The Truest Thing - Hart's Boardwalk

“That man just looks good, period,” Dahlia opined. “I curse his no-locals rule.”

Realizing Dahlia meant she’d sleep with him if he didn’t have a rule against sleeping with local women, a spike of awful jealousy sliced through me.

That jealousy only grew as Jack handed Joey back to Cooper and slipped his arms around a woman I hadn’t even noticed. I didn’t recognize her. She was a tourist, a tall brunette with enormous boobs and a tiny waist.

So that was his type.

That wasn’t crushing.

Okay, I lied. It was unbelievably crushing.

As Cooper, Cat, and Joey strolled away, Jack turned to the brunette and murmured something in her ear as he held her by the hips.

And then he kissed her.

Not just a mere brush across the lips.

But a kiss.

Devastation that was way out of proportion to the moment crashed over me. Iris had told me about Jack and his tourist conquests.

However, this was the first time I was seeing one live in front of me.

I felt betrayed.

Which made no sense at all.

“Lucky lady,” Bailey said at my side.

I was transfixed by the scene that hurt so much to look at.

When Jack broke the kiss, smiling as he tucked the woman into his side and turned, our eyes locked as he lifted his head. He seemed to pause, the smile abruptly leaving his face as we stared at each other.

Yanking my gaze away from his, the first one I met was Bailey Hartwell’s.

And she was examining me like she could see into my head.

Like she knew I had a massive crush on Jack Devlin and the news delighted her.

This … this was why I avoided Bailey Hartwell. She was nosy.

“I have to go,” I muttered. “Sorry, Iris.” I brushed past her and hurried through the crowds.

My heart beat triple time as I marched down the boardwalk toward my beach house.

I wanted to cry.

It was foolish and childish and made no sense.

But the image of Jack kissing that woman how he did … yeah. It made me want to cry.

With significant effort, I sucked back the tears and let myself into my house. Hidden inside, I made myself a cup of peppermint tea and opened all the jewelry boxes to appreciate Dahlia’s work.

In another life, she and I would be friends. She’d maybe even let me watch her work because I’d love to see that.

In another life, I wouldn’t blush like an idiot every time Cooper Lawson spoke to me.

In another life, I’d be sophisticated and witty and Jack Devlin wouldn’t be able to resist me, local woman or not.

“In another life,” I whispered to myself.

5

Jack

Five years ago

How did you tell your best friend that his wife grabbed your dick?

Jack’s heart raced hard.

Not even the sound of the waves gently lapping the shore could calm him as he gazed out at the water from the sand-encrusted boards.

An hour ago, Dana had called Jack to tell him she was concerned about Cooper and could he come over. That they needed to talk. The last person Jack ever wanted to talk to was Dana, but he was worried about Cooper too.

His friend had been closed off lately. Worried about something. And whenever Jack tried to talk to him about it, he blew him off. Hoping Dana might have some insight, and relieved that she cared enough about her husband to call his best friend, Jack had gone to her.

She started with the crocodile tears. They were having problems getting pregnant and Cooper was taking it out on her. As soon as she said that, Jack knew she was up to something. There was no way Cooper would blame his woman for that shit. How stupid did Dana think Jack was? Knowing something was definitely wrong, he moved to leave. She stood in his path and then to his horror she grabbed his dick and tried to massage it through his jeans.

Furious, he pushed her off and stormed out of the house.

And now … now he had to explain this shit to his best friend and hope Cooper believed him.

“He’ll believe me,” Jack muttered to himself, knowing it was true. But it was messed up either way because Cooper was the one who would be hurt.

Dana Fucking Kellerman.

It was the one instance Jack hated that his instincts about that woman had been on point.

He took a deep breath and pushed away from the railing. The bar would close soon. Jack needed to tell Cooper and get it over with.

A flicker of white on the beach drew Jack’s attention, however, and he grew still at the sight of the tall figure walking along the shoreline in the dark. The moonlight gleamed across her hair and the white sweater she wore. She held it closed with her arms wrapped around her waist.

Emery Saunders.

His heart changed beat for a different reason.

Without thinking, his feet were moving him in her direction. Perhaps it was procrastination at its finest. Or perhaps she’d shown up just when he needed her to.