Raw Deal (Beauty for Ashes: Book One) (18 page)

Monica stirred two sachets of organic sweetener into her drink. “Okay, you’ve stopped staring at your watch. Now, you’re staring at me.”

“Just wondering if you’re okay,” I hedged.

“I’m fine.” She smiled for emphasis. “So where’s Jace taking you tonight, and what are you wearing?”

“We’re just going to his place to hang out, and I’m just going to wear jeans and a shirt.”

“You’re going to his place?” Monica’s eyebrows were raised.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Hope you’ve been taking your pill sweetie.”

“I haven’t got any.”

Monica looked incredulous. “Are you trying to get knocked up? I know where my mom puts hers. We can go and get some.”

It was already three o’ clock; I wasn’t going all the way to Monica’s at this time, especially not in Christmas Eve traffic. “We just got together, Monica, I don’t think I need the pill yet.”

She shrugged. “Well, whatever happens, don’t do it without the plastic.”

“Huh?”

Monica rolled her eyes. “Are you staying the night?”

“No. My mom gets home at eleven. I plan to be home before then.”

***

Jace sent me a limo. I couldn’t believe it when I answered the door, and there was a man in a tux standing there with a bunch of white roses on behalf of Jace Washington. I went to put the flowers in a vase, and then I followed him to the car.

The driver let me out when we got to Jace’s place, and then he drove off around the back of the house.

Jace opened the door before I knocked, in low-slung jeans and no shirt. “Hey, Jace.” I held out the Christmas present I’d brought him. “Why didn’t you pick me up?”

“I was running late, and the freeway was backed up. So, I called Gav. Did you get the flowers?”

“Yes, thanks. They were really nice.”

Jace took his present and grinned. “Wow, I get a present too? I thought you were my present.” He stepped aside to let me in.

Jace’s house was scary. I tried not to stare, but it was ludicrous. I couldn’t believe he lived here. We were in a hallway, and it actually had a reception area with seats and a table.

I followed Jace down the hallway. The double glass doors at the end of the hall slid open automatically, and he led me toward a red-carpeted staircase.

A gorgeous blond was descending the stairs. “Who’s that?” she asked Jace.

“Why?”

“She’s female and pretty. You’ve never brought someone female and pretty home before.”

I tried to look open and friendly, even though I felt awkward and self-conscious. She smiled and offered her hand. “Jamie Price.”

“Lexi Dixon.”

Jamie’s pretty green eyes studied me with unmasked interest. “Are you Jace’s girlfriend?”

“Go away, Jamie,” Jace answered. He ushered me up the stairs and walked me down a long corridor.

“Who’s she?” I asked Jace, once we were out of earshot.

“My cousin.” Jace stopped outside a door, and he put his hand on a reader. It scanned his palm then the door opened. “Welcome to my space. Let me give you a quick tour.”

Jace’s ‘space’ was like a five star apartment. He had a living room, a kitchen, a gym, an enormous bedroom, a bathroom, and a leisure room. The leisure room was complete with arcade games, a pool table, a ping-pong table, and a myriad of electronic games consoles. What on earth was I doing here?

“What do you want to do?” Jace asked after he’d shown me around. I noticed that he looked a little unsure and maybe a little self-conscious too.

“I’d like us to talk and get to know each other a little.” I knew that was such a girl answer, but we were dating and I didn’t really know him very well. I looked at the gold crucifix hanging around his neck. My eyes were drawn down to his chest and then his stomach area. “Put on a shirt, Jace!”

Jace gave me a slow smile. “Does my not wearing a shirt disturb you?”

“Just put one on.”

He went into his bedroom and returned wearing a scanty gray tank top. He was still all chest and biceps. He may as well have not bothered.

“Want a drink?” he asked.

“No thanks.” I’d heard about date rape drugs in drinks. Okay, I knew Jace probably wouldn’t do something like that to me, but I didn’t really know him from Adam. And if he did, his family was rich enough to silence me permanently if I tried to sue.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Nothing. Are your mom and dad home?”

