A Promise Kept (4 page)

“What did you have?” Jaime asked him as Grace yelled in triumph and gave Marla a high-five.

“I am the master,” Grace sang as she got up from her chair and did a little dance that made Evan’s heartbeat rise. “Gotta use the little girl’s room. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Josh followed Marla to the kitchen as Evan set his cards back into the deck. He noticed Jaime’s large hazel eyes staring at him. “Why didn’t you set out your cards, Evan?”

“I was bluffing. Didn’t have a good hand.”

Jaime looked at him skeptically. “Then why didn’t you let us see your cards?”

She was undeniably on to him. “Um, I was embarrassed?”

“Is that so?” She crossed her arms and cocked her eyebrow at him. She wasn’t going to let it go. “You were winning, weren’t you?”

He lowered his head and chuckled. “You can’t prove a thing.”

“All I have to do is tell Grace, and she’ll believe me over you.”

Evan groaned. “Okay, Jaime, I’ll go to your son’s sixth birthday party if you don’t tell Grace I had a straight flush.”

Jaime gasped, “I knew it! Oh, if Grace finds out...”

“But she won’t know, right? Think of your kid and that birthday party, Jaime. Poor…”

“Jake.”

“Poor Jake won’t get Captain Abrams at his party.”

“Fine.” Jaime smiled and shook his hand with strength. “You’d better not back out on me. His party is November 14th.”

“I’ll be there. You can have Grace remind me.”

“Why Boston, by the way?” Grace strolled in. Wavy wisps of hair caressed her skin and Evan had a craving to push them out of her face then grab that hair tie and yank it off, let his hands tug through the thick, wavy locks. She sat beside him and he tried to keep his eyes off of her. It wasn’t working. “I mean, can I pick another location? And is it all-inclusive? Because, I really think it should be. Although, I have no idea what I’d do in Boston.”

The females around him were all fascinated by his answer. “Boston’s my hometown. I was hoping to get a free flight from this little wager.”

“Like you can’t afford it?” Marla ridiculed as she sat down with a glass of wine and piece of chocolate. “Those
Ending
films made billions of dollars.”

These women didn’t miss a thing, did they? Evan shifted in his seat. “It’s always nice to go home and visit the folks.”

“But I don’t have to go to Boston, right? I mean, why Boston? And I can take a guest, right? Marla, you up for a vacation?” Grace asked again as she grabbed a cold slice of pizza and yanked a piece of it with her teeth.

“Well, I didn’t mention it, but you gotta take me with you.” He smiled at her slyly as he saw tension climb into her body.

“You can’t change the terms of the bet.” Grace’s voice sounded suspicious.

“Why not? You’re trying to change the terms of the bet by asking to change the location and getting me to pay for the hotel and food,” Evan countered.

“Forget it. Let’s just pretend this game didn’t happen.” Grace dismissed him, dropped her leftover pizza on her napkin and began to put away the chips in their case.

“Hell, no. I owe you help with a refurbished desk, two dates, a homemade dinner plus clean up, and a trip to Boston.”

“It’s not like this game was serious. Why would I ever want to go to Boston anyway?”

“Are you joking? Why wouldn’t you?” His voice climbed with incredulity. “Boston is amazing. It’s gorgeous there, there’s history, places to go antique hunting.”

Grace quickly glared at him. “How do you know I like to go antique hunting?”

Evan sat back with his hands in the air. “Um, it’s pretty obvious. Your house looks like an Anthropologie catalogue.”

Tension crept into Grace’s body as she straightened, her brow furrowing. “My stuff isn’t from Anthropologie,” Grace declared defensively as she grabbed the cards and placed them back in their box. “I bought most of my furniture from estate sales and restored them. Everything’s authentic.”

“I didn’t mean it as a bad thing, Grace. I like your home.”

“So, what’s the whole point of this little argument?” Marla asked as everyone became silent.

Evan wanted Grace to stick with this bet. It was the only way he could get to know her better. “I’m just saying, I should go with her. She could see the best places by someone who knows that city inside and out.”

Grace argued, apprehension sneaking through her, “That wasn’t included in the terms of the bet though.”

“We didn’t discuss the terms and conditions, so anything goes,” Evan demurred.

“Like changing the location and the person I go with?” Grace flitted her eyelashes at him and he growled.

Evan had never come across a woman so determined to avoid him. “No. I specifically stated Boston, and we were the ones wagering.”

“Well, then maybe the whole bet should be called off. Play another game?” Marla suggested.

Grace nodded, overly eager to change the outcome of her winnings. “Yes, and none of this traveling and dates stuff. We should’ve set a pot limit and kept to the poker chips.”

“Nah, I gotta go.” Evan stood and stretched, then looked at his Omega watch. “I have an early call time tomorrow.”

