Page 59 of Jackson
His fingers hovered over Paula’s contact. Just one text. One excuse to break the silence.
He inhaled sharply then locked the screen and tossed the phone onto the couch.
No.
If she wanted to come back, she would.
The submissive held the power.
He wasn’t going to chase her. Not this time.
Jackson ran a hand through his hair, jaw tightening.
Maybe it was time to find something else to focus on.
Something that wasn’t Paula.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
It was warmer than usual for January, making the evening perfect for the party Paula was heading to. She had opted for her fuchsia shirt—the bright color suited the weather and the occasion. She was looking forward to seeing James and Laura again, and the noise of happy people gathered for the private party at The Sweet and Savory Table greeted her as she entered the café.
Someone clinked a glass, and the conversation died down so James could speak. “Thank you all for coming here today.” James stood in front of the crowd, with Laura and Josh close by, and the boy looked from James to Laura with love and adoration.
Despite her feeling down about her failed relationship with Jackson, Paula’s smile was so wide it hurt her face. To see the three of them together was wonderful and made her hopeful. Even with a dark past, Josh had found his way to the light. “We’ve invited you here today to share our joy at making Josh a permanent member of our family. Without all your help and support, we couldn’t have done it.”
James exchanged a glance with Josh, and the boy gave a small nod. James placed his hand on Josh’s shoulders andguided him forward. The boy gave Laura a smile and raised his chin. “I would like to say something, too,” he spoke into the silence.
“First, I want to thank Mom and Dad for taking me in and supporting me. It sounds really good to be able to call them that. I haven’t had much in the way of a real family the last few years, but Mr. James and Ms. Laura took me in and kept me, even when I got in trouble with the police. The last few months”—Josh swallowed. James gave a reassuring squeeze to his shoulder, and Josh continued—“have been really hard, and I’m grateful for all the people who stood by me. So thank you all.”
Paula swallowed a lump in her throat and blinked rapidly to avoid the tears forming as Josh shared hugs with Laura and James.
James added, “On behalf of my wife and our son, we thank you all for coming. Thanks to Suzie, Sonja, and Connor for welcoming us here at The Sweet and Savory Table. They and their crew made a wonderful meal. Please enjoy.” People applauded, cheered, and offered a few whistles as well.
Among the guests, Paula recognized a number of people from Club Indigo, and she was surprised at how many she considered friends. Paula also spotted Laura’s father, Dan, his wife Beatrice, and Suzie’s children—Tim and Abby. As she was scanning the party she glimpsed the one person she didn’t want to see, and she moved to where she hoped she wouldn’t be noticed—the children’s table.
“Aren’t you Aunt Laura’s police friend? I saw you at the wedding,” a young person inquired.
Paula smiled and turned her attention to the girl. Abby looked beautiful in a dark blue dress. Soon, the young men would be crowding Suzie and Connor’s doorstep.
“Yes, I am.” Paula answered.
“Are you here to arrest Josh?”
Paula’s mouth dropped open. “No. Why would you think that?”
“Josh told Tim, and I wasn’t supposed to hear, but I did, and so I know you took Josh’s fingerprints and all, and now he’s in some kind of trouble,” Abby said, without coming up for air.
Ah, okay, now things made more sense.
“It’s true that Josh had some contact with the police, and I was the investigating officer. I’m not the reason he’s in trouble,” Paula explained. “The problem with listening in on people is that you don’t always get the whole story.”
Abby’s eyes widened, and she whispered, “How did you know I was doing that?”
“I’m the police. We know these things.” Paula made an effort to stay serious, but she ruined it by chuckling. “I’m kidding. I know this from experience. You miss a lot of information, that’s all. Josh isn’t in trouble anymore. He has to do some things over the next few years to make up for what he did, but unless he makes a big mistake or a bad choice, there’s no reason to think he’ll have to deal with the police again.”
Abby pursed her lips and looked over the crowd. Paula followed her gaze and found Josh. The girl’s cheeks had flushed an attractive pink shade. Interesting!
“Do you know Josh well?” Paula inquired.
