The Boyfriend List

by Jeannie Moon

  “My mother is a lovely woman of exceptional breeding.”

  Jenna had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. “Of course she is.”

  “And my father is the hardheaded, loud Scots horse trainer who stole away with her in the middle of the night and eloped. Scandalized my grandparents. It’s legend in my family.”

  “She eloped with the horse trainer?” That had to be one hell of a story.

  “Aye, lass. She did.” He tilted a crooked grin in her direction, then locked his eyes on hers and dropped a soft kiss on her hand. “Would it make your mother happy to think you had someone in your life?”

  “Huh? Yes, b . . . but—” She stuttered to a halt. “I mean, it would send her over the moon, but why would you put yourself in that position?”

  “I don’t want to tell her we’re engaged or anything, but let her speculate. It’ll be fun and it will get her mind off why she’s so sad. Let everyone wonder. Neither of us wants to be the single with all the couples in this room. It will be fun to keep everyone guessing.”

  “Nate, I don’t know.” He gave her hand a little squeeze and she looked again at how his big strong fingers encircled hers.

  Was this what a romance felt like? It was such a warm, safe feeling that was consuming her and with every touch, every flash in his eyes, Jenna felt like she was falling under some kind of spell. She was a sensible woman. She didn’t just fall for some guy because he was handsome, sweet, smart, and rich.

  Oy.

  He smiled at her again, knowing he’d completely flustered her, and her heart damn near beat out of her chest. She imagined this was what people meant when they said they were swept off their feet. Because the very quiet, geeky Nate was starting to do just that.

  “Take me to meet your family, Jenna,” he said with cool authority.

  “Okay, fine. Why not?”

  God, the way he looked at her. She knew this “date” was so neither of them had to be the odd one out, but did he have to play it so well? It was like this mattered—like she mattered, a lot.

  He hadn’t let go of her hand since they’d been out on the terrace, and it made Jenna wonder if maybe there could be something between them.

  Nah. He was just being nice.

  Nice was different for her. She’d always had a hard time finding nice guys to date. After a while she started wondering if she had some kind of allergy to decent men. Majoring in art and photography in college, Jenna hung around with a lot of guys who made art the center of their world, just like she did. They weren’t nice. They were very hip, dismissive of anything not in their narrow definition of the world, and showed an unfailing lack of interest in pretty much everything. None of them would ever be accused of being nice.

  But it was how she lived. When she met Royce, she allowed his attractiveness, and his natural charisma, blind her to the fact that they weren’t a good match. He used her for his own gain, and then left when it no longer suited him. She was with him for almost five years and in that time, she morphed herself into what he needed her to be.

  Jenna always cared too much, bubbled over too much. Swapping her enthusiasm for sophistication was a difficult transition, and it never felt natural. But she made herself over anyway, shunning her roots and her family in the process.

  She’d straddled the worlds of hedge funds and art for the first two years she was with Royce in San Francisco. She played second fiddle to him at every cocktail party, fund-raiser, and client dinner as nothing more than a piece of arm candy. He assured her he needed her; however Jenna still felt phony. But in the studio with her art? That felt real.

  And that’s what brought them their greatest windfall. When Jenna’s photography career took off, she unwittingly threw open doors for her slimy ex that even he couldn’t have imagined.

  She’d never be able to prove it, but the man she lived with wasn’t the person she thought he was. And a lot of money had disappeared without a trace. Royce had failed the nice guy test just like all the others.

  Jenna could think of lots of other things to call him, though.

  Easily led, easily fooled, Jenna, her clients, and her friends fell right into his trap. And when Royce left her, she had to deal with the fallout. Dozens of people in the art world had trusted her boyfriend with a small fortune and all of them were left almost destitute when he blew out of town.

  On paper, it looked like a streak of bad luck with the investments, but when a few people started sniffing around, there were lots of numbers that didn’t add up. No charges were filed against Royce, but Jenna was left without a friend or a dime, and she had to come home.