“You have an even earlier workout session, mate. You have to burn the food you ate tonight.” Josh strolled with Evan toward the door. “It was lovely to meet you ladies.”

Evan reiterated Josh’s statement. “Yes, really nice spending time with you. Thanks for the pizza.” He lagged behind as Grace walked with him toward the door. He gently leaned over, and placed his lips near the shell of her ear. “I’ll get in touch with you for our first date.”

Evan detected her inflexibility, her body straightening and moving away from him. “In your dreams, Mr. Hollywood.”

He walked out the door, with the hopes that he stimulated his unassuming neighbor. “A bet is a bet, Gracie Lynn.” He glanced back and saw her confused expression, no doubt caused by the fact that he knew her middle name.

As soon as they entered the house, Josh quickly punched Evan on the shoulder. “Could you be more of a pussy?”

Evan punched him back. “What the fuck, man?”

“What are you thinking?” Josh asked as Hank ran up to him and grabbed the leash near the entrance with his mouth. “Letting her win? Making those bets? You barely met this girl and you want to take her to Boston?”

Evan moved toward the living area and plopped onto the couch. Hank left Josh’s side and jumped into Evan’s lap, dropping the leash and making himself comfortable. Evan stroked the boxer’s fur softly and shook his head. “I don’t know. I like this girl.”

It had been so long since he’d spent time with a woman where he actually enjoyed her company for more reasons than just getting her naked. Grace was smart, funny, cautious, and not one to fall for his charms. He wondered if it was the challenge that was captivating him more than anything else. He honestly didn’t know what he was thinking when he bet that trip to Boston. But he could see Grace spending time exploring the city with him, and for some odd reason he wanted to make her genuinely happy.

“Evan, you’ve known her for a few hours.”

“I know,” Evan covered his face with his hands, “I know, but I just have this feeling about her. She’s different, somehow. Am I going crazy?”

“Yes. Why don’t you just drink your glass of Riesling now and listen to your fucking Adele CD as you weep dressed up in your leggings?”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“Wanker,” Josh laughed. “Look, she’s nice. She just doesn’t seem like…”

“A fuck-her-and-leave-her-type girl?”

“Exactly, Evan. Girls like her? You don’t mess with. You don’t break a heart like hers.”

Evan nodded. He had to be careful, and he needed to make sure his motives were in the right place. Was she a challenge, or was she the real deal? Either way, girls like her were not easy to find. “What if this chick is the end of me? God, she could so mess me up.”

“You let her. Then attempt to drink her away.”

“I shouldn’t go there, man, but she’s…” He thought about her and sighed. What the fuck was happening to him? “That face, that body.”

“You’ve always had a thing for the girl-next-door type,” Josh laughed as he whistled for Hank. The dog approached him and he bent to put his leash on.

“Girl-next-door? Did you see her body? It’s all curvy and lush under those baggy clothes.” Evan gave an astute grin. “Oh, I guess you were too busy noticing Red.”

“Fuck off.”

“Yeah, I saw you staring at her cute friend.”

The fact that Josh ignored his comment made Evan wonder if Josh too felt differently about this Marla girl than others he’d met. “I’ll come by, six a.m. sharp. Straight to the gym, Evan.”

“I hate you,” Evan grumbled as Josh left him in the house alone. Picking up another script from his table, he attempted to read, in hopes of finding that next great project. Instead, all he could think of was ways to get Grace to trust him. He would have to take it slow, get her to open up, and let her realize he’d be the best thing that ever happened to her.

“
S
weet tea
?” Zach handed Grace a glass filled with the refreshing beverage as she sat on the floor of his living room. She’d gone to Lowe’s to get the items needed to fix the wooden baseboard and then headed toward Evan’s house. She was partly relieved he wasn’t home, although that hadn’t stopped her from thinking about him since the night he’d come over and made that ridiculous bet.

“Thanks.” She rested the caulk gun on her leg and put the sponge back in the bucket that sat beside her. The hopes for a great glass of iced tea quickly went down the drain as she took a huge gulp. “Ugh,” she grimaced, “sorry to tell you, Zach, but this tea sucks.”

Zach laughed as he retrieved the glass from Grace. “Sorry about that. Too much sugar?”

“Way too much sugar.”

“I’ll get you some water.”

“Yes, please.” Grace picked up the caulk gun again along with the putty knife. She focused in on the wall as she spoke animatedly to Zach. “Glad they fixed that pipe up.”

“Me too.”

“How long have you been Evan’s assistant?”

“Since he’s needed me. So, almost ten years,” Zach called out bringing Grace a bottled water. He set it down beside her, then rested on the arm of the lounge chair. He crossed his long arms as he watched her work. “His family took me in when we were kids, so I’m more like his brother than anything else.”

