Page 45 of Deadly Conflicts

“I didn’t say you weren’t happy with the carny,” Vince said, his condescending tone causing Ally’s hackles to rise. “You’re dating him, though. You’re not married.”

“It’s only a matter of time until we do get married,” Ally countered. “Don’t call him a carny either. I don’t like it. You might think that smug thing you do is attractive, but trust me, you’re the only one who thinks that.”

For a brief moment Ally could’ve sworn Vince let his happy-go-lucky façade slip, a brief flash of anger rippling across his face. It was over before she could be sure, though.

“I’m not telling you how to live your life, Ally,” Vince said, his congenial tone firmly in place. “I lost that right a long time ago.”

“You never had that right,” Ally clarified.

Vince ignored the statement. “I’m just saying that you’re living with this guy and you claim you love him and yet he hasn’t put a ring on your finger,” he said. “If he loves you so much, why isn’t he already married to you?”

“We haven’t even been living together for a year,” Ally protested.

“But you’re ready to get married,” Vince pointed out. “Why isn’t he?”

“I … don’t know.” Ally was frustrated. She didn’t trust Vince as far as she could throw him – and she was pretty sure his ego was so big she could never muster the strength to lift him off the ground – but the fact that Jake still hadn’t committed to forever with her grated.

Ally would never admit it to anyone – not even Mandy – but she was starting to wonder if Jake would ever ask her to marry him. She told herself it wasn’t a big deal and she hated herself for doubting him, but her heart hurt when she saw Emma and Finn planning a wedding. They had everything she wanted. And while Ally wouldn’t trade Jake for anything, at a certain point she was going to have to draw a line in the sand because she wanted to be a wife … and she definitely wanted to be a mother. She never thought of herself as old-fashioned, but she wanted to be married before she had children. She couldn’t help it.

“I’m not trying to screw up your life, Ally,” Vince said. “I just want you to know that I’m not the same man who walked out on you. I’ve changed. I’ve grown up. You have other options if this guy isn’t going to give you what you deserve. You don’t have to settle.”

Ally sucked in a breath and steadied herself. It didn’t matter if Jake never proposed to her. She loved him. Vince wasn’t a quarter of the man Jake was and she had no doubt the man before her was working an angle. “I’ll make sure James calls you,” she said. “As for Jake … don’t worry about it. Things have a way of working out.”

“They definitely do,” Vince agreed, smirking. “I have no doubt about that.”

“HOW WAS your shopping excursion?”

James found Jake in the kitchen shortly before five, the generally quiet man smiling as his eyes boasted a distant quality. He was obviously daydreaming.

“That good, huh?” James’ smile was as goofy as Jake’s when they locked gazes. “Where is my wife? You didn’t lock her in a closet and leave her somewhere, did you?”

Jake snorted. “She’s upstairs changing for the barbecue. I think you give her a bad rap sometimes,” he said. “She was great. She was nowhere near as bad as you make her out to be.”

James stilled. Did he do that? “I don’t ever think she’s bad,” he said. “I love everything she does.”

“I was joking,” Jake said, rolling his eyes. “I know you love her. Anyone who has ever met you knows that. You like to play games, though. She does, too. I didn’t mean it as an insult.”

“That’s good,” James said, pursing his lips. “I would hate to think my teasing gives people the wrong idea. She doesn’t deserve that.”

“You’re in a mood,” Jake said. “What’s going on?”

James shrugged. “Nothing is going on. Peter is hearing whispers that the car theft was an inside job, though. He’s got feelers out and if it shows up at a chop shop we should hear about it before anything happens to it.”

“That’s good,” Jake said, grinning. “You have a look, though. It says you’re feeling guilty about what you said and now you want to make it up to Mandy even though there’s nothing to make up.”

“I’m not thinking that,” James protested. “It’s just … sometimes she’s still insecure. I hate it. I never want her to worry about anything, especially the way I feel about her. Maybe I give her reason to worry without realizing it.”

“You’re like a woman sometimes. You know that, right?”

James scowled. “Fine. I’ll let it go. Tell me how the shopping went.”

“She was great,” Jake said. “She was a little leery at first. I think she was worried about draining my bank account. I had to set her straight after the second time she told me Ally’s dream was to be with me and that the ring was only secondary.”

James snorted. He could practically picture the scene unfolding. “Did you find something?”

“We did,” Jake replied. “It’s getting sized tonight and I can pick it up tomorrow. I had no idea how expensive rings were, though.”

“Do you need money?” James made the offer without thinking it through. “I can float you a loan if this straps you.”