15 Cora #2
“Technically speaking our dad is still in the picture. He’s just not in my picture.”
“Got it.” But it wasn’t just an offhanded response to a generic topic. The words, while generic themselves, were full of empathy
and compassion. Jax’s tone said, I see you and your struggles . She wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it, but she could’ve sworn he scooted just a little closer, as if his entire being was
offering her support.
Normally every response from Jax was a smart comeback or a sarcastic joke. She had no idea what to do with this soft, sympathetic
side.
It threw her off-balance.
“You’re not going to ask me about it?” Yes, her tone was probably a little more hostile than she’d meant, but she couldn’t
help it. When people got too close, she got defensive. That’s who she was.
“I figure if you want to tell me about it, I’ll be honored to know that part of your story. If not, it was never any of my
business to begin with.”
Again with the empathy and compassion.
When Jax was all measured charm and confident swagger, she knew how to handle their relationship. She had barriers in place
to ensure she would never get caught up in the swoony side of a relationship again. She didn’t swoon. Especially over guys
like him.
It was this side of him, the side that was softer, compassionate, authentic, that left her feeling uneasy. The side that looked
at her like he saw who she truly was and that he admired her.
This side of him was dangerous because she could connect with this version of him. This version of him threatened to break
down the walls she’d so carefully constructed.
“My parents got divorced when I was in high school, and my dad moved out,” she found herself saying. “It’s the reason I don’t
see him anymore. He didn’t need us, and I don’t need him. Although my sisters don’t see it the same way I do.”
See? This was what happened when her guard went down. She shared things she didn’t normally share on dates. Or ever. There
were friends in Houston she’d known since college who still didn’t know anything about the turning point in her life. In fact,
most of them probably didn’t know she had a dad, since she never talked about him.
Maybe she was spilling all of this because Jax had lost his dad, and she felt the need to justify why she’d cut ties with
her own. Or maybe it was because she wanted him to know that it wasn’t a decision she took lightly.
Or maybe it was the fact that for some unknown reason, the story felt safe with him. And at the end of the day she wanted
someone to be on her side. She needed someone to be on her side.
“I’m so sorry. That must have been difficult.”
Cora shrugged. “It just came out of the blue, you know? I thought we were the perfect family. We had just come home from a
summer in Sunnyside and two days later, he was moving out.”
Her thoughts drifted back to the day her parents sat the sisters down on the couch and told them the news.
“Anyway, Savannah refused to blame him. She said keeping the family together was more important than taking sides. And Bianca didn’t really have a choice. She was still a kid and had to do the split-custody thing. But I didn’t agree. If he had wanted us, he could’ve stuck around for us.”
Jax didn’t say anything, which she appreciated. What she realized she really wanted, what she really needed, was someone to
listen to her side of the story.
“And then my mom got sick.” She stared down at her hands, remembering how helpless she’d felt when her mom had called her
with the news. “Of course I’m not blaming him for her getting sick, because I know he had nothing to do with it. But it didn’t
matter that it wasn’t his fault. My mom deserved better, you know? She deserved the ‘in sickness’ part of their vows. It felt
like he’d ducked out of the hard part.”
Jax nodded.
She could’ve stopped there. In fact, she probably should’ve stopped there. But since clearly this was share-your-heart-with-a-stranger
hour, she kept going. “Anyway, the last time I spoke to him was at my mom’s funeral, which was not my finest moment.” She
paused to remember the single hardest day in her entire life and the conversation that sealed the deal on her relationship
with her father. “And that was that.”
Without any words, Jax slid his arm around her shoulder in a warm, supportive embrace. Which felt... nice. Really nice,
actually.
And that’s when it dawned on her: this was the first time she and Jax had touched.
It was hard to imagine that during the course of three dates, she’d never once touched this man. But as she raked her memory
over their interactions, that’s the verdict she kept coming up with.
