Page 49 of Can’t Let You Go (Ivy Ridge #3)

JASON

I t’s been nearly a week since the wedding where Fallon saw Brad, and she’s heard and seen nothing of him. He didn’t see, or interact with us at the wedding, so we figured it was a fluke.

Only now, he’s sitting at a table in my brewery with the same woman he was with last week.

“Jason,” Brad calls from one of my high rise tables across the brewery. How the fuck does he know my name? Has he been watching us?

Trying to maintain a neutral expression, I walk over to the table. “Hi, how can I help you?” I ask. I’m not about to act like I know who this fucker is.

Brad offers me his hand, and I reluctantly shake it. I want to punch his face in, not act cordial, but I’m also in my business with other customers around.

“Jason, it’s been years,” Brad continues. “We went to school together. Well, college. You were a senior when I was a freshman.”

“Hmm,” I mutter noncommittally. “Sorry, I can’t say I remember you. ”

His smarmy face tightens, his eyes narrowing. Of course this fucker would expect me to remember him from college. Had Fallon not told me all about him, I guarantee I wouldn’t know who he was.

Brad grits his teeth, and waves his hand.

“The past is the past. Say, I was going to ask, have you seen or heard from Fallon Douglas? Or I suppose you would know her as Fallon Vosk. You two were pretty buddy-buddy if I remember right.” He narrows his eyes, and I can tell he’s digging.

He has to know Fallon and I have been in contact, well, more than that, and he’s trying to get me to break, to give him information.

I try to make it seem like I’m pondering the name he’s given. I decide to be at least semi-truthful. “I’ve seen her, yes.”

“Great. Can you tell me where she is? I was at an event she worked at last week, and couldn’t seem to connect with her. Or better yet, call her for me and let her know that her ex-husband is looking for her? I’d do it myself but I’m not sure she still has my number.”

This. Mother. Fucker.

“No can do,” I say through gritted teeth, trying to keep my calm.

“Don’t play stupid, Jason.” He rolls his eyes. “Clearly, you’ve been in touch with her. It’s a small town, and your reaction is quite telling.”

“So what if I have? Why should I tell you where she is?”

“Because, we need to speak about private matters.”

“Listen here.” I move closer to him. The woman he’s with blanches, not expecting me to get so close. “I know where she is, but if she wants to see you, you’ll have to hear it directly from her.”

“I have the right to talk to her,” Brad tries to argue. “You know where she is. I have very important things to discuss with her, and you are doing whatever you can to prevent that.”

“No.” I hold my hand up to stop him. “You lost the right to talk to her the moment you decided to end your marriage without a second thought.”

Brad chuckles, an eerie, almost nauseating sound. “Is that what she told you happened? You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He shakes his head.

“Either way, I’m not going to tell her to answer your call. That’s up to her.” He recoils like I’ve slapped him, though maybe my denial and lack of bending over backwards to give him what he wants isn’t something he’s used to.

“Fine. I expect you’ll tell her of this…

altercation, so you can tell her to anticipate my call.

I’ve been keeping tabs on her through social media, but her privacy settings didn’t allow me to message her.

You’ll tell her it’s in her best interest to answer.

” He turns his face away from me, effectively ending whatever this interaction was.

All the better. I need to get out of here before I punch him straight in the nose.

I stride back into my office, shutting the door behind me.

I kick my chair, sending it rolling across the floor and into the wall with a thud.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I try to figure out how I’m going to bring this up to Fallon.

I don’t want to do it in front of the girls, but she needs to know what happened.

I pull out my phone to call her. She’s off today, spending the day with Marley and the twins. She answers on the second ring. “Hey, sunshine,” I greet. I’m gathering my keys and anything else I need to head to my car .

“Hi,” she responds. “I was about to call you, are we still on for tonight?”

“We are,” I state. “But I need to talk to you first.”

“Jase…” Her voice is tight and anxious, obviously picking up on the tone of my voice.

“Is Presley with you?”

“Yes, I picked her up from school, and then came back so she could see the babies. Your mom and Lennie are here too. That’s what I was going to call you about.

I was going to offer to bring Lennie straight from here so you don’t have to run to your mom’s.

Then your mom can stay here for a bit. Beau has a later showing this evening. ”

I sigh. “That works out well, but I need to talk to you. I’ll be there in fifteen, okay? Come out to the car when I get there.” I head out the back entrance of the brewery, avoiding any more confrontation with Brad.

“Um, yeah, okay,” she replies, and I can hear the anxiety in her voice.

“It’s going to be fine, sunshine. This isn’t something I wanted to tell you over the phone.”

“Okay,” she says. I climb into my car as we say goodbyes, and then I’m heading off to Marley and Beau’s house.

I don’t know how I’m going to tell her this. How do I tell her that him being at the wedding the other night more than likely wasn’t a coincidence like we thought? No matter what, I’ll figure it out. She needs to know.