Char had to fight to keep her mouth from dropping open.
With a smooth elegance, Jake stood and shook her father’s hand. “Obviously, I’m doing fantastic. A job’s a job. All that matters is that Char’s here to help support me. As long as I have her, I’m fine.”
Had she not known he was lying, she would have believed him. Her mother looked between the two of them. “Are you… dating?”
Char opened her mouth to speak but Jake cut her off. “Of course. Why else would we be here?”
Her mother’s mouth pinched into a tight smile as she glanced down at Char’s outfit and then at her plate. “Oh, sweetie! Of course, it’s your birthday! How could we forget again?”
“Not sure,” Char croaked, reaching for her champagne. “I’m twenty-three today. Cheers.”
Jake lifted his glass and clinked it against hers.
“Oh, that’s so nice.” Her mother tilted her head at Char. “Jake took you out for your birthday then, so it’s not really serious.”
“Serious?” Char repeated. Were they insane? How did this go from them lamely apologizing for forgetting her birthday to not being convinced that Jake would actually date her? She bit down on her lip and looked across at Jake. All her insecurities came flooding back. Why would he be with her? He was one of the most famous bachelors in Seattle. He’d even dated a few models.
She made a move to stand. Birthday or no birthday, she couldn’t take it anymore. But as she stood, Jake pulled her to his side and down onto his lap. “Maybe it is best that they hear it from us, Char.”
“Hear what?” Her father seemed totally oblivious to the underlying tension.
“About us.” Jake ran his hands slowly up and down her arms. “We’re dating, and it’s quite serious.”
Char tensed.
Her mother laughed.
Her father joined in.
Char tried to pull away but Jake held her firm. She could feel the anger radiating off of him.
“You know what, sweetheart?”
Char turned in his lap.
“Why don’t we celebrate somewhere else? I have a condo right on the beach… We can celebrate your birthday with the rest of the family.” Well, he’d gone and done it; he’d rescued her and turned from assy frog into a prince. Her breath quickened when his fingertips grazed her cheek. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real. Insecurity from junior high came rushing back. A whale. She’d been a whale, and now she was sitting on his lap. Char told her heart to stop beating so fast. She needed to remind her body that the physical reaction was what Jake was good at. That’s why he was so well-known. He’d made her love him twice in her life; hell if she was going to fall for him again. And then he moved his other hand and rubbed up and down her back. She gave an involuntary shiver. Hadn’t she always wanted Jake to stand up for her? Granted, she was a lot older now, and of course it was too late, but she could almost believe he had the potential to be the man she’d always dreamed of. The one who didn’t just take every single easy route thrown at him, but the hard ones, too. And she needed that quality in a man desperately, especially after seeing her mom and dad again. She didn’t want the type of relationship they had. The type where they lived in their own special bubble. Char wanted love, excitement, a hero, a best friend. Damn, maybe she was just projecting all of her needs and desires onto Jake because he was the one giving her the time of day. Which just brought her back to insecurity number one: Why would he of all people, suddenly want her? He wouldn’t. The truth stung, but she needed to stay strong in front of her parents so they’d believe the lie even though she wished to God it was the truth. He was there because for some reason he was trying to do what was probably his one yearly good deed—not because his heart had suddenly broken away from its icy cage and beat after her.
“Family?” Now her mom seemed irritated. “What family? Her family is all here. Right now… Well, except Beth; she’s on a work trip in LA.” Her mother sighed. “So successful, our Beth. Did you know she was a chemist?”
Char wanted to cry. Actually, she wanted to jump out of Jake’s lap and throw something. Jake had been a better family to her in just a few hours than her parents had been in years! Family? As far as she was concerned, he’d just acted more like family than they ever had. A battle raged within her: stand up and slap her own mother across the face? Or storm out?
Instead, she pulled away from Jake’s viselike grip and stood glaring at both her parents for a minute. She would never seek their approval. It was pointless to try, so instead she was going to enjoy showing them that she could be happy without them.
“Jake, you’re right. Let’s call Grandma and see if she wants to join us for dinner.”
He stood and pulled her into his arms. “Great plan.” With no warning whatsoever, his lips were on hers. He kissed her as if he wasn’t faking it. As if he really liked her and wanted to prove to her parents what they were missing out on. Again, she was swept up into the moment of what it would feel like to be wanted. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed into his mouth. It was her birthday, after all.
They broke apart when her dad cleared his throat.
“Now, Char. Do you think it’s best to be seen with a playboy—”
Jake laughed. “Millionaire playboy.” His smirk was so condescending Char wanted to punch him, but they’d asked for it. “At least get the title right.” With a wink he reached into his pocket and pulled out a few hundred-dollar bills. “Let’s go, love.”