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Bethany senuine There wasn’t an ounce of fakeness to her

"Okay, letfroet restless and cranky"

Twentytable The centerpiece was beautiful Gorgeous, vibrant red poinsettias with elegant tapered candles on either side Elaborate candelabras were positioned on the sideboard and the lights were dilow over the table

Gabe and his father occupied the two ends of the table with Mrs Hamilton on her husband’s left and Mia to the left of Gabe Bethany had been positioned across the table from Mia and Gabe and Jace were on either side of her, with Ash next to Mia and across the table from Jace

The food was delicious but Bethany found herself lost in the flow of conversation The proble in common with these people No common interests She hadn’t kept up with recent events She was clueless about sports, the world of finance, and even er the meal went on, the ed silence The others were starting to glance at her with concerned looks and Bethany pasted on a bright s on her food And she was Even being with Jace for as long as she’d been now, it was still ingrained in her not to waste food She still lived with the idea that she never knehen her next good meal would be and so she had to

As if finally sensing just how ill at ease she was, Jace reached underneath the table, rubbed his hand down her thigh and then lightly squeezed just above her knee

He leaned over her to get a roll and murmured, "Relax, baby"

She was lanced in her direction, his eyes softening

She just wanted the floor to open up and s her whole Better yet, she really just wanted to go back to her apartment She was in sensory overload Tooto perform social niceties

It wasn’t that they were horrible or that she didn’t like them It was just aard and out of her scope She felt completely inadequate despite Jace’s repeated atteed

That was on her Jace, his family, no one hadHer own insecurity

"I love your tree," Bethany said quietly in Mia’s direction

Mia beamed "I do too I adore Christmas trees Jace used to always takeof the tree It was a tradition I looked forward to It here Gabe proposed to me"

Bethany’s heart twisted at the instant waraze was riveted on Mia

"I love Christmas trees too," Bethany said wistfully "I never had one A real one, I mean In an actual home"

As soon as the words popped out of her mouth, she wanted to die Her look of horror couldn’t be contained She couldn’t believe she’d just blurted that out She couldn’t bear to gauge the others’ reactions to what she’d said

Before she said anything else to humiliate herself, she shot up from her seat Jace reached for her, but she was just beyond his grasp She left the table, heading blindly for the kitchen

"Jesus," Ash muttered "She’s never had a Christ after her and giving her a lanced at his friend and then at the grim expressions on Gabe’s and Mia’s faces, the soft sympathy in Mrs Hamilton’s eyes

"This has been torture for her," Jace said quietly "This whole day Damn it, I shouldn’t have ?" Mia asked anxiously

"No, baby girl, you did everything fine I appreciate it This is just hard for her She’s not used to any of the things we take for granted She’s not used to being around people, much less people who care She was a nervous wreck aboutyou all She doesn’t want to ehter "She doesn’t think she’s good enough for me"

"Shit," Gabe murmured "I hope you put an end to that crap"

"I think y to the table

Mia nodded and Gabe rose, putting his hand on Jace’s shoulder "If you need anything, let us know"

"Will do Thanks for the great food, Mia You outdid yourself"

"Give Bethany our love," Mia said softly

Jace smiled at her "I will"

Chapter twenty-five

Jace hugged Bethany to his side as they hurried into the cold and toward his waiting car She hadn’tMia and Gabe, hell, even Ash--especially Ash--had been extreood-bye and acting as though nothing had gone wrong

But Bethany had been ht lines of her body and the anguish in her eyes

He ushered her into the car and kept her close to hiiven his driver their destination when he’d called to tell him they were ready to leave Gabe’s apartment She didn’t even notice when they didn’t head in the direction of either of their apartht he planned to take her to her apartht he’d stay over with her

As if she was staying anywhere but his place on Christ more and more impatient with the distance between them He wanted her in his apartht No, there hadn’t been a single night since he’d moved her into her aparthts had been spent at her place

His mind told him not to move too fast, not to push too hard, that the end result could be disastrous His heart just wantedher In his arms, his bed, his life Any way he could make it happen

When they pulled up in front of Saks Fifth Avenue, Bethany finally becaone back to her apartazed around in consternation

"Where are we?"