The Inconveniently Engaged Prince. Mindy Neff

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      “Sure I do. I’ve seen you at least once a week for the past month. That makes us practically engaged.” He checked his watch. “You’re off in half an hour, right? Let me take you out for a late dinner.”

      “I have to study.”

      “No one should study on an empty stomach. It’s a Carradigne rule.”

      She bit her lip to keep from laughing. “I already had dinner.”

      “What, at five o’clock? That was almost six hours ago. Okay, how about coffee? Come on, Vickie. Say yes.”

      She picked up the tray Paul had filled with the latest drink order and scooted out from behind the bar. Passing his stool, she hesitated for a fraction of an instant. The darn man was simply too irresistible.

      “Yes.”

      He whooped and she hid a grin as she made her way through tables filled with patrons, several of which shouldn’t be ordering another alcoholic beverage. The saxophone player on stage announced this was the last song of the set and rattled off the dates and places where their group would be appearing next.

      As she delivered drinks and stuffed tips in her pocket, she kept a subtle eye on Jace Carradigne. More than one female in the room tried to get his attention, but he didn’t seem to notice. Instead, his gaze followed her as though she were the only woman in the universe.

      It was a heady experience. Especially for Victoria. A man like Jace Carradigne seemed too good to be true. Then again, she might be building fantasies where they didn’t belong. She hadn’t even had a formal date with him.

      Yet.

      Why had she agreed to go out with him tonight after refusing him for the past month? She’d thought he’d lose interest after the first couple of times she’d said no. She was sure he was just teasing, being friendly, passing a Friday night. Being a flirt.

      But there was something deeper in his laughing green eyes. Something that made her want to ease into him and let him slay her dragons and be her knight.

      And those kind of thoughts were ones that would get her in trouble. She had plenty of past experience to go by. From now on, she was going to look before she leapt. She wasn’t going to try to define herself through a man. Wasn’t going to search for love in all the wrong places, or mistake infatuation for the real thing.

      Been there, done that, she thought, unconsciously touching the two sapphire rings she wore on the middle finger of her right hand. And the consequences had left irreparable scars on her soul.

      “Looks like you’ve made Mr. Cell Phone millionaire a happy man,” Tiffany Hershey commented as she scooted Vickie aside and automatically began clearing dirty glasses from the table.

      “Why do you always define people by their profession or bank account?”

      Tiffany shrugged and grinned. “Girl, bank accounts are important. And when they come with a guy who looks like that…” Her gaze strayed toward the bar. “Well, I’d say you’ve struck the mother lode.”

      “There’s more to Jace than his business success,” Vickie defended.

      “Mmm, and you’re going to find out how much more, right?”

      “We’re just going for coffee.”

      “I know. I overheard. And you were officially off the clock three minutes ago.” Tiffany laid a hand on Vickie’s arm, her heavily made-up eyes turning serious. “Give him a chance, hon.”

      “Tiffany…”

      “Don’t give me that tone. You’ve got a wall around you a mile high. All you do is work and study. You deserve some happiness in your life.”

      Over one too many glasses of wine after work one night, Vickie had told Tiffany about her life and the reason she’d sworn off men. She didn’t often tell her secrets to others, and had regretted opening up to the other woman. Just thinking about it brought her shame.

      But Tiffany had turned out to be a gentle champion and confidante. Despite the other woman’s flamboyance, they’d formed a friendship.

      “He’s out of my league.”

      “Get outta here. You’ve got more to offer a man than most of them even deserve. Sometimes I think you’re too sweet for your own good, but I think this guy’s different. He doesn’t strike me as one to take advantage.”

      “If he is, he won’t get far with me. I’m not traveling that road again.”

      “That’s a great attitude, hon. But you still have to bend a little. Let people in.”

      “We’ll see.” She’d let people in before. Too easily. And the bones of the myriad skeletons in her closet were a rattling echo in her heart and mind. Every day.

      The bar would be open for another three hours, but like Tiffany had pointed out, Vickie’s shift was over. She retrieved her tips for the night and slipped in the back room to hang up her apron and grab her denim jacket. Paul was good about working around her school schedule, letting her have flexible hours and plenty of time to study.

      At thirty-one, she was starting a bit late in the game toward a career, but better late than never. She was going to make something of herself. Securing an education and a stable, respectable career as a teacher meant everything to her. Eventually, she might even pursue her master’s and go into counseling.

      She’d long ago lost contact with any of the people from the group homes she was raised in, but it was a burning point of pride that she show them—at least in her own mind—that she could excel, overcome the sins of the past.

      A past where nobody had cared enough to ask if a little girl had dreams.

      As a teacher, perhaps she could make a difference in just one child’s life. Be the type of role model she’d always wished had been there for her. Help a young girl or boy realize that they could reach for a dream.

      Her heart thumped in her chest and her nerve endings tingled as she headed back to the counter where Jace Carradigne sipped a beer and waited for her. She wasn’t afraid of the man himself. She was afraid of what he made her feel. What he could easily make her forget: that she’d sworn off relationships until she’d graduated from college and accomplished her teaching goals.

      He stood when she approached. “Ready?”

      “I really should go home and study. I’ve got a psychology test on Monday.”

      “See there? You’re in luck. I’m the perfect guy to help you out in that area.”

      A bubble of laughter tickled its way up her throat. “I’m afraid to ask how.”

      “I excelled in psychology classes in college. Had to actually, just to save my sanity. You see my sister, Kelly, was one of those gifted kids. She’s only twenty-six, but she’s already a scientist. She’s got multiple degrees in various fields of medicine.”

      “And why did that compel you to study psychology?” They made their way toward the door and Vickie waved СКАЧАТЬ