Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 145823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
She nodded enthusiastically. “We’ll hunt glass, but Daddy already got you the prettiest one.”
My fingers grazed the necklace as I smiled down at Finley. “He sure did. Off you go, honey.”
“Well, let’s get inside, baby!” Claire urged in a singsong voice, taking Finley’s hand. Her gaze lingered on my necklace as the teacher ushered them inside.
“Ms. Lewis, right this way.”
“Later, Morgan!” Finley waved as they disappeared.
I held that smile like a shield, then walked back to the reception desk and sank into one of the empty chairs along the wall.
Complicated. That’s what I’d called my exclusive, non-relationship with Jackson, and that right there had been the perfect example.
What I needed right now was easy, supportive, and…easy. But Jackson? What we had was intense, emotional, and messy.
Claire was a tie for the biggest complication between us.
I’m not with Claire. I. Want. You.
I held on to Jackson’s words as my fingers toyed with my necklace. I had two choices here—believe him or run as fast as I could.
Either way, the thought of losing him to Claire sent a knife straight into my stitched-together heart. She wasn’t good enough for him. She’d had his love and still hadn’t chosen him when it mattered.
Just like Peyton hadn’t chosen Will…and yet he’d still loved her until his dying breath. He’d loved Paisley, too, even when she’d chosen Jagger. But he’d never loved me, even though I was the only one who had ever chosen him. My chest tightened. Fucking Will.
“Ms. Bartley?” The secretary called my name.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Mr. Patterson will see you now. I’ll take you to him.” She rose and led me toward his office.
I passed by Finley’s room but didn’t look through the window. She wasn’t mine. I didn’t get to be jealous. So why did I feel that swirling green monster in my belly?
I was in deeper than I’d wanted to admit, especially after that display I’d put on about Claire’s last name. Whatever, she’d taken off his ring. She didn’t get to claim his name now just because she obviously wanted him back.
I wasn’t giving him up without a fight.
Oh God. At what point had I decided that Jackson was mine to lose?
Chapter Fifteen
Jackson
“Because it’s a school night,” I said as calmly as I could possibly manage, folding my arms across my chest. Seven p.m. on a school night to be precise. I’d been on nights for the past five days, and I didn’t want to spend the only night I had off this week arguing with Claire, but here we were.
I wanted to spend what time I had with Morgan, especially since I hadn’t seen her since I’d crawled out of her bed Saturday morning. It had almost been impossible to make myself go.
“So let her skip tomorrow. It’s preschool, for God’s sake, not Harvard.” She walked past me into the living room.
“Absolutely not.” It wasn’t the first time she’d been in my house, but it still threw me to see her taking in the pictures of Fin I had scattered around.
“But I’m making up for lost time, Jax. It’s just a sleepover.” Claire sank into my couch, kicked off her shoes, and tucked her legs under her, sitting like she always did. A few years ago, that familiar sight might have stirred up long-dead feelings, but not anymore.
I leaned back and shot a glance up my stairs to be sure Finley wasn’t eavesdropping. “It’s not just a sleepover. It’s a complete disruption in her schedule.”
Her lips pursed. “She’s five. She doesn’t need a schedule.”
“She’s five, which is why she needs a schedule. Kids like boundaries and predictability, Claire. You coming home is great, but Finley can’t just bounce around like a tennis ball.”
“I came back to spend time with her,” she argued. “How can I do that if you won’t let me?” Her face fell.
“Who says I’m not letting you?” I rubbed the skin between my eyebrows and prayed for patience. Claire had thrown everything into upheaval in the last ten days.
“You just said I can’t take her tonight!” she snapped.
“First, keep your voice down. Fin doesn’t need to hear any of this. Second, no, you can’t just pick her up and take her when it suits you. You had her last weekend. This is my weekend, and weekends don’t start on Thursday nights.” I cued up a playlist on my phone, and Mumford and Sons played through the speakers. Hopefully, that would keep Fin’s ears from hearing much.
A slow smile spread across Claire’s face. “You still listen to this?”
“Apparently.”
Her smile faded at my tone. “Why aren’t you happy that I’m home, Jax? Isn’t this what you wanted?”
I blew out a breath and sat in the love seat across from her. “I’m happy you’re home, as long as you’re actually staying.”
She had the nerve to look hurt. “This time is different, Jax.”