"You were right to make that assumption, Ivy," he sighs. "I've never seen a more perfectly matched couple than the two of you."
"I feel like I made a big mistake." It's a confession that I've been holding in since I learned of Mark's death.
"Dating my brother?" He cocks a brow. He can't be serious. He has to see how endlessly devoted I am to Jax even when he's being an ass.
"In pushing him back into the business world." My jaw tightens as I think about how I brought up the subject of Intersect Investments repeatedly. I put the idea in Jax's mind and once Mark died, he ran with it full steam ahead. Right now it didn't seem like he cared who he ran over to get what he wanted, even if that person was me.
"How are you going to handle it?" The question is ripe with assumption. I know Brighton well enough to know that he thinks I should sit down and tell Jax exactly what I'm feeling. I'm not sure how I can ever confess to the man that I love that I assumed that our shares in the business would merge since we'd be married one day.
I take a small sip of herbal tea. "I'm going to let it play out. I'll see what Jax offers and what my attorney considers a fair deal."
"You're playing hardball?" A faint chuckle skirts the edges of the question.
"I'm playing in Jax's world." I pull a small smile across my lips. "Let's not talk about this anymore. What's going on with you?"
He darts his eyes over my head before he speaks. "Liz."
It's only a name but it still has a profound impact on me. "You know she was badly hurt in the accident that killed Mark?"
"Jax told me." His brow pulls together. "I'm really worried about her."
"I thought when she withdrew from your program that you two were done." Brighton and I hadn't ever spoken about Liz after he learned that she was one of Mark's lovers. Jax had shared that juicy tidbit of information without realizing that Brighton was developing feelings for my former best friend. When he'd finally offered her placement in his mentoring program for burgeoning artists, she had pulled back and withdrawn.
"We talked a lot when I went to Europe." He stops to take a sip of the coffee. "When I ran away to Europe."
"Have you been to see her?" Guilt overlaps the question. I hadn't been back since I was there with Jax. I didn't know how to push aside all the hurt and anger I still felt for her.
"I go every day." He taps his finger on the edge of the wooden table. "I was hoping you would go with me sometime."
I feel panic race through me. I'm not sure I can face Liz. "I hadn't thought about going back."
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"She needs support, Ivy," he says glumly. "I'm all she has."
I tip my head back to stare at the ceiling. Maybe it was time to finally put the past to rest. Maybe forgiving Liz would bring me closure too. "I'll come. Once."
Chapter 12
"Jax is here," Libby, the new store clerk, calls up the stairs as I'm just putting the finishing touches on a necklace.
"Send him up." I call back down. Since when did Jax ask to be announced when he arrived at my store? The fact that he had someone call up to warn me coursed through me as an ominous sign. I wasn't expecting to face him until tonight. After my coffee with Brighton, I'd come straight back to the store to get started on the constantly growing list of custom pieces I needed to finish.
"Beautiful." His voice wafts through the air and surrounds me. "I couldn't wait to see you."
I look up from my place at the table and I'm certain my mouth is hanging open. It's the first time in months that I've seen Jax dressed in a suit. His attire, since he walked away from corporate life, has been jeans and sweaters or t-shirts. I'd forgotten how gorgeous and commanding he looked when he was ready to take control in the business world.
"Holy crap." The words slip out before I realize and I pull my hand quickly to my mouth. I feel so underdressed. I was so tired after our argument last night that I only had the energy to pull on jeans, a white blouse and pin my hair messily on top of my head.
"You like?" The gleam in his eye has been missing too. I smile when I see it there dancing around the edges, pulling on his handsome face.
"I love," I say quietly. I do love. I love him. I love who he is and I even love how much of an ass he can be at times.
He moves so he can lean against the side of the table I'm sitting next to. He reaches for my hand and I let him take it. I need to feel that connection. I want to be close to him. I can't let this issue with Mark pull us apart.
"I'm sorry," he says the words quietly. They're not words that he speaks often so I know that when he does, they hold more meaning than with most other people. "I didn't handle things well."
I look down and rub my thumb over his. "This can't come between us." I want to say more. I want to tell him that he doesn't have to buy the shares. I want to tell him that I trust him enough to just give it all to him.