Irresistible Lies

by Juliette White

  “Right.” Chris smiled knowingly at her. “Still partying hard, I bet.”

  Grace smiled at the absurdity of the thought. Jake didn’t leave much time for partying, but she didn’t really miss it. “Not at all. I don’t do that anymore.”

  “Sure, that’s what they all say.”

  “Do you two want to have lunch with us?” Nick asked Grace and Jamie. “We were just heading to my house, and we’d love if you came.”

  Jamie nodded. “That sounds great. We’d love to, right Grace?”

  “Your house?” Grace asked Nick. “Where is that?”

  “Oh, it’s right across the street. We can walk there.”

  “Are you sure we’re not imposing?”

  The men all laughed.

  “We always eat at Nick’s!” Tom said. “Lunch at Nick’s is part of the daily routine.”

  “And how does your wife feel about that?” Grace asked him, surprised.

  “Lacey? Oh she loves it,” Chris cut in. “She’s the best cook in the world.”

  “It’s true,” Nick said, smiling. “She really doesn’t mind. She likes being with all of us.”

  They made the short walk to Nick’s place, the men falling into a discussion about the evening’s upcoming gala. Grace was silent, thinking about how beautiful their property was and how incredible it was that her old friends had made so much of themselves in such a short time. She remembered so clearly how confused they were in college, how none of them knew what they wanted to do with their lives. One was going to be a doctor, two were lost in the liberal arts, and Jamie was set to join the financial industry. None of them were particularly happy about their career paths. So they had changed them.

  Jamie was right to turn down the job in New York City, she admitted to herself. He had made the right choice.

  That was a little hard to swallow.

  The five of them made it to Nick’s place, a cute, freshly painted white house with bright blue shutters. They knocked, and a beautiful, very pregnant blonde in an apron met them at the door.

  “Come in everyone,” she said with a little Southern twang, smiling at them. “You’re letting the bugs in.”

  Grace hung back as Jamie kissed Nick’s wife warmly on the cheek.

  “You have been gone too long!” she told him. “We miss you around here.”

  Jamie laughed. “It has only been a week.”

  “Long enough!”

  “Lacey, I’d like you to meet Grace.” Jamie motioned toward her, smiling from ear to ear. “Grace, this is Nick’s wife Lacey, the glue who holds us all together.”

  Grace felt an odd pang of jealousy, but it disappeared when Lacey gave her a big hug.

  “It’s so good to finally meet you, Grace,” she said. “I’ve heard so much about you!”

  Grace shot a questioning look at Jamie, who was purposefully looking in another direction.

  “It’s so nice to meet you, too,” Grace said.

  Nick and Lacey’s house was just as lovely and cozy on the inside as it was on the outside. The walls were covered in photographs of the happy couple, framed newspaper clippings about the brewery, and signs with inspirational sayings on them.

  They all sat down to eat at the kitchen table, and Lacey served them fresh bread and pasta. The meal was excellent, and everyone heaped praise on the chef. It was obvious that Lacey was extremely close with the four men, and Grace got the impression that they were a tight-knit group.

  She couldn’t help but feel a little sad thinking that if Jamie hadn’t broken up with her, she would have been a part of it.

  “So Grace, what have you been doing for the past five years?” Tom asked her. “You need to catch us up!”

  All eyes were on her, and she hesitated before answering. She couldn’t tell them about the biggest thing that had happened to her, which was unfortunate because it was her favorite thing to talk about. They couldn’t know about Jake.

  “I’ve been working,” she said lamely. “I work at a public relations firm in Virginia. I live with Caroline. You remember my sister? She’s getting married soon.”

  “Just working?” Tom asked.

  “What about a boyfriend?” Nick asked, shooting a look at Jamie.

  Jamie scowled visibly, and Grace hesitated before answering. “Um, I’m seeing someone, yeah.”

