4. Jax
FOUR
jax
“What are we celebrating?” Gian asked.
I bought a round of shots after Gian introduced me to some of his friends.
“A good day,” I said, lifting my shot glass in the air. “Cheers.”
As the smooth liquid ran down my throat, a flash of the minx that had stared me down earlier came back to me. Again. It was just such an unusual response from a woman. Typically they fell at my feet, and that wasn’t bragging. Just a fact. But not this one.
Long blond hair pulled half back in what should have been an understated style. On her, it fit. I’d noticed those incredibly gorgeous brown eyes and full lips first, and when I’d gotten up close, an absolutely incredible pair of tits. She hardly wore any makeup at all but didn’t really need it, though she had been wearing mascara. I’d stared at her eyes long enough to see that, and the anger in them too.
When Dave explained her situation, I understood. In my line of work, I was constantly pissing people off, and it seemed, this time, Natalie Hartwell would be one of them. Too bad. I could have had a lot of fun with that one.
“I take it your meeting with the Trust went well?” Nate took away our shot glasses from behind the bar, also listening.
“Extremely well.”
“I think I know the property you’re talking about,” one of Gian’s friends said. “Is it just off Sutter Road?”
“That’s the one.”
“Nice spot. What’s the plan for it?”
That was the beauty of my line of work. Although it was a pain in the ass to purchase protected property, once you got through all the red tape and acquired the land, it was almost always a quick resale.
“No plan on my end. I’ll resell to the highest bidder. In this case, there’s no shortage of interested buyers. Probably the most interested is a guy who owns a chain of B&Bs. We’ll see.”
“I’ll have to ask Zoe,” Nate said from behind the bar. “See if Mr. Donovan knows about this.”
Donovan. I turned the name around in my head. “Doesn’t sound familiar,” I said finally as Gian’s friends left the bar for a game of darts, leaving just the two of us, and Nate, behind.
“Zoe’s boss. He owns a chain of resorts around the lake.”
“His daughter is a good friend of my fiancée’s,” Gian said. “She also manages one of the resorts. Like Zoe.”
“Lemme get this straight. Your fiancée’s friend manages a resort for her dad,” I said to Gian. “And your girlfriend,” I asked Nate, “manages another one of his resorts? And the two of them are friends?”
“You got it,” Nate said, pushing two beers across the bar. “I’d be surprised if Mr. Donovan doesn’t already know you’re in town. Guaranteed you’ll be hearing from him.”
“Happy to entertain an offer, but there’s still a long road ahead.”
Nate moved away to serve other customers.
“Speak of the devil. Nate’s girlfriend.”
I looked toward the door, spotting her. “We actually met before. She works here sometimes.”
“She does. Though not on trivia night. I think Mazzie’s even sneaking over for a bit.” Gian took out his phone. “Lemme ask her.”
While Gian texted his fiancée, I watched as Nate’s girlfriend made her way over to the bar. Heading behind it, she snuck up on Nate, putting her hands over his eyes. He pretended to be surprised, but I knew better. You don’t surprise an Army sniper. Like me, Nate never stopped noticing everything even when he appeared not to. Occupational hazard.
Like seeing Ms. Hartwell walk in the door.
She was with another woman, the two of them laughing hysterically at something.
“There she is.” Gian was looking at the pair of them as well. And by the smile on his face, I quickly put it together. When Gian waved the ladies over to us, the other woman’s smile at Gian confirmed it.
His fiancée. And she was with Natalie.
Though her hair was the same, she had a bit more makeup on and a pair of jeans and cowboy boots. I had no business picturing her wearing nothing except those boots, in my bed, since it was clear she despised me, but the mind does what it will.
Jesus fucking Christ, what a vision.
“Hey cutie,” the other woman said to Gian, kissing him on the cheek. He pulled her toward him.
“Mazzie, I want you to meet someone. Hey, Natalie,” he added as she cautiously walked up to us with no other choice. Clearly, she’d rather be anywhere else.
“This is Jax Hayes. He’s from a town near Bridgeport, knew him well in high school. Jax, this is my fiancée.”
Mazzie stuck out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Jax. And this is my friend Nat...oh boy.” As she looked back and forth from me to Natalie, it became clear what was going on. Natalie had mentioned me already and Mazzie was just putting the pieces together.
Gian, on the other hand, was clearly confused. “What am I missing?”
In response, Natalie fake-smiled at me. “How did your meeting go?”
Her expression. Her tone. The fact that any woman, especially one as attractive as Natalie, didn’t like me? It rankled. “Extremely well,” I said, more smugly than I normally would.
“That’s fantastic for you.” She turned to Mazzie. “I’ll go grab us a seat.”
With that, she turned on her heel and all but stomped over to a high-top.
“Uh. What the hell was that?” Gian asked.
Mazzie gave me a look that was half “sorry” and half “you’re an asshole” before joining her friend. “Your friend will explain,” she said over her shoulder.
Clearing his throat, Gian sat back in his seat. “Can’t wait to hear this one.”
“Apparently she has some ties to the inlet property,” I said. “Met her earlier today when I went for that meeting.”
“Oh man. Don’t tell me you’re buying her rowing spot? Well,” he continued before I could answer, “her rowing and the girls’ day-drinking spot. They’ve got quite a setup there. I know exactly where you’re talking now.”
I watched as Nate’s girlfriend joined the others. Apparently, it was some kind of trivia night, and the ladies looked pretty serious about it.
Natalie didn’t look over once. She took a sip of draft beer and laughed at something one of the others said. She was even prettier when she smiled.
“Day drinking?” It had taken me a minute to process his words.
“Natalie is a nature lover, if you haven’t figured that out already. She practically lives on that spot during the weekends, between the rowing program and when the girls take wine over there. It’s kind of like their sanctuary. Which I don’t get. There are a hundred places around the lake for them to drink, but they love that spot.”
“I see.” Pulling my gaze away from her, I turned back to Gian. “And she’s friends with your fiancée?”
“Good friends. Along with Nate’s girlfriend, Zoe, who you already met.”
Good friends. My, what a tangled web this was becoming. But again, small towns. Came with the territory.
“Oohhh.” Gian laughed. “Did you see the daggers she just gave you?”
I did indeed. Finally, she’d looked over. I didn’t turn away or try to hide the fact that I’d been staring. Instead, I lifted my glass in a mock toast.
“You’re playing with fire, my man.”
“Yeah?” I was only half listening to Gian as I watched the women enjoy themselves. Specifically, one particular woman.
“Natalie is one of the nicest people on the planet. Wouldn’t hurt a fly. But she’s passionate as hell about the environment and loves that inlet. A bunch of terrorists have nothing on that crew,” he said, nodding to the women, “when they’re united for a cause. Not sure your superior Ranger training covered this particular brand of offensive.”
She looked again.
“It didn’t,” I admitted, realizing that this could actually be a lot of fun. “But I’m up for the challenge.”