Rock Chick Renegade (Rock Chick #4)(72)

“Yeah. I know,” I replied, my voice still sounding funny. “Where’s your birthstone?”

“Your real family, Jules,” Nick said softly.

I stared at him a beat then I slowly leaned into him, put my hand on his knee and looked in his eyes. “Yeah. I know,” I repeated. “Where’s your stone?”

He just looked at me and the way he did made me start blinking, fast.

I was not going to cry, I wasn’t. Not in front of Nick (who would cry with me, I knew it and I didn’t want that for him) and not in front of Vance (no way in hell) and not in front of everyone at Fortnum’s who thought I was a head crackin’ mamma jamma.

“Here,” I said, pulling the bracelet out of the box and throwing the box on the table, “put it on me.” I handed it to him and then gave him my wrist. I forced brightness into my voice and continued as if the emotional moment had never occurred. “I want to know where you got it. Your stone is emerald, right?”

“Yeah, sweetheart. That’s right,” Nick murmured, his voice sounding funny too.

“You’ll take me there. We’ll get them to put in another square. Okay?”

“Okay,” he whispered.

He fastened it on me and I shook my wrist around.

“Beautiful, Nick. Perfect,” I leaned in and kissed his cheek, “thanks.”

“You’re welcome, Jules.”

I turned to Vance and shook my wrist at him. “See? Isn’t it pretty?”

Vance grabbed my wrist which was shaking too hard for him to see anything and he held it fast. My eyes which were avoiding his moved to look at him.

He was staring down at me. He had that “mine” possessive look on his face but that other look was there too. The look that clawed at my memory and made my heart skip every other beat.

I stared at him, captured by the look, flipping through my memory cabinets to find the memory but before I could the look was gone.

His hand twisted so that his fingers laced in mine. He gave my hand a gentle yank and I came forward. He leaned down and kissed me softly.

“It’s beautiful,” he said when he was done kissing me and I was stuck staring at him again.

“Well!” Nick said from behind us and Vance let me go. That moment was lost too and I turned to Nick. “I gotta get to work. You two goin’ out tonight?” he asked, standing up.

I stood up with him and I felt Vance move to his feet behind me then he got close.

“No. The gang here is having a party for me. I’m not sure when and where but when I find out, will you come?” I asked.

Nick watched me a second not able to hide his surprise at any gang throwing a party for me. I had a slumber party once when I was thirteen. That was it. I wasn’t johnny-no-mates. I had friends and went to their parties but had only ever had that one party for me.

Then Nick’s eyes moved to Vance. He stared at Vance for a few beats, did a slow smile and looked at me.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He leaned in, kissed my cheek, shook Vance’s hand, grabbed his cappuccino then he was gone.

I watched the door close behind him then I turned to Vance. “I have to get to work too,” I told him, feeling weird at what he’d witnessed, weird as in exposed.

He nodded, his arm came around me and pulled me to his body. Clearly Vance didn’t feel weird.

“Don’t forget, you’re trainin’ with Luke at five thirty,” he reminded me.

I shook my head. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I have to go to the mall. Buy a party outfit.”

Vance grinned. “Not sure Luke will accept the mall as an excuse.”

“I’m not sure I care if Luke will accept it or not.”

“Five thirty,” Vance said, still grinning.

“Crowe, I need to go to the mall.” It sounded almost but thankfully not quite like a whine.

He didn’t answer my question, instead, he said, “I’ll meet you at your house in time to take you to the party.”

“We don’t know when or where that’ll be.”

“I’m sure we’ll find out.”

I was sure he wasn’t wrong. Most of the party planners were in the very same room and he worked with their boyfriends.

“All right,” I gave in.

“Pack a bag. I want you at my place tonight.”

That got a Grade Three flutter right off the bat. I wanted to see where Vance lived. I knew I shouldn’t want to but I did. I also wanted him to “want” me at his place. I knew I shouldn’t want that either but I did.

And it was my birthday so I should get what I wanted.

It was then my emotional Rottweiler started panting and whining.

Damn.

“Vance –” I started.

“Pack a bag.”

My eyes narrowed. “Seriously, you’re going to have to do something about that macho-speak.”

“Jules, pack a bag.”

I frowned at him. He stared at me.

Then I gave in.

“All right,” I said.

He kissed me again softly and I was a bit disappointed at getting a soft, sweet kiss. Not that it was a bad kiss, not at all, but it was my birthday.

When his head moved away, he was wearing his shit-eating grin like he knew my thoughts.