The Replacement Girlfriend

Chapter 15

15. It’s Getting Hot In Here  

Before Michelle permitted Krislynn to leave Seth’s house, she threw her arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. They had barely known each other for more than four hours, but already felt like they had been best friends since the day they were born. Then again, a few glasses of champagne have a funny way of doing that.

“You’re not busy tomorrow afternoon, are you?” Michelle asked as she pulled away. “Seth and Chase have this charity gala tomorrow evening and considering you only got here today, I’m assuming you don’t have a dress to attend it. We should go shopping.”

A shrill honk pierced through the warm atmosphere and caused the girls to shudder in surprise. “No, I don’t have a dress,” Krislynn admitted as she casted a weary glance down the driveway where Chase was sitting impatiently inside his car. “But I don’t think Chase has any intentions of bringing me anyways.”

“Oh don’t be silly! If he doesn’t want to take you, we’ll just force him to.” She beamed brightly at Krislynn before she continued. “Anyways, it’s settled. I’ll pick you up tomorrow a little bit before noon. That way we can have lunch together before we go.”

Krislynn hesitated and glanced over at the black Lamborghini once again. She obviously didn’t need Chase’s consent to go out with a friend, but going as his partner to the charity gala was a different case. Already she was pretty much invading his life and the last thing she wanted was for him to feel like she was suffocating him with her presence.

“You should go.” Surprised by the smooth male vocal, Krislynn looked down and found Jace smiling up at her. He was down on one knee tying up his shoelaces, but he hadn’t been able to miss the hesitation on her expression. After all, he had to look up every few seconds to keep his glasses from falling off his face---how could he miss it? “That is, if you want.”

“Go,” Seth encouraged as he leaned against the frame of their French doors. His eyebrows were furrowed and his cheeks slightly rosy from the champagne, but it didn’t take a genius to realize he was desperate for them to leave so he could have a moment of peace with his fiancée. “You’re his girlfriend. I’m sure he won’t mind.”

Finally crumbling beneath the pressure, Krislynn agreed and bid the couple a goodnight. She was still half-hearted and unsure with her decision, but figured Chase could blame his friends if he had a problem with it.

As she started down the driveway, Jace caught up with her and flashed a smile that could melt through her flesh and into her bones. “Sorry about earlier,” he said to her. “I didn’t realize you guys were dating, otherwise I wouldn’t have kept your attention for longer than what was necessary. Chase probably kissed you the way he did out of complete jealousy. Don’t stay mad at him for too long, okay?”

Krislynn could feel her organs liquefying at his words. The dirtbag could be a real jerk sometimes, but he definitely knew how to pick a good set of friends. Why sweethearts like Jace would keep in contact with guys like Chase was beyond her.

“It’s not your fault,” she replied. “I was the one who told you we were just friends anyways. I shouldn’t have done that.” Suddenly realizing the hole in her story, Krislynn thought quickly before adding more detail. “We just started dating, see? We’ll not official yet so I didn’t want to come right out and call myself his girlfriend. That wouldn’t have been right.”