The Dare

  Now that Jace had people watching — people who knew a heck of a lot more about his past than I did, there was no way we'd have any more stolen kisses, caresses, fights under the stars. I shivered and closed my eyes for a brief moment as I remembered the taste of his lips on mine.

  At least I had that memory.

  His hands on my body.

  His mouth, hot and urgent.

  I'd probably retell the story to my cats once I got home and fully gave up on the male species as a whole. Maybe I should count myself lucky that I hadn't fallen in total irrevocable love with him. Because at this point, walking away would be doable. Hard, but doable. Another four days, and it may have wrecked me to see Jace turn his back on us.

  "You look like you need this." Char pushed a shot of tequila toward me. "Pinch your nose and throw it back. I don't care how vile it tastes, because right now you look like someone just told you Vampire Diaries got canceled."

  "Not funny." I glared.

  "Take the shot," Char countered.

  I took it and winced as the liquid burned down my throat.

  "Olé!" Jake shouted, joining us at the table.

  The man could try the patience of a saint. He had the most gorgeous hazel eyes and dark hair, both Titus men did.

  "Beth, seriously, if you want me to assassinate Mr. Senator, just say the word. Or nod." When I didn't do anything, he continued, "Or blink. Hell, just breathe. One exhale and I'll do it."

  "I doubt she wants me dead when I can make her feel things I'm doubting you've ever made any woman feel in your entire existence," Jace said in a tense voice from behind me. His hands rested on my shoulders and then ran down my arms. I shivered in response and gave Jake a cocky grin.

  "So," he returned my grin, "I guess a cheers are in order."

  "Cheers?" Jace repeated.

  "To the senator who found his heart." He held up his glass.

  "Just like the squirrel who found its nuts." Jace winked.

  "What?" I looked around the table.

  Travis laughed. "Just go with it."

  "Seems to be a common theme," I muttered, lifting my rum punch.

  "Always is." Kacey clinked her glass with mine. "So what's the plan for the day?"

  "Plan?" Grandma waltzed up to the table like a woman on a mission. "I've got everything settled. First a fake bachelorette party, and, Jake, try to keep your pants on this time. We don't want any more elderly ladies having strokes."

  His eyes narrowed. "That was one time."

  Grandma ignored him. "Followed by a lovely outing tomorrow morning after group therapy. Of course we'll later have a rehearsal dinner. Would you believe I already had dresses brought in? Oh, and Javier! Javier!" Grandma yelled, breaking the sound barrier and my ear drums, for that matter. "This is Javier. He's going to be taking the wedding pictures."

  "Fake wedding pictures," Jace corrected. "You're not pulling a Jake and Char on us."

  "Aw, we're like a verb." Char and Jake bumped fists.

  I ignored their cuteness just like I ignored the excitement bubbling around me. What would it be like to be a part of this family? What would it be like to be so in love with someone, so in sync that you were deliriously, hopelessly happy?

  Jake and Char shared a kiss and laughed.

  "Of course not." Grandma put her hand over her chest and sighed. "I would never. Believe me, I've learned my lesson. It's best that love happen naturally. At any rate, we'll snap some pictures and lie about the wedding, saying it's too private to share with the world."

  Jace gripped my hand. "So we pretend."

  "Of course." Grandma's keen eyes examined our joined hands. "After all, you have three more days of the fairytale, don't you, Jace? We wouldn't want to mess with curses and folklore, now would we?"

  I bit down on my lip to keep from laughing.

  "Who told you?" He slammed his fist down onto the table.

  "Oh, the captain and I go way back," Grandma smirked.

  I hoped to God that Jace wouldn't ask what that meant, because by the looks of the way she was blushing, it probably wasn't appropriate for the general public, or anyone for that matter.

  "Now," Grandma sat down at the table, "enough of that. I've set up a few outings for us to go to as a family. Javier will take pictures, and everyone will go home with smiles on their faces. Of course, at the end of the next three days."

  "Does that mean I get a new honeymoon?" Jake asked. "Since you crashed this one?"

