“Do you need me to make it better? I can rub it for you.”
“How noble of you.”
“Now tell me why you were crying, or I’ll take you over my knee next time.”
She glared at me before reluctantly giving in. “You kept my pictures from our trip to The Gatsby house. I found them in your desk.”
“You were snooping?”
“No! I was looking for a Sharpie to sign some paperbacks. Why do you still have them?”
“Why wouldn’t I? Is that why you’re conflicted? Because you found those photos?”
“That’s not the only reason.”
“What are the others?”
“Everything about you is conflicting. Your voice, your dirty mouth, your touch, when you kiss me, when you hold me like you are right now. I’m trying my best to not fall for it again, but you’re making it so damn hard.”
“Why are you fighting it? I don’t know what more I can do to prove to you I’m all in this time.”
“You always know the right things to say. It’s part of your charm. The only reason you want me is because of the chase. You’re a lion, but the second you sink your teeth into me, I won’t be enough anymore. I wasn’t enough the first time, and that won’t change now. It’s who you are.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Bullshit. How quickly you forget that I was there that night before you moved to Miami. I found you with her, remember? Just tell me one thing: how many were there, huh? How many women did you cheat on me with?”
I pushed off the table, reeling in my temper. It was only a matter of time before she asked that question. And still, after all these years, I didn’t know how to answer.
“You want me to just forgive and forget, and the truth is, I have forgiven you, but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten. I don’t trust you not to hurt me again. You’re Jax Colton, women throw themselves at you. You’re at away games every month, and there’s temptation all around you.”
“I don’t want anyone but you. I never have, and I never will.”
“Yeah, now. That will change once you have me. It didn’t stop you then, so why would it stop you now?”
I inhaled a deep breath, feeling the weight of her words.
* * *
The only truth I could reply was, “I’ll never hurt you again.”
TWENTY-ONE
JAX
She opened her mouth to respond, but my mom interrupted. “Jaxey!” she exclaimed, making us gaze in her direction.
“It’s been too long!” she greeted, drawing me into a tight hug. “I’ve missed my boy so much!”
I hugged her back. “Hi, Mom.”
“Look at you.” She pulled away, grabbing onto my arms. “I swear the older you get, the more handsome you become. Look at my boy, he’s so big and strong.”
I smiled, trying to focus on the fact that my parents were there and not the conversation I was just having with Sophie. It tore at my insides, this feeling of regret. There was so much I wanted to say, so much I needed to tell her, yet I didn’t know where to begin.
My mom spun, gazing over at Sophie who was standing by the table, waiting for I didn’t know what.
“Sophie!” she announced with a huge smile on her face. “Oh my God! I haven’t seen you since your mom stopped working for me. When was that? Like nine, ten years ago?”