“Thanks, shorty.” He took several long swigs, letting the cold liquid soothe the tightness still gripping his throat.
“Now,” she said, descending the steps to stand in front of him. “Whaddaya say we stretch our legs on the beach, and you can fill me in on what happened between you and Ness.”
Jax took in the folded arms across her chest and the single eyebrow hitched up between a part in her bangs. “This is nonnegotiable, isn’t it?”
“Yep.”
Sighing, he unfolded from the stairs and followed her lead down the beach. “How much do you want to know?”
“Might as well start from the beginning. I’ll let you know when I get bored.”
He smiled around the lip of his beer bottle and took a fortifying sip before launching into the whole story. She listened attentively as they strolled at the water’s edge, the warm water occasionally lapping over their bare feet. She didn’t even miss a step when he told her about being part owner of the Mau Loa, just told him she was proud of him for doing something to secure his future in case his career was cut short by an injury. He supposed that would be something in the forefront of her mind, since she was a physical therapist. The majority of her patients were injured athletes, including Reid. Or at least he had been one of her patients. Now that Reid had retired, he probably no longer needed PT unless he wanted to role play in the—
Gross! That was one of the downfalls of having your best friend hook up with your sister. All the “yeah buddy” thoughts of Reid getting some action were tainted by the fact that it was with his innocent baby sister.
“What?” Lucie asked when he gave her a sideways glance.
Yeah, right. No way was he opening up that conversation. “Nothing.”
She shrugged and let it go. “So what did she say when you told her the truth?”
“Exactly what she should have said. That I was the worst kind of liar and took advantage of the situation to get…close to her. And she’s right.”
“Yes, but it’s not like you were the one who made the first move, right?” She grabbed his beer and took a sip, then handed it back. “I mean, technically, she was the one who proposed the fling, not you.”
“Doesn’t matter, Lucie. I created the situation that instigated her proposal. She should’ve been free to have a fling with anyone she wanted. But she chose me because she thought she was stuck playing house with me all week.”
Lucie stared at her feet as she put one in front of the other, hands in her pockets and chewing on her lower lip. Jax knew she was turning the information over in her head like a rock tumbler. She wouldn’t say anything else now until she could pull out something shiny and worth showing.
“She said I was the only person to ever make her break Rule Number One, and then she walked away.” He shook his head in self-disgust. “I should’ve gone after her.”
Lucie stopped in her tracks and grabbed hold of his arm. Jax turned back to her with a questioning look.
“Why didn’t you go after her?”
“You mean besides not wanting my eyes clawed out?”
Lucie frowned, telling him she wasn’t amused.
“Because it doesn’t matter that I never meant to take advantage of her or the situation. The truth is that I did. I should have come clean about my involvement in the resort, but I didn’t. Vanessa felt used, and I can’t blame her for that. She had every right to hate me.”
“I think hate is a little strong, Jax. Especially when she just got done telling you she loved you.”
“What are you talking about? I never said she said that.”
“Yes you did,” she argued. “The thing about her breaking Rule Number One.”
His heart stalled in his chest. His lungs refused all air.
Understanding dawned on Lucie’s face. “Oh, Jackson. She never told you what Rule #1 is, did she?” He shook his head once. She stepped toward him and laid a hand on his chest. It took everything he had to hold firm. “Rule #1 is ‘Never fall in love,’ and I know for a fact that she never has…until now. She loves you, Jackson. So what are you going to do about it?”
The knowledge filled him with hope and fear. And determination. “I’m going to search every last inch of this island until I find her. Then I’m going to get in her face until she accepts my apology and gives us a chance.”
“I’m not entirely sure on the getting-in-her-face part, but who am I to judge? Reid had to buy me for a hundred grand before I gave him the time of day again.”
“I hope I get off that cheap.” Jackson kissed his sister on the forehead. “Gotta run. Thanks, shorty. I’ll see you at the rehearsal dinner later, hopefully with a gorgeous redhead on my arm.”
Jogging back to his Jeep, he started to formulate plans for finding Vanessa and making things right.