  It hadn’t been a bad thing. Even though she hadn’t known it, she’d missed her family and she’d been able to put her teaching degree to good use, but that was the moment she swore off men. Especially rich, gorgeous ones.

  And there she was, holding Nate’s hand . . . a man who was richer and more gorgeous than any man she’d ever met. This was a bad, bad thing. Money and wealth made her very nervous.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” she whispered. He was being so kind, she didn’t want to insult him, but Nate Bayard was everything she’d promised herself she’d avoid. He seemed perfect, as did Royce, and it was just too risky. If he took the way out she was offering him, it would be better for both of them.

  He spun her toward him, taking possession of her other hand as well, and leaned in. Close—so damn close. She should have been focusing on his eyes, but all she could see was his mouth.

  His beautiful, kissable mouth.

  God, she hoped he didn’t notice her staring. But he did, and his eyes went dark as he looked into hers.

  “I’m going to be polite and meet your family,” he said in a throaty groan. “But if you don’t want me to kiss you senseless first, you should stop looking at me like that.”

  Oh, boy.

  “I wasn’t planning on our first kiss being right here in front of everyone, but if you’re game, so am I,” he continued.

  “Oh, uh,” she responded, not knowing how she’d squeaked the words out. “I agree. Probably not a good idea. I mean, not that kissing you wouldn’t be ah, nice, but . . .”

  Nate leaned in and his breath tickled the lobe of her ear. “If I kiss you, Jenna, I promise it will be more than nice.”

  She hadn’t had “more than nice” in a really long time, and the thought of it with Nate was so tempting. Lord, she was not going to survive this. “Don’t talk like that. We’re friends, right? And wedding sex is such a cliché. You don’t want to be a cliché, do you?”

  Oh no. Had she just blurted out something about wedding sex before brain could stop her? Out loud?

  The corner of his mouth twitched and his shoulders trembled, then he burst out laughing. “You should see your face.”

  Jenna was stunned at first, not knowing how to react, but then, a sniffle slipped out, then a giggle, and finally she joined in, laughing with him. Thankful he had a sense of humor as well as good sense.

  “But for the record, I have no objection to being a cliché. So don’t worry about that. At all. If you’d like to become a cliché with me, I wouldn’t complain.”

  “Well, that’s good to know,” she snickered. “If I have enough champagne later, you might get lucky.”

  Whoosh. Jenna heard the breath fly right out of Nate’s chest at the same time she clapped a hand over her mouth.

  “Oh, God. I’m sorry.”

  “No, no. It’s fine.”

  “I’m sorry, Nate. That was . . .”

  “You’re going to drive me crazy,” he growled.

  “You wouldn’t be the first,” she agreed.

  ***

  Talk about being in over his head. Jenna was a bundle of electrical energy. Everything around her seemed charged, full of life, and he was feeling it, too. His heart had an extra kick, he felt happie
r, more alive. Nate had never met anyone who’d been so open, so giving of herself, so willing to put her own feelings aside to celebrate with her friend. As much as he was eager to spend time with her and have her get to know him, there’d been more than one instance that almost sent him off to nurse a beer in the corner.

  Typical. The wedding was hopping, he should be happy for his best friend, but instead he was thinking of ways to escape. Yet every time he looked at Jenna he knew she was worth the effort.

  Being this flirtatious was taking him way out of his comfort zone. And it was getting him hot. Everything about her, from the curve of her shoulder, to the sweep of her hair, to the scent of her perfume was setting him on fire. He wanted to kiss her senseless and make love to her until she screamed with pleasure.

  But Nate couldn’t get over the feeling that she was hesitant to get involved because of something more than a breakup. Sure, a broken heart could be a serious thing, it could leave a lot of scars, but there was something else that had Jenna on guard. He’d tried to think of ways to get her attention for months and failed. Today, he’d found a way. Granted, today, he was taking advantage of the fact that she needed him, but if it got him on her radar, he’d do it. And he’d show her, things could be really good.

