Fighting For You (The Connor Family 5)

Jace took my hand under the table, squeezing it lightly. I loved watching his interactions with the family. His tone of voice changed slightly when he spoke to Val and Landon—even when joking, he talked the way I would to my parents.

After dinner, we all went back to the couch area.

“I really need an additional couch,” Val commented as everyone tried to wedge in on the existing one, plus the armchairs, ottomans, and two bean bags. I had offered to help her bring some drinks from the kitchen.

“Jace said you bought a new dining table a while ago.”

She nodded excitedly. “Yes. Family’s getting bigger every year. I knew it was only a matter of time before Jace brought you to our dinners.”

“You did? How?”

“I could tell from the way he talked about you.”

Jace had talked about me? I really wanted to ask for more details but wasn’t sure how to go about it without being too obvious.

“Plus... you did speak with Hailey a few times. She’s always an excellent source of information.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

When we returned with the drinks, I searched the room for Jace and found him sitting on an armchair. Milo was curled up on the arm, and the two of them had their heads together, whispering. They were cute.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, approaching them. The two abruptly stopped talking.

“Judging by their guilty faces?” Will supplied helpfully. “Jace is teaching him to be up to no good.”

Milo turned a little red. Jace wasn’t fazed.

“Someone has to. Otherwise he might grow up to be a grumpy ass.”

Will and I both laughed, especially when Jace earned a dirty look from Lori, presumably for saying “ass.” She was cradling her newborn girl in her arms.

I sat with the girls again but gazed at Jace from time to time. After Milo switched uncles, Willow hopped into Jace’s arms, first playing with a teddy bear and then falling asleep on his chest. Holy hell! Up until now I thought that Jace working out at the gym was my favorite sight. I changed my mind. Jace holding his niece was now in the top spot. I wasn’t sure what was hotter: the way his biceps flexed whenever he repositioned her tiny head when it lolled sideways, or how he kept kissing the top of her head while he and Landon chatted in low voices. Hmm... a tough decision to make, and Mr. Chardonnay was not helping; quite the contrary. It made everything Jace did appear hotter.

After Landon took Willow away, I saw my window of opportunity and headed to Jace, sitting on the arm of the armchair, refilling his glass of wine.

“You’re having fun,” he said.

“Oh, yeah.”

“Anytime you want me to rescue you, just wink at me.”

“I don’t want to be rescued.”

Jace grinned. “The evening’s not over yet. They’re getting feisty.”

“Have some faith in me. I can be just as feisty.”

“Trust me, I know... but you’re outnumbered.”

“That just makes it more fun.”

***

Jace

I loved Friday dinners. I always had, even though as a teenager I’d rolled my eyes at Val whenever she repeated that I couldn’t go out with my friends on those evenings.

“This is a lovely evening,” Brooke exclaimed when the two of us were alone in Val’s kitchen, about to bring a new round of dessert. “And the food is amazing. Thank you for taking me with you.”