Page 13 of Mismatched Mates (Special Bear Protectors)

GRANT

T he charity gala's glittering lights bounced off the polished chrome of the Porsche as I pulled up to the valet stand. Konrad whistled low, eyeing the opulent venue.

"Father really knows how to punish you, doesn't he? Forcing you to attend this swanky event, rubbing elbows with Pine River's elite."

I snorted, handing my keys to the valet. "Yeah, real torture. Though I'd rather be anywhere else."

Konrad clapped me on the shoulder as we ascended the marble steps. "That's why I'm here, big brother. Moral support and all that."

"You mean to keep me from bolting?" I quirked an eyebrow at him.

He grinned. "That too."

Father sent me as his delegate to one of the many charity events Sentinel sponsored. The event was a stand against homelessness, and they were auctioning off ‘dates’ with a selection of poor souls. Large donations always came with a complimentary table, which we usually left unmanned, but forcing me to make another public appearance was meant to deter any further acts of rebellion.

We grabbed drinks from the open bar and stood next to an hi-top table topped with a long black linen tablecloth. “You know,” I said, taking another sip as the event organizers prepped the stage. “You didn’t have to come.”

Konrad rolled his eyes. “And leave you here alone?”

“I promised to be on my best behavior.”

His eyes held a mischievous glint. “That’s what scares me.” He added, in a more serious tone, “I don’t think he was right to send you out here as some kind of punishment.”

“Aw, come on. It’s not like I’m not used to it.”

His gaze was fixed on the opposite wall. “Doesn’t mean it’s fair.”

“No,” I conceded. “But sharing my punishment will make him pissed.”

“About time it’s my turn.” A wry grin lightened his frown. “I like her, you know.”

“Jane?”

“She’s good for you. Might keep you on the straight and narrow.”

Any argument died on my lips as I caught a glimpse of a brown bob and an all-too-familiar frown at the other side of the room. She was dressed in a gray pantsuit that was both primly formal and hugged every curve in a way that was positively indecent.

Jane stood near the stage, phone pressed to her ear, brow furrowed in concentration. Even from across the room, I could see the tension in her shoulders, the way she worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Isn't that your fake girlfriend?" Konrad asked, following my gaze.

I nodded, unable to look away. "I didn't know she was involved with this event."

Jane's dark eyes darted around the room, assessing every detail. Her fingers drummed an anxious rhythm against her thigh as she spoke into the phone. But the thing I noticed most of all was the anxious way she chewed her lip as she tapped frantically on her phone.

“Stay here.” I waved him back as I strode across the room to where Jane stood in the doorway to the back rooms, strain sitting in every line of her face. I wanted to smooth it away with my thumb and coax her into one of those reluctant smiles she didn’t give to many people but me.

“Hi stranger,” I called out, and she whirled, eyes widening at the sight of me.

“What are you doing here?”

I gestured at the suit jacket my father had forced me to wear—the closest I’d allow anyone to force me to formality. “Penance.”

“Your father sent you?”

I nodded, making sure the tightness in my chest didn’t leak through to my expression. "Is everything okay? You look like you could use a hand."

Her smile faltered, and I saw the struggle in her eyes - the desire to maintain control warring with the need for assistance. "It's... a bit of a mess," she admitted, her voice low. “The caterers are late, stuck behind road construction. So I moved things around, figuring we’d have drinks and the auction first—before dinner, but our biggest name just dropped out. Without him, we might not reach our fundraising goal."

For a second, her eyes closed, and I had the unfamiliar urge to pick up her burdens and carry them so she didn’t have to. “I gave an estimate to the charity of how much I thought this event would raise, but as it is, I don’t even think it’ll cover their costs of hiring me.”

“None of that is your fault.”

“I’m the person organizing it! It’s my job to plan for these eventualities. I can’t even be sure the audience will even stay for dinner if they don’t get a chance to win a date with a guy actually worth winning for.”

“I’ll do it,” I volunteered, surprising myself. She blinked at me.

“What?”

“I’ll let you auction me off to the highest bidder. People know me in these parts. And,”—I leaned in, adjusting the collar of my jacket—“I’m even dressed up for the occasion.”

Those deep brown eyes softened a little, and even though getting up on stage to be heckled at by horny soccer moms wasn’t my idea of a great time, I found myself almost looking forward to it so long as it would make her happy. “Are you sure?” she asked.

“It's for a good cause, right?"

A small smile tugged at Jane's lips. "It is. But... won't your father be upset?"

I laughed, a touch of bitterness creeping in. "Probably. But hey, maybe it'll improve my image. Win-win, right? So, sign me up. Give me a number and a price tag.”

“You’ll have to follow through,” she warned. “Actually go on a date.”

I winked at her. “I’ve been told I’m very charming.”

“Not by me,” she said, but the corner of her mouth curved into one of her trademark reluctant smiles, and it felt like a victory. “If you’re sure, that would be… very helpful. Do you want to come through to the back? I’ll get you outfitted up.”

"Well, well. Look at you, big brother. Playing the hero."

I turned to see Konrad approaching, a proud grin on his face. He clapped me on the back.

"Nice move, G," he said, his voice low. "Jane here seems to bring out the best in you."

I felt my cheeks grow warm. "It's not a big deal," I muttered.

Konrad chuckled. "Don't sell yourself short. It's good to see this side of you." He glanced at Jane, then back at me. "You’re a good influence, you know."

I watched Jane's cheeks flush as she busied herself with her phone, pretending not to hear. My chest tightened with an unfamiliar feeling.

Konrad nudged my back. “I like her even more now.”

“Shut up,” I muttered, and followed Jane through to the back room.