybe it wasn’t just the wine. Maybe there was something here, in the soil or the water. It called to her.

“I guess I should get back in there,” she said with a reluctant glance at the door. She could have happily spent the whole night out here, sketchbook in hand as the rain fell.

“You don’t want me to come schmooze with the parents? I bet at least one of them is in the wine club.”

She smiled. “Let’s save it for tomorrow. You’re kind of wet.”

“I’ll have you know I’m way more attractive when I’m wet. Especially to middle-aged women.”

Against her will, Jade’s eyes traveled down the topography of his torso. His usual fancy suit coat was missing, and the rain made his button-down cling like a second skin. Damn it. Something stirred deep within her.

“Well, maybe I’ll hose you down with overpriced champagne at the reception.” She took a step back. If she didn’t, there was an eighty-five percent chance she was going to jump on him and commit a crime of indecency.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Neither one of them moved.

His hair was still hanging in his eyes. He smirked like he could tell what she was thinking. Every cell in her body screamed at her to kiss him again. But there was no one around. Nobody to prove it to. What would be the point?

She tilted her face up to his, and he looked down at her. What was this feeling? A hyperlocalized gravitational storm drawing them together? Did he feel it too?

A peal of laughter rang out inside, and she jumped. The spell was broken.

She smiled nervously and took another step back. If this was just lust, it wasn’t a kind she had ever experienced before. She needed to be more careful.

“Right. Tomorrow.”