To Win Her Love (11 page)

He’d play Pete’s game, but on his own terms. He couldn’t see himself as the head of the twins’ new family, and thanks to Gracie, that wasn’t necessary. The value of Pete’s estate guaranteed the girls would never want for anything financially, and Gracie and Mary would see to their physical and emotional needs.

He had no more experience at being a big brother than he did a father, but shit, how hard could it be? Yeah, they might be girls, but kids were kids. Gifts on their birthdays and holidays were a must, but in his experience with Tom’s boys, kids were happy with the simple things. Like an occasional movie or a meal. What kid wouldn’t like a trip to the zoo or maybe a day spent sledding the hill out behind the barn? He grunted in satisfaction.

Piece of cake
.

Whatever Pete’s true motivation for shoving the twins at him, Jake would have the last word
and
twist the situation to his advantage. He grinned.

Beginning with Gracie.

Kevin Tucker dropped into the chair in front of him, straddling it backward. Jake bit back a groan. Matching, serrated barbed wire tattoos stretched across Tuck’s thickly muscled biceps when he propped his arms on the back rest. He leaned forward. Cobalt blue eyes twinkled beneath a mop of sun-bleached blond hair. He curved his lips in a sly smile.

“Who is she?”

“She who?”

The grin widened. “The she who has you sitting here grinning like an asshole.”

Fighting back the groan grew more difficult. They’d been friends since the tough kid from South Boston was drafted in Jake’s third season. Tuck’s nose had been broken numerous times and had the prominent bump to prove it. A jagged scar bisected his right eyebrow above his crooked beak. Despite the imperfections, the ladies flocked to him. When it came to his exploits with women, Tuck was a legend. In comparison, Jake was a Boy Scout.

Which didn’t mean Jake couldn’t hold his own. In a game of friendly competition, they’d both stolen a lady love from the other on more than one occasion. The latest victory belonged to Jake, when he convinced Daphne, the underwear model Tuck escorted to a fundraiser last spring, to toss the veteran wide receiver over for a weekend in Bermuda. Tuck had been waiting seven months for the chance to retaliate.

Gracie’s gem-toned eyes, drugged with passion as she fought against the pleasure of their shared kiss, filled Jake’s mind.
Not this time, buddy
.
I’m keeping this one to myself
. “What makes you think I’m grinning over a woman?”

Tuck’s nostrils flared on a sharp laugh. “Costa has you in his crosshairs, you’ve been slapped with a bullshit fine, and every sports talker in the country is gunning for you. The fact you can still smile can mean only one thing.” He jabbed a finger toward Jake’s nose. “You’re under the influence of some damn sweet poison. Who is she?”

Jake crossed his arms and bared his teeth in a
fuck you
smile.

“Gentlemen. We have our work cut out for us this week.”

The chatter in the room quieted immediately as the offensive coordinator arrived. Tuck thinned his lips in a challenging smirk. “You know I’ll find out.” He spun his chair around to face the screens as the lights blinked out then spoke in a low voice over one shoulder. “By the way, next week’s poker game is at your place.”

Shit
.

“Thanks for the ride.” Gracie scrambled from Max’s low-slung sports car, hoping to rush inside before he could follow. She wasn’t quick enough. Thanks to his long-legged stride, he joined her before she reached the porch steps.

“Go away.” She searched her purse for her key.

“Not a chance, kiddo. This is Jake Malone we’re talking about. You don’t always think clearly when your heart’s in play. I’m here to help.”

She rolled her eyes. “My girl parts are in play, you idiot, not my heart.”

He grinned and bumped her shoulder with his. “I’ve known you since before your girl parts
knew
they were girl parts, and I’ve watched you moon over Jake Malone, despite there being no chance you’d ever meet him. Now you have…Fate has spoken. You’re a one-man woman, and your heart’s already made its choice. You’re toast.”

Dear Lord, please don’t let that be true.

Eyeing Jake’s big SUV parked beneath the old pines, she hoped to kill Max’s matchmaking agenda, at least for tonight. She uttered the lie without an ounce of remorse. “Jake may not even be here, you know. Curfew isn’t for another three hours.”

He shrugged. “I’ve got nothing planned for tonight, and I haven’t seen the twins in a while. I’ll wait.”

