Chapter 4
4
M ia got to the library and unlocked the front door. Allison was already waiting in the parking lot and followed her inside as Mia flipped on the lights.
“You’re here early,” Mia said.
“Working on a deadline.”
Allison made her way to her usual table and set up as Mia set all her things down and powered on her computer. She didn’t expect much action today at the library. But being in a small town meant there wasn’t much going on when the schools weren’t scheduled to come by.
The front door swung open, and Mia looked over to see who was entering. The mornings were usually the slowest, so she hadn’t expected to see anyone aside from Allison for a few hours. But when all three of Jackson’s brothers walked in, Mia’s eyebrows shot up. She couldn’t recall a time when she ever saw them in the library unless one of them was bringing Emma in for a book. But Emma was in school.
“Hey, guys. What are you doing here?”
The three men walked over to the counter. Noah leaned forward with his forearms on the counter, Ethan leaned his hip against it, and Miles stood with a more casual stance with his hands tucked in his pockets.
“We aren’t going to bullshit here. You’re in love with Jackson,” Ethan said.
It wasn’t a question. Just a statement. Mia’s cheeks burned. She had never spoken it aloud, but always suspected his family had picked up on it with the varying looks they all gave her.
She walked to the back room and fished out the books from the return bin and walked back to the counter. She needed something to keep her busy, to avoid having to look at the guys. Opening the first book, she went into the library system and marked it returned.
“What’s this about?”
“Jackson told us about the pact.”
She froze and looked up. “And?”
Noah smiled. “And when you turn thirty, the pact will come true.”
She looked between the three brothers’ smiling faces. “We were kids when we made that, and he doesn’t want me.”
Miles sighed. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. He just doesn’t know he wants you. He’s in denial.”
Mia set the book aside. Her interest was piqued. “Why do you think that?”
“He doesn’t date. He gets everything he wants in you.”
“That’s not entirely true.” They weren’t sleeping together. He didn’t get anything physical from her, which meant he was getting it somewhere else. Jealousy spiked in her stomach.
“We meant the female companionship. He’s got his best friend,” Ethan said.
“I knew it!” Allison practically yelled from right beside them.
They all jumped and looked over at her.
“Where did you come from?” Ethan asked.
“I’ve been listening in this entire time. I’ve been telling her he’s in love with her,” Allison said.
Mia sighed. “Yes, I’ll admit I’ve always had feelings for Jackson. But he has never felt the same way, and I don’t want to risk our friendship.”
“You don’t have to risk it.”
“Telling him means he has a chance to say ‘no.’” She grabbed a stack of books and carried them out from around the counter and across the library. The group trailed behind her.
“You’d rather go your entire life wondering if you could have been?” Noah asked.
“Over losing my best friend? Yes.”
A collective sigh went around the group.
“That’s it then,” Ethan said. “You leave us no choice.”
Mia pushed a book onto the shelf before looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
“No choice for what?”
He clapped his hands once before rubbing them together. “It’s time to meddle.”
Mia shook her head, but the three men had already turned and were walking toward the front door. She chased after them, leaving Allison watching the spectacle in sheer delight.
“What are you going to do?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Noah said.
“Excuse me. I will worry about it. It’s my life you’re meddling with.”
“You’ll thank us later.”
Mia’s wide eyes found Miles as he looked back. He was the sensible one in the group. She gave him a pleading look. She couldn’t lose Jackson if their meddling sent things up in flames. Her life couldn’t survive him not being there.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be fine,” he said.
She watched as they all got into a car and drove away. Part of her was tempted to close the library and chase after them, but she couldn’t neglect her job like that. Books were too important to deny access to for something like this. She went back inside and picked up her cell phone, tempted to call Jackson, but something stopped her.
Mia looked up to where Allison was watching her.
“Don’t tell him,” she said.
Mia sighed and set her phone back down. “What do you think they’re going to do?”
She laughed. “Who knows? Those Blakes march to the beat of their own drum. But if there’s one thing I know, it’s that those boys care about you and won’t do anything to cause harm.”
Mia knew Allison was right. They would never meddle if it would cause anyone any problems. She tapped her fingers on the counter and rolled her lips. She wasn’t sure what she would do the rest of the day until she could find a Blake and question them.
“What should I do now?” She said it more to herself, but Allison responded.
“Just sit back and enjoy the show. Perhaps all your dreams will come true.”
A text from Jackson came through a few hours later asking if she wanted to go to trivia at the hotel bar that night. She agreed and left the library after a long day of wondering what the Blake men were up to. When she pulled up to her house, Jackson was waiting outside, leaning against his car.
“Hey,” he said. “How was work?”
She paused for a moment, trying to read his face. Did the guys say something to him? She wasn’t sure, but since he didn’t ask her about it, she assumed not.
“It was slow. How was yours?”
He shrugged. “Good. I was able to get a bunch of flowers planted. The guys helped me rip out most of the bushes yesterday, so that went well.”
She stared at him a moment longer and then turned toward her house. “Let me just drop my stuff inside and I’ll be right back out.”
He pushed off the car and followed her. “You okay?”
“Yes, why do you ask?”
“Weird pauses before speaking. It’s not like you.”
She unlocked her front door and pushed it open. “It was just a strange day. And very slow, so I was ready to leave.”
