The room smelled faintly of books and old wood, with a hint of lemon cleaner underneath. Lamps cast warm pools of light that did not reach every corner, leaving the shelves half in shadow. It felt private in the way only rooms meant for thinking were.
Jane stopped near the table in the center of the room and folded her arms loosely, not defensive exactly, but not open either. She looked composed. Like she had prepared herself for the inevitable conversation..
I stood across from her, hands at my sides, heart pounding hard enough that I wondered if she could hear it.
“I messed up,” I softly said.
Jane’s eyes flicked to my face, then away again, as if she needed a second before she could listen.
“I invited Carly because I thought I could redirect James,” I continued. “I thought if I gave him someone else to impress, he would leave you alone. I thought I was being clever.”
She nodded once. “I see.”
The simplicity of the answer stung more than anger would have.
“I made things worse. I understand that now. They both said things they shouldn’t have, assumed things about you that they shouldn’t have. I should have cut them off, or redirected them out of the room. Better yet, I should never have left you alone with my sister. She means well, but she’s sometimes very wrong. I left you in the kitchen with them, and I shouldn’t have. I should have stayed with you.”
Jane’s shoulders rose and fell with a slow breath.
“I thought you agreed with her,” she said quietly. The way she said the words in a flat, factual tone told me she had already replayed that moment too many times, overthinking it.
“With Carly.” My throat tightened and I realized my sister had indeed offered her opinion and divided us, no doubt with the best of intentions. I loved Cary and cursed her at the same time.
“I thought you saw what she was saying and decided she was right,” Jane continued. “That your time with me was temporary. That this was just… a pause or a diversion for you.”
Temporary. The word landed heavy and sharp all at once.
“I never thought that,” I said immediately. “Not for a second.”
Jane looked up at me then, really looked, like she was searching for cracks or hesitation or the careful wording people used when they meant the opposite of what they said.
“I thought you were angry at me,” I admitted. “I thought you were pulling away because I failed you by not staying by your side. I kept telling myself I would apologize after the wedding, when you were not busy with the meal. I didn’t want to be a distraction on top of all your work.”
“So we both waited,” she said.
“Yes,” I replied. “And in waiting, we both assumed the worst.”
Silence settled between us as we both thought about what was said.
“I am not leaving,” I firmly told her.
Jane’s breath caught, subtle but unmistakable as she tightened her arms around her middle, hands gripping until her knuckles were white.
“I will go back to the city on occasion,” I added, because pretending otherwise would only delay the truth. “I work there and responsibilities to my business, but I am not leaving you. I am not treating this like a vacation from my real life.”
“Carly said—” She glanced away, unable to finish the sentence.
“I have an idea of what Carly said and she wasn’t wrong about everything. I am a partner in the firm. Dex and I can make it work so that I don’t have to be in the city fulltime. I can work remotely and commute when needed. Dex is doing the same for Lucy and I can do that for you,” I explained.
“What about your family obligations? Carly was pretty clear that you are required to do a lot of things and what your family’s lifestyle is like,” Jane choked out the words.
I took a deep breath. “My family is public. There are expectations like galas, charity boards, and hosting events.”
Jane winced faintly, and something protective flared in my chest.
“But none of that gets to decide who I am with or what my life looks like. I don’t have to be the face of the Hale fortune. Carly does it far better than I do and what’s more important, she likes the attention. Let her do it.” I took a step closer, careful not to crowd her. “I am all in, Jane. Not recklessly, not impulsively, but intentionally in this relationship. I want to be with you.”
She shook her head slightly, disbelief flickering across her face. “Braxton, your life is so different and I won’t fit in it.”