  Chris pulled a face, Nick and Tom winced slightly, and Lacey thoughtfully changed the subject. “Oh, I just felt the baby kick! She does it all the time now.”

  That got everyone’s attention. The men took turns placing their hands on Lacey’s stomach, competing to see which uncle the baby would kick for and therefore liked best.

  Grace and Lacey just laughed listening to them, good-naturedly rolling their eyes across the table at each other.

  “Nick, I can’t believe you’re having a baby,” Grace said. “I’m so happy for you.”

  “I’m so excited,” he said. “And nervous. Really, really nervous. I’ve never really been around a baby before.”

  “You’ll be fine,” Grace said. “It will come naturally to you once the baby comes.”

  “That’s what I keep telling him,” Lacey said, patting her husband’s hand lovingly. “He’s going to be a great dad. The best in the world.”

  “You wouldn’t have said that if you had known him in college, right Grace?” Tom asked. “We were all pretty crazy back then.”

  “We all drank too much,” Jamie said.

  “Way too much,” Grace said, laughing. “Especially Nick and Tom. They were practically professional beer pong players.”

  “We were,” Nick said proudly. “No one could beat us. Remember sophomore year when we won that competition at Paulie’s Bar? We won that big bottle of vodka. Best night of my life.”

  Lacey playfully smacked him on the shoulder. “Excuse me.”

  “Okay, maybe the second best.”

  Grace pulled a face. “It was one of the worst nights of mine. We had to finish the bottle that night because they wouldn’t let us take it home with us. Disgusting. I got so sick the next day.”

  “We all said we’d never drink again,” Nick said.

  “And now look at us,” Jamie said, grinning. “We own a brewery.”

  They spent the rest of the meal reminiscing about their wild nights in college and catching Grace up on all that she had missed. At one point, Jamie grabbed the hand that was resting on her knee and just held it, and she didn’t push him away. His grip felt nice and reassuring, just like old times.

  With these familiar people surrounding her, she was getting sucked right back into the past. The problem was that it was a good past, a happy past, and with Jamie holding her hand she was content to stay there a bit longer than she should.

  But the meal soon came to an end, and she reluctantly let him go.

  When it was time to clear the dishes, the men insisted on doing them, which Lacey in her condition clearly appreciated. Grace guessed she was about seven or eight months pregnant and remembered what it was like to be at that stage. She was impressed with the amount of energy Lacey seemed to have.

  “I’m so glad Jamie brought you here,” Lacey told Grace when they were seated on the couch in the living room, waiting for the men to finish clearing up. “I’ve wanted to meet you for the longest time, and I know how much all of the guys have missed having you around.”

  “Really?” She was surprised to hear that.

  “Of course. Especially Jamie. He talks about you all the time.”

  She felt herself blushing. “We were very close friends once.”

  “Oh, I know all about that,” Lacey said, winking at her.

  Grace changed the subject. “How did you meet Nick?”

  Lacey’s eyes lit up. “I was hired as the marketing director for the brewery two years ago, and we fell in love. Within three months, we were engaged. I’ve never been happier.”

  Ah, so Lacey was the marketing director Grace was going to be working with. She had been picturing so
meone more corporate and was glad that wasn’t the case.

  “Nick is a great guy,” Grace said. “I’m so happy for you both.”

  “I can’t wait until the others get married,” Lacey said, sighing. “I love them all, but it would be nice to have other women around. And what lucky women they would be. Good men are hard to find.”

  “That’s true,” Grace said.

  Lacey looked at her expectantly, but she didn’t say anything else. She wondered what Lacey thought she knew about Jamie’s past, and what Jamie had told her about their relationship.

  “They’ve been offered a lot of money to sell the brewery, you know, but they made a pact that they never will,” Lacey said. “Did Jamie tell you that? They want to pass the brewery onto their children someday. It’s going to be family-run forever.”

  Great. Grace thought of Jake and felt guilty, yet again. Apparently she had robbed him of a father and his legacy.

