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Chapter Three
Jet aiting in Kara’s living rooundy Range Rover with lots
of expensive, shiny chro like the four-wheel drive trucks and SUVs most people drove in Marietta
Shane’s SUV shouted money, and Jet didn’t knohy his choice of car bothered her All six of his books had been runaway bestsellers One of his books had been turned into an HBO series and another one was in post-production for a big feature film If he had money, and was successful, why couldn’t he look it?
But she didn’t like it, and the flashiness disappointed her Her faest dairy families in Central California and had weathered a lot of stor economy, but her family’s thrifty, practical values had apparently rubbed off on her whether she liked it or not
Shane, dressed in dark jeans and a navy, wool coat open over a thin, gray sweater, was heading up the ay even as she opened the front door He looked effortlessly stylish and very New York She couldn’t help s “You look very chic,” she said
“It’s the buttons on the coat, isn’t it?” he answered, holding one edge of the jacket out and inspecting it
Her s and buttons…all of it But it’s a good look”
He walked her to the Range Rover, opened the passenger door for her “Sorry I’ up this loaner”
“So this isn’t yours?” she asked
“No I’h I do have a weakness for carsthe 1957 Corvette That’s the next car I buy”
“What do you o?”
“A 1958 Chevy truck Matte black Lowered” He flashed her a wry s like this rental”
She clie Rover and he shut the door behind her before co wheel “What do you drive?” he asked
She pointed to the silver-gray car parked just in front of the truck “It’s actuallyit to me while I’m here It’s a Trax”
“A what?”
She laughed “I know I said the sa when she handed reat and gets even better e”
“If you have your sister’s car, what is she driving?”
“Brock’s big SUV, and he’s driving his old truck again” Jet made a face as she shs She had tights on under, and knee high boots, but she suddenly felt a little naked Shane was just so polished and sophisticated that she couldn’t help feeling gauche, and so she kept talking, trying to cover her nerves “I feel bad about that, but Harley says Brock never leaves the ranch, so it works out just fine”
“Why doesn’t he leave the ranch?”
“He has his fah for him, I think”
“So you get a car Pretty good deal for you”
“It is I try to show e, of course—but I still feel guilty Harley’s e so at a certain point you just…give up…and go with the flow” She drew a quick breath, tried to slow her crazy pulse, as well as her chatter “How about you? Do you co family? Where are you in the birth order?”
He hesitated for a second “Most of my childhood was spent in the foster care system”
She shot hilance “What happened to your parents?”
He laughed, a low,sound “Good question”
Jet couldn’t look away from his darkly handsome profile, his firer or pain “Are they still alive?” she asked hesitantly
“No”
“That’s why you went into foster care?”
“No I was given to randmother, and when she died, I went into foster care”
Jet sed “How old were you?”
“Four” He leaned forward and turned on the radio “What do you like to listen to? Pop? Jazz? Alternative rock?”
He was shutting down the conversation She glanced uneasily in his direction, wishing she hadn’t probed as much as she had “I noticed you didn’tto be funny but it didn’t coht as she intended
He laughed that dry low laugh again “You could be an investigative reporter, you know”
At least he didn’t sound angry “I’ve been told I’ood My brothers and sisters used to remind me all the time that curiosity killed the cat, too”
He shot her a swift glance, his jaw easing, dark eyes creasing at the corners “And, no, I’m not really a country fan But if that’s what you want—”
“No I like soood hatever you want”
He nodded, picked a classic rock station and dru wheel as he drove Jet watched him from the corner of her eye, more fascinated than ever
It was good he’d made a reservation The dark wood-paneled restaurant was crowded, with nearly every table full, with clusters of adults waiting just inside the front door Heavy, black iron chandeliers dotted the bea the restaurant masculine and cozy at the same time
Despite the line at the door, they were seated right away, and Jet couldn’t help glancing at the tables they passed, noting the big steaks and plates of ribs and pri aroma made her mouth water
“You’re not a vegetarian, are you?” Shane asked, holding her chair out for her