Return of the Jerk (Sweet Life in Seattle, Book 2) (46 page)

“Yeah, that’s right.”

The two men eye each other, the tension palpable. Blair starts to panic, but then her dad puts his hand out, and Nathan shifts the cake boxes to one arm, so they can shake.

The tension is lessened, though not entirely gone. Blair decides to change the subject and asks if her brothers have arrived yet.

“Yes, they’re both here,” her dad says, though his eyes are still on Nathan, the two of them locked into some sort of staring contest now.

“Did they bring anyone or anything? I heard Ian has a new girlfriend,” Blair asks with growing alarm, trying to stop whatever’s happening here between her dad and Nathan.

Finally, her dad breaks eye contact and turns to her. “No, Ian came alone. Ashley is sporting an engagement ring, though.”

“Really? Well, that’s exciting news.” Blair puts a false lilt in her voice. Marriage is the last thing she wants to talk about right now. “I guess I should get these cakes set up. Could you help me, Nathan?”

Her father gives him one last look then leaves. Blair doesn’t know what to say or do. When she glances at Nathan, his expression is stony. Despite the sunny day, a sense of dread has settled over her like black smoke, thick enough to choke on. She can only hope things get better for the rest of the party.

And surprisingly, they do.

Blair can hardly believe it, but things don’t get worse. At first they do, with more staring contests between her dad and Nathan, and between her brothers and Nathan, too. At one point, the tension gets so high, Blair even suggests they leave, but Nathan isn’t having any of it.

“No, we’re staying,” he says resolutely, his laser-focused eyes surveying the backyard. “Not done here yet.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

As time passes, though, she notices a shift. It starts with Scott talking to Nathan. Just a few words, by the food table, but apparently it’s enough because the staring contests go away, and the tension starts to ease. Then not long afterward, she sees Ian talking to Nathan, as well.

Blair tried to stay by Nathan’s side, but she keeps getting pulled away. She’s worried he’s uncomfortable, but when she apologizes, he only shakes his head.

“Don’t worry about me, babe. I’m good.”

Eventually, she sees him talking to her dad and goes over to join them. They’re discussing his travel blog. Nathan’s explaining some of the plans he has to develop it more in the future.

“I’ve taken a look at it,” her dad says, surprising her—and judging by the look on Nathan’s face, surprising him, too. “I think you’re right about selling products, expanding that element. You’ve got great potential for growth there.” Her dad starts talking about market share and competition, and Blair is too much in shock to really pay attention.

She notices Nathan is listening carefully, though.

“I haven’t read your book yet, but I know my wife has, and she said it’s terrific,” her dad continues. “Make sure you leverage that, because it’ll give your site that much more visibility.”

Blair blinks. Her mom read
Edge of Zen
? She’s never said a word! Blair was just talking to her a short while ago. Her mom even mentioned seeing Nathan on that local morning show, but never told her she’d read his book.

And that’s when it dawns on Blair.

Things are going well. Better than well. Things are fantastic.

So, why do I still feel uneasy?

As she’s reflecting on this, her brother Ian jogs over. “Hey, Nathan, we’re setting up a game of touch football. You in?”

“Sure. It’s been a while, but I’m in.” He looks over at Blair. “Babe, by chance do you have a rubber band I could use to pull my hair back?”

“I think so.”

Blair gets a black hair band from the house and brings it out to Nathan, who by now is over on the other side of the yard with both her brothers and a bunch of friends and neighbors.

“Thanks, princess,” he says, taking the band from her.

Blair watches as he pulls his chin-length blond hair into a ‘man bun.’ It should look silly but, of course, it doesn’t. Nathan’s guy-glamor instincts are infallible. Instead, he looks ten thousand shades of hot.

Oh, my God.

Blair swallows. She can’t pull her eyes away and decides he’s definitely wearing a man bun in the bedroom tonight.
Oh, heck yeah
. She watches him jog over to join the other guys. Someone makes a crack about his hair, but he just smiles.

The men are picking teams, with Nathan being sized up by everyone. He was a good football player in high school, and she imagines he’s still good. Ian, who’s always been naturally competitive, seems to be of the same mindset and immediately chooses Nathan for his team.

Blair goes off to the sidelines to stand next to Ashley, who’s been flashing her engagement ring around all day.
You’d think she was the first woman in the world to get engaged.

And then it hits Blair—
I’m jealous
.
Jealous of Ashley—
who could believe it? Blair’s never had an engagement, though. Never had a real wedding or marriage. Her only pregnancy ended in miscarriage.
I paid for that one night’s mistake in full, with interest
.

“Wow,” Ashley says to her. “Your boyfriend is like super cute.”

“Thanks.” And she realizes Scott never told Ashley the story behind her and Nathan.

“Maybe you guys will get married, too!” Ashley squeals with delight. “Just like Scottie and me!” She starts waving her left hand around aimlessly again to show off the ring.

Blair smiles, finding it hard to not be glad for someone this happy. “Maybe we will.”

