24 Jax #2
because he would’ve said he was happy before he met her. It wasn’t like anything was missing from his life. It was just that
with her everything seemed... better.
She was the most beautiful, interesting, amazing person at the party. Possibly in the entire world. And she was here with
him. He had to be the luckiest guy alive.
He held up his hand in a wave and she paused, a sassy smile pulling at her lips. From her position about twenty yards away,
she motioned to her dress, then did a little model–style turn to show off the plunging back, keeping her gaze locked with
his over her shoulder.
His heart skipped a beat, and he put his hand over his chest to show that he loved her dress. And the truth was, he might’ve
loved more than that, although he wasn’t quite ready to go there.
Not yet, anyway. Not out loud.
He took a couple slow steps toward her as she finished walking the rest of the way up the sidewalk.
“You are stunning,” he said as she got close. He put his hand on her waist and greeted her with a kiss on her cheek.
“Thank you.” She looked him up and down, and he did his own little model spin, which made her grin widen. “You look very dapper
yourself. You’ve got a kind of James Bond thing going on.”
“I get that a lot,” he said.
“Occupational hazard, I suppose.”
“Something like that.” The way her silky hair cascaded over her bare shoulders was making it hard for him to think. Before he could get completely lost in her, he offered her his arm. “But now that you’re here, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
She draped her hand through his arm. “Ah, the family. I promise to be on my best behavior.”
He chuckled as they made their way to his uncle. “Cora Prestly, let me introduce you to my uncle, Anders Padua.”
She let go of Jax’s arm and extended her hand. “Mr. Padua, it’s so nice to meet you.”
Uncle Anders shot Jax a knowing look before he took her hand into both of his. “Trust me, my dear, the pleasure of this meeting
is all mine. Have you enjoyed your time in Sunnyside?”
“I have, thank you.”
“Then perhaps you’ll make your visits more permanent?”
“I guess we’ll have to see how the rest of the summer plays out, but it’s not completely out of the question.”
“You don’t know how glad I am to hear it.” He stepped back and looked confidently at Jax. “I’ll be making the announcement
later tonight.” He gave a slight nod, then returned his attention to Cora. “It was lovely to meet you. Enjoy the party.”
Cora smiled brightly until Uncle Anders had disappeared into the hotel. She looked over at Jax. “What announcement?”
“Remember the SVP position I told you about?”
She brightened as the dots connected. “You got it?”
The excitement in her voice sounded like she was on the verge of giving him the high five he was looking for earlier. He had
to admit he felt a level of excitement, but not altogether for the same reason.
To think that he would care more about the woman standing in front of him than the job he’d wanted since he was a kid. Talk
about a plot twist.
“It’s not official but starting to look like more of a possibility.”
“Then I’d say this calls for a celebration. Surely we can find a glass of champagne in this place.”
“I think that can be arranged.” And he knew exactly the best place for that celebration. “But first I have to do a little business. Are you okay with doing my obligatory meet-and-greet with me?”
“Of course.” She smoothed out her dress. “Although, I have to warn you, I don’t always keep my opinions to myself, and I’ve
been known to offend people.”
“Isn’t that your finest quality?”
“I think so. But apparently some people see it differently.” She gave an I-don’t-get-it shrug that made him chuckle.
“I don’t think you need to change who you are.” He offered her his arm. “And if you happen to see my brother-in-law, feel
free to offend away.”
For the next thirty minutes, they worked their way around the lobby, welcoming people and greeting special guests. Cora was
the perfect partner for the activity.
Yes, she spoke her mind, but most people responded to that. They enjoyed the authentic conversation because she didn’t just
talk, she also listened well. Better than most. There wasn’t a single one-sided or generic conversation the entire time. Even
Charles Hooper, the hard-to-please city councilman, walked away looking appreciated and heard and, dare he say it, charmed.
After they stopped to say hi to the mayor and her husband, Jax leaned in and whispered, “Have you met enough new people?”
“Like twenty people ago.”
He nodded at the side door. “Want to escape?”
“It’s like you know me.”
He swiped two champagne glasses off a passing tray, and they headed in the opposite direction of the crowd. With a quick look
over his shoulder, he pushed through a somewhat hidden door on the far side of the hotel that led to a small hallway.
Turning down the hallway to the left took them to the pool and the gardens by the gym. Both were beautiful spots, but since
he had something a little more private in mind, he turned to the right.
They wound their way around the hall and then up two flights in a narrow staircase. Cora gave him a questioning look as they walked down another hall to a small elevator at the end. “Maybe I should’ve had you clarify where this mysterious people-free place was located.”
Jax handed her one of the glasses of champagne. “Trust me.”
She eyed him skeptically. “You keep saying that.”
“And haven’t I been right every time?”
She narrowed her eyes, not looking sure she believed him.
“Well, was I at least right about the hot dogs?”
“I’ll give you the hot dogs.”
He chuckled and stopped in front of the doorway at the end of the hall. “Prepare to be impressed again.” He pushed open the
door that led to the outside and allowed her to go out first.
They stepped out onto a wide rooftop deck that was six floors above the ground.
Most of the hotel focused its design so that guests would look out the back to maximize the views of the pool and beach, but
this deck faced off to the side. It still had sweeping views of the water and the beach, but it was a different view. It focused
more on how far the beach stretched down the shoreline.
“Welcome to the Moon Deck.” He strolled out to the middle of the deck between a row of rattan loungers and sun umbrellas in
their down position.
“It’s pretty.” Cora sauntered past him to the wide concrete railing that wrapped around the deck. “But don’t you mean ‘sundeck’?”
“No. I mean Moon Deck. Because it’s the best place to look at the moon.” He pointed where the perfect half-moon hung in the
velvety sky, its silver reflection splashed out over the inky waves. “You should see it when it’s a supermoon.”
“I’m sure it’s amazing. But if it’s the Moon Deck, why is it covered in suns?” She pointed to the emblem stamped into different
parts of the deck.
He waved away the idea. “That’s a moon.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “With squiggly rays coming off it?”
“Those are moonbeams.”
She studied him for a second. “You’re pretty committed to this moon theme, huh?”
“It is the best place to do stargazing.”
She laughed. “Then ‘Moon Deck’ it is.” She held up her glass. “And if I remember correctly, we’re out here on the Moon Deck to celebrate.”
He raised his glass, too. “That we are.” But his focus was on her. He’d never noticed the golden flecks in her mahogany eyes
before. Or the way tiny freckles perfectly dusted her nose.
“Is it bad luck to toast something that hasn’t happened yet?”
“Possibly.” He took a step closer to her, and sparks seemed to fill the air between them. “Maybe we should toast to something
else to stay on the safe side.”
“What do you suggest?” Her eyes locked with his in a sizzling gaze, and she took a small step toward him.
“How about to AI?”
“I think you mean ‘a revolutionary scientific method.’” Her signature sass and the look in her eyes pulled him toward her.
He took the last tiny step, closing what was left of the gap between them. “To science,” he whispered. He let his fingertips
trail down her arm from her shoulder to her elbow as her intoxicating scent of flowers and confidence washed over him.
“I think this is the part where we clink glasses.” Her voice came out in a husky whisper.
“Is that how it works?” His lips hovered right over hers.
“Generally speaking. Unless you kiss me. Are you going to kiss me?”
He grinned, placing his hand on her waist and pulling her ever so slightly closer. “That is the plan, yes.”
“That could get in the way of the toast.”
“I’ll take my chances.” He paused for a second. “As long as that’s okay with you.”
She tilted her face up to him, and without answering she kissed him first.