  Then again, Jamie wouldn’t have gone through with opening up the brewery if he had known she was pregnant. So, really, Jake would have lost out on his share of the family business either way.

  “It seems like you all have a great thing going here,” Grace said, forcing a smile. “The business seems to be thriving.”

  “Yes, but it’s thriving a little too much. We’re having trouble keeping up with the expansion. We’re going to have to take on more people. And with me going on maternity leave, I could really use some help with marketing and publicity.”

  Lacey’s eyes suddenly lit up, and Grace saw the light bulb turn on over her head. “Hey! You’re not looking for a job, are you?”

  Grace laughed. “No, but I appreciate the thought.”

  “What a shame. You would be perfect!”

  “I’m already doing marketing for the brewery,” Grace said, touched that this woman who hardly knew her wanted to offer her a job.

  “It’s not the same as being here every day, working in house. You can do so much more here and really get involved with all aspects of the brand. It’s wonderful.”

  “I’m sure, but there’s a lot I can do from Virginia, and this way you’ll have an entire agency of resources at your disposal, not just one person. Let me give you my card.”

  Lacey accepted the card with a sad smile. “Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

  “Thanks, Lacey.”

  At that moment, the men came out of the kitchen. Grace and Jamie said a quick goodbye to everyone, knowing they would see each other in a few hours at the fundraiser.

  “What did you think?” Jamie asked her as they made their way to the parking lot. He reached for her hand again as if on impulse, and she let him take it.

  “They haven’t changed much,” she answered with a smile. “I’m happy about that. And Lacey is wonderful.”

  “And the brewery?”

  “It’s incredible. All of this... your life... it’s incredible. I can see why you’re so happy.”

  “I’m a lot happier now that you’re a part of it again.” His smile reached his blue eyes, and she saw sincerity there.

  But she could never be a part of this. This was just a glimpse of what her life could have been.

  Still, she said nothing, not wanting to ruin a perfect moment.

  Chapter 8

  Grace stood in front of the full-length mirror in her dress, staring at her reflection.

  Her long hair was down in loose curls, and she was wearing more than her usual light makeup. She had lined her top lashes in black and put on a few coats of mascara, making her large brown eyes look even bigger. She was wearing a silky black shift dress that she found in the back of Caroline’s closet. It covered up her chest but was short enough to be appropriately sexy for a 27-year-old woman, and with her strappy high heels, the effect was a little startling.

  Grace couldn’t remember the last time she had worn something like this or, frankly, looked this good. Any nightlife she had had ended the day she found out she was pregnant. Even on her dates with Charlie she didn’t really dress up. With a full time job and a four-year-old, she didn’t have the hours it took to properly paint her nails, do her hair, fix her makeup, and everything else that looking sexy required.

  Looking at herself like this, she once again found herself wondering what life would have been like if she hadn’t gotten pregnant so young and if she and Jamie had stayed together.

  She wouldn’t trade Jake for anything in the world, but she had given up a lot of when she became a mother. Maybe instead of looking at this trip to New York in a negative light, she should look at it as an opportunity. For one night, she could be just Grace, the carefree, young woman in a sexy black dress.

  Or not.

  Just the thought of it made her feel guilty. She was already having far too much fun.

  She heard a knock on the connecting door and went over to unlock it, remembering with a sigh her earlier promise to herself to keep it closed.

  That hadn’t lasted long.

  Jamie was standing on the other side, all perfectly toned six-foot-three of him. For a moment, she felt just like she used to in college, looking up at him and thinking about how incredible it was that he had wanted to be with her.

  “Hi, there,” she said, unable to help but smile.

  “Oh, wow.” Jamie ran his eyes up and down her figure, making her blush. “Grace, you look stunning.”

  “Thank you.”

  She could tell he meant his compliment when he couldn’t look away. “That dress. I don’t even know what to say.”

  “It’s Caroline’s.”