Nathan is surprised how well the day is going. Figured he’d come here, take the temperature of things, show them he’s not out to screw Blair over, and then leave if it got too hot. Luckily, that hasn’t been the case.

Lot of posturing at first, of course, but he expected that from the men. After what happened years ago, he knew her dad and brothers had to take his measure. Also knew he had to take theirs. Make things crystal clear all around. He’s dealt with plenty worse, though, so that was no problem.

The only person in Blair’s family he hasn’t dealt with yet is her mom, so he’s not surprised when Cherise comes over to where he’s sitting in a lawn chair. He’s relaxing with a beer, taking a breather after playing touch football. Blair is over by the desserts, talking to someone she went to college with.

“I wanted to thank you again for your input about Fiona,” Cherise tells him, sitting in the chair next to him Blair vacated. “I’ve decided to work with her and so far, I’m very pleased.”

“Glad to hear it. Like I said before, Fiona is something of a character, but she’s very good at what she does. Doubt my book would be doing as well without her help.”

“Yes, I’m certain you’re right.”

Cherise takes a sip from her glass of wine.

Nathan studies her a little. She has the same hair color as Blair, though there are pieces of silver sprinkled throughout. It doesn’t look bad, and he figures Blair’s will eventually look the same. Cherise’s eyes are brown not hazel, though, and she doesn’t have the same elegant bone structure as Blair. Cherise’s features are more blunt-edged, but he has to admit she’s still an attractive woman.

The silence between them stretches, and Nathan suspects she has something on her mind. Something to say about him and Blair, but decides to wait her out.

It doesn’t take long for her to get to the real reason she came over to talk to him.

Cherise studies her wine for a few seconds and then looks up at him. “It appears you and my daughter have mended fences and are romantically involved again.”

He nods. “That’s true.”

“Are you two planning to stay married then?”

“Guess you could say we’re exploring things.” His eyes go to Blair across the lawn, to where she’s laughing with her friend. He considers telling Cherise how he and Blair are in love, but decides against it. Figures if Blair hasn’t told her mom yet, there must be a reason.

“I see.” Cherise is silent, taking this in. “And are you planning to leave without a word to anyone again?”

Nathan’s jaw clenches, and he stares at Cherise, remembering all too clearly the way she treated him years ago. Always meddling.

“I don’t want to see my daughter get hurt again,” she says. “So that’s why I’m asking.”

He lets out his breath, understands her instinct to protect. “Didn’t know at the time that Blair was hurt by my leaving, but no, I’m not planning on it.”

“And are you being more careful this time? About other things?”

“Excuse me?”

“About using protection?” Cherise pauses. “I realize you’re both adults, and that I may be crossing a line here, but I think it’s worth asking.”

Nathan snorts in amazement. “You sure as hell
are
crossing a line!”

“You two were reckless last time,” her brown eyes drill into his, “and I don’t want to see that happen again.”

His face goes warm as his temper flares, though he manages to rein it back in. “Not that it’s any of your business, but we were never reckless. Blair was on the pill. We just had lousy luck, is all.”

“Please, don’t lie to me, Nathan. We both know that isn’t true.”

“The hell it’s not true.”

Cherise shakes her head. “You think I don’t know my own daughter’s medical history? Blair has never been on the pill.”

“Guess you don’t know her medical history as well as you think then.”

“I know it very well. Blair’s not allowed to go on the pill because we have a family history of blood clots on my side.”

“What?” Nathan stares at her, trying to make sense of this. “Don’t know anything about that, but I do know she was on the pill back then because she told me so.”

Cherise studies him and looks troubled. “I see.” She nods. “Maybe I’m wrong about this after all.”

“You
are
wrong. Guess Blair doesn’t tell you everything.”

“Apparently not.”

AFTER SUNSET, THE
party starts to thin out, though there are still neighbors who stay and some other friends of Blair’s parents. Ian leaves, but Scott and Ashley are still around, sitting off by themselves. Blair is amazed how great the day has gone.

See, I had nothing to worry about.

Her whole sense of foreboding was obviously her usual obsessiveness and nothing more. Oddly, she still feels a twinge of something, but brushes it aside.

“Shall I give you a tour of the house?” she asks Nathan, both of them standing alone in the kitchen where Blair is helping to clean up.

“Sure.” He glances around, then pulls her in by the waist. “What I’d really like to see most, princess, is your bedroom.”

“Is that right?”

He puts his mouth to her ear. “Might have to make use of that pink canopy bed.”

Blair laughs softly. “I hate to disappoint you, but that pink canopy bed has been gone for years.”

Nathan sighs. “Dammit, there goes that fantasy.” But then he grins. “How about you show me your bedroom anyway?”

“It’s become a guest bedroom now.” She takes his hand. “But come on, I’ll still show you.”

They leave just as she hears voices from people entering the kitchen. She leads Nathan through the dining room, then the great room, feels him taking it all in as they finally reach the stairs.