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Jackson

It’s been a long fucking week . . . and it’s only Wednesday.

I scrub a hand over my face before massaging my right temple.

It’s not like I regret going after Marlow yesterday.

I’m glad we aired our issues and know where we stand with each other.

I also gained some insight that I didn’t previously have when it came to her finances.

I don’t think any of us realized how bad things had gotten for her.

She’s really good at putting on a smiling face and faking it till she makes it.

It’s been easy to assume all the pieces would fall into place for her. Like they always do.

It makes me realize that instead of assuming everything was going to work out, maybe the others and I should’ve stepped in sooner.

I would give her the money for the down payment if I knew she would accept it.

But she won’t. And the even larger concern here is that even if we helped her buy the property, she couldn’t afford the mortgage.

Real estate is an investment I’m willing to make, but I think that’s the last thing Marlow would want in this case.

Ultimately, it would be up to her to ask me for it.

Not to hear her beg or grovel, but to hear her plan, to be a part of a solution and not just be someone else who sets her up for failure.

When I said she could trust me, I meant it.

A window pops up on my monitor, reminding me of my meeting.

I grab my portfolio and push away from the desk.

It’s been too easy getting sidetracked by Marlow lately.

I need to shake this off and get my mind back in the game.

With millions on the line, I can’t afford to fuck up a deal like I’m fucking up my personal life.

With so many employees taking another few days off after the holiday, I like the quiet and moving about the space freely without having to deal with the tasks that come with regular weekdays.

It also keeps this potential investment under wraps a bit longer, which I appreciate.

A startup team has flown in from California.

They’re under major deadlines to hit their goals before their next report is due in two weeks.

Let’s see how badly they want to make this happen.

My brother-in-law walks ahead of me down the corridor to the conference room. My sister chose a guy I’d be happy to call my brother. He stops and turns back. “Hey, Nick,” I say.

Nick Christiansen is one of the owners of Christiansen Wealth Management.

He and his brother, Andrew, took over after their father retired a couple of years back.

The messy part of his family taking over my family’s financial business was resolved, and we all came out winners.

And by winners, I mean millionaires, and we’re still on good terms. So yeah, winners.

He asks, “You ready?”

“Sure. I usually know within a few minutes if it’s worth my time and money.”

“Investments shouldn’t always be based on gut, Jackson.

Don’t forget that their mission and history matter to predict their outcome.

I looked over the contract, and fortunately, they’re good on paper.

” Did I forget to mention he’s a lawyer?

“Andrew said it was a solid investment, and he would feel comfortable with the transaction.”

“Based on?” As I know Andrew Christiansen is a financial whiz as well as a CEO, my instinct to bring these guys in for a meeting seems like the right one since they’ve done so well. He’s a bit older than me and somewhat wiser, so I’ve learned from the best.

“You know he only cares about the bottom line and forecasts.” We start walking again.

“There’s no one I trust more to look out for my financial well-being than Andrew. That’s why I’m ready to drop some money on this deal if this team doesn’t fuck up the presentation. It’s not all paper. It’s about the people involved as well.”

He stops again. “Don’t know if Andrew messaged you, but he can’t make the meeting. He had a conflict with another meeting that had to be rescheduled and shifted to today. The Everest Brothers. At least two of the three—Ethan and Bennett—could only meet this morning.”

I’m not worried about running an investment meeting anymore.

I’ve done it enough to go off instinct and bottom lines on the reports to guide me.

The Everests are titans of the industry and billionaire entrepreneurs.

Bonus, they’ve become friends. And although it’s not normally wise to work with friends, you don’t say no to managing wealth at that level. If you do, someone else won’t.

Our steps are silent against the low-pile carpet, but I also want to keep our conversation between us when I say, “What do you think about pulling in the Everest brothers?”

He chuckles. “Damn, dude. You know how to shoot for the stars.”

“Always.” I can cover some of the investment, but I think this company could do wonders in their field with a partner.” When we reach the conference room, I stop him from going in. “Unless you’re interested?”

“I might be. I have eight million coming in from closing out some shares from a startup in Chicago. What’s the buy-in?”

“I’m going in twelve for twenty percent. Their goal was thirty with the options closing out at forty-nine percent.”