“Why was it strange?”
She shrugged. “Just was.”
She prayed he wouldn’t ask questions beyond that and sighed in relief when he didn’t.
Mia set her items down on her kitchen table before following Jackson outside to his truck. They rode the short distance to the resort and went inside to the already packed bar.
“I don’t think we’ll get a seat,” she said.
“Yes, we will. My brothers are joining us and saved us seats.”
She raised her eyebrows. Jackson’s brothers rarely joined them for trivia. And if they did, it was usually only one, never all at once. Noah waved at them from a table toward the back. Mia and Jackson walked over and took the empty seats around the table. She sat between Jackson and Ethan, with Noah, Noah’s girlfriend Jessa, and Miles across from them.
“Hey, everyone,” Mia said. “Long time, no see.”
She couldn’t refrain from the sarcasm dripping from her voice, but Jackson didn’t seem to notice.
Jessa smiled. “It’s good to see you again, Mia. I heard you’re coming to family dinner on Sunday?”
Mia looked at Jackson. “I am?”
It wasn’t abnormal for Mia to join them, but she usually only did when directly invited. Despite growing up with the Blakes and practically being a member of the family in all ways except officially, she always wanted to give them their time together without constantly tagging along.
Jackson nodded. “Mom invited you.”
Mia looked back at Jessa. “I guess I am.”
Dixie, the bartender, stood up on a stool with a microphone. “Hey all! Welcome to trivia night!”
The crowd cheered. Dixie explained the rules and how it would work. Mia tuned it out, having been to most of the trivia nights with Jackson. The two of them were pros and worked well together.
Her eyes wandered over the Blake brothers, and she wondered what trick was up their sleeves. Noah caught her eye from across the table and winked. She narrowed her eyes in question, but he only smiled brightly in response.
Definitely up to something.
Trivia got underway, and the group worked together to answer the questions. Between the six of them, it was pretty easy to come up with answers. They hadn’t missed a single question yet. During a break, Jackson stood.
“Anyone want a refill?”
The group nodded, so he made his way to the bar to get another pitcher of beer. Mia picked up her glass and took a sip as her eyes strayed to Miles, who was looking at his brothers with a brow raised. She looked at the others. They were communicating with each other.
Ethan glanced over and smiled before hiding it behind his hand.
“What are you guys up to?” she asked.
“We told you. We’re meddling,” Ethan said.
“Does he know?”
“Of course not. Otherwise it wouldn’t work.”
“What wouldn’t work?”
But Mia’s question wasn’t answered since Jimmy, a good-looking local who was friends with Ethan, approached the table.
“Hey, Mia,” Jimmy said. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the back of Jackson’s empty chair. “How are you doing?”
She furrowed her brows. It wasn’t uncommon for other locals to say “Hi,” but for him to say it to her and not the others at the table was odd. Especially since his best friend was sitting right beside her.
“Um. I’m good?”
“That’s good. I’m doing well myself.”
Mia glanced toward the bar to find Jackson on his way back with a pitcher. His eyes bounced between them.
“So, Mia, I was wondering if you’d like to go out for a drink sometime?”
If Mia didn’t know any better, she would have thought her eyebrows were planted in her hairline with how quickly they shot up. Jackson approached the table at that moment, and Mia blushed. She didn’t know why, though. It’s not like she and Jackson were an item. She had no reason to be embarrassed that another guy was hitting on her.
“Excuse me, Jimmy,” Jackson said. He set the pitcher in the middle of the table and took a seat in his chair once Jimmy stepped back. “Would you like to join us?”
Jimmy smiled. “No, I’m here with a few friends. I’m just waiting for Mia’s answer.”
Jackson’s eyes swung to Mia. “Answer to what?”
“I asked her to go out for a drink with me sometime.”
Jackson’s eyebrow hitched, but he remained silent.
Mia swallowed hard, and then felt Ethan pinch her back. Her eyes flicked to him, and she knew at that moment that this was a setup. They were trying to make Jackson jealous.
Mia looked back at Jackson, who was waiting for her response as eagerly as Jimmy. When her eyes met Jimmy’s, he winked. Clearly he was in on it.
A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. This was ludicrous. Jackson would never believe she’d be interested in Jimmy. But what the hell?
“I’d love to,” she said.
Jimmy stepped closer and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, and Mia could see the Blake brothers all cover their blooming smiles as Jackson watched on in disbelief.
“Great. I’ll call you later with details,” Jimmy said before walking away.
The table remained silent until Jessa finally broke it.
“Wow, Mia! That’s great! I hope you enjoy your date .”
The way Jessa enunciated ‘date,’ and how Noah put his arm around Jessa and gave her a squeeze, meant she was in on it too.
Mia blushed. “Thanks. It should be fun.”
“I bet it will. He’s a hottie.”
Noah only smiled brightly at Jessa’s comment, not caring that she commented on how attractive another man was.
Jackson remained quiet, not commenting at all, and she really wanted to ask him what he thought of it. But based on the smug looks of his brothers, this was exactly as they had expected. Mia didn’t know what to think. She had been asked on dates before, but never in front of Jackson. But as far as she knew, he wouldn’t care. Despite her wanting him to.
Let the chaos begin.