Chapter 22
He should have had a relaxing good time in Vegas, but with Abbott walking in with a ring on his finger and his sleepless night thinking of his ex, he was tired and grumpy as he made his way through the airport to catch his flight to head back home.
Their first night there, they’d all had dinner together at the Jewel with Coco’s friends and his brothers and Colin’s friends.
The dinner had started and ended in friction with Abbott and Jackie, Coco’s best friend.
Jackie had been in a mood and was talking snappishly at Colin, then both her and Abbott exchanged heated words.
The waiter had been in the midst of bringing over their drinks when Jackie had suddenly gotten up from the table and to his surprise, Abbott followed close behind.
Both he and Colin had glances with each other, then his brother shrugged before paying attention to his fiancée.
Feeling weary from the dinner and drinks, he decided to bow out of the partying going on later and made his way to his room for the night.
It was too late to call Kaitlyn, so he got settled in bed and opened up his phone and pulled up pictures of her.
He smiled when he saw the ones of her grinning up into the phone as he snapped the pictures.
He stiffened in bed when he came upon the most recent one. It was one of Kaitlyn and Sierra together, their heads resting against each other with Sierra’s arm around Kaitlyn’s shoulders. They both smiled happily into the camera, wearing identical expressions of happiness.
And his heart kicked up as he traced Sierra’s features and got lost in staring into the brown eyes looking back at home from the phone.
He cursed and shut down his phone. Though he turned off the lights and willed himself to sleep, images of her laughing, her impish look when teasing their daughter, her brows furrowed in thought when she was processing something, her sleep-tired expression from having a long day and then to how she used to look when he would take her in bed.
Her eyes dark, her lips swollen, the hitched sound of her breath, the way her body accepted his and moved against his, wanting more.
He jerked up in bed and turned on the lights.
“For fuck’s sake. Not now. Please not now. What is going on with me?” He shook his head, too tired to answer his own question or face it, then got up to grab his carry-on, taking out his laptop and powering it on.
Work for him was always the best medicine, and he was able to suppress his thoughts and eventually fell asleep with it on.
He had a brief respite as his attention focused on how Abbott, who was now the first out of all of them to fulfill his grandfather’s wishes when he came through the door that morning with a ring on, looking like a man satisfied.
“What the hell happened?” He’d barked as he and Colin had both moved to block Abbott from trying to escape them by getting into his room.
Abbott squared to face them; his expression was closed off, but his look spoke volumes, saying back off.
Then Abbott rubbed his eyes tiredly and yawned.
“I got married to Jackie and that is all you need to know for now. I am tired, still hungover and had a long night. Just let me sleep and we can discuss this later. But I would prefer we hash this out when we are home. We are here for Colin and Coco’s party, and I don’t want their memories of this day ruined.
” He held up a hand when Colin opened his mouth.
“This Vegas trip is for you and whatever happened to me and Jackie is between Jackie and I and can get sorted out later.”
Colin and Jacob had shared another glance and knew that they would not get anything out of Abbott until he was ready to talk.
“All right, we will wait. But damn man, did you have to upstage me and be the first?” Colin scowled; his voice held humor and irritation.
Abbott grinned and pushed past them, throwing over his shoulder “You both can’t always be the first in everything.”
Jacob just shook his head. Since his grandfather’s ultimatum, their lives were changing, and things were happening fast. It was like once his grandfather gave his demand, the universe responded.
As they both made their way back into the kitchen and he poured his coffee down the drain to have a fresh cup, Jacob had wondered if Sierra being back was more than just to help Kaitlyn. His mouth turned down and he squashed that notion, burying it deep.
But spending those days in Vegas, doing the bachelor activities with Colin and talking to Kaitlyn and hearing Sierra in the background while he was there, didn’t stop his thoughts about her and how they used to be in bed.
And eventually, he left a day early, leaving everyone at the request of Colin.
“Man, go home. You have been a grumpy bear since getting here. Maybe seeing Kaitlyn will cheer you up. I love you, and thanks for coming, but I don’t want to have tomorrow, my last day here, seeing your soured face.” He gave him a hug and a clap on the back and walked away, shaking his head.
Well damn, I thought I hid being miserable better but as usual, Colin picked up on it.
Then he’d heard shouts coming from the living room where his brothers were hanging out.
“Thank God, Colin.”
“You should have done this sooner.”
“Love you, Jacob, see you back home.”
He’d shaken his head and went to his room to pack, his mood lightened that he would be seeing his daughter and a part of him that he was trying to deny even now, getting to see Sierra.