Jace’s eyes were burning holes in my skin and my ability to remain unaffected was fading away.
“Printed,” Jace said, leaning forward. His eyes roamed over my face like he was studying every feature of it.
I swallowed past the lump in my throat that had formed at being so heavily scrutinized and pulled out the stack of papers I’d prepared. I set them on the desk in front of him.
I met Jace’s eyes again and saw an intensity I’d never seen before. He pulled the stack of papers toward himself while staring me down. When he opened his mouth, there was a clipped edge to his voice I’d never heard before. “Kayden, do you know my assistant?”
Is he jealous? And if so, is he jealous of her or me?
I nodded cautiously. “Yes. Not well, but we’ve met before.”
He breathed deeply through his nose as he leaned back in his chair. “I’ve known Olivia for years and I have never once seen her flustered like that.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I just waited for him to continue.It doesn’t really surprise me that she doesn’t fluster easily.
“Should I be worried about her?” he asked.
“I think I might have startled her,” I said, still trying to wrap my head around her reaction. I didn’t want to overshare with Jace something that she might not want him to know, but he deserved an explanation,so I kept it high-level. “We met a while back at a wedding and spent the evening together. It was a one-night thing. I was just visiting Boston for the wedding and had a flight back to Phoenix the next morning. We both knew what it was and everything that happened was consensual. I promise.”
Jace’s eyes widened even more and he ran his hand through his curls, gripping and pulling at his hair in stress.Is he that worried about who I hooked up with years ago? Or is he worried about whoshehooked up with?
I sighed. I’d only known him for a few weeks, but I was pretty sure Jace could pull any information he wanted out of me, especially when he looked this distressed. Right now, all I wanted was to help him realize that there was nothing to be jealous of. That night had been perfect, but it was a long time ago.
I trusted him to hear me out with anything, so I pushed on. “Look, I’m going to be honest with you, Jace. I’ve thought about Olivia a lot over the years. She’s the only person who I’ve ever spent the night with and regretted not seeing again. It was because of that regret that I took your number the night we met. I was pretty sure I’d feel the same about you if I never saw you again. I haven’t seen her in years, and we’ve had no contact with each other, hence why I think she was a little shocked.”
I reached my hand across the desk wanting the comfort of his touch. He interlaced our fingers, calming my nerves for a moment. I smiled at him, and he winced, his grip on my hand tightening. “Whenexactlydid you hook up with her, Kayden?”
“Four years ago. A little more, I guess. Why?”
Chapter Thirteen
Jace
I was going tothrow up. I’d seen Kayden’s smile dozens of times since we met. It was gorgeous and dimple-filled, and with each one I felt like he was giving me a special piece of himself that he didn’t share with the rest of the world. But now as I looked at his mouth, all I could see was how identical it was to someone else’s, someone so small and sweet and innocent. Someone who had a smile that could get me to do just about anything for her.
How fucked up is the universe for this level of coincidence? What the hell have I done wrong in my life?
I’d had feelings for Olivia that I was too afraid to acknowledge for years, and now, when I’d finally found someone else who ignited feelings in me the same way she did, it turned out the two of them had a history so deep and complex that I’d be lucky if I didn’t end up on the outside, watching the two of them reconnect and live their lives together right in front of me.
Based on the way Kayden was looking at me, he was picking up on my stress.He can’t possibly know how bad this is.
I forced myself to nod as I repeated, “Four years,” and swallowed down the bile rising in my throat.
“Jace.” Kayden squeezed my hand, and I looked down to see where we were still joined on my desk. “It was a long time ago. We haven’t seen each other since. It probably just surprised her. I’ll talk to her on my way out and make sure she’s okay.”
I nodded slowly.That isn’t why Liv freaked out at all, but it isn’t even remotely my place to tell you that.
“She may be my assistant right now, but more importantly, she’s my best friend,” I said. “She has been for the last few years.”
Kayden eyed me skeptically, and for a second I worried he could see through to the words I hadn’t added:who I’m also secretly in love with.
“It’s important to you that she and I are okay?” he asked.
I nodded.It’s also important to me that she tells you the truth.
“I promise I’ll talk to her,” he said, his eyes taking on that nervous look I’d come to associate with him retreating into his head. “Are we okay?”
I took a deep breath, trying to stifle my growing unease that I was going to be tossed aside by both of them as soon as the truth came out. The pain of which hit me harder than I’d expected, since I wasn’t sure I actually had either of them right now.
