Straight Up Love (Boys of Jackson Harbor 2)

Noah McKinley, son, four years old.

Ava

“You’re glowing.” Ellie grins as she slides into our booth at Ooh La La! She narrows her eyes and shakes her head slowly. “And it’s not just a weekend-in-the-sun glow. This is an I’ve-had-so-many-orgasms-my-muscles-no-longer-work glow.”

I look down into my coffee and try to hide my grin. I can’t. A weekend of incredibly satisfying sex and endless declarations of love will do that to you. “That’s a pretty specific glow.”

“Am I wrong?”

“Not at all.” I press my palms to my hot cheeks. It’s Tuesday morning, and even though I have a dozen things I should be worried about—with the lack of a job at the top of that list, and the question of a potential secret nephew not far below it—I’m happy and calm. Everything’s going to work out. I believe that. “I’m so in love, Ellie.”

Ellie squeaks and claps her hands. “I love this. You two are so freaking good together.” Her phone rings, and she pulls it from her purse and frowns at the display. “Shit. I need to take this. I’ll be right back.”

I wave her off. “No problem. I have nowhere else to be.”

She smiles gratefully and steps out onto the sidewalk to take her call, letting me return to my thoughts of Jake and the perfect weekend.

“Ava, how are you?”

I turn to see Harrison approaching my table. He looks handsome and professional in his gray suit and pinstripe tie this morning, but for once, seeing him only warms me with vague nostalgia instead of stinging me with longing. “Good morning, Harrison.”

?

?Good morning.” He looks me over and shakes his head. “You look great. Did you change something?”

“I lost my job and fell in love. The change is probably just stress relief.”

He arches a brow. “Most people would be stressed about losing their jobs.”

I shrug. “It’ll work out.”

“So you and Jake are for real, huh?” He takes a sip of his coffee. “Damn. I guess I should have seen that coming miles away.”

I can’t help but smile. “We got the timing right for once.”

He grunts and cuts his gaze to the picture window looking onto the street outside. Ellie’s out there talking on her phone and pacing the sidewalk. “I guess I had a reason to be jealous of him after all.”

Guilt washes over me at the shadow of hurt that passes over Harrison’s face. I don’t want to feel guilty. He doesn’t deserve my guilt. But that doesn’t change that I had feelings for Jake while I was with Harrison. “Harrison?” I wait until he meets my eyes before speaking again. “There wasn’t anything between Jake and me before. I can’t deny I had feelings for him, but until recently, we’ve never been romantically involved. I was honest with you about that.”

“Oh well. It’s ancient history. I guess I’m just surprised. If I would have slept with Molly, you never would have talked to me again.”

I frown. “You slept with Molly?” I shake my head. That’s not what he said. Not at all. “What are you trying to imply?”

He chuckles, and something too much like joy lifts his features. “Good-boy Jake didn’t tell you he hooked up with your stepsister?”

My stomach folds over, and I nearly go with it. “That’s a terrible lie.”

He shakes his head. “If that’s what you need to tell yourself.”

“Jake wouldn’t hook up with Molly.” My voice is too loud, and I wince. “Why would you even say that?”

He shrugs. “Maybe it was just the once. I remember seeing them hot and heavy at the back of Jackson Brews. That might be the only time I’ve seen Jake touch a woman in public, but man, he was all over her.”

Why is he doing this? Does he hate that I’m happy?

But instead of insisting that he’s lying or shutting down the conversation, I hear myself ask, “When?”

“Jesus, Ava. It’s been forever. I’m not saying he’s cheating on you.”