catch.”
Hunter squinted as if he were thinking hard about what he’d just heard. “Debatable.”
“You’ve got no business being married to that woman, and we both know it.”
“Well—”
“Don’t even start with me on this.”
A throw-in-the-towel shadow slid across Hunter’s face like a cloud sliding in front of the sun. “OK, OK.”
“Without me,” Jack continued, “you wouldn’t have had a chance with Amy.”
Hunter put his hands up. “OK already, you’re right.”
“I was an idiot not to go for her myself.” Jack searched the crowd quickly. “Maybe I should get her a drink and have a talk with her. Where is she anyway?”
“Stay away,” Hunter warned. “I’ll kill you if you go anywhere near her.”
Jack’s half grin grew into a broad smile. Hunter Smith was as gentle a man as had ever walked the earth. In the fifteen years they’d been friends, they’d never even come close to blows.
Jack couldn’t say that about all of his old friends. He’d never been the one to throw the first punch, but he’d never been one to walk away from a fight either. He’d put two guys in the hospital with broken jaws after ducking punches, then firing back. Both of them had apologized later for what they’d said and for firing first, but Jack hadn’t accepted. He didn’t live by the second chance rule when it came to violence, especially when the violence had started after a comment about him being adopted.
“I’d never go behind your back, Hunt.”
Jack had known Amy since grade school, and he’d gotten his chance to do that two years ago at a Jensen Labor Day party. She’d had too many cocktails during the course of the afternoon, and she’d tried to persuade him into one of the mansion’s third-floor guest bedrooms. But he’d guided her straight back to Hunter as soon as he’d understood what was happening.
Amy had called him the next day to thank him for being a gentleman. Despite what had happened, Jack still figured she was a good girl and that Hunter was lucky to have her. She’d sworn it was the only time she’d ever come on to anyone since she’d been married to Hunter. And Jack believed her because he’d always known her to be a straight arrow, almost a prude.
“Never,” he repeated emphatically.
Hunter looked down at the floor and nodded. “Yeah, I know you wouldn’t,” he acknowledged quietly. “I definitely know. Amy told me.”
Jack had wondered if she had. Well, it had been two years and they were still together. It must have taken a lot for her to tell him, and Jack admired her for being so honest. He admired Hunter for sticking around too.
He glanced again at the picture of Troy standing in front of the
Arctic Fire
. Being with each other constantly was about the toughest thing two people could do, he figured. Which was why so many marriages failed, he believed, and why he’d always be a bachelor. He wasn’t a loner, but he liked doing things his way. Compromise wasn’t a priority for him. Not nearly enough of one to get married, anyway.
Women came on to him a lot even though he didn’t consider himself that handsome. Pretty women too, and he found the attention curious. It had to be the money they thought he had. Or maybe they were trying to get to Troy through him. If that was the case, they wouldn’t be coming on to him much anymore.
“Troy did get what he deserved,” Jack said, still gazing at the photograph, “and I’m not afraid to say it.”
Hunter checked around the crowded room, trying to see if anyone had heard that. “And I was so sure you’d be in a good mood today.”
There was something about the picture that had really caught his attention. It was as if the picture were trying to talk to him, asif it were trying to send him a clue or a connection to something vitally important. But he couldn’t figure out what that was, and it was driving him crazy.
“What’s that supposed to mean, Hunt?” he asked, finally looking away,
Hunter squinted as if he were thinking hard about what he’d just heard. “Debatable.”
“You’ve got no business being married to that woman, and we both know it.”
“Well—”
“Don’t even start with me on this.”
A throw-in-the-towel shadow slid across Hunter’s face like a cloud sliding in front of the sun. “OK, OK.”
“Without me,” Jack continued, “you wouldn’t have had a chance with Amy.”
Hunter put his hands up. “OK already, you’re right.”
“I was an idiot not to go for her myself.” Jack searched the crowd quickly. “Maybe I should get her a drink and have a talk with her. Where is she anyway?”
“Stay away,” Hunter warned. “I’ll kill you if you go anywhere near her.”
Jack’s half grin grew into a broad smile. Hunter Smith was as gentle a man as had ever walked the earth. In the fifteen years they’d been friends, they’d never even come close to blows.
Jack couldn’t say that about all of his old friends. He’d never been the one to throw the first punch, but he’d never been one to walk away from a fight either. He’d put two guys in the hospital with broken jaws after ducking punches, then firing back. Both of them had apologized later for what they’d said and for firing first, but Jack hadn’t accepted. He didn’t live by the second chance rule when it came to violence, especially when the violence had started after a comment about him being adopted.
“I’d never go behind your back, Hunt.”
Jack had known Amy since grade school, and he’d gotten his chance to do that two years ago at a Jensen Labor Day party. She’d had too many cocktails during the course of the afternoon, and she’d tried to persuade him into one of the mansion’s third-floor guest bedrooms. But he’d guided her straight back to Hunter as soon as he’d understood what was happening.
Amy had called him the next day to thank him for being a gentleman. Despite what had happened, Jack still figured she was a good girl and that Hunter was lucky to have her. She’d sworn it was the only time she’d ever come on to anyone since she’d been married to Hunter. And Jack believed her because he’d always known her to be a straight arrow, almost a prude.
“Never,” he repeated emphatically.
Hunter looked down at the floor and nodded. “Yeah, I know you wouldn’t,” he acknowledged quietly. “I definitely know. Amy told me.”
Jack had wondered if she had. Well, it had been two years and they were still together. It must have taken a lot for her to tell him, and Jack admired her for being so honest. He admired Hunter for sticking around too.
He glanced again at the picture of Troy standing in front of the
Arctic Fire
. Being with each other constantly was about the toughest thing two people could do, he figured. Which was why so many marriages failed, he believed, and why he’d always be a bachelor. He wasn’t a loner, but he liked doing things his way. Compromise wasn’t a priority for him. Not nearly enough of one to get married, anyway.
Women came on to him a lot even though he didn’t consider himself that handsome. Pretty women too, and he found the attention curious. It had to be the money they thought he had. Or maybe they were trying to get to Troy through him. If that was the case, they wouldn’t be coming on to him much anymore.
“Troy did get what he deserved,” Jack said, still gazing at the photograph, “and I’m not afraid to say it.”
Hunter checked around the crowded room, trying to see if anyone had heard that. “And I was so sure you’d be in a good mood today.”
There was something about the picture that had really caught his attention. It was as if the picture were trying to talk to him, asif it were trying to send him a clue or a connection to something vitally important. But he couldn’t figure out what that was, and it was driving him crazy.
“What’s that supposed to mean, Hunt?” he asked, finally looking away,
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