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Chapter Five
Though Isabel appeared deeply engrossed in a conversation with Dena and Jacy about running a business, Jackson noticed her shooting quick peeks at him. Almost as if she was making sure he was still around.
As if maybe she wanted him to be still around.
Interesting.
If anyone had asked him last night if he’d be at his own birthday party with Isabel Perri today, he would have said, Hell, no. More so because her tone with him last night had more than suggested her disgust for him.
But today? That tone was altogether different. Her apology to him in the Wrangler had changed something between them. He wouldn’t go so far as to say all had been forgiven for either of them, but this party atmosphere—and these Blue Monday cocktails—had chipped away at the glacier that had built up between them since they last saw each other.
“So did you make some crazy birthday wish to see Isabel again?” Landon asked as he slid into the Adirondack chair next to Jackson’s. After the baseball game had ended, the entire party had moved outside to Christian’s backyard where guests played horseshoes, danced to some 80s music, or hung around in little pockets conversing and munching on food. As far as parties went, this was a good one.
Or at least Jackson thought it was a good one. He couldn’t really say he’d been to a ton of parties, and the last one he’d been to that had been in his honor was probably when he graduated from college with his undergraduate degree. He’d been far too busy to celebrate when he’d earned his graduate and doctorate degrees and had outright refused to return to Vermont for such parties.
Clearly he’d been missing out.
“No birthday wish,” he said to Landon.
“But you’re happy to see her?” Donovan took the seat on the other side of Jackson.
Jackson stared at his empty cocktail glass. He needed to do something about the fact that it was empty. “I’m not unhappy to see her.” He may have been last night, but the light of day had illuminated a few things.
First of all, Isabel was as gorgeous as ever. Throughout his time at this party so far, he’d been able to easily find her among the other guests because Isabel Perri stood out. She may have been the shortest adult here today, but that green sundress—or how she filled that green dress more specifically—drew Jackson’s attention like a brightly-colored bloom did to a bee. He’d had to continually remind himself to let her mix and mingle and not hoard her all to himself.
But maybe he could create an opportunity to hoard her.
Christian dragged another chair over and sat across from Jackson, slapping him on the knee. “Are you enjoying this shindig, bro?”
“Are you going to get all stupid if I say I’m enjoying it?”
“Stupid? Me?” Christian put his hand on his chest, his other hand clamped around a beer. “Of course not.”
“When has Christian ever gotten stupid?” Donovan asked, rolling his eyes.
“Hey, now. I’ve got me this whole farm.” Christian threw his arms out to indicate the acres and acres of land around them. “And this wonderful house that I renovated.”
“We renovated,” Landon corrected. “I seem to recall losing some skin off my knuckles helping you put up drywall.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” Christian waved a hand. “I also managed to snag that beauty over there.” He pointed his beer bottle at Nicole, who had joined Jacy, Dena, and Isabel. “So I don’t think we can classify me as stupid. I might not be as smart as Wonder Boy here, but I ain’t so dumb.”
“Fine.” Jackson’s gaze landed on Isabel again. She was laughing at something Nicole had said and God, she was dazzling with those smiling lips. “I’m having a good time at this party. Okay? Happy?”
“Extremely.” Christian relaxed back into his chair and looked at each of his brothers. “This is nice. All four of us together.”
Landon raised his beer and knocked it to Christian’s. “Yes, it is.”
“Indeed.” Donovan clinked his can of soda to Jackson’s empty cocktail glass.
Something tightened in Jackson’s throat, but he quickly swallowed whatever that emotion was and stood. “I need more booze.”
“Go for it, bro,” Christian said. “It’s your birthday party and you should go wild.”
Jackson didn’t know about going wild, but he definitely needed more alcohol to wash away the guilt of not visiting his family more often. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see his brothers in Vermont or his parents in Ireland. It was more that he didn’t want to be away from his dig sites and his work. He was at the height of his career and still climbing.
Once he acquired more funding, of course.
He needed to focus his attention on archaeology now. There would be time to spend with his family later.