“That’s cool.” Grace kept her eyes on the wall and held back sadness that always came with the mention of brothers and how she always ached for hers. “It’s important to have people you trust around you.”

“It is. We have a no bullshit tolerance.”

Grace looked at him and saw his forest-green eyes keenly focused on her. She nodded in understanding. “I’m sure he’s had his fair share of leeches.”

“He’s discerning, most of the time. Sometimes he can get a bit clouded in his judgment though. Especially with women.” Grace turned toward him and rested her forearms on her knees, giving her back and neck a small break from the pressure of working on the wall. She studied Zach’s demeanor and gathered that he was trying to be protective of his friend.

“What is it you’re getting at, Zach?”

He shifted, running a hand through his tousled dark hair. His posture relaxed as he gave a small smile. “I’m just looking out for him, Grace.”

“You gonna ask what my intentions are?” She smirked as she picked up her bottle of water and twisted the cap, taking a sip and letting the coolness soothe her throat. He looked impressed with her sass as she continued. “Don’t worry, I really don’t think I’m his type.”

He slyly grinned, “Oh, you’re exactly his type, Grace. That’s the problem.”

“I’m a problem?” Grace stared wide-eyed at Zach, worry breaking through her reserve. She gulped and finally looked down, closing her water and setting it aside. “I’m not interested in him, Zach.”

She picked up her tools again and turned toward the wall. He snickered. “I’m not sure if you’re lying to me or to yourself.” Shit, this guy didn’t hold back. And Grace knew she was trying to convince herself not to want Evan the way she did. “It doesn’t matter, Grace.”

Once again, she glanced over her shoulder at him. “Why?”

“Because I think you might be good for him.”

“You’re talking as though Evan and I are dating. We’re not and we won’t. I told you, I’m really not his type.” A grin played across his lips, which cracked to a full smile. She wanted to reach over and smack him. “What?”

“Nothing, Grace. It’s just that you’re a lot more modest than I thought.”

“And you’re a bigger jackass than I thought.”

He gave an energetic laugh. “Guess you don’t take bullshit either.”

“You’d guess right.”

He moved toward the kitchen as the silence suffused her senses. It allowed her to think of all that was just discussed and what it meant. Had Evan told Zach about the bet? It wasn’t like anything would be cashed in on, no matter how much Evan would try. But the feeling of his warm breath touching her ear when he whispered he owed her a date? She felt tingling from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

She couldn’t deny that part of her wanted to indulge in getting to know Evan. It had been so long since she liked someone and Grace forgot how good it felt. Good and horrible at the same time. Her mind reeled in reliving the way his serious eyes had taken her in when they’d played poker. The smoothness of his face along with the strong jaw entrenched her memory; she knew she couldn’t be stupid about the lust that ran throughout her body.

Evan Matthews was not a good prospect for her. He was well-known for being a philanderer. Models, actresses, and singers walked in and out of his life. He was an accomplished flirt, and he knew how to get what he wanted. Then why had she let him get under her skin? Sighing, she stopped thoughts of what his lips would feel like on hers and studied the wall instead.

“I really do need help with this iced tea thing. I can’t seem to get it right!” Zach shouted from the kitchen.

Grace smiled as she reached for the sponge in the bucket and squeezed out the excess water. “You can’t steep the bags too long, it gets bitter. And easy on the sugar.”

“I love me some sugar, Grace. I can’t help it.” He joked as he kept busy in the kitchen.

“Don’t drink his tea, Grace. It’s a trap.” The familiar voice carried over to her and she straightened before she looked up. Only he could cause butterflies in her stomach. She listened as Evan entered the house and set his keys on the table nearby.

Finally her eyes drew to his, and she felt as if her breath was being smothered. She tried to look away but was captivated by him. The scruff that had been present on his face was now shaved clean. His dusky, golden brown hair was perfectly styled, and he wore a plain shirt and jeans that would look boring on the average guy. Evan was far from the average guy, however, and Grace knew she was in trouble.

Clearing her throat, she gave half a smile. “Too late. I thought I was going to fall into a sugar coma after one sip.”

“Again, Zach? Don’t even try anymore, man.” Evan moved to Grace and sat down beside her. “You caulking my crack, Grace?”

She held the gun in her hand and pointed it at his head, trying to stifle a laugh. “Don’t say caulk. You make it sound dirty.”

“Exactly.” He smirked as she ignored him and grabbed the sponge. He laughed, “You’re wiping my caulk now, I see.”

“Shut up, Matthews,” she chuckled and pushed him with her elbow. “I’m almost done here.”

“Don’t fuck up her concentration, Evan.”

