From Fake to Forever (Newlywed Games 2)

Jason’s need for vengeance against his father couldn’t have vanished so easily. Neither could his rivalry with Avery. They’d both been his sole focus for too long.

“Some of it is still in there, but it’s better now. The manifesto details the restructuring of Lyn and Hurst under one umbrella using Hurst’s capital and incorporating Lyn’s soul.” He reached for her hand and held it to his heart, a bold move that she appreciated enough to keep from snatching her hand back. “It’s nearly complete, but it’s missing one important stamp of approval. Yours. The only Lynhurst who hasn’t reviewed it yet.”

“Um...what?” Meredith’s cheeks went hot at the same moment her spine went cold. “You want me to be involved in this? Why? I’m not a Lynhurst.”

But she wanted to be and for more reasons than solely to be Jason’s wife. She’d found a place in the world where she truly fit, where her mind mattered far more than her body and he’d ripped it away from her.

Only to appear out of thin air and offer her...what?

His gaze grew heavy with significance and she couldn’t look away.

“You were the inspiration for the whole thing, Meredith. Avery quoted you. Bettina quoted you. I don’t think I had an original thought the entire time. It was all you. We used everything the marketing department came up with to refute Avery’s sweatshop allegations and it all took off from there.” He gripped her hand tighter. “You are a Lynhurst. At heart, where it’s most important. It’s one of the many things I learned from you. Leading with my heart is not easy for me and I needed to get better at it. Unfortunately, it came at a terrible price—it cost me you.”

Her eyes burned as she registered the sweet vulnerability in his gaze, the same way he looked at her when they were connecting. That nearly undid her. “It didn’t have to cost anything. I loved you for free.”

It was a vicious reminder that she didn’t want his money, or his loft, or a job offer from anyone named Lynhurst. Just Jason’s love, and he’d handed her heart back to her. She didn’t know if she could trust him with it again.

* * *

I loved you. Past tense. God, please don’t let me be too late.

When Jason had left New York for Houston, he’d hoped she hadn’t filed the papers yet because she didn’t want to. Because she wanted to try again, like he did. Never had it crossed his mind that he’d get to Houston and discover his wife had fled to the Caribbean. And that he’d have to scrap his entire rehearsed speech since he had no idea what her state of mind would be when he found her.

Jason swallowed the lump in his throat and flexed the muscles in his hand, which ached to pull Meredith into his embrace.

But her steely expression hadn’t given an inch since he’d started talking and she wouldn’t welcome him with open arms. Not yet. But maybe soon, if he could somehow explain the decisions he’d made, and the path he’d forced himself to walk the past few weeks. He’d let her storm out of his life, convinced she would be better off without him, only to discover that he yearned to be the man she deserved...and worked tirelessly fourteen hours a day until he felt closer to it than he ever had before.

Now he needed to know if she agreed that he’d become worthy of her.

“You gave me your heart freely, Meredith.” Greedily, he searched her face for some sign she still had those feelings, but her guarded expression gave him few clues. “But I hadn’t done anything to earn your love. Letting you go was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I didn’t want to.”

Growing up sucked. But if Meredith forgave him for taking so long to figure out what that looked like, it would all be worth it. Assuming she didn’t tell him to take a hike, which she would be well within her rights to do.

“Why did you let me go, then?” Meredith demanded. “I would have stayed and worked through the manifesto with you. I would have helped you figure out how to lead with your heart. I wanted to.”

“I know.” God, did he ever. The look on her face when he’d told her he couldn’t love her...awake or asleep, it had haunted him. “I’m sorry, honey. So sorry that I hurt you, but I wasn’t good enough for you. Hell, I couldn’t even give you what you needed. What did I know about love? Staying wouldn’t have worked. Or been fair to you.”

The shadows in her eyes didn’t magically fade. “So you sent me away for my own good. Forgive me for not thanking you. You did it so you could focus on Lynhurst Enterprises. That’s always been more important than me.”