Page 59 of Heartbreaker

“Who looks hot?” I stand straight when I hear a woman’s voice.

“Tinkerbell, this is Rachel, Justin’s wife.” Jackson gives her a kiss on the cheek and we both say hello to each other. She looks at me the same way Justin had.

“How?” she looks at Jackson.

“Come on guys, I can date a sexy as hell woman, I’m not that ugly,” Jackson tells them smiling at me again.

“Blink twice if you need help.” Again I bust out laughing. These two are already my favourite, they are brilliant. “You’re sitting at our table,” she tells Jackson, who pulls out a chair for me next to Rachel.

“I love your dress,” I say, looking at the beautiful navy ball gown, the little sparks look so good.

“Thank you, can you believe I got it in the Next bargain sale.” She hands me a glass of wine. “So how long you been stuck with him?” She looks at Jackson as he makes a noise of disapproval for the question and I smile at him.

“Four long, hard months.” I look at Jackson sitting next to me making small circles on my shoulder.

Rachel looks at him as he moves closer to me and kisses my cheek. “Best four months of my life,” he tells me, Rachel makes an aww sound.

“How long have you two been married?” I ask her before Jackson starts getting a little too lovey in front of everyone.

“Coming up on two years, and we are finally adding to the family, we…”

“What? And you only tell me now?” Jackson interrupts her, getting off his chair he walks over to Justin and plants a kiss on his cheek, and all I can think is that maybe it’s not just his brother who he gets lovey with at happy news. “Congratulations man.” He turns to Rachel. “So happy for you,” he tells her giving her a kiss.

“Well, the reason we are telling you now is…” Justin looks at Rachel, “we were hoping that you would be our baby’s godfather.”

Justin looks over at Jackson with a smile, I’ve not seen him this happy, I mean the man looks so happy right now. “I would be so happy to be your little one’s Godfather,” Jackson gives Rachel another kiss on the cheek. “I’m going to spoil the little one so much.” Jackson says walking back to his chair.

“Congratulations,” I say to both of them. This is the first time I’m meeting them and I’m not sure hugging and kissing is the best way yet.

I lean into Jackson as he wraps his arms around me. “Thank you, we are very excited.” Justin looks at Jackson behind me. “Never thought I would see the day the Jackson would be whipped over a girl again.” Justin starts laughing, I would love to know who the first girl was to have him whipped. Jackson really doesn’t look like the type of guy to whipped by anyone.

“Shut up, only been whipped once and Tinkerbell is the reason for that,” Jackson tells him, but there is a little change in his voice, it’s harder than normal.

“Don’t mess it up,” Justin tells him giving me a wink.

“I don’t plan on it,” Jackson says kissing the back of my neck.

We spend some time talking about our jobs and what we do before dinner is served. They have been friends since high school, so a long time, and the stories that they are telling me about Jackson in college has me laughing to the point where I have tears coming down my cheeks. How bad his first one night stand was, the first time he got drunk to the point that he couldn’t even stand, and the first time he tried weed, which is my favourite story, because he thought he was cowboy, and left his apartment with a broomstick which he thought was his horse, even now thinking about that story I’m crying with laughter.

“You know tomorrow I’m going to ask Taylor about your stories,” Jackson tells me as I wipe away the tears from laughing so much, “and then I’ll laugh at you.”

“She won’t tell you anything. We have a code. She talks, I talk and trust me she has way more stories than I do,” I tell him, as I plant a kiss on his lip.

“You know what, that I believe,” Jackson says against my lips.

“Jacky!” I hear a familiar female voice behind me, and Jackson tenses up. We both turn to face her, and I see the woman from the hotel in France. “You look good,” She goes to touch his arm, but he moves out of the way. “The place is big enough, you don’t need to be standing here.” This is the first time I have heard Jackson so cold with someone. I look at Justin and Rachel who are looking at each other. “Now leave.”

I turn my focus back to Jackson.

“All I want to do is say that I’m sorry for how things ended and…”

“And nothing, Jade. I have nothing to say to you,” Jackson tells her and sits back down next to me, Jade looks at me, but I ignore her and look at Jackson, even though I feel the desire to pull her away from my man by her hair.

She’s the one that broke him I realise. The man he is today is because of whatever she did to him.

“I’m just going to the ladies’ room,” I say.

“I’ll come with you.” Rachel stands up and we walk to the other side of the room.