  "Ditto." Travis grumbled.

  "Oh, please." Grandma waved them off. "I let you have at least three days. I thought it very generous, all things considered."

  "How do YOU FIGURE?" Jake asked.

  "Jake stop yelling. You should be thanking me, not scolding me." She waved him off. "So are we in agreement?" Grandma looked hopefully to everyone's faces.

  Was no even an option with this woman?

  "Question," Jace asked calmly. "If this is all supposed to be a ruse to save my career from tanking, and I'm supposedly at my own destination wedding, wouldn't my parents be here? And what about Beth's?"

  Grandma's smile grew. "Perfect timing, wouldn't you say, Your Honor?"

  Jace's face drained of all its color as he slowly turned around and swore. "Father."

  "Son, we need to talk."

  Chapter Twenty-five

  "I find it hard to believe that you were able to convince the judge to make an impromptu trip to Hawaii in order to attend a fake wedding for his wayward son."

  "Oh, it didn't take much convincing." Grandma laughed. "After all, I told him it was life and death. And when that didn't work, I told the judge that his son had been kidnapped by pirates scouring the Hawaiian islands.

  "And he believed you?"

  "He had no reason not to."

  "Why's that?"

  "It's amazing what one can do with a microphone, voice encryption, and email these days. It truly never ceases to amaze me."

  "Shall I add that to your rap sheet as well?"

  "Genius?"

  "No. Lying to a judge."

  Grandma sighed. "If you must. But he won't be pressing charges. I hardly think it matters, considering his son's missing."

  "The son you kidnapped."

  "Details."

  Jace

  As a child, I'd always hated getting scolded by my father. It was rare when he had scolded me; after all, my entire goal in life had been to make him proud of me. So when I did get in trouble, it had been life-altering.

  After the accident, things had gotten worse. I'd woken up with no recollection of how I'd even gotten in the hospital — my parents said a light in my eyes had died. It pissed me off that after all this time, I felt like I was still trying to get the old Jace back. The one who believed in fairytales and magic; the one who believed in optimism instead of cynicism.

  I could still smell my dad's musty study. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined every single wall of the room, and a green leather chair was always facing the mahogany desk. Dad wouldn't turn his own chair, not until I spoke up and alerted him of my presence. Then, ever so slowly, he'd turn in his chair, lean slowly across the table, and say, "Are you ready?"

  I'd nod as tears streamed down my face, and then I'd confess what I'd done wrong. I never usually had to be told. I always knew when I was in the wrong, whether it was from disrespecting my mother or eating cookies before dinner. He was always fair in the way he scolded, always giving me a chance to plead my case before the gauntlet fell.

  I was suddenly ten years old again. Waiting for the damn words I knew that he'd say in a few seconds. We walked along the beach, both of us silent as the waves crashed against the shore.

  How had one week messed up my life so much? I had no one to blame but myself.

  "Is mom here?"

  "At one of the huts." Dad said crisply, still not looking in my direction.

  I nodded, not trusting my voice.

  We walked a few more feet, away from watchful eyes and people playing in the wate
r. Finally, I sat on one of the lounge chairs and waited.

  The silence was just as heavy as the flower-scented air, thick with tension, thick with shame. He was disappointed, and even though I'd tried to do everything right since the day I'd been able to make my own decisions, it seemed it still wasn't enough. Not that he ever said that — t was always assumed in the way he barked orders and the way he held himself.

  "I am…" Dad's weathered face cracked into a bright smile, "so proud of you."

  "Come again?"

  "Nadine, or sorry, Grandma," he rolled his eyes, "confessed to everything. How you fell in love, tried to keep her out of the media, even decided to keep her from me and your mother." He sighed. "I'm proud that you didn't flaunt it. You did it right this time, Jace. Things with Kerry." His voice lowered. "It wasn't well done of us to encourage the match. We should have seen through her. We should have made you wait, instead of pushing you to commit in order to further your career. But. at least now, you're doing things right. I admire you for that."