  God, he was desperate. He’d never pulled out all the stops like this for anyone. Now he said he’d meet her family. He not only had to charm Jenna, but her mother and father as well. Her father, the ex-cop. Who probably had a gun in his house.

  Shit.

  “Hey there, you two. What’s up?”

  Both he and Jenna turned and saw the bride and groom closing in on their position. Kim looked suspicious, but Owen was grinning like a fool. Nate fully expected he was going to get shit. The asshole couldn’t even take his wedding day off.

  “You two look like you’re getting to know each other. Getting friendly,” Owen crooned. “Don’t they, honey?”

  Jenna’s eyes narrowed to slits, and she trained them on Owen. “Friendly?”

  “Yeah,” his friend said in all his smug glory. “Were you holding her hand, Nate? It makes me all misty seeing you grow up.”

  “Jesus. Did you just say ‘misty’?” Nate didn’t need this. Wedding day or not, Owen needed to mind his own business.

  Slapping his arm, Kim snapped at her loving groom. “Don’t be a jerk.”

  “What! That’s not something you see every day.”

  Jenna was looking away and turning different shades of pink. He didn’t know if she was embarrassed, but he really wanted to kick the crap out of Owen. Even if he did love him like a brother.

  “It’s nice, Owen,” Jenna said. Her voice was barely there, soft and sweet and driving him a little crazy. “After all, he is my date today. Do you have a problem with that?”

  Owen looked her in the eye and raised an eyebrow. “Not at all. He’s a lucky man, but if he’s not a gentleman, let me know. I’ll kick his ass. It’s the least I can do for your brother.”

  He winked and grabbed Kim’s hand, dragging her off. Unfortunately, Nate could see he’d left Jenna with yet another reminder of her brother. Owen meant well. He’d been Tom Albanese’s commanding officer when the marine sergeant was killed by an IED in Afghanistan. Jenna looked away again, and Nate reached out, letting his fingers graze across the soft skin of her face. “Hey. He didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “I know. It’s just . . .”

  “What?”

  “For the record, I think Tom would like you. He wouldn’t want to kick your ass.”

  “Thank you.” He couldn’t get a higher compliment. “Come on,” he coaxed, “you were going to introduce me to your folks.”

  She nodded and, without any hesitancy, took his hand.

  ***

  Who would think that a couch at a reception venue would be so comfy?

  Not Jenna. But the large, over-stuffed sofa in the sitting room of the old castle was absolutely decadent. Jenna was so tired. She was emotionally spent, her feet hurt, and the plush velvet surrounded her like a warm embrace. The wedding was technically over, however the party was still going on in the pub down the hall, where there were pool tables and oversized chairs, but Jenna needed time to herself to process the events of the day.

  “There you are!” Joey Torres could have been Kim’s twin. The two were exactly the same person born a year apart. “Decided to escape the craziness for a while?” Joey plopped into a big armchair adjacent to the sofa. “Oh.” She moaned settling herself into the cushions and tucking her legs underneath her. “This is comfortable. I could live in this chair if someone would bring me wine and chocolate every few hours.”

  “I felt the same way about the couch.” Kim curled into the corner and started pulling pins out of her hair. “They’re still going strong?”

  “The kitchen just sent out trays of sandwiches. No one is going to bed anytime soon.”

  Glancing over her shoulder through the French doors that led to the patio terrace, Jenna caught sight of Owen with Jason, Josh, Kevin, and Nate. There was such ease there, such familiarity. She remembered that they’d all known each other for years.

  “Each one is more gorgeous than the other,” Joey said. “Mother Nature’s best work right there.”

  No kidding. The five of them had gathered with what appeared to be a bottle of scotch and cigars. They were toasting their friend. For all the ribbing and teasing they did with one another, these guys were genuinely happy for Owen. It was nice. It was real.

  “How was your ‘date’ with Nate today?”

  Jenna looked back pointedly at Joey, who was grinning like a cat with cream.

  “He’s handsome, smart, and sweet. I had a very nice day.”

