CHAPTER 12
CLAYTON
At JFK Clayton called his brother, determined to make everything perfect for Jamie.
She’d had a rough day and needed to unwind, and he wasn’t about to let Derrick’s humiliation of her be a lasting memory.
The thought of it made his jaw tighten. For the first time he felt no regret about throwing that punch, just pure satisfaction.
“What’s up, Clay?” Nolan asked. “I saw your interview this morning. Jamie looked blindsided.”
“Been telling you for years—Derrick Anderson’s an asshole.”
“I thought they were broken up.”
“They are.” Clayton exhaled. He wanted to explain, wanted Nolan to understand why Jamie was so hurt, but it wasn’t his story to tell. Their relationship had always been a mess, stuck in some limbo between real and convenient, and he wasn’t about to betray her trust. “It’s complicated.”
“I’m not following. ”
“Neither am I.” Frustration simmered beneath his skin. “But if he was seeing someone else he should’ve told her before announcing it to the world.” Just saying it made his blood boil. The audacity of that guy.
Nolan hesitated. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”
“Anyway, we’re on our way home.”
“We?”
“Jamie, Ruth, and me.” He paused, knowing how the next part would sound. “Jamie’s staying at the ranch for a while. Can you pick us up?”
“Is Ruth staying too?” Nolan sounded hopeful.
“No. Jamie’s pissed at her for keeping Derrick’s news a secret. The kid was just doing her job.”
“So just you and Jamie at the ranch?”
“Don’t be an idiot,” he muttered. “I’m staying at the main house.”
“That’s convenient.”
Clayton clenched his teeth. He knew exactly what Nolan was getting at. The ranch would give Jamie space, privacy. But if he were honest, it was also an excuse, a way to be close to her without crossing the line.
“I think having her nearby will make you happy,” Nolan said, his voice quieter now.
Clayton let out a breath. “Look, I know what it’s like to have your relationship explode in public. Wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
Tammy had made damn sure the world saw him as the bad guy when she left. The truth was she’d been the one stepping out. And now Jamie was getting dragged through the mud by a man who didn’t even have the decency to break things off properly before moving on.
And Clayton hated that it bothered him so much.