Page 12 of The Marriage Mission

Jacqui perked up. Her birthday was coming up. But in a few weeks. The cake wouldn't last that long.

The bell dinged again as someone opened the bakery's door. Jacqui looked down to see her hand on the door. Then her feet moving over the threshold. Was she doing this? Looked like she was.

She looked up to see Mason turn and spot her. The moment he turned and their eyes met, Jacqui saw the wince that briefly crossed his face.

Compelled by a mix of desperation and a misguided sense of hope, Jacqui moved toward him with an uncertain smile, intent on bridging the gap with a kiss.

Mason, however, misread her approach, extending his hand in a gesture that was meant to be cordial but felt painfully formal. Realizing her intent, he awkwardly shifted to offer his cheek just as Jacqui opted for a hug.

The result was a clumsy dance of misaligned greetings, their bodies bumping into each other in a tableau of discomfort.

The moment was so charged with awkwardness that Jacqui wished she could melt into the floorboards. That's when her eyes landed on Fish, Noah, and Nãinai observing the scene with varying degrees of curiosity, discomfort, and sympathy.

It was the sight of Noah that unsteadied her. He was here to fix the fridge, but what was the growling sound? Was some other appliance on the verge of breaking? All Jacqui saw were dollar signs fleeing from her purse.

"Mason, can we...talk? In my office, just for a quick chat?" Jacqui managed to say, her voice steady despite the tumult of emotions swirling within her.

Mason hesitated, his glance shifting from Jacqui to the cake Jules was now carefully boxing. Mason snapped up the cake and turned back to her. "I suppose this is overdue."

As they made their way back to Chow Town, Jacqui couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom. The walk was silent, each step heavy with the weight of words left unsaid, of a relationship that had unraveled before either of them had fully grasped the threads.

Once in her office, the door closed behind them, Jacqui turned to face Mason, her heart pounding. Mason placed the cake box down on her desk and lifted his face to hers with a grim set to his mouth.

"We have so much to catch up on," Jacqui tried.

"Catch up on what?"

"On us."

There was that grimace again.

"I'm sorry I didn't immediately return your text messages. We've both been busy. But I want to do better. In fact, I have a proposition." Jacqui took a deep breath. That's when she looked down at the cake box.

"Happy Birthday, My Love—Forever Yours, Mace."

"My birthday isn't for a few weeks." They'd never expressed the L word. They hadn't even shared nicknames. "That's not for me, is it?"

"I've moved on. I thought it was best to make a clean break for both of us."

The room felt suddenly too small, the air too thick. Jacqui's mind raced, her initial intent to reconcile or seek financial salvation from Mason dissolving into the ether. The revelation of his new relationship, symbolized by the cake's tender inscription, rendered her speechless.

"It's not all your fault. We were both busy. But Jill and I, we make time for each other."

"I... I see" was all Jacqui could muster, the words hollow. Her gaze fixed on the cake that represented Mason's future—one that no longer included her. Should she feel sad? Upset? What she felt was… nothing.

Mason reached out, a gesture of consolation, but Jacqui stepped back, a clear sign of the distance that now lay between them. "I should go," Mason said quietly. He reached for the cake, then turned on his heels.

Now what was she going to do? It was a stupid idea anyway, to think she could marry her way out of a problem. Like a man would solve it for her. She'd have to figure this out on her own, like she did everything.

When she heard Mason gasp, she wondered if he'd changed his mind. If he realized that she was a better choice than… what was the birthday girl's name? But no, a sudden surge of feelings for her wasn't what made her ex take in a breath.

When Jacqui looked up, Noah stood in the door. And he did not look happy.

ChapterNine

Noah filled the doorway like a tank on an urban street, cramming itself into a narrow alleyway—completely, leaving no room for doubt. His broad shoulders were a barrier to escape. His fists were clenched, ready to explode on the other man's face.

Mason started when he turned and found the wall of muscle and silent fury. The other man swallowed, then attempted a smile. Failed and attempted a step forward. That failed too.

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