Forever Saved - Kathleen Brooks Page 0,47

as everyone began to move out of her way so she could squeeze her way to the head of the table.

Jace tried to get Stella’s attention, but Stella had her eyes glued to her plate.

Finally Tandy made it to the seat next to Jace and sat down. She smiled at him, but before she could say anything, his mother started talking.

“Tandy just moved back from New York. Tandy dear, wasn’t Jace in your high school class?” Tammy asked.

“I think he was a year or two ahead of me,” Tandy replied. “Colton, I think you were in my class.”

“I think you’re right.” Colton leaned forward and sent her a sexy grin. Good. Let Colton take her off his hands.

“Landon, Porter, and I were just a year after you,” Parker cut in. “Do you remember us?”

“Of course! I cheered at all your football games. You were great players.”

“That’s so nice of you, Tandy. Have you met Stella? She’s new to town.” Jace was going to kill his mother. Not that he could ever physically harm her, but he’d lie and tell her he’d gotten a vasectomy to pay her back for this stunt. That might be worse revenge than any physical harm.

Jace watched in horror as the perfect Tandy smiled and leaned across the table with her hand outstretched. Stella looked up from her plate, notched her chin up, and plastered the fakest smile he’d ever seen onto her face.

“Bless my stars, I’m so glad to meet another young woman who is new to town. Even if you’re from here, I’ve gathered it’s changed quite a bit since y’all were in high school,” Stella said, letting her Southern accent out to play as she shook Tandy’s hand.

“Even being out of state hasn’t stopped me hearing about the talk of the town,” Tandy laughed with perfect pitch. Every single man at the table sighed. Jace cringed.

“The talk of the town because of me?” Jace asked with a little too much tension in his voice as he heard Stella choke on her drink.

Tandy’s eyes widened slightly but only for a second. Her composure never slipped. “No, because of Stella’s garden center. I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews of it. What do you mean, because of you?”

Tammy thumped Stella’s back until Stella dragged in a deep breath. “Thank you.”

“Well, you said you wanted to talk to my son,” Tammy urged Tandy.

“Here?” Tandy said, glancing around.

“Mom,” Jace warned. “I know what you’re up to and it isn’t going to work.”

His mother batted her eyes innocently. “Up to? I’m not up to anything.”

“The hell you aren’t. You know I want Stella to be my girlfriend. I don’t need you trying to set me up to prove it.” Jace moved his eyes to Stella. “I’m sorry for my mother’s behavior. I had thought the fact I was spending every night with you would make my intentions clear. Apparently since I haven’t spelled it out, the betting app hasn’t been updated so everyone thinks we’re still single. In my mind and heart I’m all yours. If you want me, that is.”

Stella looked ready to die of embarrassment, yet she had a goofy little grin on her face that made him think he had a chance. “Of course I want you as my boyfriend,” she said softly and Jace could finally breathe.

The motion of Tandy putting her hand on her heart made Jace turn back to her. “I’m sorry my mom brought you here under false pretenses.”

Tandy shook her head with a smile on her face and a glint to her eyes. “That was so sweet. You two are so cute together. But your mom brought me here to look at a mole I have to make sure it’s not cancerous,” she said, rolling up her sleeve to show a mole on her arm.

In Jace’s peripheral vision he saw his mom and grandmother high-five. He’d been played. Stella burst out laughing as if coming to the same conclusion.

“I thought everything was clear to begin with,” Pierce shrugged.

Tammy groaned and buried her face in her hands and began to rant. Jace couldn’t hear much but the name “Demetri.” His father paused with the fork halfway to his mouth and let it clatter to the plate. He shoved back his chair and wedged his way behind Tandy and Jace. He patted his dad on the shoulder, then kissed his mother.

“Thanks for dinner, Ma. Tammy and I have to go.”

Jace looked across the table at his mom’s wide eyes. His father pulled out