  Hell had officially landed on earth, and I, being an idiot, had jumped into the hand basket and was now floating around, ignorant of every single string Grandma had pulled until now.

  "What exactly did Grandma tell you?"

  "Everything." Father chuckled. "You're in love. You're using your friends' honeymoons as a way to cover up the wedding. I will admit, at first she said you'd been kidnapped by pirates. But to be fair, it got my attention. I was on the next flight out after we talked. That woman is something else."

  "Yeah." I croaked. "She's something."

  "So, now that we're here, there's really no reason for you not to get married. I figured now would be best, since the media's been placated for a while."

  "Married." How the hell was I going to talk my way out of this one? "You see, Dad, the thing is…"

  Tears welled in his eyes. Holy shit. Was he crying?

  "I'm sorry." He sniffled. "I've just been so worried about you. I know you're so worried about your career. Hell, you wore a suit to school when you were in sixth grade."

  "It was for career day," I grumbled.

  "I know, son." Father slapped me on the shoulder. "It's just, now it finally seems like you have everything you've ever wanted. All you have to do is grasp it. Aall you have to do is say yes."

  "Yes?"

  "To your future." Father's smile grew. "Now, what were you going to tell me?"

  I should have said something. I should have told him the truth. Hell, I'd been honest all week with Beth. Why was I suddenly having issues now? Oh right, because telling him the truth would wreck him. And in turn, it would wreck me, because then he'd know it was possible I wasn'tt the man he thought I was. Because I'd stayed with a girl under false pretenses, lying to the world, and then accepted a dare in order to get her to lie to the media about her reasons for being with me.

  I was an ass.

  And he was looking at me like I was the perfect son. He was looking at me like I'd always wanted him to look at me.

  Which was why I found myself saying, "I'm just happy you could make it for the big day."

  Royally Screwed: When the only way out is death. See also: Grandma Nadine.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  "He was in on it, wasn't he?" The agent smirked.

  "Ah, you're getting to know me to well, Gus."

  "You tricked the grandkids and somehow convinced a judge to lie to his own flesh and blood. You both must have been desperate."

  "The desire for great-grandchildren is strong in grandmas and apparently grandpas. Just ask Mr. Brevik and his lovely wife."

  Beth

  "He's been gone for a really long time." I played with the straw in my drink and kept my eyes trained on the beach for any sign of Jace.

  "Why do you care?" Char asked in an innocent voice. "Something you want to tell us?"

  Kacey grinned shamelessly. Char joined in. And both men fell silent as all eyes burned holes through my person.

  "Jace!" I all but yelled when he came walking up with his father.

  But something was off. He looked… he looked almost guilty… and sad. Why would he be sad? Immediately, I blamed myself. If I hadn't made him go along with the challenge to stay… If I hadn't bribed him with his career and the whole prostitution rumor… Was I so wrong to want the fairytale? It had basically been handed to me on a silver platter. So what? I took it! You hear me, God! I took it!

  "Welcome to the family!" Mr. Brevik pulled me into a tight bear hug.

  I almost puked my drink all over him. Family? Whose family was I joining and why the hell was he so excited about it?

  "We're so happy to have you. My wife will soon be joining us to celebrate."

  "Is it your birthday?" I asked lamely.

  "And a sense of humor!" He elbowed Jace in the ribs. "You've really hit the jackpot on this one. And, my dear," he turned back to me, "what incredible work you've been doing for GreenCom."

  "Work." I nodded. "What does that have to do with family?"

  "There she is!" A loud southern voice interrupted my confusion and Jace's guilty face. A woman of about five two came barreling toward me. She had bright blond hair and giant sunglasses. Had she not been wearing white, I would have thought she was Grandma. "My daughter!"

  "I think I'm confused," Travis whispered behind me.

  "I've always wanted a girl! And now I have one. Oh, this is just the best news I've had all year! It truly got me through that horrid plane ride. Oh, who am I kidding? If I have a stroke tomorrow, I'll die happy, knowing our son's settled down with such an accomplished woman!"