“No.”

“How many are in your family?”

Jace frowned a little. “Four.”

I sat down on the black sofa. Jace’s den was decorated in black, white, and metallic red. There were a few bits of contemporary and digital art on the walls. The spotlights gave the room a mysterious ambiance, and it was all very modern and masculine. I noticed a black leather Bible on a recliner.

Jace dropped down next to me and picked up a remote. He pressed a button, and the entire wall in front of us lit up. I tried not to look impressed, but it was hard. The whole wall was his TV! Goodness gracious!

“What do you want to watch?”

“Actually, I said we should talk.”

“We can do both.” He handed me the remote, and I chose a music video channel.

“Why don’t you want to talk?” I asked.

Jace’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I’m not good at talking.”

“Yes, you are. I’m the one who’s not.” I lifted his arm and draped it around my shoulders. Before long, we started making out.

Jace’s kiss did all sorts of funny things to me. At the same time, it was scary, like maybe we shouldn’t start something that I didn’t want to spiral out of control. He was worldlier than I was, and he’d probably crush me into a mess if I wasn’t careful.

In any case, I wasn’t giving it up on a sofa; never mind that it was a plush, black, leather sofa that probably cost like fifty grand.

Even as these thoughts whizzed around in my head, I didn’t pull away when Jace carried on and on and on. His intensity was getting asphyxiating, and I was spellbound.

Chapter 20

Christmas was awful without my dad. I couldn’t stop thinking, and my mind wouldn’t stop replaying the memories. He always cooked Christmas dinner, because he was better at the fancy cooking than my mom. I’d bought him at least five presents last year, as if I’d known it would be my last opportunity.

I couldn’t stop crying. I refused to go anywhere, so my mom (who looked like she’d been crying too) went to my grandmother’s for a family party without me.

I didn’t hear from Jace. He was probably having a great time. I didn’t even hear from Monica. I wondered what Christmas would be like for her, seeing as her stepdad was back home.

She stopped by on Boxing Day, en route to meeting Tanya at the mall. “You won’t believe what happened,” she said as she followed me up the stairs to my room.

“What?” I asked gloomily.

“Michelle went forward in church yesterday.”

“What does that mean?” I switched on my flat screen TV, a Christmas present from my mom that didn’t even begin to compare to Jace’s wall/TV phenomenon.

“They asked if anyone wanted to get saved, and she put her hand up.” Monica was giggling. “It was hilarious. She went out to the front and said the sinner’s prayer, and Tanya and Matt were over the moon. Me and Sandy couldn’t stop laughing.”

“Was Jace there?” I asked. Jace hadn’t called me since I left his house on Christmas Eve.

“Yeah. How was his place? I can’t believe he invited you over. He never takes anyone home. Hope you didn’t do anything I wouldn’t do?”

I hesitated, wondering what to tell her.

Monica’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you fell for the whole ‘rich, debonair guy whisks naïve new girl to his bachelor pad and dazzles her with his wealth and seduces her’ thing?”

I shrugged. “I guess I did. He hasn’t called me since.”

“Oh, Lexi! You should have called me. Have you been sitting here miserable since Christmas Eve?”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, go and meet Tanya.”

After she left, I wondered about Jace. He hadn’t looked annoyed or anything when I left his place on Christmas Eve. Okay, he’d been quiet, but he hadn’t been annoyed. He’d even given me a load of presents, which were presently sitting on my dresser. There was a lot of jewelry, two bottles of perfume, a Prada purse, and a GPS.

I got up and shoved them all into a drawer. The sight of them made me remember how I’d felt when Jace had given them to me, like they’d been intended as some kind of payment for my body. Okay, I knew it wasn’t like that, but it had still made me feel like human garbage. And contrary to what I’d said to Monica, I wasn’t fine.