We stand eye to eye as he studies my expression. “It might be fun to work this deal with you. If I drop six on this, where are you finding the other twelve mil?”

Pulling his phone from his pocket, he says, “I’ll text Andrew to see if they’re interested in coming to hear the pitch.”

Before opening the door, I say, “I’ll go warm up the crowd.”

Setting his beer on the table, Ethan Everest says, “Oh, shit.”

I follow his gaze to see a woman walking in. I recognize his wife since I’ve met her a few times over the years, but I’m confused by his reaction. Singer’s always been a lot of fun to be around. “What’s up? You in trouble for going out?”

He chuckles as he stands, angling toward her. “No, I’ve just fucking missed her, and she shows up looking like spending time alone might be better.” Moving to greet her, he takes her in his arms and kisses her.

We’re in a private room of the restaurant, and it’s all adults, but if there were kids, I’d be making them close their eyes. “You’d think they were still newlyweds by that greeting,” Bennett says, shaking his head in admonishment.

Then his chair goes skidding behind him when he sees his wife walking in behind Singer.

Next to me, my sister, Natalie, joined us to show support for Nick and to celebrate my newest investment. Andrew stopped by for a drink but had to meet his wife, Juni, at an event at a public garden space she oversees.

That leaves me as the . . . I scan the long table. Ninth wheel? Oh joy, I think sarcastically, and then I take another long pull of my beer.

The Silicon Valley team caught a flight back to California, not wasting a day or a dollar of our investment, leaving Ethan, Bennett, and their wives to join us for dinner.

Sitting with friends and their girls, now their wives, was never an issue before, but after the past few days with Marlow, the empty seat next to me taunts me even more.

Our conversation might be paused, but I’ve still had it playing on a loop in the back of my mind. She’s right. Not everyone is meant to couple up, but not everyone is meant to be in a long-term committed relationship either.

But if that’s true, why am I still pining over her?

Pining might be a bit of an exaggeration, but if she texted me right now, I’d be catching the next cab out of here. I used to want to date around to see what was out there. I never took anyone out more than a couple of times. Why don’t I want them?

What’s changed other than a gorgeous blonde with a short fuse and a tight ass giving me a hard time for the past six months? And although we don’t tease each other as much, I still have plenty of hard to give her.

Fuck. Not only do I miss Marlow, but I’m fucking horny.

Setting my phone on the table next to me, I pull up her name in my contacts list. With her, it’s not just a sex thing. It’s a comfort in our friendship, peace in her presence kind of thing. She’s whip smart and knows what she wants and needs, which is incredibly sexy.

“Jackson?”

My shoulder’s poked, and I turn to find my sister staring at me. “What?”

“The server is waiting to take your order.”

I look between Bennett and his wife, Winter, to see a guy with a name tag reading Ralph standing behind them with his pen poised on a pad. I glance down at the menu, then ask, “What’s the special?”

“Lobster—”

“I’ll take it.” Everyone returns to whatever they were doing, the noise level rising through the various conversations.

“Very well, sir,” Ralph says to me. “And I’ll bring you another Stella Artois.”

“Thanks.”

When he leaves the room, Natalie nudges me with her arm. “What’s going on with you, little brother?”

She uses that nickname whenever she can, but I haven’t been little for a long time. I lean over and nudge her with my elbow. “Can’t a guy just get lost in his thoughts?”

“Sure, they can, but I was just checking on you.”

I drop my shoulders, trying to relax. “I have a lot on my mind.”

I find comfort in her smile like I did when I was little. “I know what will help.”

“Yeah?”

“Playing with your niece,” she says, and then doesn’t miss a beat. “Speaking of, you should come around more. Your niece misses you.”

Natalie always knows how to lighten the heavy in my chest. “I’ll stop by this weekend.”

“Good. Come for dinner.”

Winter leans in from across the table, and says, “I met friends of yours last week, Jackson.”

“Oh, yeah?”

She smiles kindly, her eyes volleying to Natalie and then back to me.

“Tealey Bell came by because Singer and I reached out on another fundraising effort in February—one that we can collaborate between the Everest foundation and Tealey’s women’s program.

She’s the sweetest, by the way. Her friends were with her. ”