33. Kayla
The building is almost empty, but somehow still full of noise. I glance towards where Jenn and Aurora are carrying, carting, and sometimes outright dragging in the variety of items that we have managed to obtain for our silent auction. It’s happening on Friday evening. Two days from now. My pulse speeds up at just the thought.
I’m not usually nervous about presentations or assignments like this. I know that I’m good at what I do and that I always get high grades on anything I turn in. But this assignment is different. Not only because it’s an actual event and not a paper that can just be handed in, but also because it’s a group project. That means that there are too many variables. Too many things that can go wrong.
Though to be fair, I couldn’t have pulled this off without the others. Aurora really came through for us with this building. It’s the perfect venue for our silent auction. And Jenn has been incredible at getting all of the items organized and delivered here.
My gaze drifts towards where Lionel is unpacking some white linen tablecloths. He hasn’t contributed much to this project, to be honest. Sometimes, he seems more focused on trying to flirt with me than actually participating in this project. Well, that and staring daggers at Jace when he inevitably shows up to ruin his attempts to get some alone time with me.
Maybe I need to talk to Lionel about that.
Not that I owe him an explanation or anything. But it might make things easier if I just outright tell him that I’m not interested in dating. Not him anyway.
While pushing another table across the floor, I sweep my gaze around the massive high-ceilinged room. Apart from the furniture and items we’re currently unloading, there is almost nothing in here. But Jace has somehow still managed to make himself invisible.
It makes warmth and gratitude flood my chest. He truly has been doing his outmost to make me feel as if I’m not being constantly monitored. And it works. I’m not feeling as stifled anymore. It also helps that I now know why he is here. Why he is doing this job.
As if he can feel me searching for him, Jace appears and raises an eyebrow at me from across the room. I shake my head in response to his silent question. He just shoots a pointed look towards the heavy table that I’m pushing across the floor, and then arches his eyebrow again. A soft chuckle rolls from my chest, but I shake my head again. I’ve got this.
He rolls his eyes as if he thinks I’m being stubborn for no reason, but then flashes me a bright smile and moves back to where he was hiding in plain sight earlier.
My heart flutters erratically behind my ribs.
I don’t know what Jace and I are now. He’s still my bodyguard. He still works for my father. But we’re somehow also… more. Friends, maybe.
The table grinds against the floor as I push it the final distance to the other table that’s already waiting by the wall. I frown at myself, at my own confused emotions, as I move around the table and adjust it so that they line up better.
Are Jace and I friends? We talk to each other and mess with each other as if we’re friends. But friends don’t kiss the way we do. Friends don’t fuck the way we do.
A flicker of insecurity ripples through me. Because friends also don’t get paid to spend time together. And Jace is here to do a job. I’m a job assignment.
Fuck, why does it all have to be so complicated?
“It’s really starting to take shape now,” Lionel suddenly says from right behind me.
Surprise pulses through me, because I was so wrapped up in my own tangled thoughts that I didn’t hear him approach. While adjusting the table one last time, I look up and then turn towards him.
“The event, I mean,” he continues, and gestures with one hand at the building around us. His other arm is carrying a couple of white tablecloths. “It’s so close to being finished.”
I flick a quick glance around the mass of items and tables that are still waiting in a cluster on the floor. We’re not even halfway done yet. But I return my gaze to Lionel and give him a smile anyway.
“Yeah, it really is,” I say.
He smiles back while dropping one of the tablecloths on the table next to us before he shifts the other one in his arms and holds out one side of the long white fabric to me. I take it silently. It flutters in the air as we spread it wide before draping it over the first table. Then we grab the second one and do the same.
“About the car,” Lionel begins as we smoothen out the creases. “I think I’ve found a good spot for it outside, but I want to know what you think.”
“Great,” I reply.
At least he’s contributing something.
After brushing my hands over the soft linen one more time, I straighten and pull out my phone. From across the table, Lionel blinks at me in surprise as I type a quick text and send it.
Me:Going outside to decide a location for the car.
The reply comes back almost immediately.
Jace Hunter:And giving me a heads-up instead of just sneaking off? Wow. Now I really am impressed, little demon. I was just going to make you dinner tonight, but now I think I’ll throw in dessert too.
An absolutely ridiculous grin spreads across my mouth. But I don’t care, because there’s a sparkling warmth filling my chest. Still smiling like an idiot, I slip my phone back into my pocket.
“What was that all about?” Lionel asks.
A jolt shoots through me because I had almost forgotten that he was here. Clearing my throat, I quickly wipe the grin from my face and instead lift my shoulders in a casual shrug.
“I was just giving Jace a heads-up that we’re going outside so that he can follow,” I reply while we start towards the door.
Lionel’s expression immediately darkens with annoyance. “Does he always have to follow you around like a shadow? It makes it very difficult to have any actual conversations with you when he is always standing a step away, glaring at me as if he’s planning to murder me.”
Amusement ripples through me at the mental image. Because that is exactly what Jace looks like whenever Lionel tries to get me alone.
But the emotion is quickly followed by a flicker of frustration. I didn’t want to have this conversation right now, and certainly not here, but it looks like it needs to be said.
Softening my features, I glance over to meet Lionel’s eyes as we continue towards the door. “Look, I’m sorry if I’ve been sending mixed signals.”
I know that I haven’t, and I know that I have nothing to apologize for, but I phrase it like that anyway because most men truly have such incredibly fragile egos.
“But I’m not really looking for a relationship right now,” I finish gently, and give him an apologetic smile.
His cheeks flush a deep shade of red. “Oh. No, it’s not… I’m not…”
He fumbles when he tries to open the door, and it takes two more tries for him to grab the handle and push it down. While stepping outside, he frantically waves his hand several times in the air, as if telling me to disregard his words and actions.
I just watch him with my eyebrows raised as I step out into the darkened parking lot beside him.
“That’s not what…” he begins before trailing off again, his cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. “I wasn’t trying to imply…” Straightening his spine, he clears his throat and seems to compose himself. Then he gives me a smile. “It’s alright.”
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say to that. Of course it’s alright. I have no obligation to date him or to indulge his attempts at flirting. I don’t owe him anything.
So what I end up saying is simply, “Good.”
He winces, as if he realizes that he probably should’ve said something else. Then he quickly changes the subject instead.
“Anyway, so after the event on Friday, I was thinking that we all should go out to celebrate,” he says. “As a group, I mean. There’s a drinks-and-a-show type of place that’s supposed to be really good, and I just think it could be fun.”
“That sounds great.”
“Good. Great. I’ll… I’ll set it up.”
He flashes me a smile and then quickly moves on to talk about the car again.
I suppress the impulse to laugh.
Well, that went better than expected.