One minute he’d been all over me, and admittedly, I’d been a bit hesitant, but when I was finally able to relax a bit, Jace just looked really bothered and started saying it was too soon. I didn’t get the mixed signals and the sudden change of mind, but by then, it was ten o’ clock, and I needed to get home before my mom.

But nothing had happened that meant he should stop calling. Maybe he’d just been busy. Maybe he was going to call me today.

I waited all day—no call. I used the landline to call my cell phone to make sure it was working. It was.

The next evening, I decided to swallow my pride and call him. I was tired of this waiting and speculating.

“Hey, Jace,” I said brightly when he answered. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, you?” He sounded pretty normal.

“I’m good. How was your Christmas?”

“It was good,” he said quietly. Now his voice seemed empty and cold. Or was it just my imagination? “Can I call you back in a minute?”

“Sure.”

He didn’t call back, but an hour later, he was on my doorstep. I was so relieved to see him, but I could tell something wasn’t right.

“Sorry to just show up,” he said.

“It’s fine. Come in.”

He didn’t move. “I’ve got Tanya in the car. I’m taking her home, but I just wanted to stop by to apologize.”

“Why?”

He looked at his shoes. “I felt like a real jerk after you left. I’m really sorry.”

There was no bravado, no jesting. Jace looked honest and sincere. “It’s no big deal, Jace.” I kissed his cheek, and he looked uncomfortable.

“I should get going,” he said. He turned on his heel and walked away.

I watched him drive away, then I shut my front door. Now, I was even more confused.

Okay, we’d almost done what we probably shouldn’t have. I hadn’t really wanted to do it, but we weren’t kids anymore. Everyone did it. It wasn’t a big deal. He didn’t need to apologize and get all weird with me. In fact, who said we shouldn’t have done it? How fast our relationship went was up to us, wasn’t it?

I went to my room and decided to journal. When in doubt, my good old diary helped me process my thoughts.

Chapter 21

My phone was ringing. It was Jace. We hadn’t spoken since his bizarre apology three days ago, and I had resisted the urge to call him.

“Hey,” I sang. I had to sound happy. He couldn’t know I was upset, or that his silence had been as tangible as a dagger twisting into my heart.

“Hey,” Jace returned. “What have you been up to?”

“Not much.”

“Got any plans for New Year’s Eve?”

“No.” Monica was hitting a couple bars with Sandy, but I wasn’t going. “Did you want to do something?”

“Um, I have plans, sorry.” Jace was quiet for a moment. I heard him exhale. “Lexi, I’m really sorry. I can’t believe I’m doing this, but I have to.”

“What?” I asked. I was surprised at how normal my voice sounded even though my heart was hammering against my ribs. It was over. Michelle had told me that he had a reputation as a heartbreaker. This was the part where he broke my heart. Something inside prompted me to end it first so that I could be the dumper rather than the dumpee, so to speak. But then again, what if he wasn’t trying to break up? I rolled my eyes. Why was I harboring hope? It was obvious.

Jace breathed a heavy sigh. “Lexi, I don’t want you to hate me, but we have to break up.”

I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to ask him why, but my mouth wouldn’t work. I just felt frozen.

“Lexi, I’m sorry. I don’t believe I’m saying this to you.”

From somewhere, I found the strength to speak. “Are you done?”

“Yeah, but please don’t be mad at me.”

I couldn’t believe I had trusted Jace. I’d fallen for him totally and completely, and now he wanted to break up without even giving any kind of reason. My pride didn’t let me ask for one. I could feel my temperature rising. “Bye, Jace.”

Jace sighed, again. “Bye.”

I hung up and sat on my bed blinking back tears. I didn’t want to cry over him. We’d dated for barely two weeks. He wasn’t worth it.

My mom called me to come for dinner, but I ignored her. Jace had dumped me! The pain was like a stab to the heart. Was Christmas Eve that bad that it had to come to this?