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It had been extremely difficult for Jax to focus at work all day. His mind was filled with Callie and the plans he had in store for her this evening. He felt like doing a tap dance in the middle of his office. This was going to be the first real opportunity he’d had to woo the woman he adored. For the last hour he had been doodling on a piece of paper rather than doing actual work.
Jax loved working for Duvall Investments. It thrilled him to be working with stocks and bonds and to help people make their money grow. Jax felt grateful that despite his father’s financial scandal, Lionel had continued to employ him and entrusted him with vast amounts of money. Lionel Duvall had so many branches of his business that it made Jax’s head spin. He admired Lionel in so many ways, despite the fact that he was now discovering that his family life was a
nything but idyllic. Lying to Callie about her birth brother was abominable. He prayed that one day Callie might be able to forgive him.
It made his chest hurt to think of Callie having been ripped away from Mac. An image of a young Cassie flashed through his mind. With her wide, innocent eyes and beautiful features, she had been a very attractive child. How anyone could ever abuse a child was way beyond his understanding. It hurt his heart to know all the pain that Callie had endured before being adopted by the Duvalls. If he could he would take all that pain and heap it upon himself rather than allow Callie to suffer. That’s how much he adored this woman. He thought of the verse from Proverbs 3:15. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare to her.
That was it in a nutshell. No other woman compared to Callie Duvall. He feared no other woman ever could. Sometimes that knowledge scared him.
At seven o’clock sharp Jax arrived at the guest house to pick up Callie. He had phoned her earlier in the day to tell her to wear something appropriate for a nice dinner out on the town. When Callie opened up the door to him, he had to stop himself from letting out a hoot of approval.
Reminder. You are not a Neanderthal. You are a southern gentleman.
“You’ve never looked more stunning,” Jax said, unable to take his eyes off Callie.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “You look pretty dapper yourself.” He looked down at his navy jacket and grey slacks. He was glad that he’d picked this attire. He hadn’t wanted to look too overdressed. At the same time he had wanted Callie to see that he’d taken pains to look nice for her.
Callie wasn’t the sort of woman who would respond to something like a wolf whistle or a shout of appreciation. She was sophisticated. But she was also the type of woman who could kick off her high heels and run like the wind on the beach. He loved all her nuances.
You sound like a girl.
One of his best friend’s voices buzzed in his ear. That’s exactly what Case Duvall would say if he could hear Jax’s inner thoughts. Case—Callie’s cousin—was a straight shooter. He was a great friend but he often enjoyed giving Jax a hard time. That dynamic went all the way back to their childhood. He was the golden boy if ever there was one. Ever since they were kids, Case had been the best at everything. He’d mellowed out over the years, but he still had that golden touch. Jax hadn’t bothered to tell him about taking out his cousin this evening. Case was still jaded about ending his engagement to Fancy, one of Callie’s closest friends. Or at least they had been until Case and Fancy’s wedding plans had erupted in a scandal that had destroyed their love story and taken down friendships.
He couldn’t seem to stop grinning, he realized. Strangely, his heart was thumping like crazy and his palms felt a bit sweaty. She waved him in to the cottage, then moved over toward an end table to pick up her purse. It gave him an extra moment to admire her appearance. She had swept her hair up in a complicated up-do, the type he could never pronounce. It was elegant and sleek. A few tendrils had escaped and were gently framing her face. Long, dangly earrings hung from her ears. She wore a dress that stopped just above her knee. It looked like the material was satin. The color of her dress was magnificent. It was a vibrant plum color. It went nicely with her hair and her complexion. It showcased her shapely legs and her toned arms. She wore a little wrap around her shoulders. He had the feeling it was more of a fashion accessory than anything since the weather was bordering on humid.
After grabbing her purse she turned toward him, her eyes full of curiosity. “Where are we headed?”
“I thought River House would be a great place.” He threw it out there casually, even though he felt anything but casual.
“I love River House,” Callie said, making his spirits soar. “I haven’t been there for a while.”
“Great,” he said with a relieved smile. “Let’s go.”
During the ride to Savannah, they easily made conversation. There were certain advantages to knowing someone for most of your life. There was always plenty to talk about.
“How do you like living out here?” Jax asked. “It’s a different vibe from the city.”
“I like it a lot,” she admitted. “It’s quiet, which allows me to think. And I need peace and tranquility. At dusk I’ve been walking along the beach. It reminds me of summer vacations when my family used to rent a house out here.”
“I remember that house,” Jax said, grinning at the memory. Luke had invited him to stay over for a few nights so they could spend their days crabbing and swimming. Hunter had been there too. And Case. Lazy summer nights on Tybee Island. The youthful version of himself had believed that there couldn’t be anything finer than spending time with the Duvalls. It was funny how other families always seemed more interesting than your own.
“That was the first time in my life I realized that I could be content living on the beach. The surf roaring in my ears. The feel of the sand between my toes.” She wrapped her arms around her middle. “Paradise.”
“Are you cold?” Jax asked. “I could turn the air off. It was so humid today I figured we would be stuffy.”
“I’m fine. I like it.” A quick glance in her direction showed Callie in profile. She was gazing out the window with a pensive expression on her face.
“Tell me if this is none of my business, but I heard through a few sources that Hope came back to town.”
Callie turned toward him, a hopeful expression etched on her face. “Seriously? I haven’t heard a thing.” She shook her head. “It’s funny that she and Morgan are both coming back at the same time.”
“Are things still…rocky within the group?”
“Yes,” she said with a sigh. “Everything is still seriously messed up. It’s like a bomb exploded and all our friendships just were blown apart. It all unraveled so quickly.”
“Not you and Olivia though. I think it would take a tsunami to tear you two apart,” he said in a teasing voice. “You’ve been riding together since we were in first grade.”
Just as he’d hoped, Callie grinned. “You’re right about that. I can’t ever imagine we’d lose our way. We’ve made a pact. If anything ever happens that might tear our friendship apart, we’re going to fly to a deserted island just the two of us and hash things out.”
