11. Nova
Nova
So my night hadn’t exactly gone as planned. When Chris had reached out to me earlier that morning to put in his bet on tonight’s game and he’d invite me over to watch, I hadn’t expected Jax to show up. After all, I knew exactly how busy he’d been since his father’s death.
Then he’d walked in and blown all my plans. Seeing him act cool, however, made me pull out my phone during half time and scroll through several dating apps I’d installed recently.
I really did have to move on. My gut told me this wasn’t going to work, but my heart still dreamed.
“Seriously?” Chris mumbled next to me.
“What?” I glanced over.
He nodded to where Jax was brooding at the table, talking to Rick.
“He’s right there,” Chris whispered.
“And?” I arched my brows. “I’m right here.”
Chris rolled his eyes. “Listen, I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but I can see it all over both of your faces that something has changed.”
He waited, and after a moment I nodded. “It has, and now…” I shrugged. “I don’t know what it is.”
His eyes narrowed. “My brother is an idiot.”
“On that we agree completely.” I smiled.
“Don’t wait around for him too long. Life is short. If he can’t make up his mind…” He shut his mouth as Jax walked over and sat next to me again as the game started back up.
An hour and half later, as I was handing over my twenty dollars to Chris, their mother suggested that Jax drive me home instead of Chris.
I gave Ruth a look, but the woman ignored it and waved her hands at me. “I need Chris to help me with a few medical things,” she added.
“Is everything all right?” I asked, suddenly worried.
“Oh, yes, fine, fine. Just a few things left over from James’s hospital stay I want to understand.”
I relaxed a little, then walked over and kissed the woman on the cheek. “Thanks for dinner,” I said as she patted my shoulder.
“Anytime, sweetie.” Then she turned to Jax. “Make sure you walk her into her building.”
“Always,” he answered. Then he took his jacket and headed toward the door. “Night,” he called back to Chris and Rick.
His brothers glanced over and waved.
“What was that all about?” I asked when we were in his truck.
“What?”
“Jacob James Mylonas.” I rolled my eyes. “Your mother just maneuvered us and you know it.”
He chuckled. “She’s been doing that for years. Why let it bother you now?”
“Because,” I said and then dropped off as it hit me.
“Because we hadn’t slept together until now?” he offered, glancing over at me.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah,” I relented.
“So, this was your big date?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Chris called earlier today and invited me.”
“You know, games are not your strong suit.”
“It worked to piss you off for a few hours,” I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest.
He was quiet as he drove down the mountain. “You’re trying to date then?”
I remained quiet.
“Nova?” He stopped at the stop sign and turned toward me.
“Sort of. I’ve only gone on two dates. Both coffees in the middle of the day,” I finally answered.
“And?”
I paused. “They weren’t you.”
He smiled. “Are we done playing games?”
My eyebrows arched. “I guess that depends.”
“On?” His eyes narrowed slightly.
“You.”
The car behind us honked, and he started driving again.
“You understand why I didn’t want to take you to Vegas?”
“It’s a stupid reason,” I shot back.
“That may be, but I just don’t trust Kit.”
“I can handle myself.” I watched his side profile as he drove. God, why was he so damned handsome?
“I have no doubt about that.” He stopped at a stop light and glanced over at me. “But something tells me Kit has had a lot of practice getting through a woman’s defenses.”
I remained quiet. I had thought the same thing when I’d met the man.
“You would have been there,” I added.
“Yeah, until he sends me on a wild goose chase, which would leave the two of you alone. Trust me, my last trips there, I watched him do just that with several couples. One couple was happily married for ten years. He claimed he’d known them for years.
By the time I left, I was pretty sure the couple was fighting because of it. ”
“What kind of low-level snake do you have to be to go after women who are off-limits?”
He chuckled. “The lowest,” he said, turning into my building’s parking garage. “Does that mean you’re off-limits?” he asked after parking next to my car.
I thought about it. “Do you want me to be?”
“Yes,” he answered quickly, shutting off his car.
Before I could respond, he leaned over, unbuckled my seat belt, and pulled me half into his lap, covering my lips with his. “Let’s not fight again,” he said between kisses. “God, I’ve missed you.”
“You seem to be saying that a lot. One would think you’d learn.”
He chuckled and then kissed me again. He was making my head spin. There was more I wanted to say to him. More terms to give him. Only, damn, I couldn’t think straight.
