He nodded before leaving me and I took a sip of the crisp white wine he’d left before opening my phone and deactivating my account on the dating app.
I left the restaurant armed with pizza and two slices of the chef’s famous cheesecake that they’d refused to let me pay for and found Tyler where I’d left him, waiting outside.
“Go home, Tyler.”
“Your date?”
I felt like an idiot. “Didn’t show.”
“Fucker. Do you want me to let the boss know so we can track him down?”
I laughed, shaking my head because I was used to the high level of protection and paranoia that came from the men I worked with, so his reaction didn't surprise me. “No, don’t do that.”
“But—”
“I’m good. I had a glass of wine, I have dinner, so I’m going to get a cab and head home. I appreciate you looking after me, though.”
He nodded towards the blacked-out SUV. “Let me give you a lift. That way, when Thomas asks tomorrow, I can tell him I got you home safe.”
“Scared of getting your balls chopped off by our boss?”
“Damn right I am. Have you seen the man?”
“I’ve been working for him for nearly ten years, so yes, I know what he’s like.”
“Ten years. Did you start working for him when you were fifteen?”
My eyes creased as I laughed loudly. “Smooth, Tyler. Fine, I’ll take the lift.”
Ten minutes later, we were about to turn from the coastal road onto the short residential street that led to my house when I spotted someone familiar sitting on a bench, staring out over the waves.
“Could you just stop for a second, Tyler?”
“Helen?”
“It’s fine. I think that’s my son’s friend.”
He pulled the car to the side of the road, and I lowered the window. “Jackson,” I called.
His head turned as if he was being pulled from a daydream. Recognition flared in his eyes. “Mrs Fischer?”
“Helen, please. Are you okay?”
“All good.”
I leaned over and pressed my hand to Tyler’s shoulder to reassure him I was safe before I stepped out of the car. The cold breeze whipped around me, forcing me to hold down my dress so I didn’t flash my new underwear at the world.
“Jackson, it’s freezing, so you’re not alright, otherwise you’d be inside, somewhere warm.”
He didn’t break his attention from the crashing waves beneath us, so I took the seat next to him, wrapping my arms around myself.
“Jackson?”
“Can you not call me that? No one has called me that since I was a teenager. Jax. Please.”
I stared at his profile as he avoided eye contact. His face looked pinched, tension furrowing his brow as his jaw twitched.
“What’s wrong?”
