Chapter 5
Ben
Abright chime from his phone cuts through the factory din. Calendar reminder. Five minutes until a meeting he swore wasn’t on his schedule an hour ago. Interview: Jackson James, Silver Shoals Gazette. His father’s assistant must’ve slipped it in. Fantastic.
He’s at the far end of the maintenance shop, double-checking the rebuild status of the spare once-through cooling water pump.
Now he has to sprint back to the main office without wiping out on the minefield of slick patches in the icy yard.
He nearly does anyway, twice, before bursting through the lobby door.
There’s one man waiting. Seated and immaculate with a tailored coat, perfect pill-free sweater, face handsome enough to belong on a magazine cover. He looks up at the sound of Ben wheezing.
Ben crosses the floor fast, hoping to channel professionalism through sheer velocity. “Apologies, Mr. Jackson,” he says, breathless and sweaty.
The man rises with the kind of slow composure that makes Ben just want to lie down and give up. “James,” he says smoothly.
Ben’s brain stalls for half a second, taking in that smile. “Right, James. Pleasure to meet you, James…” He trails off, more than a little tongue-tied.
A faint chuckle escapes the reporter’s mouth. “Actually, it’s Jackson James.”
Ben feels a full tomato red blush suffuse his face. “Oh God, I am so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. One of the hazards of having two first names.”
Feeling like an absolute idiot, Ben stabs the elevator button about six times in quick succession.
Thankfully, it slides open immediately. Ben moves aside in time to catch the door, nodding for Jackson to go first. Jackson hesitates for a beat, long enough to register the gesture, then steps in without comment.
The doors ease shut, Ben feeling for the first time as though the elevator is far too cramped.
He can’t help noticing Jackson’s scent, vetiver and shea butter.
It’s simple, understated, and impossibly appealing.
Ben fidgets with the cuff of his sleeve, painfully conscious of the scent rising off him: equal parts brine and stress sweat.
To distract from it, he blurts, “So, did you, uh, grow up here in Silver Shoals? I feel like I would’ve remembered seeing someone like you around.” The second it leaves his mouth, he cringes.
Jackson’s brow lifts. “Because I’m black?” The question floats out on a laugh, but hits like a dart between the ribs. Ben’s throat clicks dryly as he swallows.
“No! That’s—” Ben sputters, mortified. The population of Silver Shoals is, in fact, extremely white, but that’s not what he meant at all.
He silently begs the elevator to hurry up or maybe just plummet into the basement.
He doesn’t know what to say to salvage the conversation but he’s pretty sure that ‘No, because you’re gorgeous,’ isn’t it.
He goes with the classic: “Sorry,” then shuts his stupid, traitorous mouth for the rest of the ride before he commits another micro-aggression.
The elevator lumbers slowly upward like it’s savoring his discomfort. When the doors finally part, Ben does an awkward sidestep, gesturing forward with put-on confidence, trying to pretend this is all going great.
Jackson just looks at him. Not unkindly, but definitely amused. “Your show,” he says. “Lead the way.”
Ben stares at him, then at the hallway, then back. “Sure. Right. Absolutely.” His feet move, but his brain’s a few paces behind. “I… uh…”
Jackson leans in just slightly. “You… what?”
“I was just going to say I’m sorry. Again. I really didn’t—”
“It’s fine,” Jackson says. His smile returns, easy and unbothered. “I’m used to it.”
Ben gives a stiff nod, determined to gather whatever shred of composure he has left. Used to it, he thinks guiltily. He focuses hard on the corridor ahead. Just get through the interview. Stop replaying the train wreck. For the love of God, do not stare at his perfect face again…
Ben makes it maybe three steps before his resolve crumbles and he risks a glance back. Jackson is still behind him, still smug, still gorgeous, with a smile like he just won a bet.
Face burning, Ben speeds up and all but flings himself at his office door. “Right through here,” he mumbles. Jackson’s low chuckle behind him sets every nerve on fire.
That’s when Ben realizes he has no clue what this interview is actually about.