His mouth and hands were moving all over me. By the time we broke apart, I was one fire.
“I’ll walk you to your door,” he said, resting his forehead against mine.
I wanted to tell him to come in, stay the night, but I knew we’d just fall back into the same pattern. “I’m going with you to Vegas next time,” I warned.
He nodded. “Next month.” He sighed. “Agreed.”
I leaned back and looked deep into those blue eyes and saw he was telling the truth. “Had you already decided that before tonight?”
He nodded. “Rick set me straight earlier today.”
I laughed. “Of course he did. Why do you think your dad put him in charge?”
“Now you really are playing dirty,” he warned, but then he leaned in and kissed me again. “God, I really want to stay,” he said between kisses. “But something tells me you’d stop me.”
I thought about it and slowly nodded. “I still need more from this.”
He took a deep breath and glanced through the windshield. “Until I can give it to you”—his eyes moved back to mine—“no more dates?”
I nodded in agreement. “Until.” I smiled and kissed him. “Go home,” I said, shifting to get off him. “I can see myself up.”
“My mother…” he started, but I stopped him with a glare. “Fine, but text me if the boogeyman jumps out. Your building is secure enough.”
“Night,” I said, grabbing my purse and jumping out.
“Night,” he said. He sat in his truck and watched me unlock the front door and step into my secure lobby.
My parents and I had picked the building because it was so secure. Not that Golden was a hot spot for crime, but I was single and liked the added security.
Sofia lived at the end of the block. She’d chosen a view of the river instead of the added security. My parents hadn’t allowed me that choice. It was this, or they would have demanded I move into the apartment above their garage. There was no way I was going to do that.
I climbed the three sets of stairs to my floor and stopped when I noticed the massive bundle of peonies sitting outside my door.
Smiling, I rushed to pick them up and bury my face in them.
The arrangement was full of white and purple blooms. My favorite. Jax.
I inhaled and did a little dance. When had he arranged to have these delivered? I let myself inside, then set them down and pulled out the card.
“Nova,
I missed you on the last trip. I am hoping to see you on the next one. Until then, I hope these will brighten your day. – Kit”
I almost jumped back from the flowers. Kit? How did he know my address? How did he know my favorite flowers? Last time it had been some random bouquet. These were pretty specific.
My building allowed deliveries to be dropped off in the lobby. Then they are carried up to your door by the security team. Still, Kit would have to know which apartment building and unit I lived in.
I pulled out my phone and thought of calling Jax, but I stopped. He’d finally agreed to take me on the next trip back to Vegas. Would this change that decision?
Something told me it would.
Instead, I set the flowers on my coffee table and tossed the card in the trash.
The next morning, I walked into the office and there were two bundles of the same peonies waiting for me.
There was no way I was going to hide this from Jax.
By the time he got into the office, everyone knew who the flowers were from. There were rules in the office. If a client sent anything to one employee, it must be shared with all.
Once, the bakery down the street, which Sofia had signed on as a client, had sent a large box of cookies. The entire office enjoyed the treats.
Another client that sold funny shirts sent a box of swag, and again, people distributed the goods.
With the flowers, one vase was set right on the main receptionist desk, the other sat in the break room.
Which was completely fine by me. The note from Kit, however, sat in my trash. This one was pretty much the same sentiment. Only this time he requested that I call or text him sometime to discuss my next trip to Vegas.
Yeah, I wouldn’t be doing that.
When a knock sounded on my door, I glanced up as Jax stepped in and shut the door behind him.
“I know. I know.” I groaned.
“What?” He smiled. “Didn’t expect flowers from a snake?”
I chuckled. “It was kind of him, but please, tell him to stop.”
He nodded once. “How does he know your favorite flowers?”
I shrugged. “Good question. Probably the same way he knows where I live?” I said, typing my password into the computer. When I realized my mistake, I glanced up and winced. “Yeah, I got flowers delivered there last night too.”
I could see the anger boiling now. “That crosses a line.”
“Yeah, I was going to tell Rick when he gets in.” I leaned back in the chair and smiled. “Sofia often comes in at the same time.”
“They’ve made their relationship official.” Jax crossed his arms over his chest.
“I know, it’s just…” I shook my head. “I like seeing them happy.”
He watched me for a second. “Let me know if anything else shows up at your door.”
