Now #2
“Yeah, uh … Jackson invited me to join him for a couple of races.”
“Oh … So, you are getting back with him after all.” Now he looks hurt, and I’m not sure how to ease his pain.
“I wasn’t planning on it,” I explain. “It sort of … happened.”
“I see … Well, you, uh, look great.”
“Thank you.” The coffee maker is ready, so I place a cup on the tray, a capsule in the slot, and press the double espresso button.
“I really am sorry, Nate,” I tell him while the machine does its thing.
“It’s fine. I mean, from the moment you told me about him, I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s not like I could ever compete with a man like him.”
“It really wasn’t a competition,” I say. “Jax and I have a lot of history, and I thought I could move on from it with you. But it’s more complicated than that.”
“I get it.”
His coffee is ready, so I hand it to him and make one for myself. “And you? How have you been?” I ask while it brews.
“I’ve been okay. Work has been intense, so it’s kept me distracted.”
“How did your parents react to the breakup?”
“I haven’t told them.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. They’ll ask a thousand questions, and I’m not ready to answer them yet.”
He blows on his coffee before taking a small sip. “And you? What did your mom say?”
“Uh … she was sad. She thought we were good for one another.”
He offers me a dubious look, not fooled. “She’s probably relieved. She never really liked me. Thought you deserved better.”
“I don’t know where she got that idea. We were a good match, Nate. It just … wasn’t in the cards for us after all.”
He nods, pensive, and I pick up my coffee. We’re silent for a moment, and he’s likely reflecting on our two and a half years together, just like I am.
When the doorbell rings this time, I have no idea who it could be. Intrigued, I put my cup down and walk over to the door.
Words fail me when I discover who’s behind it.
How … How can he be here? He’s supposed to be in Austria tomorrow. But he’s on my porch instead, smiling like a proud idiot about his surprise.
My heart is in a frenzy, elated by his unexpected visit. Has he been missing me as much as I’ve missed him?
The only thing I can think of saying is, “What are you doing here?”
“I thought I would—” His eyes lock on a target behind me, and his joyful expression immediately falls into something that resembles anger. “What is he doing here?”
When I whip around, I find Nate right behind me. “Oh, he was just—”
“I have every right to be here, you know,” Nathan protests, coming closer.
“Not anymore. She broke up with you.”
“And she divorced you.”
Jax doesn’t like that at all, his face stony and closed.
“Who do you think you are?” Nathan continues, unaware he’s stepping into dangerous territory. “You may have been with Evie first, but I was with her for two and a half years. I have history with her, too.”
“Nate, please—”
“Well, I’ve been the one with her this past month, and trust me, she hasn’t missed you.”
“Jackson!” I scold him.
Nathan squeezes past me, joining him on the front porch. “What’s your fucking problem?” he mutters.
What is going on?! Nate was fine with the breakup moments ago, but somehow, seeing Jackson show up brought out the worst in him. As for Jax, his territorial behavior is ridiculous. He should know there’s not a chance that I’d return to my ex-fiancé. Not after everything that happened.
They’re close to one another, their demeanors aggressive. The difference between the two men has never been this striking. Jax is taller than Nate, and his rigorous training makes him far more muscular, too. If this turns into a fight, Nathan will lose. And Jax might end up in jail for battery.
“My problem is that you have no business being here,” Jax seethes. “You missed your shot, now stay the fuck away.”
Frustrated by the ridiculous display of testosterone, I ask, “Should I get a ruler so you two can figure out who has the biggest one?”
Jax snickers and turns to me to say, “You know the answer to that. And that’s why you’re back with m—”
“Jackson, that’s enou—”
Nathan’s fist flying toward Jax’s face cuts off my words to replace them with a gasp.
Because he’s focused on me, Jax realizes slightly too late what’s coming his way.
His quick reflexes allow him to move back fast enough to avoid the full blow, but Nate’s knuckles still weakly collide with his chin.
Jackson’s gaze turns lethal as he glares down at Nathan. His hands ball up into tight fists at his sides, and before he can decide to retaliate, I rush between them.
“Enough!” I shout. “Nathan was here to pick up the rest of his stuff. And regardless of that, I’m allowed to welcome whoever I want in my home, Jackson! And you,” I continue, turning around to face Nate, “I’ve never seen you violent before. What’s going on with you?!”
“He asked for it!”
I should probably argue, but Jackson’s behavior was offensive. I understand why Nate took it personally.
“Apologize,” I demand. “Both of you.”