She hadn’t shaken his hand on their first encounter because they hadn’t actually made any sort of introduction. He was a stranger
in a drugstore, after all. Then she didn’t do any sort of greeting on their first date because they’d already met. And in
all the times she’d seen him since, she’d been actively avoiding touch of any kind because she didn’t want anything complicating
their already unique situation.
But it was complicated now because being in his arms felt a lot like coming home. It felt like she fit there, and she leaned into it, letting his strength and comfort seep into her.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“Thanks.”
“Sometimes life stinks.”
“You can say that again.”
They sat there, watching the waves roll onto the sand, and she did something that surprised even her. She rested her head
against his shoulder. Why? Because something about it felt right. Part of her felt like this was what she’d wanted all along.
Leaning into him made it feel like the heaviness of the world wasn’t quite as heavy.
That thought made her pop up, almost knocking his arm away, because of course she didn’t belong there. And she absolutely
didn’t need him. She was Cora Prestly. Maker of her own destiny. She depended on no one. Especially not Jax Verona.
Yes, maybe it was a little colder over here on her own and the world felt just a little heavier, but at least she was standing.
That was the important part.
That was the problem with leaning on someone else. If they stepped away, she fell flat on her face. She’d been there before
and was not looking for a repeat performance. In fact, she’d made it her life’s mission to never be in that position again.
Was there a chance she’d still fall on her face when she was on her own? Sure. But at least she was the one in control. She
was the one to blame, and she could see any stumble coming. But nothing stung quite as bad as being dropped out of the blue.
“Anyway.” She scooched to the side, hoping the additional space between them would help her regain more of her balance. “Maybe
we should add my dad to the list of topics to avoid when we’re with my family.”
He nodded once to confirm. “Added.”
“You know, just to be on the safe side, you should probably stick to a preapproved list of noncontroversial topics.”
He cocked his head, looking amused. “Which are?”
She considered it for a second. “Lovely vacations spots.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “And hobbies.”
“Yeah. I could get behind that.”
“How about favorite Taylor Swift albums?”
She cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t want to start World War III, do you?”
“So I guess discussing who the best music artist is wouldn’t go over well, either, huh?”
“You want them to like you, don’t you?”
“Of course.” He leaned in, and honest to goodness, the air between them actually crackled. “But I have to be honest, they
aren’t the ones I’m hoping fall for me.”
The comment sizzled through her, sending excitement sparkling through her like a ticker tape parade. Her mind went all fuzzy,
and the world blurred in the background, and all she could think about was how annoyingly perfect his face was and how the
gentleness in his eyes made her want to melt. “No?”
“No.” He reached up and gently tucked a flyaway piece of her hair behind her ear. In the process, his fingertips grazed her
cheek, leaving tingles in its wake.
For a fraction of a second, she allowed herself to be pulled toward him by whatever magical, magnetic force that seemed to
exist between them. And based on the way he was leaning into her and the gentle look in his eyes, she wasn’t the only one
under the spell. Her heart fluttered in her chest. He was going to kiss her, and honestly in this moment there was nothing
she wanted more.
And that was the thought that broke the spell.
Wanting Jax? No.
What she wanted was to win her bet. She did not want Jax. That had already been clearly established.
Just as he was about to kiss her, she ducked out of it.
“Well, would you look at the time?” And since she didn’t trust herself anywhere around him, she hopped off the table and walked around it, putting plenty of space and a large physical barrier between them. “I really should be heading back.”
Jax looked a little dazed, but it only took him a second to recover. “Right. Of course.” He blinked several times as if trying
to reorient himself with the world, then he, too, stood up from their magical lunch spot.
Cora gathered her trash and tossed it in the can on her way back to the car. “Thanks for the lunch spot recommendation. You
were right. They make a pretty good hot dog.”
It was mindless chatter, but she needed her mind on anything other than what had almost happened. She also wouldn’t mind if
her heart stopped that annoying fluttering thing, too.
She hadn’t even kissed him. It was nothing.
This whole thing with Jax was absolutely nothing.