The Tycoon's Defiant Southern Belle Page 0,26

head when Jade opened her mouth to explain. “And don’t worry. I know you’ve been extremely busy with your newest project and I’m excited for you. You’ve loved that house ever since we moved here. It’s just nice that the house comes with a drool-worthy owner as well,” she said with a mischievous glint.

Jade looked behind her worriedly, hoping Angelo wasn’t hearing her mother’s comments. But of course he was. He’d moved from the bench to the edge of the deck, a beer in his hand and surrounded by other men who were trying desperately hard to look as sophisticated and confident, but none of them even coming close. And he was looking right at her, winking at her once again to let her know that he’d heard everything.

Not that he hadn’t figured out that she loved that old place, she thought as she led her mother over to a group of her friends and joining into the conversation. If Angelo had figured out that she hated grits and collard greens, he surely knew how she felt about his house.

Something to her left caught her eye and she turned her head. She didn’t think many others at the party noticed, but Dave was coming out of the trees that grew at the edge of the yard. He looked unkempt, his hair slightly messed up and his shirt almost looked…had he unbuttoned his shirt for some reason?

He was far enough away and coming out of an area that wasn’t noticeable to most of the other guests, but Jade watched with growing fascination as Dave tucked in his shirt more securely before he stepped around the corner to re-join the party.

Jade didn’t say anything but when Dave moved up to her, putting his arm around her waist casually, something inside of her recoiled. She didn’t like Dave’s hand there. Was it because she suspected something had been going on with him? Surely it wasn’t because she didn’t like Dave touching her. She’d been with Dave for years now. He was her sweetheart. There was nothing wrong with his touch.

But she still moved out of his arms, pretending to be reaching for a dessert plate that had just been set out on the food tables. She even handed him one, trying to appear gracious and kind. But in her mind, she accepted that she wanted his hands otherwise occupied. Holding a dessert plate meant he couldn’t touch her.

And then her eyes looked up again catching another movement to her left. Jade watched with astonishment as Molly walked out of the same area of the tree line from which Dave had just emerged. “Huh,” she said, holding her plate and staring openly at the woman as Molly too adjusted her clothing, pulling her fingers through her hair to make it look more presentable.

“What’s wrong, honey?” Dave asked, taking a bite of the dessert cake.

Jade held her untouched dessert in front of her, unaware that the rest of the group was waiting to hear what had caused her to stare in the odd direction. “Molly’s coming out of the tree line over there.” And then she turned to look at Dave. “That’s just where you were coming out a moment ago,” she said, her eyebrows going up as she waited for an explanation.

Jade had no idea that the six other people standing next to and behind her were now looking at Molly, then back at Dave. She was focused only on Dave’s flushed features and his eyes, which couldn’t look at hers. “What were you doing in the woods with Molly, Dave?” she asked, amazed that she would feel so calm when she knew, deep inside herself, that Dave had been in the woods with Molly doing things that Jade wouldn’t allow him to do with her.

Dave ran a hand through his hair, his fingers shaking slightly. “I wasn’t in the woods, Jade. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Deena stepped into the group as well. “I saw you coming out almost in the exact same area. What’s going on, Dave?” she asked, adding her censure to the six others.

Jade had to give him credit. He regrouped quickly, his eyes scanning the scowling crowd and realizing that he was in a no-win situation here. “Can we talk about this later?” he asked, trying to put his arm back around Jade’s waist but she took a quick step backwards and shook her head. “I don’t think so, Dave.”

Dave’s face turned a painful color of red and