It seems that whatever testosterone-induced madness they were prone to is gone, because they now look like two little boys being scolded. But I don’t let it deter me, standing my ground.
“I’m sorry, Evie, I—” Nathan starts.
“To each other,” I clarify.
It takes longer this time for one of them to comply, and Jax surprises me by being the first one to do so. “I’m sorry. She’s right, you’re allowed to be here. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.”
I twist to Nate, who, after a few seconds, answers, “I’m sorry I hit you.”
They’re looking at anything but each other, but this is good enough for me. “Good. Now, Nate, do you want to come inside to finish your coffee?”
“No, I’ll just take my box and leave.”
“Okay, stay here.” When I move to return inside, I see Jax come forward, seemingly to follow me. “You too,” I order.
When I come back with Nathan’s things, they’re both where I left them, waiting in awkward silence. With a forced smile, I hand the box to Nate. “There you go. Sorry about … his manners.”
“Not your fault. But you should probably reconsider dating him again.”
He gives Jax the stink eye before walking away. Silence stretches as he goes to his car. We watch him drive off, and it’s only when he’s out of sight that I turn to Jackson.
“What the heck was that?”
He winces. “I don’t really know.”
“You just verbally attacked a friend of mine.”
“Hey now, he’s a little more than a friend, isn’t he?”
A random car passes by slowly, and I realize that sparring with him on the front porch might not be a great idea. So, grabbing his wrist, I drag him inside and close the door behind us.
“We are friendly,” I explain. “And he’s been incredibly gracious throughout the whole breakup. He didn’t deserve that.”
“In hindsight, I realize, yes. I’m sorry, princess. My only excuse is that I’ve been in transit for fourteen hours straight, and I’m exhausted.”
Now that he’s said it, I can see the strain on his handsome face. It’s somehow enough for my anger to diminish a little. “Why are you here?”
“I’m not really sure, to be honest. I was missing you, and you told me you were working from home today and tomorrow, and I figured it was the perfect opportunity to come spend time with you.”
He flew fourteen hours just to come spend the day with me? My brain finds it wasteful, but my heart doesn’t care, beating wildly against my ribs.
“You came because you missed me?”
“Like crazy. But I can leave and let you catch up with your ex if—”
“It’s too soon to joke about it,” I interrupt him.
“I’ll remind you I didn’t punch him back, Evie. And it took a lot of restraint.”
“I appreciate that. Thank you. I was worried you’d knock him out.”
“So, you agree I’m the superior man?”
Refusing to let him make fun of Nate behind his back like that, I answer, “You’re a pro athlete who trains twenty hours a week. He works in an office. It’s like comparing apples to oranges.”
We say nothing for a moment, staring at each other. When he speaks, his tone is gentle, patient. “I probably don’t deserve it, but can I at least get a hug?”
One day, I’ll learn how to resist this man. But today isn’t that day. Not with the way he’s looking at me, with so much tenderness and longing.
I find myself in his embrace before I can see it coming. Wrapped in his powerful arms, I don’t allow myself to dwell on my weakness. We’ve always been each other’s soft spot, and I don’t think we’ll ever grow out of it.
When I look up, his mesmerizing eyes are already on me. “You really flew all the way here because you missed me?”
“Mh-hm.”
He lowers for a kiss, but just before it happens, I whisper, “You’re so whipped.”
The smile that blooms on his face is unashamed. “I’m well aware, princess.”
This time, I allow him to kiss me. It’s only been a few days since I last saw him, but it might as well have been an entire month. I’ve missed him too. A lot. If it weren’t for work, I probably would have found a way to return to Europe and follow him around.
“When are you leaving?” I ask between kisses.
“I’m not sure yet. But just in case …”
Grabbing onto my behind with his firm hands, he lifts me into his arms with my knees on either side of his hips. When I notice that he’s taking me toward the stairs, I pull away with a laugh.
“Jackson, I need to work.”
“We’ll be quick, then you’ll go back to work while I take a nap.”
We’re already halfway up the stairs when I ask, “How quick?”
“Hm … half an hour?”
“Jax, that is not quick! I’ll also need a nap if it lasts that long.”
“Good. We’ll nap together. We used to love doing that, remember?”
I’m about to argue when his lips return to mine. He easily navigates to my room, and I’m trapped between him and my mattress before I can muster the strength to argue.
Well, he traveled fourteen hours to spend some time with me. The least I can do is indulge him. And it’s not like I’m not also craving this.