Page 34 of Big & Bossy

How and why did he remember that? “No,” I chuckled, stepping up to the window.

The man in the apron leaned forward onto the counter, a friendly smile plastered to his face. “What can I get ya?”

“Oat milk flat white, please.”

“And one black Americano,” Jackson tacked on, coming up behind me far too close. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck as he placed his order. After a moment the barista came back with our drinks. “Let’s sit,” Jack whispered, his breath gliding past my ear.

I followed him over to the small seating area around the back of the shipping container. It was just a few chairs and tables, but it was a nice little space for the people that worked for him to take a break and enjoy their coffee. Despite the rumors of how much of a dictator he could be when it came to running his company, he seemed to actually care about his employees and wanted them to be happy. Maybe they were just rumors after all.

We sat in slightly uncomfortable silence sipping our coffees, my hands wrapped around the warm cup in the fading sunlight. I didn’t know what to say to him, didn’t know how to act since people were mingling around, workers turning in their hard hats for the night and shrugging off their brightly colored safety vests. I didn’t know if I was supposed to be playing the role of Jackson’s adoring fiancée or if I could just be myself, be the designer. I’d worn the ring just in case.

“It’s good to see how far you’ve come, Jack,” I said, the words slipping from my mouth before I had the chance to consider them. I had to commit now, otherwise, he’d just get cocky. It still hurt like a bitch to admit it, though. “You’ve… done some amazing work over the years. And it’s clear as day that you care a lot about your employees.”

“Thank you,” he chuckled, his fingers sliding back and forth along the side of his coffee cup. It was nearly impossible not to watch, not to get transfixed by it. “That might be the nicest thing you’ve said to me in ten years.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“It’s true,” he laughed, that same smile not quite reaching his eyes. “In all honesty, Mandy, I’m impressed by you too. Your portfolio is astounding, and the testimonials that L&V has received speak for themselves. You’ve grown a lot, princess. It’s amazing.”

“Thanks, Jack.”

The silence that fell back over us felt more natural than it had before, questions pinging around my head daring me to ask them. There was so much I wanted to ask about his life, his struggle, what happened our last night together. I needed to know. I could ask him. He’s being responsive right now. Maybe he’ll bend.

“Can we talk about that night?” I asked.

Immediately, he stiffened. “Why?”

“Because I want to know what happened. If we’re going to be spending a considerable amount of time together, fiancé, then I don’t want questions hanging in the air,” I explained, my nerves already starting to bubble in my gut.

“You want to know why I left.” It wasn’t a question. It was more of a statement.

“Yes.”

Slowly, he took a deep breath, raising his coffee to his lips. His hands shook, just a little, and for a tiny fraction of a second, I genuinely thought he was going to tell me what happened.

But the words out of his mouth froze me in place.

“If you don’t trust me when I say what I did was best for you, then I don’t know what to tell you, Mandy. You weren’t the only one who was in love.”

Chapter 17

Jackson

The harsh winter air and snow beneath my skis were exactly the kinds of things I needed after the intensity of my week.

I’d flown into the Colchester Resort this morning by helicopter after deciding that I’d had enough time away from my closest friend. He ran the resort and skiing had always been his deepest passion, but he had an accident that unfortunately caused him to stop competing. Owning and running a resort was the next best thing in his eyes and luckily I got first dibs on the freshly snow-ridden mountains with him.

“I need to know every single in and out of what the hell is going on with you,” he laughed as he greeted me, clunking his way up to my side while we waited for the ski lift seat to scoop us up. “I know you’ve been texting me but man, I know that isn’t telling the full story. How’s Mandy?”

I grunted as metal hit the back of my knee, forcing it to buckle. I fell back onto the seat, the swaying throwing me off kilter. “Uh, yeah, she’s good. I mean, she’s changed a lot since NYU.”

Wade boarded much more gracefully, unsurprisingly. He pulled the bar above us down over our heads, locking us in place. “That’s not surprising. You have, too, Jack.”

The ground below moved farther and farther away as the lift ascended up the mountain. I’d never been one to be afraid of heights, but every time I got on a damn ski lift with Wade and he moved around rocking the damn thing, I thought I might die. “Jesus, can you stop moving?” I snapped, my knuckles tightening around the bar. “I might have changed but not nearly as drastically. She’s become a stubborn, angry shell of herself. It’s frustrating trying to dig her back out.”

“It’s been ten years,” he sighed, one gloved hand clasping my shoulder. “She’s not going to just naturally open back up to you. She’s not the same bubbly, pinball-obsessed girl she was and that’s okay, man. That shit takes time. She was really hurt when you left.”

My goddamn balls felt like they were in my stomach as we lifted even higher, the chair creaking under our asses. “Is this thing safe?”

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