  “Don’t give it back to her.”

  The look he gave her made her knees a little weak.

  “You look good, too,” she said.

  And he did. He was wearing a fitted black suit with a white shirt and skinny black tie, and he had shaved, leaving just a faint hint of blonde stubble on his jaw.

  He moved further into the room, and she peeked at them in the mirror as they passed it, wanting to see how they looked next to each other. With both of them matching in black, she had to admit they made an attractive pair.

  “Are you excited for the gala?” he asked.

  “I’m a little nervous,” she told him honestly.

  “Don’t be. You’ll be the prettiest girl in the room by a mile, not to mention one of the smartest.”

  She laughed. “One of the smartest?”

  “You’re right, what am I saying? The smartest, by far. You’ll charm everyone there. Hold on, I have something for you.”

  He went back to his room and came back seconds later with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Grace said, a little touched. Champagne had always been her favorite.

  “I figure you had better have champagne now since you’ll have to drink beer at the gala,” Jamie said, grinning. “Seeing as you are representing a brewery.”

  “It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it,” she said with a grin, taking a glass that he poured for her. “Thanks, Jamie.”

  “You’re very welcome.” He took a seat on the loveseat and gestured for her to join him. “Come sit. We have some time before we have to leave.”

  She sat down, sipping her champagne.

  “How is it?”

  “Fabulous.” She smiled at him, a feeling of gratitude coming over her. “Jamie, thank you for all of this. This hotel, the champagne. You didn’t have to do all of this. I would have been happy with a motel room, honestly.”

  He brushed her words aside. “Don’t be ridiculous. This is nothing.”

  “No, it’s not. I have to tell you honestly, I was not looking forward to coming to New York with you. But this day has been really great, and I’m kind of excited about this gala. I don’t really get to do things like this often. You know, get dressed up and go out.”

  He frowned at her. “Why not? Charlie doesn’t take you out?”

  “It’s not that.” She chose her words carefully,
watching the bubbles in her champagne rise to the top of the glass. “It’s difficult to find the time. I’m busy. Charlie’s busy, too. He runs a business.”

  “So do I,” Jamie said. “I’d take you out. I’d want to show you off.”

  She took a big sip of champagne and looked away. She was conscious of Jamie’s eyes on her, watching every movement.

  “I don’t want to talk about Charlie,” he finally said.

  “Okay.” She didn’t want to either, truthfully, but she wasn’t up for analyzing that at the moment.

  “Tell me something.” He moved closer to her on the couch to top off her champagne glass. “What did you first think when I showed up at your office?”

  “Honestly?” Grace bit her lip, wondering how much she should say.

  “Yes.”

  “I was horrified.” She felt the first effects of the champagne relax her. True to her size, it didn’t take much.

  “Why?” he asked.

  “It was like seeing a ghost. What did you first think when you saw me?”

  He shrugged. “I was happy.”

  “Now you’re just making me feel bad for my answer.”

  “I don’t understand why you would be horrified.”

  She was taken aback by his confusion. “I was horrified because... I thought I’d never see you again.”

  “And you were happy with that idea? Never seeing me again?”

  Grace sighed. “Jamie, I’ve had five years to get over you.”

  “And you did.”

  “Yes, I did.” She bit her lip. “Didn’t you?”

  His eyes were blazing blue, and she couldn’t believe what she saw there. Was it possible that Jamie was still in love with her?

  He looked away and laughed. “Of course I got over it. Like you said, it has been five years, Grace.”

  “I know,” she said, feeling stupid. “Sorry, I didn’t mean...”

  “It’s okay.”

  She drank more champagne, feeling awkward and embarrassed.

  “So you haven’t missed me?” Jamie asked.

  “Missed you?”

  “Yes. Didn’t you miss me? We went from being madly in love to nothing in less than 24 hours.”

  His voice was so calm and detached, she didn’t know if her answer really concerned him or not.