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21
Bree
My stomach is in turmoil as I walk out the lady’s room at the airport. Daniel and Ben have persuaded me to fly back to the city to speak to Jackson. While I was totally on board with the idea yesterday afternoon in Ben’s study, the doubts have begun creeping in now that I’m about to catch my flight.
I could get to the city and Jackson could refuse to see me. What if he doesn’t believe me when I tell him that it was Jonathan whom he saw at the cottage, and not some guy he needs to compete with?
Then it’s his loss.
While I wish I could simply dismiss any future we might have with such flippancy, I know it’s not how I really feel. I had carefully thought about what Ben had said about my feelings for Jackson, and realized that it was all true. I had fallen for Jackson Scott. In a big way. I’d love to say that my heart will withstand whatever reception I am going to receive when I see him again, but it would be a lie. I am utterly terrified of the rejection, of seeing that look of disdain on his face again, that scowl he aimed at me in Ben’s kitchen when we were screaming at each other.
I take a few steps into the airport concourse and head in the direction I left Ben and Daniel. I suddenly stop dead in my tracks.
Jackson is staring at me with his mouth open, clearly as surprised as I am. Behind him, Daniel and Ben have huge grins on their faces. I feel a flush of heat rush to my cheeks as I slowly begin to walk again. At the same time, Daniel steps behind Ben’s wheelchair and pushes him away. Clearly, they’re making themselves scarce, which brings some relief. I don’t really want to have this conversation around an audience.
Jackson’s eyes remain fixed on me the whole time I walk toward him. While my heart is pounding against my chest with delight and nerves, he looks perturbed. No, not perturbed. I think the expression he is conveying is remorse.
“I’m sor—”
I launch my arms around his neck before he finishes, and as our body’s clash together, he pulls me to him, his strong arms wrapping around me in a warm embrace. My actions are about as far from playing hard to get as they come, but I don’t care. I don’t want to play hard to get. I’m just so relieved he came back, and that he’s here, holding me in his arms.
“I don’t deserve someone like you,” he murmurs in my ear, after we’ve been holding each other for a long minute.
“Sure, you do,” I reply, not yet wanting to let go. “We’re both equally messed up.”
He loosens his hold and I take a step back. The sadness is still there in his eyes. “I’m sorry for all the horrible things I said,” he says. “I made a judgement I had no right to make. A judgment that doesn’t fit you at all.”
“It was my brother that you saw on the porch that day,” I reply.
He nods. “I know that now.”
I’m a little surprised, and wonder how he could possibly have known. Had Ben spoken to Jackson after I left yesterday?
“I came to my senses after a very good friend of mine called me out on my stupidity,” Jackson says, answering my unasked question. “I’m just a hotheaded.”
“Well, why change the habit of a lifetime?” I quip back with a smirk.
He chuckles then, lightly shaking his head at me.
When he stops, the serious expression returns. “If it’s not too late, if I haven’t ruined everything yet with my conclusion jumping, I wonder if maybe, we could—”
“Yes,” I reply eagerly.
Jackson smirks. “You don’t even know what I’m going to ask. I was about to say, I wonder if maybe we could fix the leaky faucet in Dad’s barn.” He grins.
“You were not,” I laugh, playfully smacking his arm.
“You’re right. I wasn’t going to say that at all. I was going to ask if we could start over.”
“No.” I shake my head, much to his sudden chagrin. Then I smile. “I don’t want to start over. I want us to pick up where we left off.”
“Before I yelled and screamed abuse at you in Dad’s kitchen, right?” he quips.
“Preferably.”
“So, if I remember correctly, you walked into the kitchen that day, and by your tone, you were delighted to see me back.”
I nod. “I was.”
