Page 39 of The Sandover Beach Billionaire

To figure that out, she needed to know more firmly what was happening with Jackson Wells. They would have dinner tomorrow. She was already as nervous as she was excited to see him. Today had been such a 180-degree switch. At least for her. Jackson had been nothing but kind to her since she came back, so the flip had been all her.

Had he simply been waiting? Hoping? Did he really want her, specifically, or just someone? What had happened to him that he was so different now from who he had been? So many questions that she hoped to get answered. No matter what the answers were, though, she also did want more of the not-talking and just kissing. The thought made her smile around her food.

After a few minutes, Rachel set her fork down and groaned. “I don’t want to go home tomorrow. Back to having every conversation interrupted by little people—even though I’ve missed them like crazy—and back to a diet that can’t include fried shrimp. I have the perfect solution! Let’s both move back into mom’s house together.”

“I’m sure Brady won’t mind at all.”

“He would veto this plan, even though he is a saint. Maybe he and I should move back On Island, though. I mean, if you stay. It would be kind of amazing to raise kids here. I don’t know about his law practice though and how much work there’d be here.”

“On Islanders need lawyers too. But I don’t know if I’ll stay anyway. I’ve thought about moving to Burlington.”

“Really? That would be amazing. I would love having you close by. The girls would freak. But Jackson. I mean, what’s happening there?”

“I don’t know. Today in the elevator, it was like Jackson unleashed. Telling me openly how he felt, kissing me. What if it was just in the moment?”

“Didn’t he ask you to dinner after you got out?”

Jenna bit her lip. “He did.”

“Maybe the situation simply allowed him to be bolder. It doesn’t sound fake and you didn’t feel like it was. Do you think something serious could happen between you?”

Jenna couldn’t remember the last time she smiled so much in one day. “Ask me tomorrow night. Or later in the week. I honestly don’t know. This whole thing is such a shock to me. I mean, even if things progress, could I stay for him? Should I? I’ve had enough of my life revolving around men and making bad decisions because of them.”

“This was where you grew up. If you do stay, it wouldn’t just be for him. It’s different. For what it’s worth, I think he’s a great guy. My teenage self would be shocked to hear me say this, but we aren’t kids anymore. There’s a humility and a kindness to him that I think is rare. And if we’re being shallow—”

“Which we’re not.” Jenna pointed her fork at Rachel.

“Which we’re not, obviously, because we’re better than that. But if we were—he does own our favorite grocery store and has a killer house on the beach.”

“But we aren’t being shallow.”

“Never. We aren’t those women. Deep and wide, deep and wide.”

Jenna snorted. “Did you quote a classic Christian song to describe us?”

“Deep and wide are very general terms. But yes, I most certainly did. Problem with that?”

“None at all.”

“Good. One last thing on Jackson. I wouldn’t be a good sister if I didn’t tell you to be careful.”

Once again, Jenna felt whiplash from Rachel’s words. “You just said all this good stuff about him! Now you’re telling me to watch out. What happened to him being awesome and mega-rich and blah blah blah?”

Rachel toyed with her fork and Jenna’s stomach sank. She had already been through a range of emotions today between the elevator, the packing, and this dinner. What little control she had left was hanging by a thread.

“I do like Jackson. The thought of you with a great guy makes me happy. I just want you to be careful. I’m worried about you. You’ve been hurt worse than anyone should be and haven’t been loved the way you deserved. Not ever. I worry that it’s too soon for you to trust someone else. Jackson isn’t the guy we knew back then. But that doesn’t mean he can’t break your heart.”

Jenna’s stomach fell. Worry began to gnaw at her and she grimaced. “I wasn’t thinking about having my heart broken, but now I am. Thanks for that.”

“Aw, sis. You know I’m just trying to look out for you.”

“Yeah, well. I’m the big sister, so that’s supposed to be my job for you. And I’d like to stop talking about big deep issues and finish these hushpuppies instead.” She gave Rachel a smile that she hoped conveyed a lightness and a confidence she definitely didn’t feel. “The sad thing about hushpuppies is that, like most fried food, they don’t reheat well. So, we need to eat them now. Your shrimp can go home in a box. These can’t. Eat up.”

“Yes, big sister. Whatever you say.”

Jenna tried to push away her worries and all the heavy things that hung over her to simply relish in her favorite food with her sister. But just under the surface, all those things sat, gathering and growing in the dark, like they were just waiting to rise to the surface. Rachel was probably right—this was too soon to get into a relationship. No matter how great of a guy Jackson had become or how quickly he had begun to invade her heart.

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