Chapter 11

Avery stopped and raised her head. When she saw Jace, the warmth that had once filled her eyes was gone. All that was left was indifference. She acted as if she hadn't heard a word he said. She didn't even glance at the bouquet. Her gaze passed straight through Jace, and she kept walking. Jace froze, then scrambled to block her path. "Ave? I'm talking to you! I know you're mad. You can hit me or scold me, but don't ignore me like this!" She finally looked at him, but her eyes had no feeling, only distance and refusal. She stepped around him and walked away. Jace stood frozen with the roses, his grin falling away. No one had ever ignored him so completely. His charm and family background meant nothing to Avery—nothing more than a joke. It made him taste failure for the first time. "Avery!" he shouted after her, anger roughening his voice. "The colder you get, the more I want you! Just wait!" … Back in the country, Julian and Tessa were the perfect couple in everyone's eyes. But