“I’ll be back,” he said.
Though she hadn’t orchestrated it, she was glad to see Jace again. She should have known better than to overdo things and have her leg swell up, especially since she had a wedding planned for the following day. Thankfully tomorrow she’d have little more to do than unlock the door. The wedding consultant was efficient. She’d gone over with Kelly all the places the bride and groom would need to complete their ceremony, reception and photo shoot.
Kelly didn’t hear the door close. She was already asleep.
* * *
WHEN KELLY OPENED her eyes again, she had the feeling a lot of time had gone by. She turned over. The ice on her leg had disappeared. The swelling had gone down and her leg no longer throbbed with pain. Her cousin sat in a chair reading.
“Mira? What are you doing here?”
Dropping the magazine she’d been engrossed in, she looked up. “A little bird told me you’d pushed yourself too hard.”
“You saw Jace? He was really here?”
“You don’t remember?” Mira asked.
She was still a little disoriented from the medication. She looked at her hand. Jace had held it. That was the last thing she remembered.
She sat up. “I remember now. He put ice on my ankle.”
“And he called me.”
“I’m sorry. I’m all right.”
“Obviously now you are,” Mira reprimanded. “I know you want everything perfect here, but if you’re not careful that injury could sideline you for a longer time than it needs to.”
“Sideline?” Kelly said with raised eyebrows.
“Sorry,” she said. “Too much Drew and his football analogies. Nevertheless, the statement still stands.”
“It probably won’t matter much,” Kelly said, her voice resigned.
“What does that mean?”
Kelly pulled her pillows up and leaned back against them. She told Mira all of what had happened in the past few weeks. From the moment Jace had shown up on her doorstep until she threw him out five days ago. The only points she left out were the several kisses they’d shared and how his touch made her feel like a queen.
“And you think he’s only here to take the Kendall from you?” Mira asked.
“He pretty much came straight out and told me.”
“But then things changed.” Mira spoke as if she knew something Kelly didn’t.
“What?”
“You and Jace,” she said. “Don’t tell me you’re not in love with him.”
Kelly stared straight ahead. She nodded so slightly, Mira may not have seen it, but Kelly knew her cousin was perceptive.
“His affection for me could have another purpose,” Kelly pointed out.
“Like what?”
“Like he would change his tactics to get the Kendall back.”
“And he’s romancing you in order to get you to sign the place over to him?” It sounded incredible.
“It’s not outside the realm of possibility,” Kelly said.
“Unless you’re inside a Victorian novel.”
Kelly was beginning to feel exasperated. “What do you suggest his motives are?” Kelly asked.
“I think he’s head over heels in love with you.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why, because he’s never said it?”
“That’s one reason.”
“Maybe because you put up walls,” Mira offered.
Kelly didn’t deny that. “I know you’ve had bad experiences in the past. I know that guy Streeter showed up here at the open house and he was the last person you needed to see, but none of us get through life without kissing a toad or two. It’s necessary so we know a prince when we find one.”
“You can’t believe Jace is a prince?” Kelly questioned.
“He’s not my prince. You have to decide if he’s yours.”
* * *
JACE MET ARI at the day care, but they didn’t go back to Kelly’s. Both of them jumped into the truck and headed for nowhere in particular. Jace did, however, call Mira and she told him Kelly’s condition. He couldn’t take the chance of seeing Kelly again.
Once Ari was with all the kids and toys at the day-care center, he’d dropped Jace’s hand and ran for them and the director said he could stay for a couple of hours, that Jace was then free to do what he wanted.
And what he wanted then was to see Kelly. He wanted to talk to her, but she was in pain from her leg. Going back would mean he was bound to blurt his feelings out. And what would she think? That he was merely trying to get the Kendall by pretending to love her?
Jace was in love with her. But look at the mess he’d made of everything. Nothing had gone right since he’d driven into town and asked Kurt Mallard for a loan. He’d told himself he was doing it for Ari, doing it to get his home back for his son. And while that was partially true, it had changed as he got to know Kelly. He’d never seen a stronger woman. She loved the Kendall. She loved everything about it, every nail, every tile. And she’d work herself to death to restore it.