Page 18 of Just One: Box Set
Chapter Seven
“ M arried. I still can’t believe it, ” Harley exclaimed, pulling Jackie into a tight hug as soon as she and Carter stepped into the restaurant. “I knew you two belonged together!”
Jackie smiled, feeling a warmth settle into her chest, though her mind was still reeling from the whirlwind of events. “Where is everyone?” She asked, glancing around. “I thought for sure we’d be seeing the whole gang.”
Harley shook her head, gesturing to the empty chairs. “Nope. They said their goodbyes earlier. Plus… Damon’s gone. He said he had something to take care of. I’m sure I’ll see him plenty once we’re back home. And Archer’s sister, Allison, left for Venice early this morning.”
“Yeah.” Jackie’s smile faded slightly. “I hate what happened to her—what a prick of a man.”
Harley nodded in agreement, her eyes softening. “I just hope she finds herself in Venice. She’s been so down since everything blew up. She deserves better.”
A thought crossed Jackie’s mind, one that made her grin. “You know…” she said, eyes twinkling, “we should totally hook her and Damon up. He was crushing on her hard last night. In fact—if it hadn’t been for that, it might’ve been him I married.”
Carter growled playfully, pulling Jackie closer against his chest, his hold possessive yet warm. “ I don’t think so,” he murmured, his lips brushing against her ear.
Jackie giggled at his reaction. “Relax, Mr. Brown.”
Harley’s eyes widened with delight. “You two are just too freaking cute. Wow… I guess I need to call you Mrs. Brown, huh?”
“Oh my God, you’re right!” Jackie spun around, looking up at Carter. “I’m Mrs. Jackie Brown. Do you think your parents are going to hate me?”
Carter chuckled, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. “Why would they hate you?”
“Because we got married like this, in Vegas, and didn’t tell them,” she replied, a hint of nervousness creeping into her voice.
Carter leaned down, kissing her forehead. “Nah. We can always do a big thing later if they want. But trust me, they’ll love you. Besides, they already know how long I’ve been in love with you. Getting the girl of my dreams? That’ll make my dad proud.”
Before Jackie could respond, Harley’s phone rang, cutting through the warm moment. She held up a finger, answering quickly. “Hey, big brother. What? You’re going where ? Fuck… okay. Yeah, I can help with that. But Damon, I hope you know what you’re doing. Please be careful.”
She hung up, her face clouded with concern as she shoved her phone into her pocket.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Archer asked, his arm immediately wrapping around her, his eyes filled with worry.
“That was Damon,” Harley said with a sigh.
Jackie exchanged a glance with Archer. “Is he okay? Did something happen?”
Harley shook her head, blowing out a deep breath. “No, nothing bad.”
“Then what is it?” Jackie pressed, sensing there was more.
Harley bit her lip, clearly unsure how to word it. “It seems… my big brother is going to be out of the office for a while. He asked me to help cover for him at the firm. Apparently, he has a little more than a crush on Allison.”
Jackie blinked, trying to connect the dots. “What does that have to do with him being out of the office?”
Harley’s eyes flickered with amusement and something close to disbelief. “Damon’s taking a leave of absence.”
“Harley, stop dragging this out,” Archer urged, his brow furrowing. “What does that have to do with my sister?”
Harley looked up at her husband, then back to Jackie, her voice quiet but sure. “It seems Damon’s headed to Venice.”
The table fell silent as Harley’s words sank in, the weight of them settling over the group. Jackie’s eyes darted between Harley and Archer, completely blindsided by the revelation.
“Wait— what ?” Archer finally spoke, his voice tinged with shock. “You’re telling me Damon is chasing after Allison?”
Harley nodded, her expression a mix of surprise and exasperation. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. He’s going after her. I think Damon’s in love with your sister, Archer.”
Jackie sat back in her chair, completely floored by the turn of events. “Damon’s chasing after Allison… all the way to Venice? Fuck, ” she whispered under her breath, sharing a stunned look with Carter.
“Well,” Carter said with a smirk, “looks like you weren’t the only one getting swept off your feet this weekend.”