Bad Engagement (Billionaire's Club #10) - Elise Faber Page 0,57

with emerald green lace that she hadn’t been able to pass up—she had to stick with the festive season and get outfits in both holiday colors, right?—when she saw it.

Or rather, him.

Jaime.

With his arm around a beautiful brunette. She was snuggled close, gazing adoringly up at him.

Her heart turned to ice.

Was he—?

No. He couldn’t. He wasn’t an asshole. He was kind and patient and . . . she’d only known him a week. And he had his hands on another woman when he’d promised to build something rock-solid between them, a trust that would never falter.

He brushed back a strand of the brunette’s hair, tucked it behind her ear.

Bile burned the back of Kate’s throat. She knew what it felt like for him to do that, to touch her that way . . . and he was doing it to another woman.

Her heart cracked.

She wanted to run to her car, to lock herself away, to slam the door shut.

But she forced herself to take a breath. To think this through.

There must be an explanation. She couldn’t have opened her heart and been so wrong about the man. She couldn’t have.

Shaking legs carrying her over to a bench, she pulled out her phone and called him.

Then watched as he glanced down at his watch and declined the call.

Another crack. Another fissure.

Still, she needed to try once more. She didn’t need to be one of those idiot females who made a snap judgment then ran off when there was a perfectly reasonable explanation.

No matter how much that explanation might hurt.

She typed out a text.

Are you free for lunch? I’m finally coherent.

He glanced down at his watch again. Kate nibbled at her lip. But then he said something to the brunette, stepped away, and reached into his pocket. A second later, he had his cell in hand and was typing.

She held her breath, waited for it to ping through onto her phone.

Ten seconds passed then her cell buzzed.

Can’t. Sorry. I’m slammed at the clinic.

Reading those words snatched away the breath she’d been holding, had the door in her heart slamming shut as hurt overwhelmed her.

“Fuck,” she whispered, rubbing her hand over her chest, over the spot where her heart was breaking into pieces. She shoved her phone into her purse, picked up her bags, and took a step toward the couple, preparing to unleash her fury.

Then . . . she stopped, the crowd of shoppers all around her.

And she couldn’t.

God, why couldn’t she?

Maybe it was the kiss to the top of the woman’s hand. Maybe it was the way she pointed and smiled coyly at the lingerie shop that Kate had spent an exorbitant amount of money in just minutes before.

Maybe it was the sinking, oppressive, really fucking sad feeling.

Maybe it was just her realization that for all her pretending, she’d been right about her superpower all along.

Assholes.

They cropped up everywhere.

Even when she least suspected.

Twenty-One

Jaime

He stowed the bags in the back of his car and got in, his sister, Tammy, already in the front seat of his car.

She’d come into town unexpectantly and had tagged along on his Christmas shopping expedition for Kate, teasing him relentlessly for his last-minute mission. Until she’d seen the store he wanted to get the big present from.

“I’m going to marry her,” he’d announced.

Then her eyes had widened, but she’d quickly shrugged off her shock and helped him make his selection.

Gleefully spending his money.

But that was okay. He was happy to see his favorite sis, even if it was just on a pit stop before she headed to their parents’ house.

“Still can’t believe you’re making me go home alone,” she grumbled as he navigated the crazy parking and pedestrian situation at the mall.

“Unfortunately,” he said. “The clinic will be open the day after, and I need to make sure I’m there.”

It was the truth, but also not.

Because while the clinic was open. It hadn’t been until a week ago when he’d told the front desk to open up the schedule for a few hours in the afternoon.

He’d kept the staff off, and no one had actually booked the appointments.

But his family didn’t need to know that.

The truth was that he didn’t want to be away from Kate. Not this soon. Not when they were just starting out. And it wasn’t like he could bring her home. His family didn’t even know he was fake engaged, let alone seeing a woman.

Though, he knew both of those—minus the fake part—would change as soon as Tammy spilled the beans.

Fine with him.

He