Grace saw Evan’s features turn dark, as if his happiness had buried and turned into something else.
Jealousy?
“Zach, Josh needed you to get Hank from his place. He’s staying on set late.”

“Now?”

Evan turned back to him, his eyes like lasers, and his voice stern. “Now.”

“Damn dog. I love and hate him at the same time,” Zach groaned.

“You’d give your life for that dog.”

“I would,” Zach agreed. Grace stayed focused as she worked with the putty knife but smiled at the idea of these guys going soft over a pet. Zach huffed, “Fine. I’m going. See you later, Grace.”

She looked over to him and nodded. “Thanks for the tea, and the talk, Zach.”

Before he reached the door, he grabbed a set of keys. “Hey, Evan, invite her to the Halloween party.”

“Yeah,” Evan mumbled as Zach left.

Grace stayed quiet as she turned her attention back to the wall. What was she going to say to him? She hoped to be done with all this before he got back, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. His body heat radiated from him, and he looked and smelled amazing. Women the world over would love to be in her spot at this moment, and here she was, sitting next to
GQ’s
Man of the Year
, one of
People’s Sexiest Men Alive
, and yet, she tried to stay away. Why? She knew exactly why.
Remember the promise
, she thought to herself.

“Look at me, Grace.” Evan’s voice was rough, masculine. Slowly, she turned toward him, and saw his electric blue eyes urge her to speak truth. “Are you interested in Zach? If you are, then tell me now. If not, then I’m definitely asking you out on a date.”

A surge of emotions welled inside of her. She couldn’t let down her defenses. The strategically-placed wall around her heart needed to stay put, but she struggled as she stared at his mouth and wondered what his lips would feel like on hers. He stayed still beside her as he waited for her answer. She tried to keep it light. “The bet didn’t mean anything, Evan. It didn’t count.”

“Bullshit, Grace. It counted.” She pushed herself up from the floor and he followed. His tall stature hovered over her and he clasped her wrist before she could move away. “You like him?”

Grace felt her pulse drumming and heard her heart pounding in her ears. She lifted her chin and roamed his faultless face. “Gracie?” He breathed her name with a husky sound that made her insides melt.

She tried to gain her balance and focus on the initial question, but could only stare at his beautiful soft mouth. “Yeah?”

A crinkle appeared between his eyes. “You do?”

“Do what?”

He backed up and the spell she was under quickly dissipated. “You like Zach?”

“What? No. I don’t like Zach. I mean, not like that.” She moved away and began to gather her things. “Look, um, I gotta go. I have a-”

“Deadline. I know.” He smiled that mega-watt charming smile at her, and she tried to keep her calm. “I’ll help you take your things.” He picked up the bucket with water as she grabbed the rest of the items she had brought with her and tucked things in the pockets of her paint-stained overalls.

They walked outside and he dumped the contents of the bucket over his lawn. Her mind began to function properly again and she recalled the last time they had said goodbye. “Hey, Matthews, how did you know my middle name?”

He grinned. “You didn’t think I would Google you?”

Her face reddened as they reached her doorway. “You Googled me?”

“What? You didn’t Google me, Grace?”

“Why would I Google you?”

“Ouch.” He playfully placed his hand over his chest. “You’re breaking my heart, Gracie Lynn.”

Grace tried to pretend that Evan saying her name didn’t have an effect on her, but that was far from the truth. “All the dirt on you is in
US Weekly
, Matthews.” She opened her door and rested her tools on the hall tree then turned to grab the bucket from him, but he had already settled it near the entrance.

Evan stood watching her with a purposeful gaze. “Don’t believe everything you read, Grace.” He stayed put, but surprised her when he reached over and tugged on a strand of hair that hung out of her bun and pushed it behind her ear. “We’re having a Halloween cast party at Old School Bar and Grill. You and your friends are invited.”

“I’ll see what we’re up to.” Grace shuddered as his finger grazed the plane of her cheek. She moved away from him. “I can’t guarantee we’ll make it.”

“I’d really like you to go, Grace.” His voice was suave and she felt her insides clench at the thought of him whispering sweet things in her ear.

“Would it count as one of the dates?”

“No. That’ll be later.”

“I still don’t think the bet counts at all.”

“Stop trying to get out of it, pumpkin. I’m taking you out.” He winked as he began to leave. “See you later, Gracie.”

Was he trying to destroy her? After years of terrible dates and unsatisfactory men, Grace had given up hope of finding someone who would make her feel all these crazy sensations she had only ever written about in her books. The romanticisms she thought of as only fictional were beginning to stir within her like a vortex, and she was being pulled in. How would she fight against this man who was the essence of perfection? She had to stay strong, remember what was important, and not let herself get lost in a fantasy world she knew couldn’t exist with Mr. Hollywood.