46. Jackson
FORTY-SIX
Jackson
I see the tension leaving Blakely’s shoulders with every minute she spends in Lee’s presence, and as it does, the rope that’s been knotting around my stomach eases. I won’t lie and say that it didn’t make me nervous to bring her here, especially since things have felt so off between Blakely and me.
But Lee has a way about her—she forces her way into your life and makes herself at home. So if there’s anyone who can walk into a mansion with someone I’m dating in secret, acting like it’s just another day, Lee’s the girl.
I sit back and watch as they interact, Lee shoving food in her mouth and asking a million questions about Blakely’s career, fascinated by the fact she’s a social media influencer.
“So you get paid to post photos or what?”
Blakely shrugs. “Yeah, it’s a bit more involved than that, but basically, people pay me to promote their brand or be seen in their clothes. Things like that.”
“How many followers do you have?”
Blakely shrugs again. “A lot.”
Lee scoffs. “Girl, come on now, don’t be shy. I don’t even have social media. I gotta get my jollies somehow, you know?”
Blakely’s nose scrunches. “You don’t?” She turns to look at me. “What is it with you people in that town not having any contact with the outside world?”
I smirk. “Sugarlake is a unique place, princess. The kids all use it, but for us, there isn’t really anything you can post that the town doesn’t already know.” I glance over to Lee. “Unless you work really hard at keeping it quiet.”
Blakely’s head cocks. “Wow. I honestly cannot imagine life like that. It sounds…”
“Borin’?” Lee pipes in.
“Peaceful.” Blakely sighs.
My heart spasms in my chest, surprise flowing through me. This is the first time I’ve heard Blakely insinuate that she doesn’t enjoy what she does, and it gives me hope that she’ll be more receptive when I bring up how I think it’s her environment exacerbating her issues. The ones that manifest in front of my eyes and become worse whenever she’s surrounded by people who constantly tell her how they’ll improve her looks “post-production.”
Lee laughs, covering her stomach with her hands. “I’m so sorry, y’all. I—” She wipes under her eyes, taking deep breaths. “The thought of Sugarlake bein’ peaceful is…” Her giggles continue to trickle out of her. “Well, it’s just a little funny, is all. But yeah…if you’re used to the whole world bein’ in your business, I’d guess that small-town drama wouldn’t come close to comparin’.”
Blakely’s lips turn up, her face warm and open. “You’re so different than I thought you’d be.”
Lee’s head cocks. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”
“Definitely a good thing.” Blakely reaches over and squeezes my thigh. “Can I be honest?”
“I hope you’re never anything else,” Lee responds.
“I thought you’d be a bitch.”
Lee’s eyes widen and she leans in close. “Who says I ain’t?”
They both burst out in giggles and I bite back my smile, a warm, gooey sensation filling up the center of my chest and spreading until my entire body is consumed by the feeling. I’ve never seen Blakely look so calm. So carefree. So… happy . And the way her and Lee have hit it off, despite the way I bled my heart out into Blakely’s palms—it makes me feel more confident than ever about our future.
“What are you doin’ tonight, Miss Celebrity?” Lee asks. “We should all go out to dinner.” She glances at me from her peripheral and my insides clench tight because I know where this is headed.
“ All of us?” I narrow my eyes.
She sighs. “Look, Teeth, I know you don’t wanna see him, but I was hopin’ y’all could sit down while he’s here, and you know, work things out.”
I purse my lips.
Blakely’s eyes bounce between us, her brows drawing in.
My palm covers her hand that’s still on my thigh, suddenly wanting her support while Lee brings up someone I’d rather have left out of the conversation. “Can we not talk about this right now?” I grit out. “We’ve been having a good day and you’re ruining it.”
Lee jolts back, raising her hands in surrender. “Ugh, fine, Jax. Have it your way.”
Blakely fidgets, clearing her throat. “Probably best I don’t come along with whatever you guys have planned tonight anyway. I have a meeting at the house with Sierra, and besides…” She glances toward me. “It wouldn’t be smart to be seen somewhere that we can be photographed.”
My stomach flips and drops to the floor. I had almost been able to forget while we were here.
It felt so nice. So normal to be with her like this, not having to worry if I was looking at her for too long or touching her too much.
Lee’s eyes lock onto mine. “Y’all aren’t plannin’ on goin’ public?”
I try to speak around the sudden lump growing in the center of my throat. “We’re just being careful.”
“For a couple reasons,” Blakely chimes in. “One is because things get crazy when you’re in the limelight and I don’t want Jackson to have to deal with it.” She looks toward me again. “Literally hundreds of cameras in your face at every turn, and gossip rags digging into your past, using it to sell a story. Which they will do.”
She says it like I haven’t already thought of that. Like I haven’t gone over every single scenario in my head a thousand times and decided that, as long as I get to be with her, none of it matters.
“Besides, my father would lose his mind, and I would never forgive myself if Jackson lost his job, his chance at making all his dreams come true, because of me.”
I give a soft smile through the throbbing ache in my chest, reminding myself that everything she’s doing is out of concern for me .
But it doesn’t help to blot the sting of truth in her words.
“Yeah, so, speaking of…” I angle my head and look at Lee. “Don’t tell anyone back home.”
“Who would I tell?” She chomps on a cracker.
“Becca. Eli…” I take in a breath. “Chase.”
She sighs, putting her food down on her plate. “Jax, I don’t know if I can keep this from Chase. He’s gonna ask what we did today, and we’re always one-hundred-percent honest with each other. It’s the only way to keep communication open and trust in place. But I promise I won’t breathe a word of it to anyone else.”
Grinding my teeth, I give a short nod back.
My stomach tenses as we leave. I’m happy that I got to see Blakely but still feeling like something is shifted slightly out of place.
Lee gives Blakely a giant hug on her way out, telling her to not be a stranger.
I stay behind, pushing Blakely up against the wall beside the open door.
“What are you doing?” she breathes.
“Kissing you.” I dive into her lips, moaning as her taste touches my tongue, my body pressing her against the wall. Her arms come up around my neck, squeezing me tight, and I groan, getting lost in everything she is.
Finally, I break away, my forehead resting against hers. “Goddamn, princess, you make it hard to leave.”
She giggles, her finger coming up to trace the edges of my mouth. “Are we okay?”
My heart squeezes. “Yeah, baby, we’re okay.”
I wrap my hands tighter around her waist. “Lee leaves tomorrow, and I really want some time alone with you. Do you think we can figure something out before next week?”
She nods. “We’ll figure something out.”
Pecking her lips one more time, I force myself away from her and walk out the door.