Page 7

Chapter Seven

JACKSON

I was caught by surprise at the party and said things I shouldn’t have. I regret my outburst, and can’t blame Chad for not taking my calls and not speaking to me in the locker room the day after. Everyone could sense something was off. I can’t have that. Engagement or not, we’re in the finals. Only four more wins, and the Cup is ours.

I need Chad’s focus to stay sharp, so for now, I’ll pretend I don’t have any objection to his premature engagement. But just because I’m not being vocal doesn’t mean I’m not doing anything to stop my friend from making the biggest mistake of his life. I’ve hired a PI to investigate Jane Bennet and her family. I need all the ammunition I can get to convince Chad he’s rushing into things.

Not wanting to add fuel to the fire, instead of talking to him in the training facility, I head over to his house after morning practice. We have our first home game against the Vancouver Vikings in two days, and I need to clear the air between Chad and me.

I catch him while he’s walking out of his house. The first thing I notice is his appearance. Chad’s style is casual, and when he’s not going to a game, he lives in T-shirts, shorts, and slide sandals. Today, he’s wearing a long sleeve button-down shirt with slacks. The scruff he had this morning is gone, and his shaggy hair is combed back and tamed.

He and I should be sporting our playoff beards like everyone else, but the first year we ever played the playoffs together, someone shaved half of mine off when I was asleep in the bus. I’m a hundred percent sure Wickham did it, but I couldn’t prove it. Chad decided to shave his playoff beard too and we won that series going from a three-game loss to win the next four games. It was an epic comeback, hence why we both shave during the playoffs, breaking tradition.

“Hey, did I catch you at a bad time?” I ask.

“Yeah,” he replies but doesn’t move toward his car parked in the driveway. “What are you doing here?”

“You’ve been avoiding my calls. What else was I supposed to do?”

He crosses his arms. “You hurt Jane’s feelings. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to you.”

“I know. I’m sorry for what I said to you and Jane at the party.”

His eyes widen. “For real?”

“Yes, for real. I was caught off guard and reacted poorly.”

“You sure did, but…” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “I shouldn’t have kept Jane a secret from you.”

At least he realizes that.

“Why did you, though?”

“You tend to be a bit judgmental, and I was afraid you’d find fault with her.”

I grimace. “I’m not that judgmental.”

He arches a brow. “You called her a gold digger.”

“Well… I didn’t exactly say she was a gold digger. I just suggested she could be.”

Chad throws his hands in the air. “I see no difference, and neither did Jane. She was truly upset.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll apologize to her the next time I see her.”

Chad spends a moment scrutinizing me. He can be super intense when he wants to be. “Do you really mean that?”

“Yes. I do. I don’t want to fight with you, Chad. You’re my best friend.”

He releases a heavy breath. “I don’t want to fight with you either. I mean… who else am I going to ask to be my best man?”

Guilt makes my stomach churn. Here I am pretending to be okay with Chad’s engagement but secretly plotting to find dirt on his fiancée and ultimately end it, and he goes and asks me to be his best man.

“I’d be honored.”

He smiles from ear to ear, making me feel even worse about my duplicity. I try to tell myself I’m only looking out for Chad and he’ll thank me later, but it doesn’t work. Izzie Bennet was right about one thing. I am an asshole.

“Good. And your first duty as my best man is to come with me to meet Jane’s parents.”

I wince. “Is that where you’re going?”

“Yes. Why do you think I’m wearing these preppy clothes?” He gestures at his attire. “I really want to make a good impression.”

“They’re going to love you.”

Chad twists his nose. “I don’t know about that. I’m aware I’m a bit… awkward .”

“You’ll be fine, but if it makes you feel better, I’ll tag along.”

Relief washes over his face. “Thank fuck.”

This wasn’t the plan, but it’s working out better than I thought. Now I can see for myself what type of family the Bennets are.

“But I’m driving.” I add.

“Oh come on. You’re still not over Germany?”

“I’ll never get over Germany. If I enjoyed going almost two hundred miles per hour in a car, I’d be an F1 driver.”

Chad shakes his head. “You don’t know how to have fun. Fine. You can drive.”

* * *

IZZIE

I’m sitting on my favorite chair in the living room, trying to read a book, but Jane’s pacing back and forth in front of me and it’s distracting.

“Will you relax?”

“I can’t relax. Chad will be here at any minute.”

Lydia comes into the room. “When is your fiancé getting here? Mom is losing her mind in the kitchen.”

Jane whips her face to her. “Why is she losing her mind?”

“She decided to add another dish to the menu.”

My brows arch. “There’s already so much food.”

Plus they splurged, getting the bone-in Jamon Iberico that costs a fortune. Five hundred dollars is a lot of money to spend on an appetizer when things are tight.

Mom joins us in the living room, wiping her hands on her apron. Despite the fact that she spent the entire morning cooking, she looks ready to have tea with royalty. Her hair is as neat as a pin, and her makeup is flawless.

“Is he here yet?” she asks.

“No, Mom,” I reply.

She frowns. “What are you wearing?”

I glance at my tight jeans and the cute white top with cap sleeves I borrowed from Jane. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

“You look like a slob. Go put on a nice dress.”

I wrinkle my nose. “I don’t look like a slob.”

The sound of tires on gravel grabs everyone’s attention.

