Page 46 of Then Came Love
IT WAS COMICAL watching laid-back Jax trying to act pretentious at the next venue. Apparently in Jax’s eyes, being pretentious went along with looking down his nose at people. They’d laughed all the way to the third venue, where he’d said it was too confining trying to be someone he wasn’t, and he introduced himself as Jax Braden, Jordan’s wedding gown designer and friend standing in for her fiancé, who had been called away for work. He was funny, devastatingly debonair, and his hand still found its way to her back. She noticed that he was protective of her, and it was nice being out with him and not feeling guilty for having fun.
They ate a late lunch at a café in Prairie View before heading to Peaceful Harbor to meet with Isla Redmond at Petal Me Hard. Peaceful Harbor was a cute seaside town with mountains on one side, the ocean on the other, and rows of beachy storefronts in between.
Jax opened the flower shop door for her, and as she walked in, he said, “I know Isla well. You’ll like her. She drives a motorcycle and likes getting into trouble. She’ll take good care of you. That’s her over there.”
Jordan was curious to know if Isla had taken good care of him. She followed his gaze to a petite girl who looked to be in her early twenties talking with a customer. Her blond hair fell in a thick, wavy mane to the middle of her back, and she wore knee-high black leather boots, cutoffs, and a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing several colorful bracelets and a tattoo just above her wrist. Her legs were to die for, and when she looked over and saw Jax, her eyes lit up beneath thick dark brows and she flashed a killer smile. The kind of familiar smile that told of shared secrets.
Jax waved, and Jordan tried to ignore the niggle of jealousy clawing at her.
Isla held up her index finger, indicating she’d be with them in a minute, then turned back to her customer.
“I bet you can get a great discount from her” came out before Jordan could think twice about it.
Jax looked amused and stepped in front of her, blocking her view of Isla. “What was that, sweetheart?”
“Nothing.” I’m just losing my mind. “I was just thinking about what you said this morning.”
“I can wrangle a discount, but not because of the reasons you think.” He leaned in, his chest brushing hers as he spoke low and authoritatively. “She’s a beautiful, rebellious girl, but I prefer to be with a woman closer to my age and my experience level.” He leaned back with a coy grin. “Any other misconceptions you’d like me to clear up?”
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
He gave her an I’m not buying it look.
“Okay, I did. It’s just…I thought I saw something in the way she smiled at you.” There was no excuse. “Never mind. I’m shutting up now.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but Isla walked up behind him and said, “Am I interrupting?”
He turned around. “No. How are you?” He hugged her.
“Fanfuckingtastic,” Isla said. “I’ve got a wad of cash saved for the auction. I’m not getting outbid this year.” She waggled a finger at him. “You’re going to be mine for a night, Jax Braden, and I’m taking you for a ride, so go buy a fancy helmet that’s monogrammed or glittered, or whatever you need, because you’re getting on the back of my bike.” She smiled at Jordan. “And how rude am I, hitting on you in front of your friend. Hi, I’m Isla.”
Jordan was dying to know who had won Jax in last year’s auction and what kind of a good time he’d shown that person. But she had to stop thinking about those things, so she focused on the firecracker before her, who was very much like she had imagined Casey might be at that age, and that did the trick. “Hi. I’m Jordan. We have an appointment to talk about flowers for my wedding.”
“Oh, shoot. Is it four o’clock already? I need two minutes to get my things from the office and tell my co-worker she’s in charge. You two can make yourselves comfortable in our meeting area.” She pointed to an area set apart from the store by a half wall. “I’ll be right there.”
As Isla hurried away, Jax’s hand pressed against Jordan’s back again, as he guided her toward the meeting area. “Still think I’d jump in the sack with her?”
“I like her spunky personality. I think Casey is probably like her. Her own person, you know? The type that says and does what she wants. Gosh, I envy that sometimes.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
They walked into the meeting area, and he pulled out a chair for her. “It was none of my business, and I was out of line with the comment. You’ve spent hours going all over creation looking at places with me for my wedding, and I’ve had the greatest day. I just got weirdly protective of my friend or something, that’s all. But I’m over it.”
“You think so, huh?”
“I”—hope—“know so.”
An hour later they walked out of the flower shop with a tentative selection of arrangements. Jax helped her into the car, and when he settled into the driver’s seat, she said, “I had no idea you knew so much about flowers.”
“It’s my job to know everything that goes into a wedding, and I love it all.”
“You’re a rarity, Jax Braden. How did you make it this far without getting snagged by some lucky woman?”
“I’ve been snagged by plenty of women. But I’m a designer. I’m waiting for the right fit. Better to be single than marry the wrong person.”
His comment stuck like chewing gum on a shoe.
He started the car. “Where to next?”
She wished she was supposed to meet Finlay now, so Jax could go with her, but Finlay hadn’t been available until later. “My appointment with Finlay isn’t for another two hours at someplace called Whiskey Bro’s, so why don’t you take me home, and I’ll go by myself when it’s time.”
“Whiskey Bro’s is on the main drag toward the bridge out of Peaceful Harbor.” He drove out of the parking lot. “Which gives us just enough time to go see my wedding venue.”
“Your wedding venue?”
“What? Can’t a guy dream of a white wedding?”
“Yes, but I’ve never met a guy who did.”
