Broken Heart. Laura Browning

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СКАЧАТЬ Let me take you to lunch so I can make amends.”

      Stacey wanted to refuse, but she couldn’t find a decent way to do so. In the past week, Justin seemed to be right there whenever she turned around, whether they were at the house or somewhere else. Last night, she’d heard the two men laughing in Jason’s study long after she had gone to bed. Ever since Justin moved in, her husband seemed to have forgotten the whole discussion of starting a family. Now Stacey was stuck in the middle of Justin knowing something her husband didn’t, and her almost inbred need to be a good hostess. It left no room to graciously avoid lunch. “That’s kind of you, Justin. Thank you.”

      As they sat at a secluded table in a quiet corner of a restaurant in Georgetown, Stacey tried to hide her surprise when Justin took her hand. “I don’t want there to be any awkwardness between us. Jace and I are such close friends. We’ve known each other since we were kids. I want you to be a part of our friendship too.”

      She opened the menu, using it as an excuse to slide her hand free from his. Truthfully, though, she had little appetite. Knowing she needed to respond in some way, she smiled. “I’m glad you two are so close. Jace humors me and comes sailing with me, but I know his heart’s not really in it. He’d rather be…”

      “Fishing.” Justin grinned. “We’ve been trout fishing on my parents’ ranch, even taken a few trips to Canada. He’s got enough sixth sense when it comes to finding fish, he could be a river guide.”

      Stacey laughed, once again relaxing. It was difficult to imagine the always buttoned up Jason Winchester roughing it in the wilds out west. Maybe she was being too hard on Justin. He did seem to be good for Jace. Her husband had been so much more relaxed this week. Maybe that would translate into their bedroom too. Stacey could only hope.

      “You never did explain where you were that you couldn’t get back for the wedding. You and Jace are so close, it’s difficult to imagine you wouldn’t have been his choice for best man, and I’m sure he would have been more than willing to fly you back–that is, if you weren’t in the middle of a war zone.”

      Justin chuckled. “Not exactly. I was working on my family’s land holdings in Australia. They’re running cattle there as well as here. Jace did call me, but there was no way I could get back. You two had already set the date, so.” He shrugged.

      Stacey patted his hand. “It’s okay. I understand how that is. Barrett Newspapers has always been the same way for my father and my brothers. Well, not Seth anymore, but Brandon stays busy. He managed to carve out time for a honeymoon, but I know he’ll have to hit the ground running once they get back.”

      The waiter stopped at their table and took their orders. When all she ordered was a salad, Justin raised his brows. Once the waiter departed he looked at her, green eyes serious. “Shouldn’t you be eating more if you and Jace plan to get pregnant?”

      Stacey’s hand rattled against her water glass. “He told you that?”

      Justin laughed. “Well, yeah. He seemed pretty open about it. Is it a big secret?”

      She recovered with a smile after she sipped from her water. “No. I guess not. It’s just I hadn’t even had the chance to mention it to my family.” She waved her hand. “Never mind. I’m being silly.”

      Justin ran his fingers along the weave of the tablecloth. “Please don’t take offense, Stacey. It just seems, with me in the house, I might be cramping your style. If you’d like, I could go out this evening…grab dinner and a movie some place and give you and Jace some alone time.”

      It was incredibly thoughtful, not something she would have ever given a guy credit for imagining, certainly not based on the knowledge of her own three brothers. “Thank you, Justin. That’s kind of you.”

      He caught her hand and squeezed gently. “No problem.”

      * * * *

      Jace’s cell chirped with Justin’s ringtone. A client had just left and he had an hour before the next one arrived. Relaxing back in his chair, he twisted toward the window and watched the traffic roll past on the street below. Warmth filled him. Justin had always been able to do that.

      “What’s up?”

      “I finished lunch with your wife.”

      “Did everything go okay? Does it seem like she likes you?” Jace knew some of his anxiety was bleeding through, but this was so important. He heard Justin sigh on the other end of the line.

      “Jace, things don’t have to be this way. You know what it’s like with me on the ranch. It could be the same way for you. Come out. We could have a life together. You could let Stacey go.”

      Jace rubbed his temples, the tightness starting again in his neck and shoulders every time he considered his future. “Christ, Justin, you know I can’t do that. My father may be gone, but my mother would have a stroke–literally, I’m afraid. You’re asking the only son of a staunch Catholic family to admit he’s gay? I’m already in agony every time I try to have a normal relationship with Stacey.”

      “And you know I will stick by you no matter what, Jason. I love you, man, but this is killing you, and it’s taking a toll on Stacey too. Can’t you see she still loves that other guy?”

      Jace ground his teeth. “He’s not right for her.”

      “Listen to you. You don’t really want her, yet you don’t want her to have anyone of her own? You’re better than that.”

      “I need her, Justin.”

      “As your beard? Without her knowledge? It’s not right.”

      “I need her to have my baby. If I had at least one child…” Jason sucked in a shaky breath. “I could do it then. I could come out.”

      The line was silent for a moment. When Justin spoke again, his tone was resigned. “You know I’ll help you any way I can.”

      “Thanks, Justin.” After saying goodbye, Jace shoved his phone back in his pocket and squeezed his eyes shut. He’d made such a mess of everything. He’d panicked and created a situation that seemed to get more and more out of control.

      * * * *

      “There. What do you think?” Stacey turned to Justin with a smile as she surveyed the dining room table. She had candles set, her best silver and china placed and the lights dimmed.

      He leaned against the doorjamb and grinned. “Perfect. Jace will love it.” He stepped forward and kissed her on the cheek. “Good luck, Stacey.” He winked. “I’ll be back later.”

      Stacey felt guilty for the resentment she sometimes felt toward Justin. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and a quick hug. “Thank you for the suggestion and the help.”

      He waved it away and left the room. A moment later, she heard the front door shut. After checking on a dinner she and Justin had cooked after they’d dismissed the staff for the evening, Stacey hurried upstairs to change. Even here, Justin had surprised her, by suggesting what she wear. While Stacey would have gone for a short, vampy dress, Justin had suggested some silky lounging pajamas instead.

      She bathed and perfumed before slipping the pajamas over her bare skin. No bra, no panties. She wanted to make this as easy for Jace as she СКАЧАТЬ