“He’s here!” Lydia shouts.

“Oh my. I need to get your dad.” Mom starts removing her apron. “John!”

I jump from the couch. “He’s in the stables. I’ll go get him, Mom.”

Her eyes widen in horror. “Oh no. I told him not to go near the horses before lunch!”

Like Dad ever listens to her when it comes to his beloved horses. I use the back door to reach the stables faster. Dad bought the property the year Jane was born, when there was nothing around for miles and miles. We’re west of Miami, and the area has become more populated since then. Mercifully, most of the new developments are ranches with large acreage. This is a great area for horse lovers.

Our stables have room for six horses, but currently, we only have three—one thoroughbred, and two Argentinian polo ponies. They’re getting old, and when they die, Dad won’t be able to replace them. It makes me sad, not only because those horses have been a part of my entire life, but also, I can’t imagine Dad not having any horses to tend to.

I find him brushing Cicero, the thoroughbred. Dad’s sweaty, and his once pristine white button-down shirt has smears all over. Crap. Mom will have a cow.

“Dad, what are you doing? Chad Bingley just arrived.”

He looks at me, and his eyes seem vacant. It’s not the first time he’s stared at me with that unfocused expression. It’s starting to worry me. “Who?”

“Jane’s fiancé.”

“Ah, the hockey player. Wait. I thought he was coming around lunchtime.”

“It’s past noon.”

His brows arch. “Oh, dear. Already? I lost track of time. Let me put Cicero back in his stall.”

“Let me do it. You need to change your shirt and wash your face.”

He glances down. “Blimey. You’re right. I can’t meet Jane’s fiancé like this.”

“Go quickly. I’m sure Mom and Lydia can keep him busy while you change.”

“Thanks, sweetheart.”

I watch Dad walk away, then turn to Cicero. Dad started to groom him, and I decide to finish the job. I’ve met Chad before. It’s okay if I miss part of the awkward introduction to my parents.

“It’s you and me, boy.” I run the brush along his flank, and Cicero nickers.

It doesn’t take long for me to break into a sweat. My bangs are already plastered to my forehead. But the laborious task doesn’t bother me. I get into a rhythm and forget the world for a while.

“There you go. You’re all shiny, like me.” I put the brush down, then pat his muzzle. “But you look better.”

Cicero nickers again, making me smile, until the small hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I turn and find Jackson Darcy standing just outside the stables, watching me with his intense and enigmatic eyes. My stomach dips, and my pulse accelerates. For a second, I believe I’m having a heat-induced hallucination. Why would Jackson be here?

Without a word, he comes closer, and I realize he isn’t a figment of my imagination. I can’t make my tongue work to say anything to him, but I notice everything about the infuriating man. The way his hair has a bit of a wave, and it’s combed to the side. How his square jaw is locked tight—no surprise there. I even pay attention to his clothes, something that’s usually not on my radar. He’s wearing jeans and a polo shirt that stretches across his wide chest. I hate to admit that he looks good.

“That’s a beautiful horse,” he says finally.

“Yes,” I croak. “He’s magnificent.”

Jackson raises a hand but stops before he touches Cicero. “May I?”

“Yes, he won’t bite you.”

“Hello, boy.” Cicero leans into Jackson’s caress. “What’s his name?”

“Cicero. We have two other horses. They’re Argentinian polo ponies, Toledo and Ophelia. My father used to be a professional polo player.”

Ugh. I blabber when I’m nervous. Why is Jackson making me nervous?

His eyes widen. “Really?”

“Yeah. Uh… what are you doing here?”

He turns his attention to Cicero. “Chad asked me to come. He was nervous about meeting your parents.”

“Oh.”

He looks at me again, and for the first time, I feel like he’s seeing me as person, not as a servant he can be rude to. “You sound surprised.”

“I guess I am a little. I didn’t think he’d be apprehensive. I should have known though. Meeting the parents is never easy.”

Jackson stares at me in silence for a couple beats, and I’m trying hard not to squirm under his intense gaze. “No,” he finally replies. “I suppose it isn’t.”

I frown as something dawns on me. “But if he asked you to come for moral support, why are you here at the stables?”

Blush creeps up Jackson’s cheeks, and my jaw drops. I wouldn’t have thought he was capable of getting embarrassed.

“Well, I did walk in with Chad, and we met your mother, but I forgot my phone in the car and went out to get it.”

“And ended up here?” I quirk a brow.

The corners of his lips twitch upward. “You caught me. I saw the stables earlier, and I was dying to poke around. I love horses.”

Having a normal conversation with Jackson is doing things to me. I’m actually enjoying his company, but I can’t forget that he behaved terribly on the last two occasions we interacted.

I glance at Cicero. “I love horses too. That’s why I’m specializing in their care.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m a veterinarian… well, I will be once I finish my residency.”

Jackson goes quiet, which makes me curious. Now his jaw is hanging loose, and he’s definitely seeing me differently. His stare now lacks that condescending air.

“What?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Nothing. I should return to the house and check on Chad.”

“Same… I mean, not that I have to check on Chad. I just need to put Cicero in his stall. I’ll see you inside.”

He nods and leaves, and I watch. It should be criminal for jerkfaces to be that good looking, but I’m not ashamed to admit I’m enjoying the view. Jackson Darcy has a nice ass.