“Holy fucking shit.” His face splits into a wide grin. “I’m in shock. Jenna Brooks is standing on my doorstep. What are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood and—”
“No way, really?” His eyes grow and a laugh escapes me.
“No. I got your Christmas letter and decided to come and explain myself in person.”While also seeking answers on what the hell your letter was about.
“You did?” Surprise registers on Jack’s face, and his eyes briefly flash to the guy holding the door.
“I did.”
He frowns, and for the briefest of seconds, I wonder if I made a mistake. Until I remember I’m in Australia. What do I care if he tells me to fuck off—there’s plenty for me to do. And I don’t just mean activities.
I raise a questioning brow, and Jack’s expression morphs until he’s smiling in awe. “Sorry. As I said, I’m in shock. I can’t believe you’re here. At my house. In Australia. Bro, can you believe it?” He turns to look at the gorgeous grumpy asshole again, and it’s then I see the resemblance. “It’s Jenna, bro. The girl I’ve been writing to foryears. Jenna, this is my brother, Mason.”
Before I can respond, Mason looks my way again, his grayish-blue eyes appraising me with dislike. “The infamous pen pal,” he says, sounding bored. “I’ll leave you two to…whatever.” He shrugs, turning away.
“I believe the description you’re looking for is ‘catch up.’”
Mason glances back at me and sneers, releasing the door and walking away as it closes in my face, forcing Jack to rush forward to grab it.
“Sorry.” Jack cringes. “He’s pissed off because I made him answer the door when he’d just jumped into the pool.”
“The one on your balcony?”
“No.” Jack frowns again as though that’s a preposterous idea and gestures behind him. “The one out back.”
“Oh,riiight.” I wink with a grin and Jack chuckles, the sound of it bringing me back to our time together in college. Like nothing has changed.
“I still can’t believe you’re here.” His awe returns and I feel good about my decision to come.
“Surprise.” I wave my hands around. “But…are you going to invite me in?” I raise a brow, and he curses, chuckling to himself.
“Fuck, yes. Come in. Come in. You actually came on a good day. We’re having a pool party with some friends. You brought bathers, right?”
“Bathers?” A soft giggle escapes me, remembering how much shit I gave Hayley for using that term. “I did. A pool party sounds fun.”
He smiles brightly and my heart jolts, a warmth spreading through me that I haven’t felt before. I smile back but shake off my thoughts the second he turns to guide the way.Dammit, Blair.He isnotmy soulmate.
Soulmates don’t exist.
CHAPTER FIVE
Mason
Inurse a beer, pretending to listen while my best friend, Kai, complains about our boss, Livvy, my gaze locked on the pool behind him. Or more specifically, my brother’s shiny new toy. He’s like a kid on Christmas. If emoji came to life, he’d have goddamn heart eyes.
Kai scoffs louder than necessary, drawing my attention and I frown, nodding my head in solidarity, though I have no idea what he said. He’s been trying to win Livvy over since I got him the bartending job at my work three years ago. But she’s never once wavered from her “I don’t fuck my employees” rule. Until now. And it wasn’t Kai.
“What does Chris have that I don’t?” he asks when I’m finally looking his way, and I huff out a laugh.
“You mean, other than the fact that he has model good looks and the reputation of a sex god?”
“The fuck, Mase?”
I chuckle as his face contorts. “I’m kidding. They’ve known each other since high school. It’s possible she already had a thing for him when she hired him.”
“How the hell do you know that?”