“I will,” I said, turning back to my computer.
“Lunch?” he asked.
I glanced over at him and smiled. “Sure,”
His smile was quick, and, if I’d been standing, it would have made my knees weak.
Happy Jax was my kryptonite.
After he left my office, I dug into my emails. There was one from Kit, but I ignored it for a few hours until all my work was done. Just before lunch, however, when my day slowed, I clicked it open and read the very brief message.
“Nova, I hope you received my little gifts of appreciation. I’ve been thinking about something you said on your last trip.
I believe there is a position available for you to work under me full-time that would utilize some of your talents.
I’d really love to discuss this opportunity with you.
If you have time today, please reach out.
My personal cell number is below. I’m looking forward to hearing from you, – Kit”
Like hell he wanted to offer me a job. There was no way I was qualified to work solo on an account that big. Sure, I had faith in my marketing abilities, but Vegas? Nope. No way.
Just the thought of how Kit had fawned all over me, had me shivering. Working for a man who treated women like conquests was not in the cards.
Then I thought about Jax. Sure, we had worked together for a long time.
I had been hired by James when I’d been in high school.
Jax had started working here shortly before me.
He’d been dual enrolled all throughout high school and had gotten his associates with his high school diploma.
After that, he’d continued with a few classes while working for his dad, which had allowed him to move up quickly in the firm.
In the past year, I’d moved up just as quickly on my own. Was I ready to take on full accounts myself? Smaller ones, yes. Something the size of the Onyx or the Apex? Not even close.
At lunchtime, I was buried in work again, and if Jax hadn’t stopped by, I would have worked right through.
“I’m buried,” I groaned, trying to explain why lunch wasn’t a good idea.
“We can order delivery?” he suggested. I thought about the rumors that would fly around the office if we sat in my office and he continued to look at me the way he was now.
Hell, more than half the people that we worked with already thought we were an item.
I’d heard they were making bets on it at one point.
“No,” I said, shutting down my machine. “It’s fine.” I grabbed my coat.
Fall in the Rockies was no joke. One minute it was seventy degrees and the next minute it was forty degrees. We hadn’t gotten snow yet, but I knew it was already in the forecast for next week.
We walked down to the Mexican Cantina a few blocks down and ran into Sofia and Rick inside. They had just sat down and had drinks and chips and salsa, so we joined them.
Spending a whole meal with my best friend, whom I had yet to confide in about sleeping with the man of my dreams, and pretending nothing had changed was hard.
Then again, I was pretty sure she was too preoccupied with falling in love with Rick to notice much.
I could probably stand up, take one of those massive sombreros off the wall, and wear it for the rest of the day and she wouldn’t notice.
When Rick’s phone rang shortly after we were all done eating, they got up, paid the entire bill, and went back to the office, leaving us alone.
“Want to head back to work early too?” Jax asked with a shrug.
“Not really.” I leaned back and just sipped my soda. “They seem happy.” I motioned to where Sofia and Rick had just disappeared.
“Yeah,” Jax agreed as he reached for my hand. “Think it will last?”
I nodded. “If Rick realizes soon enough that he shouldn’t go back to California.”
“Sofia nailed the marketing for the brewery.”
“Yes, she did.” My smile grew. “I feel like a mama bird watching its baby bird fly the coop.”
He chuckled. “It’s a pretty big account.”
“Not as big as the Onyx,” I pointed out.
“Thinking of taking Kit up on his email offer?” he asked, and I laughed.
I leaned on the table. “You and I both know his offer had nothing to do with a real job.”
He shook his head, then he was quiet for a moment. “You know, one of the main reasons this”—he motioned between us—“was worrying me is the same reason Rick had to go to the board about his feelings toward Sofia.”
I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”
He leaned closer, until we were a breath away. “I’m your superior at work.”
“And?” I waited.
He rolled his eyes. “Appearances.”
I laughed. “We’ve known one another far longer than we’ve worked together.”
“Still.” He shrugged. “I know how the board—”
“The board is made up of a bunch of your dad’s golfing buddies. Whom we’ve known forever. I bet you that they all have had bets on when we were going to get together for years.”
He nodded. “Okay, so you got me there.” Then he sighed as he sat back.
“Does that mean that you are finally over all your reasons we can’t work?” I asked, holding my breath.
His eyes focused on mine and he took entirely too long to answer. “For now,” he finally said.