After insisting he drive her home, he’d pumped her for details on everything that happened since the reading of the will. She’d spent the entire ride doing her best to say as little as possible. Not an easy task, considering she’d never been able to keep a secret from Max, including her long-time crush on Jake Malone.

Under normal circumstances, she’d have savored describing how she dumped Jake on his ass. Max would’ve gotten a kick out of it, but she could imagine his reaction should he learn of the molten kiss she shared with Jake prior to the dumping. Even worse, what would his reaction be if, when they went inside, Jake picked up where he left off this morning with his blatant flirting?

The matchmaker song from
Fiddler on the Roof
echoed in her head. She ground her teeth. Why hadn’t she insisted on taking the train? She glanced up with a scowl. “You’re being an obnoxious jerk.”

Max grinned, not bothering to refute her complaint, as the door swung open suddenly and ripped the key from her fingers. Larger than life and looking as if he’d recently come from a board meeting, Jake stood on the other side of the threshold in a stark white dress shirt and black slacks.

In contrast, Max resembled a biker gang president in his battered leather jacket, time-faded jeans, and black boots.

“I’ll be damned.” He shot her a wink. “You were telling the truth.”

Her jaw went lax, then she sniffed. “You thought I was lying?”

He slung his arm around her shoulders, tightening his hold when she attempted to toss it off, and tapped a fingertip to her forehead. “Nah. I just like seeing this zigzag wrinkle you get between your eyes when you’re pissed.”

Her elbow to his rib did nothing to diminish his gleeful sneer. Facing Jake, he stuck out his hand. “Max Grayson.”

“Jake Malone.” Jake’s intent gaze bounced between them as he shook Max’s hand.

Max would never know how close he came to getting dumped on
his
ass. He was saved when she noted Jake’s watchful gaze crawling over Max’s arm wrapped around her shoulder. Well, well. She might be able to salvage this situation after all. If Max would only cooperate.

Why hadn’t she considered playing the boyfriend card? Surely, if Jake thought she and Max were an item, he’d back off from his heavy-handed flirting. Then maybe her girl parts
and
her heart would settle down, and she could focus on the all-important task of winning the custody battle.

Tucking closer to Max’s side, she blinked at him with a simpering smile as if he alone could deliver the moon and the stars. Deviltry flashed in his eyes. Not a good sign, but at least he wasn’t busting a gut laughing. She pinched his waist in a silent demand he play along.

Jake stepped back to let them enter. Max proved himself as perversely contrary as usual. He dropped his arm from around her and left her high and dry. She scurried after him, hoping to salvage the ruse, and shrugged from her coat without meeting Jake’s eyes.

“Where are the girls?
Uncle Max
thought he’d surprise them by coming for dinner.”

Max shot her a pointed smile, but if he planned to contradict her, matching squeals from above stopped him in his tracks.

“Uncle Max!”

Two pair of tiny feet thumped on bare wood as the twins raced down the stairs. They’d reached the landing when Murphy shoved by them to launch himself to the foyer floor. Gracie choked on a laugh when Jake jerked up one knee and crossed his leg in front of his crotch. Horror flooded his features, and he called out a warning when Murphy pivoted toward Max.

Well acquainted with her dog, Max spun sideways at the last second. Murphy skidded to a stop and plopped to his butt like a perfect gentleman. His tail swished back and forth over the floor. Max bent to greet him with a rub and a grin.

Jake glared at the dog. Gracie bit her lip to keep from laughing.

“Uncle Max!” Angel plowed into Max’s leg. Charlie joined her a moment later.

He dropped to a squat, pushing Murphy aside to grab the girls in a bear hug. Employing his usual ritual when greeting the twins, he purred an animal growl and rubbed his whiskered chin over Angel’s jaw then repeated the tickling caress with Charlie.

Their delighted giggles made Gracie’s heart swell with appreciation for her friend’s demonstrable affection for her nieces. They’d had far too few reasons to laugh lately. Count on Max to understand and set aside his matchmaking agenda long enough to greet them the way he always did.

He winked at her over Charlie’s shoulder. Gracie’s smile stretched wide until she happened to glance up and caught Jake watching the warm welcome with tightened features. As if sensing her attention, his guarded gaze ricocheted off hers before he turned his back and closed the door.

Her smile slid away. Though unsure of exactly what he was thinking, she didn’t need to read his mind to know the scene playing out left him uncomfortable. Because the girls were his sisters and yet hadn’t greeted him with warm hugs, as they were Max? Was he stung by the reserved welcome he’d received last night? Could he possibly be that naïve?