  "Who's getting married?" Jake asked innocently as he took another sip of his drink.

  "Is someone dying?" This from Travis.

  "Cheers!" Mr. Brevik shouted. "To Jace and Beth!"

  Grandma magically appeared out of thin air with a tray of drinks. "I just love it when things fall together, don't you?"

  Slowly, I turned to Jace.

  He basically had the words Guilty Bastard written across his forehead as he made his way over to me and pulled me in for a tight hug, whispering in my ear, "I'm sorry."

  Those two words may as well have been a knife being stabbed into my heart.

  No proposal for boring Beth. No, just an apology. That's what I was. An apology, caught up in lie after lie after lie. And it was all my fault. All because I was reaching for something I never deserved in the first place.

  "I'll fix it, just not now," Jace continued.

  So when was he going to fix it? Before or after we walked down the damn aisle?

  Everyone lifted glasses into the air, but suddenly it was too much. I wanted to run — needed an escape.

  "I'm just going to go use the restroom." I forced a smile and barely made it to the ladies' room without bursting into tears.

  It was all wrong.

  This was not how the story was supposed to go.

  Boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, boy marries girl. Never once in the story is he supposed to meet girl, tell her he can't like her, admit he'll never marry her, then marry her anyway to save his damn career.

  "Honey?" Grandma's scent enveloped me, followed by her arms. "Oh honey, I was afraid you'd be upset."

  "Then why did you do it?" I wiped the tears from my cheeks. "Give me one good reason."

  "He's your match," Grandma said honestly. "I've known him for quite some time. He's lonely, Beth. He's afraid, but he likes you, possibly loves you. Don't deny that you've seen glimpses of what you could have together. I know about high school."

  "Don't you get it?" I grabbed a paper towel and dabbed my eyes. "This isn't high school.This is my life!"

  "Is that why you compare every man you meet to him?"

  "Who told you that?"

  "Your sister."

  "Damn her." More tears streamed down my face. "And why did she tell you?"

  "You aren't the only one with struggles. She had a hard time fitting in the family, always feeling like second best. It mad
e me wonder why you felt the same way. Funny, how we all want someone else's life and always think we're worse off than everyone else in the room."

  "Your point?"

  "I want you to wear red."

  "Like a harlot?"

  "No." Grandma pulled me into an embrace. "Like the brave, courageous, beautiful woman you are. Let Jace pull that out of you. Love always asks us to take a chance, and I won't lie to you, sugar. You may fail. But wouldn't you rather try and know you failed than wonder for the rest of your life what would have happened had you taken a little leap?"

  "Grandma," I choked on the thick tears in my throat, "my love life isn't a game. I feel like you've ripped out my heart, handed it to Jace, and now everyone's just waiting to see if he's going to keep it or throw it into the ocean."

  "Why wouldn't he keep it, sweetie?" Grandma kissed my forehead and smiled warmly. "What use would the sharks have for it?"

  I rolled my eyes and managed a small smile. "He'll throw it, believe me. All he keeps talking about is how he can't have me, how he'll walk away."

  "I know men," Grandma whispered. "After all God cursed me with loads of them. And I know how they think. I imagine Jace is trying to convince himself more than convince you."

  "So where does that leave me?"

  "I imagine," Grandma looked thoughtfully into the mirror and fluffed her hair around her face, "it leaves you exactly where you've always wanted to be."

  "Stuck on an island with a lying politician?" I joked. "Sorry, Grandma, that was never my fantasy as a little girl."

  "Of course not, sweetie. That was mine." She winked. "Your fantasy has always been the white horse, the fairytale, and the happily ever after. No story is ever the same. How boring would that be? To always have a happily ever after? How unoriginal." Grandma tucked my arm in hers. "I want magic."

  The tears threatened again.

  "I want mischief." she continued. "I want madness. I want red dresses and red lipstick followed by starry nights and fireworks. And Beth, I think you do too."

  "You think I want madness?"