The Wager - Dyken Rachel Van - Страница 39
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Char offered a polite smile. “I haven’t seen him yet, but I’m sure he won’t mind.”
“He’s not worth it, you know,” Jace said in a voice so low only Char could hear him.
“I’m sorry; what?” Char took a sip of wine and smiled as friends poured into the large living room.
“Jake.” Jace moved to sit next to her on the couch. “He’s a player. The man’s good at what he does, but he doesn’t do commitment. You should know that.” Jace sighed. “Things with him… relationships with that type of guy… They’ll always be difficult to manage. And in the end there’s always a fifty-fifty chance your heart will get broken.”
“Thanks for your concern.”
Jace winked. “It’s selfishness on my part, purely selfishness. I think you’re beautiful. I’ve only known you for a few days but I’d love to take you out on a date.”
“Well, um, Jake and I, you see, we’re—”
“Ladies and gentlemen, the best man has offered to do a dance for us!”
Offered my ass, Char thought. He’d probably been probably coerced; either that or drugged.
The lights were lowered and then a spotlight went on in the hall. “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” by Big and Rich started to pound through the sound system.
Jake appeared in leather chaps, with something resembling euro shorts underneath but no shirt. No worries there, though: He was wearing a lace tie and a black cowboy hat.
Hot damn, the man looked edible.
Clearly, the sales lady had wiped some product on him by the looks of it; he was glowing with some sort of oily liquid all over his chest. Char’s mouth dropped open when his eyes found hers. With a purposeful strut, he made his way toward her.
Dollar bills were stuffed into his pants as he crossed the living room.
Stopping in front of her, he leaned down low and then straddled her lap. Holy crap, holy crap—she looked around for help. Was he really going to give her some sort of cowboy lap dance? Magic Mike style? In front of the entire wedding party? And Grandma?
With a wink, he began to move across her lap. He mouthed sorry when he elbowed Jace in the face as he did a body roll.
Move over Channing Tatum. Holy crap, she was going to have a stroke.
The chorus hit and everyone joined in on the song. “Save a horse, ride a cowboy!”
Jake tilted the brim of his hat to Char and moved off of her lap. Had she had it her way, he would have stayed there all night.
He moved across the room with pantherlike grace. His golden brown hair fell across his face and had a slight curl to it. She wasn’t sure if it was sweat or the oil that was causing his hair to curl. But she’d had no idea it was so naturally curly, or so devastatingly hot that she’d literally throw Grandma under a bus in order to put her hands through his hair.
A few other girls yelled his name. He turned his full attention toward them and danced into their group.
“Like I said.” Jace cleared his throat next to her. “Once a player always a player. You think he’s ever going to give that up?” For you? The last part wasn’t spoken out loud, but Char felt the words like a punch to her chest. The music stopped; everyone clapped. Char looked down at her lap and played with the stem of her wine glass.
“Now, everyone welcome the bride and the groom, with a special guest in tow!” A miserable-looking Travis walked down the hall. The man was huge, all corded muscle and brute strength. He was also in a leather caveman costume. Poor guy, definitely got the short end of the stick.
Kacey was dressed in a short white leather skirt and a lacey white shirt. She looked ready to party.
Behind them followed Grandma.
In an actual cat suit, which really wouldn’t have been such a stretch if she hadn’t painted whiskers on her face. But if anyone could rock it, it was Grandma.
“Let’s get this party started!” Grandma shouted.
Kacey sipped her wine as the music changed to techno. People around the room mingled and laughed, but Char felt completely alone.
As if someone had taken the fight out of her.
Her dress wouldn’t allow for her to sneak in her cell phone, so she was officially the lame girl staring at the table at a party she was supposed to be hosting with Jake.
Jace leaned in to her left. “You want me to refill your wine?”
Anything to get rid of him and his condescending attitude. “Sure, thanks.” She handed the glass over and stared as Jake continued to flirt and talk with a few mutual friends Char hadn’t seen in a while. These were the rest of the bridesmaids. Technically, it was Char’s job to go make introductions and be the bigger person but she kind of wanted to wallow.
“Char!” Jake called from across the room, waving her over. Trying not to scowl, she got up from the couch and felt her face heat as the girls eyed her up and down. Sizing up the competition perfectly.
When she was close enough Jake wrapped his arm around her, holding her hostage. “This is Char. I think a few of you guys went to high school together.”
“Really?” Char asked, not recognizing any of the faces.
“Yeah.” Jake squeezed her shoulder. “Really? Don’t you remember, Britney?”
“Ugh.”
A tall blond girl with a wide set mouth and brown eyes held out her hand. “It’s nice to see you again.” Mental note: Britney was nice and had a really kind smile.
“And Lillian.” Jake pointed to an Asian woman with blue streaks in her hair. Char had never seen her before in her life, but shook her hand anyway.
“I know you remember me.” The next girl said with a touch of venom in her voice. She was about as tall as Char, but curvy in a Kardashian sort of way. “Amy—”
“Stevens.” Char choked out. Clearly God was finished punishing Jake and had now moved on to her. Great. What were the odds? The same girl they’d gone to junior high camp with? And why the hell did Kacey have her in her bridal party? Seriously? To be fair, Kacey had never known why Char hated Amy. Char had been too embarrassed over her obsession with Jake to tell her. As far as she knew, Amy had kept in touch with Kacey. Technically, it was Char’s fault the girl was here; she’d been so focused on work that when Kacey had sent her all the details on bridesmaids Char had all but ignored her and just agreed to whatever. Ugh, now she regretted not thoroughly reading those e-mails. How had she missed Amy’s name?
“Great to see you again, Char.” Amy’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, and after a few awkward moments she touched Jake lightly on the arm. “So tell me about life. I’d love to catch up; it’s been ages.” And just like that Char was pushed out of the way. Jake looked back at her and gave her a pathetically kind smile, which just made everything worse.
If he was a jerk at least she could be angry with him.
But when he was nice or when she felt like he was pitying her? It sucked—hard.
“Here’s your wine.” Jace came up alongside her. “Hello, plastic surgery.” He shook his head and stared at Amy and Jake.
Char growled low in her throat and took the wine from Jace’s hand.
“You okay?” he asked.
Char let out a breath and faced him. Why couldn’t she like him? Maybe if she closed her eyes she could believe he was Jake, and not Jace she was kissing or touching.
Would every man fail in comparison to Jake? Would she forever live her life comparing them to him in the first place?
“Attention, everyone! Please take your seats!” The lady from the store moved to the middle of the room and slowly began removing different gadgets from boxes and setting them out on a black velvet tablecloth.
Char was no prude, but even she was shocked. Helpless, she looked to Jake but he was still engrossed in conversation. Her eyes darted around the room. Kacey was laughing, Travis was looking longingly at Kacey, and Grandma was…
Oh great. Grandma was dragging Petunia down the hall for the show.
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