May the Best Man Win by Mira Lyn Kelly Read Free Book Online Page A

the game on, nodded once and dropped into his chair at the end of the table to dig into the spaghetti Jase had heated up for dinner.
    From his beige recliner across the room, Joe let out a warm chuckle. “Kid, you look wiped. Getting your vitamins?”
    Jase rubbed a hand over his grin, both touched and amused at the way his father still looked after him. “Yeah, Pops. Every day.”
    â€œSo what’s with the walking around like you’ve got lead in your boots?”
    Jase could try to dodge, to change the subject, but his dad had asked him a direct question, and, well—his dad didn’t ask him for much.
    â€œIt’s nothing. A woman.”
    Joe sat forward, a glint in his eyes. “Special?”
    â€œEspecially annoying.” Irritating. Pecking her way into his thoughts even after he’d dropped the guys at home the night before. Hell, she’d still been there when he’d collapsed into bed. Flashing that smile. Laughing. The sound of it doing shit to him he wasn’t a fan of. Particularly when he was on the brink of sleep and that sexy laugh and the memory of how she’d brushed so very close to him started to mingle in his mind, forcing him to get up and put in a few hours of work before he was willing to brave sleep again.
    â€œYou remember Eddie’s girl, from before the accident?”
    â€œEmily? Sure I remember, and from before she was Eddie’s girl too. Always liked that one. How’s she doing these days?”
    Grudgingly, Jase told the truth. “Good. Real good, from what I can tell. She’s a senior account supervisor for one of the bigger PR agencies downtown. I heard she’s kind of a hotshot—lands all the big accounts. Lots of friends—friends who keep marrying mine.”
    â€œWell, good for her,” his dad stated enthusiastically before leaning forward to ask, “She still such a looker?”
    Jase couldn’t deny it. “She is.”
    â€œYou know, I always thought you two would have made a better couple than her with that Eddie. She was too smart for him. And, yeah, yeah, I know he’s had it rough, but—” His dad shook his head, cutting that thought off, and then grinned at Jase. “So Emily’s back. That’s fantastic. You taking her out? Somewhere nice, I hope. Not one of those showy places where you can’t even have a conversation. But nice nice. So you can talk. Get to know each other again.”
    â€œDad, it’s not like that with us.” Not even close.
    But it was too late, because his dad had that gleam in his eyes. The one that said he was getting way too far ahead of himself.
    â€œWhat matters is how she gets to you right here.” He thumped a fist over his heart and grinned.
    Jase had way too much respect for his old man to suggest he wasn’t sure the guy ought to be giving dating advice to anyone, considering the way his marriage had turned out. But he was thinking it.
    â€œSorry to disappoint, but you’re off base, Dad. The only way Emily gets to me is like nails down a blackboard.”
    Joe looked anything but disappointed.
    â€œI’m serious, Dad. One look from her is all it takes, and I’m torqued off for the next two days. Not a big deal when I only see her once or twice a year, but suddenly, it’s like…” Jase rubbed his hands over the top of his head and then fisted them at the back of his skull. “It’s like I can’t get away from her. She’s everywhere.”
    â€œShe bothers you that much?”
    â€œShe shouldn’t. I don’t know why, at close to thirty, I’m still letting this girl get under my skin.”
    â€œYou think it’s because maybe she never totally got out?”
    Jase’s head snapped up.
    â€œCome on, Jase. I remember how you used to be about her. Never saw you look at another girl that way.”
    â€œDad, that was before—”
    â€œYeah. She was