Uncontrollable Bachelor (Bachelor Tower Series), стр. 43
“I hope he doesn’t give up. You never know when luck comes your way,” I said, not telling Betsy that I was going to speak to my father on his behalf. You might be able to say no to Jace, but hopefully, you don’t refuse me.
“You know Jace. When he has his mind set on something, nothing gets in his way.”
I wish he had his mind set on me.
“Okay, that’s enough of Jace. Let’s talk about something else. Did I tell you that I’m considering starting my own practice here?”
“In Boston?” Betsy asked, filled with excitement.
I shook my head. “No, but in the States. I love what I do, but…I think I want to be home for a while. And before you ask, I don’t mean living with my father either.”
“Oh, good. I mean, it has to put a kink in your love life. You know, things go really good on a date, and when he kisses you goodnight at the door, dear ole dad is watching you through the peephole.”
A shiver ran through me as I thought back to my shower at the cabin. How many of Carlton’s men had seen me walking outside naked? Even when I had to go to the bathroom. All I was worried about was making the tree big enough so Jace didn’t see me. For all I know, I was being watched then too.
“That never even crossed my mind, but thanks for the visual,” I chuckled.
“Whatever it is, I’m just glad to know I don’t have to go months without seeing you. I missed our girl time.”
“You just like having an excuse to blow off work and stay up all night eating junk food,” I teased.
She laughed. “There is always that too. But if we see each other too much, I might need to get a gym membership.”
I placed my hand on my stomach and said, “I think we should go for a jog now. That steak bomb sandwich you brought was delicious, but did we really need the extra cheese?”
Betsy nodded. “So you didn’t see what else was in that bag?”
I shook my head. “Please don’t tell me ice cream because it will be soup by now.”
“Nope. I picked us up some peanut butter cup cheesecake.”
I fell back on the bed and asked, “Betsy, are you trying to kill me?”
Betsy said, “No, but if you gain fifteen pounds, then we will be the same size, and I can borrow your clothes again like we used to.” I rolled over and looked at her, and she had a huge grin on her face. “In case you’re in the mood for doing some shopping today, I think you should get a green dress. It’d go with your eyes, and also, I don’t have one.” With a wink, she added, “Yet.”
Betsy pulled the cheesecake out of the bag and tried to hand it to me. I raised my hand and said, “I’m going to pass on dessert. But I like your idea. Let’s go shopping. A new wardrobe might be just what I need… what we need.”
She shoved the cheesecake back in the bag and hopped off the bed. “I know exactly where we should go.” When I got up, Betsy walked over and gave me such a tight hug, I thought my ribs would break. “I’ve really missed you.”
“Because you wanted someone to shop with?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No. This you. The one who can laugh and smile. I know you’ve had your share of crying as well, but it beats the heck out of the woman you’ve been for the last few years. It was like you were here, but never really here. I know it doesn’t make sense, but your emotions didn’t seem…genuine.”
I knew what she meant. Ever since I had met Prince Babboo, I had put myself in a box, one that I thought nobody could see. But now that when people love you, they can see things that others can’t, no matter how hard you try to hide it.
It wasn’t the news that Babboo was never going to hurt me again that changed everything. It was when I was with Jace. The connection between us sparked an array of different emotions within me. Once those flood gates opened, there was no closing them again. I could kick, scream, and cry, but the only way for me to feel all the good was by also feeling the pain too. Even though Jace and I aren’t speaking, our time together saved me in more ways than one. For the first time in a long time, I know it’s okay to be happy and dream again.
“I know what you mean. And that’s why I’ve decided to open my own practice here.”
As we headed out of my room and down the stairs, Betsy added, “I can’t wait for Jace to hear that you’re not leaving.”
And I can’t wait for him to learn there is a vacancy at the Towers with his name on it. I was going to make that happened one way or another. It was time for us all to heal from mistakes of the past. Us, all having what we want in our future is a good place to start. Now all I have to do is convince my father of that.
“You’re pushing your luck, and if you keep it up, this is going to be the shortest shopping trip ever.”
She ran her hand over her lips. “My lips are sealed.”
Chapter 21
Jace
This was supposed to give me a place to go to escape whenever I needed it. But in ten years, the only other time