“It was all fake,” I admit. “We made a stupid pact that, if we didn’t find love by the time Nick turned thirty, he would give up on love and marry me.”
Jase’s lips turn down. “You were going to marry him without being in love with him?”
Hesitantly, I nod. “We made the pact before I met you…before I fell for you. And then after I saw you and Amaya…well, after I thought I saw you and Amaya, I was done with love.”
“Celeste.” Jase sighs. “You were so young. You’re telling me, you didn’t once find love in the last eleven years? I’ve seen you dating.”
“So, you’ve been keeping tabs on me?” I joke to lighten the mood.
“Damn right, I have,” he admits with conviction. “I was so pissed you left, but I was also so damn proud of your success. I watched you grow and blossom into this beautiful, successful businesswoman. I just figured along the way you would’ve found love too.”
“I wasn’t looking for it. I didn’t want it. To be honest, in a lot of ways, you’re the reason I’m where I am today. When I got on that plane, I was driven and determined to succeed on my own. And since you, I’ve only dated guys I knew my heart would be safe with.”
“Why?” Jase asks, his voice free of judgment. “That doesn’t sound anything like the woman I fell for all those years ago.”
“Actually, the woman you met never planned to fall in love. The only guy I wanted was one who could help me climb up the proverbial ladder. Someone with a daddy in a fortune 500 company who would take over one day. Until I met you, I only saw myself with a rich guy who would take care of me.”
“Why?”
“Well,” I begin, “you now know I grew up in a trailer with my mom.”
I avert my eyes out of embarrassment, but Jase tips my chin with his thumb so I have no choice but to look at him. “Don’t do that,” he says. “Don’t hide.”
I nod once and then tell him the story of my mom and dad. Aside from the few people I’m close to, Jase is the first person I’ve ever told. When I’m done, he asks, “So, have you found him?”
“I haven’t called the PI yet,” I admit sheepishly.
“Call him. You’re a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. No more hiding behind your fears. You’re not alone anymore. I’ve got your back. Okay?”
“Okay,” I agree.
Gripping the back of my head, Jase pulls me in for a kiss, then asks, “What kind of guy do you see yourself with now?”
“Huh?” I ask, confused.
“You said when you were younger, you wanted a rich man to take care of you…until you met me. What kind of man do you want now?”
“One who will love me,” I admit softly.
* * *
“Let me get this straight,” Giselle says, taking a sip of her coffee. “You hooked up with Jase when you were eighteen, but then thought he was also sleeping with Amaya, who is Skyla’s baby momma, but he wasn’t.”
I nod once, and Olivia shouts, “Can you please verbally speak? I’m on Facetime, in case you forgot.” I roll my eyes, and Giselle giggles. Olivia is currently at Disney on her honeymoon, but insisted on not missing our weekly get together, so we’re using my laptop to Facetime with her from the coffee shop Giselle and I are sitting in. We usually do lunch or dinner, but I was only able to meet early this morning, so coffee and pastries it is.
“Sorry,” I say through my laughter. “Yes, I was with Jase when I was eighteen.”
“I can’t believe this!” Olivia chides. “I feel like I never really knew you.” She pouts, and sitting back, rubs her belly.
“Oh, stop, nobody knew about Jase and me.”
“So, are you guys back together now?” Giselle asks.
“I-I don’t know.” I shrug. “We didn’t talk about it.” After I told him I wanted a man who would love me, his phone rang, reminding us he needed to get home to his daughter.
“Because you were too busy having s-e-x.” I laugh at Olivia spelling the word. Reed repeated one word he shouldn’t have, and now the woman spells everything she doesn’t want him to repeat.
“Jesus, Liv,” I hear Nick say from the background. “I don’t want to hear about Celeste fucking…” The lady sitting at the table next to us glances over, and I lower the volume a tad while Giselle laughs.
“Nick!” Olivia shouts, turning around to, I’m sure, glare at him.
“Sorry.” He groans. “I don’t want to hear about her f-u-c-k-ing Jase.” I can’t help the laugh that escapes. These two are fucking nuts.
“Thank you.” She sighs then turns around. “We’ll be discussing this further once I’m back.”
“Oh!” Giselle clasps her hands together. “Speaking of which. Do you remember that yacht rental I won at the fundraiser?” Olivia and I both nod. A few months ago, Olivia and Nick threw a fundraising event to announce their expansion of Nick’s charity, Touchdown for Reading, into Touchdown for Reading and the Arts. Killian, thinking he was hilarious, bid on the yacht rental in Giselle’s name, and won.