  “Who are we talking about?” Meg Campbell joined them, setting down a tray of pastries on the coffee table before joining Jenna on the sofa. “Is it Naaate?” She drew his name out like a schoolgirl. “You like each other.”

  Jenna didn’t plan on liking anyone at the moment, but if she had someone in mind, Nate would certainly do nicely. Very nicely indeed. “He’s a good guy and he was a fun wedding date.”

  Atta girl. Be diplomatic. LIE.

  Meg raised her cannoli like a weapon. “I call bullshit!”

  Caroline came in with Harper, and Kim followed with her gown hiked up to her knees, curious about Meg’s declaration. “What’s bullshit?”

  “Your B-F-F likes Nate.”

  “Stop it, would you?” Jenna pleaded. “They’re right outside.”

  Harper downed her scotch in one gulp and smiled. “So? Hey, Nate!” She yelled so loud he heard her through the closed doors. “Oh, look! Cookies!”

  The sweet treats on the table were the last thing on Jenna’s mind as she watched Nate rise from where he was sitting and turn toward them. He’d taken off the jacket of his suit, rolled up the sleeves of the crisp white shirt, loosened his tie, and popped two buttons at his neck. He was rumpled and casual—gorgeous—as he stepped into the room full of women and smiled his sweet smile. Damn.

  “Do you like Jenna?” Harper blurted out, her mouth full of pastry.

  He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at the floor. Uh-oh. He was embarrassed. Fortunately, he was still smiling. Maybe.

  “Oh, jeez. Back to middle school.” Jenna dropped her head onto the soft arm of the sofa. “You guys have got to stop this.”

  “What?” Harper snapped. “I don’t believe in dancing around this kind of stuff.” She narrowed her eyes at Nate. “Well?”

  “Harper!” More than anyone, Jenna appreciated strong friendships. Her friends and family had kept her going through the toughest times of her life, but Harper was crossing the line. “This is embarrassing.”

  “I do like Jenna,” he said, quieting everyone in the room. “I had a nice time with her today. I’d like to take her out sometime.”

&nb
sp; Her head popped up when his response finally hit her. She didn’t look at him, couldn’t, instead focusing on a large clock on the mantel. “You do?”

  Heat spread up her back and the skin of her neck prickled in a good way. He was close, and it was confirmed when the cushion behind her sank a little and she felt his warm breath near her ear. He smelled like old scotch, expensive cigars and cologne. Like a man.

  “Have dinner with me, Jenna.”

  “Dinner?”

  She faced him and dissolved. His perfect gold-green eyes held hers and promised to make wishes come true. There was no way Jenna could say no. She nodded.

  “Great.” While his fingers grazed across one side of her jaw, he left a lingering kiss on the opposite cheek. “I’ll call you.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  His lips turned up at the corners and then he said his good-byes. When he left the room and rejoined his friends on the terrace, Jenna’s ovaries wept.

  “Holy shit.” Caroline looked back and forth between Jenna and Nate, who was back outside with the guys. “Was that our Nate? Does he have a hidden smolder switch?”

  Meg laughed. “That’s our boy. I think Jenna flipped the switch.”

  “Or she’d like to flip the switch,” Joey said with a wink.

  “Oh, good grief . . .”

  “Come on.” Joey took a sip of her wine before waving off Jenna’s objection. “I bet if you took out your list, you’d see he matches up pretty well.”

  “List?” Harper perked up and grabbed another cookie from the tray. “What list?”

  “It’s nothing. Something Kim found at her mom’s.”

  “When we were twelve or thirteen, we made Boyfriend Lists,” Kim added. “All the things we wanted in the perfect guy. I found Jenna’s when I was packing some stuff in the attic at home.”

  “That’s awesome,” Meg said. “I probably have something like that in one of my old diaries.”

  Caroline rolled her eyes. “All you have are books filled with things like ‘Jason and Meg, I heart Jason. Mrs. Jason Campbell.’ You were obsessed.”

  “It was prophetic,” Meg said as her gaze settled on her very handsome husband.