“Jace, you’re....” I couldn’t say more, because I was a little overwhelmed with emotion. Clearing my throat, I tried again. “I love you. I’m not even sure how it happened, or when. But I do.”
He smiled widely, bringing a hand to the side of my face, leaning in for a kiss. I gave him a quick peck before pulling back. He cocked a brow.
“Right. We need rules,” I said.
“Rules?”
“Yes. No excessive PDA at the club.”
“Define excessive.”
“Anything more than this.” I pointed between us. Jace cocked the other brow too. “Don’t look at me like that. Also, no sex around here.”
Jace didn’t argue, which I took as a sign that he agreed with me. One second later, I realized I’d been deeply mistaken, because he cupped my jaw, pressing his thumb along my lower lip. “When have we ever kept to any rule?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Brooke
I’d lie if I didn’t admit that I felt a little anxious about joining the Connors at Friday dinner. I’d hung out with a few of them at the foundation but never all together. Plus, I knew from Jace that Friday dinners were a long-standing tradition. No pressure.
“Oh, wow. This is amazing. Like a private park,” I exclaimed as we entered Val’s yard.
“Maddie, Landon’s wife, designed it a few years ago.”
The gang was all there, milling inside
the house. I greeted Landon, Maddie, and their daughter Willow first, then Will and Paige. Val lived with her fiancé, Carter, and his two nieces, Peyton and April.
I’d feared that meeting Graham in such an informal setting would be unpleasant, but he put me at ease right from the start.
“Brooke, let’s make a deal. We’re not going to talk about the Lords at family gatherings. We’re not coworkers right now. And anyway, you report to Tina.”
“That sounds easy.”
“It is. This is my wife, Lori. And our daughter, Evelyn.”
I smiled at Lori, then couldn’t help cooing to the baby. She was adorable. Opening my tote, I retrieved the onesie I’d bought for the occasion.
“Ah, you continue spoiling my kids,” Lori said.
“Guilty.”
“Milo is still over the moon about all the goodies Jace brought him from New York.” She glared at her brother.
Jace held up his palms. “Brooke talked me into it. I’d just gone to buy a few things. She convinced me to buy half the store.”
“I did.”
“What am I going to do with you two?” she scolded playfully.
As if knowing we were talking about him, Milo sprinted into the house. Jace had shown me pictures, and I recognized him instantly.
“You must be Milo.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Nice to meet you. Hope you liked the player cards.”