He’d been here less than twenty-four hours and he’d made more headway than she’d have expected in a week. Give Charlie another day or two, to shed her residual shyness, and she’d be slobbering all over her new big brother the moment he walked through the door. Angel might be holding him at arm’s length at the moment, but deep down, she dreamed of a big brother and all that entailed. This morning at breakfast, he’d proven he was willing to try to build some kind of relationship with his half sisters. Didn’t he realize he’d already won over Charlie and, with the tiniest bit of effort on his part, Angel would soon fold like a bad hand of cards?

Gracie didn’t want to think about where that left her.

Max lifted his nose in the air and sniffed. “What do I smell?”

“Sketty and meatballs.” Angel wrapped her arm around his neck.

He twisted his head to meet her smiling gaze. “Do you think Miss Mary made enough for me?”

Charlie rubbed her fingers over Max’s scruffy chin and nodded. “Miss Mary made an extra big pot ’cause Jake said sketty is his favorite.” Her smile grew huge. “He’s our big brother!”

“Oh, yeah?” Max grasped Angel’s hand and rose to his feet. He rested a hand on Charlie’s shoulder and, in true Max style, offered Jake a pained smile. “That must have come as a shock.”

Jake snorted slightly, but his shoulders relaxed marginally. “You have no idea.”

Max chuckled, squeezed Angel’s hand, and wrapped an arm around Charlie’s shoulders. “Well, I’m jealous. I’ve always wanted a couple of petite, black-haired twin sisters.” He grinned, and the girls giggled their pleasure. Then he swung his gaze to Gracie. His grin tilted into a taunting smile, and he winked. “Instead, I had to settle for a tall blonde with a smart mouth and an attitude.”

She dared a glance at Jake.

He crossed his arms and the tension on his face melted away with his challenging smile. “I didn’t realize you had a brother.”

So much for her boyfriend ruse. She was going to kill Max when she got him alone.

He drew her attention when he spoke to Jake. “She has no brother, but she has me. When a woman’s been tagging along behind you and generally causing you grief from the time she was fourteen, she can’t help becoming the next best thing.” Affection softened his smile and his voice when he looked back at her. “A best friend.”

The rat! Typical Max, slipping something sweet into the middle of his trash talking.
Tagging along behind him
. Ha! He’d be getting a lesson in grief, all right, and soon.

She angled her chin defiantly. “Don’t you mean
ex
-best friend?”

His teeth flashed with his pleased laughter. She rolled her eyes.

Jake’s eyes twinkled boyishly as his gaze bounced between them. “Remind me to tell you about my best friend sometime.”

Max turned his smile on Jake. “Is she a leggy blonde?”

“Nope. She’s a petite redhead, but she could give Gracie a run for her money in the attitude and smart mouth departments.”

“Auntie Gracie has a
pretty
mouth!” Lips puckered in a mulish twist, Angel glared up at Jake.

On Max’s far side, Charlie wrung her hands uncomfortably and bit at her bottom lip. Surprised by the vehemence of Angel’s defense, Gracie opened her mouth to say…what, she wasn’t sure. Clearly too young to understand the nuance of the conversation, Angel had misread Jake’s comment as an insult, but neither Sarah nor Pete would have tolerated her disrespectful tone. Neither could she, not if they were going to live in peace for the next eleven and a half weeks.

Jake didn’t notice, or he chose to ignore Angel’s hostility. He propped his hands on his knees and leaned down until he was on her level. “Do you think so?”

He rotated his head and studied Gracie for a long moment. She refused to squirm beneath his intent regard, especially with Max paying such close attention, and was relieved when Jake returned his focus to Angel—until he spoke.

“You know, you’re right. Your Auntie Gracie has a
very
pretty mouth.”

Max’s smile lit up keenly. For a moment, Gracie half expected him to slap Jake’s hand in a high five. Humor simmered in Jake’s eyes. She’d have smacked them both if she could’ve moved, but her toes were curled in her boots.

Angel spun away, her brow puckered with confusion, and headed down the hallway. Charlie skittered after her.

The hell with her curling toes. She fried both men an exasperated glare then ground her teeth at the deep laughter trailing her as she huffed toward the kitchen.