Chapter 7 #2
“No, Jax didn’t hurt me. Only my pride,” I say.
He simply stamped all over my heart.
I don’t say that aloud, although my heartbeat slows momentarily at the memory.
“Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“What’s to tell?” I shrug. “I fell for the Lockwood charm, then found out he was using the same line on all of his other women.”
“Women?” Pen asks, her brows furrowing. “What women? Kat, when was all this?”
I sigh. “Your last year of uni.”
It’s why I’ve never talked to her about it. It wasn’t fair. Everyone had so much going on.
I put my cutlery down, my appetite gone.
Pen waits patiently.
“Jax and I got together. We had a thing for a couple of months until I overheard one of Darra’s friends repeating the exact same line he’d used on me. They were laughing about how it seemed to work for him. How, by using it, he was able to keep all his lady friends in the dark about one another.”
Pen frowns. “What line? I’m really confused. Jax was the most celibate one of the group. He was focusing on his studies in that final year. I’m certainly not aware of a harem of women he had dancing to his tune.”
I sigh. “When we were together, he told me we should keep our relationship between the two of us, at least until after graduation.” My gaze drops to the table, zeroing in on a crumb next to my plate.
“He said, it was no one else’s business but our own.
His reasoning was Elijah, that it would complicate things as they were living together.
But when I heard them talking, I could see how it would work in other scenarios too. ”
“What did Jax say when you confronted him?”
I love that Pen knows I would not have let that ride, would have faced it head-on.
“He denied it, of course.”
Pen’s frown deepens.
“But you didn’t believe him?”
“He’d been secretive about a couple of things, and I had proof they’d been at the hotel together.” I take a deep breath, hating the need to rehash the past. “So, I asked Zach and Elijah about Jax’s love life—”
Pen tilts her head, her eyebrows squishing together as she purses her lips.
“What on earth did they say? Surely they set the record straight?” She pauses as her words sink in. “But they didn’t, did they?”
I shake my head.
“Zach confirmed everything I’d heard. He laughed and said he was considering trying it, as it had been so successful. Elijah told me about the harem of women who would follow Jax around. His fan club he called them.”
Pen’s fingers curl into a fist on the table top, and she takes a deep breath before meeting my gaze.
“I don’t know what happened between you.
All I can give is my perspective, and I’m a pretty good judge of character.
” Her gaze locks on mine. “Jax was never a player, Kat.” She grips my forearm.
“Yes, he certainly had the looks to be. And what Eli said was true, he did have a fan club who would follow him around.” She sighs.
“But it embarrassed him, especially when the boys would rib him about it.” She shakes her head.
“Kat, listen to me when I say Jaxson Lockwood was all about bettering himself. Like me, he was there to build a solid future for himself. He certainly wouldn’t have wasted his energy, juggling more than one relationship.
” She moves her head, ensuring I’m watching her.
“And I can promise you, Jax would not have been messing around with any of Darra’s friends.
He hated her and everything she and her stuck-up group stood for.
He knew she was manipulating Eli, but he could never prove it. ”
I shake my head, loving her loyalty to her friend.
“But Pen, you don’t understand. When I overheard them, Darra and her friends, they didn’t even know I was there.”
Pen raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
I press my fingers into my temples.
Of course, this is Darra we’re talking about. Anything is possible.
Manipulation and cunning should have been her middle names.
“No one knew we were together.”
My pitch rises as my heart rate increases.
We made sure of it.
Or so we thought, not wanting Elijah or anyone else sticking their noses into our business. It had been exciting, all the sneaking around.
“I’m not saying you’re wrong.” She squeezes my arm again. “Just think about where your confirmation came from.”
My empty stomach rebels, the water swashing around.
“The last thing I’ll say on this is, I can’t believe Jax would have risked his friendship with Elijah, messed around with his sister if you didn’t mean anything to him.”
My chest constricts. I’d thought the same, but then, when Zach backed up what I heard. At the time, there’d been no reason to doubt him. Suddenly… the pressure behind my eyes intensifies. I close them as a wave of dizziness overwhelms me.
Pen’s grip on my arm increases. I focus on the pressure, breathing in and out. When I open my eyes, I raise my chin and square my shoulders. Pen withdraws her hand, but I can’t miss the concern radiating from her.
I smile, albeit a weak one.
“It doesn’t matter now. It’s all water under the bridge.”
Pen doesn’t call me out on my bullshit, but her expression says it all.
“After everything that’s happened, do you think maybe you should talk to Jax?”
I shake my head.
“I’m not sure what that would achieve, or even what we would say.”
Pen looks like she wants to say more, but holds her counsel, for which I’m grateful.
We spend time eating our food. She fills me in on Lottie, Darra and the latest Frazer family dramas.
When we’re done, I look at my watch.
“I better get back, especially as I’m heading out on Monday. There are a few things I need to finalise.”
Pen gets up and pulls me in for a hug. I pull back and grip her upper arms.
“Pen, please don’t say anything to Elijah. I didn’t rock the boat back then, there’s no reason to now, especially when he and Jaxson are rebuilding their friendship.”
Jaxson was always the best of friends to my brother, had his back. Elijah needs that in his life.
“I won’t say a word,” she promises. “But I think you and Jax are long overdue for a conversation.”
I shrug. “Maybe, but we’re very different people now. I’m not sure what raking up the past would achieve.”
“Sometimes it’s simply about putting your demons to rest.”
We hug goodbye, and I make my way back to the office.
Michael looks up as I approach my office and smiles.
“Any messages?” I ask.
“Your two-thirty has called to apologise and say they’ll be five minutes late. Mr Chapman called and asked for a meeting. I told him you were in back-to-back meetings for the next couple of days, but he insisted it was important.”
I nod, everything always is, with Douglas Chapman.
“I’ve scheduled him in for seven this evening?”
“That’s fine,” I say. He no doubt wants a rundown on Jaxson and the project.
I step towards my office.
“Mr Lockwood called,” Michael says.
I pause, turning to face him. “He’d like to schedule an appointment to go over the project brief with you.”
I’m not sure I have the mental capacity to deal with Jaxson before I leave. Plus, my schedule is packed between now and Monday.
“That’s fine,” I say. “Arrange a meeting for when I get back.”
“Already done.” I begin moving again. “He sent across a list of questions he would like answered. I’ve sent them to your inbox.”
“Thank you, Michael, I’ll take a look,” I say. “Is everything finalised for Monday?”
He nods. “The jet and flight plan are set. The hotel is expecting you. I’ve arranged meetings with the manager and relevant staff for you to go over the issues that were raised in the report.”
The problems are more a funding issue than a staffing problem.
They need money invested, something the previous owners had withheld.
This could all be done over the phone or via video link, but the need to get away, escape is riding me hard.
A week out of the office will do me good, allow me to reset. Allow me to face Jaxson Lockwood.
“Perfect. Can you forward me the itinerary?” I say.
“In your inbox.”
“Thank you,” I say, disappearing into my office and waiting for my next meeting to start.