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Ah, there he is. I roll my eyes and smack him in the chest as he chuckles. Leave it to Jackson to ruin a moment when he opens his mouth.
“You almost had me going, so I think my family will eat it up. It’s perfect,” I tell him.
“It’s true, you know.” A small smile graces his full lips. “You have a way of lighting up a room with just your presence. People are drawn to you, want to be around you. It’s something I’ve always envied of you,” he says softly.
I don’t know what to say to that. Kind words coming from Jackson aren’t our norm, unless we’re naked and he’s about to make me come.Don’t go there, girl.
“Thank you. That was uncharacteristically sweet of you.”
“Just keeping you on your toes, Red.” He winks and we both settle into a comfortable silence, with music softly playing from the car speakers.
My mind is racing with what he said to me. Priority number one is to keep my guard up when we go to Charleston. Jackson is hard to resist being the sexy asshole that we all know, but his sexy and sweet side that I’m getting to know, that may just prove to be impossiblenotto cave in to.
Jackson
After dropping Abigail at her place, I head back to my apartment. Spending the week with everyone would usually make my soundless apartment feel calm and comforting, but today the silence is stifling. I like having my own space to relax in, but being surrounded by the vivacious liveliness that is Abigail Barnes for almost a week makes everything feel empty and soulless within these walls.
I pour myself a glass of scotch, not really in the mood to drink, but there’s an anxious energy still swirling in my head that needs to quiet. I blame the excitement of slinking around the shadows with Abigail at the cabin on why I agreed to go with her to her sister’s wedding, thinking it was the perfect opportunity to have her all to myself while we’re in Charleston for the days leading up to the wedding. What I didn’t anticipate was her resolve in not sleeping with me again. She was fighting the attraction, but stupidly I thought we had turned a corner at the cabin. Now, I’m likely to get to Charleston fighting a nasty case of blue balls because that woman is as stubborn as they come.
The fucking situation with her ex isn’t helping my cause either. What kind of family picks the side of a cheating bastard over their own flesh and blood? My family may have its own problems, mostly me actually, but I’ve never been completely disregarded in that way. Made to feel like I wasn’t doing anything important? Sure. How does one live up to the already perfect son that is my brother? I stopped trying a long time ago. I was on the receiving end of plenty of disapproving looks and lectures from my father, but I never felt ostracized like Abigail was. My family didn’t know what to do with me, but I never felt like they didn’t love me.
Sitting on my couch with my glass of amber liquor, I hear my phone ring. Pulling it out of my pocket I peek at the screen, hoping it’s Abigail wanting to meet up. No such luck.
“Hey, Lindsey,” I say in greeting.
“Hello to you too. So, funny thing. I didn’t want to say anything while we were at the cabin because I didn’t want to scare anyone, but have you ever been told your cabin is haunted?”
Huh?
“Um, no.” I chuckle. “Why are you asking?” What a weird question.
“Well, I heard some moaning and groaning coming from your end of the hallway. You know, where your and Abigail’s rooms were. The only plausible explanation I could come up with was that it must be a ghost.” The deadpan tone of her voice suggests otherwise.
Choking on the sip of scotch I just took, I try to catch my breath before answering. “Huh. It’s an old house. Old pipes and all that,” I nonchalantly reply.
“Sounded like someone was getting their pipes cleaned, that’s for sure,” she snickers.
“Alright, enough out of you. Fine. Yes, it was me and Abigail,” I admit.
“Aiden, you owe me twenty dollars,” she bellows.
I sigh into the phone. “Really, Lindsey?”
“What? He told me there was no way Abigail would have ever slept with you and it was probably just Donovan and Kasey. Those two can’t keep it quiet to save their lives. I told him they were on the other side of the house so there was no way it would have been them. Now I’m up twenty bucks. So, thanks,” she says cheerily.
“Did you tell your sister or Donovan about it?” The last thing Abigail wants is everyone finding out. Of course, Donovan and Aiden already know, but I don’t want her thinking I’m keeping secrets from her. Plus, if Abigail finds out I told them, it’ll be a cold day in hell before she lets me in her bed again.
“No. I figured if you guys wanted them to know you would tell them in your own time. So, tell me, what the hell’s going on?”
“What happened to talking about it in my own time?” A chuckle escapes me at her insistence.
“Them. Tellthemin your own time. I specifically didn’t include myself. Spill it, Hayes.”
“What do you want me to tell you? Yes, Abigail and I have been enjoying each other’s company.”
She scoffs into the phone. “Oh, come on, when did it start? Who initiated? Are you guys, like, dating now?”
Why does one of my best friends have to be a reporter?
