In Love with My Brother's Best Friend: Complete Box Set (29 page)

“
Tina,”
she said. “Tim's sister Tina? You live in New York? Follow me.”

“
That
would be me,” I said.

“
I've
heard Tim and Jackson talking about you,” she said as she
opened the elevator door and motioned for me to walk through.

“
I'm
sure that was a great conversation,” I said sarcastically.

“
You
knew Jackson back in high school?” she asked.

“
Elementary
school actually,” I said.

We
rode to the top floor and the doors opened into another lobby. There
was a desk in front of us. There was a door to the right and to the
left was a fancier glass door with Jackson's name on it. The lobby
had a couch, two chairs, a table, a fireplace, and a television.

“
It's
so nice in here. Is that Jackson's office?” I asked pointing to
the left.

“
Yes,”
she said. “The door on the other side goes to a conference
room. There's also a door connecting that room to his office. This is
my desk.”

She
walked around and stood behind it. I couldn't get over how stunning
she was.

“
There
are no other offices on this floor. How does he have an entire floor
of the building to himself?” I asked.

“
He
has some very important meetings up here. Some of the things he
discusses are not to be heard by the rest of the company. That's how
I would have it if I owned a company too.”

I
had been looking toward his office. Her words stopped me instantly. I
turned my whole body toward her.

“
This
is his company?” I asked, as I played back our conversations in
my mind.

Then
I thought about the guy at the wedding and what he said. My brother
acted as if it were no big deal that Jackson had paid for an
expensive honeymoon for him and his wife. My mom mentioned several
times how proud she was of what Jackson had become. Shit! None of
them thought to mention he owned the damn place. He'd let me joke
about his boss and kissing ass. Not once did he correct me. Why? Did
he want me to look like a fool? Why had he kept something like that
from me? I'd even talked about having two jobs. I can only imagine
what he thought about me.

“
Of
course,” she said with a smirk. “He's an amazing man.
Don't you agree?”

“
He's
amazing alright,” I said.

“
He's
so gorgeous too,” she said. “Smart and sexy.”

“
What?”
I asked.

“
I'm
sure you've noticed how cute he is. You're his best friend's sister.
You must have spent a ton of time around him. You're so lucky. He
even spends time with your parents. I've made so many reservations
for him and your mom over the years. I don't know how you do it.”

“
Do
what?” I asked.

Her
professionalism was a thing of the past since it was just the two of
us. Maybe she'd give me some information on Jackson.

“
How
you could be around him and not jump on the guy,” she said.
“I've been flirting with him for years. I think we could work.
Now he's all wrapped up in some woman.”

“
Who's
that?” I asked.

“
I
don't know. He's with her now. He left this morning saying something
about his woman and he'd be available by phone this weekend,”
she said. “I know I'd be good for him if he gave me the
chance.”

I
thought about our conversation earlier in the day. He seemed like
something was wrong. Then he told me the idea of me coming to see him
sounded good. He flat out said he wanted to see me. He never even
planned to be there. What would he have done if I'd agreed to go see
him? Would he have back peddled and found a reason he was busy? That
fucker text me that he was at the office when he wasn't. He was with
someone. How could I have let myself believe him? He never failed to
make me look like a fool.

“
He's
not here,” I said.

“
No,”
Andrea said with a shake of her head.

If
it wasn't whoever he was with, it would been Andrea or somebody else.
No matter what I wanted, it would never be me. I was standing in the
lobby outside of his office. The lobby alone was bigger than my
apartment. I was dressed horribly while his assistant looked like
someone had spent hours getting her ready. I didn't belong there, and
I didn't belong in his world. It didn't matter. None of it mattered.
We'd never fit together. That would never change.

“
I
don't want Jackson to know I was here. Please don't mention it to
him. I'll just call him later. I really need to get going. It was
very nice to meet you, Andrea.”

I
turned and hit the elevator button, feeling so happy when it opened
right up. My lungs felt like they were working overtime just to pull
air into my body. The doors opened on the main floor, and I took off
for the door. The girl at the desk was saying something, but I
couldn't stop. There was no way I wanted anyone to see me.

As
soon as I closed the door to my car, I leaned my forehead against the
steering wheel and let the tears flow. Chris sent me a message at the
perfect time. He always did. I let out a bit of what I was feeling in
the message. I needed to pull myself together and get back home. He'd
help me through it. I knew I could always count on him.

I
needed to stop and see my mom before I left. There was no way I would
be back to visit. I didn't know how long it would be before I would
see her again. To be honest, I needed her.

My
phone rang while I was driving. I was almost to my mom's house. It
was Jackson. I wanted it over with. If I didn't answer, he'd text me
some crappy line about missing me or some shit. It needed to be over.
When I got home, I didn't want him near me or in my thoughts.

He
said he wanted to talk to me. Then he asked me why I was crying. That
was it. I gave him a piece of my mind, hung up, and turned off my
phone. He wasn't going to mess with me. I wasn't going to let him.
Not anymore.

I
was a blubbering mess by the time my mom opened the door and pulled
me into her arms. She probably thought I'd lost my mind. I rambled on
and on through my sobs about Jackson being with someone and what an
ass he was. Her phone rang, and I motioned for her to go answer it,
thinking it was my dad. I curled up on her couch with my legs pulled
up and my chin on my knees. The damn tears wouldn't stop. It was
driving me crazy. I wasn't weak. I was strong. I was in charge of my
life. That shy, quiet girl from so long ago was gone. I needed to
reach in deep and pull out the Tina I had become since I'd moved. I
needed to put the walls back up that I'd let him tear down. There was
no way I was letting anyone near me. I was done.

When
my mom came back, I hugged her tight. Then I got up to leave. She
begged me to stay for just a little while. I think she knew I
wouldn't be back. There was something in her eyes. She knew when I
ran, it was going to be forever. My mom knew me too damn well for me
not even being around. She pulled out the big guns and offered to
make my favorite meal if I'd stay just long enough for her to feed
me.

She
grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around me on the couch before going
off to make dinner. I was exhausted and emotional. It had been a very
long day. I wanted so badly to wake up from the horrible dream I was
having, but that wasn't going to happen. I was too old to be crying
over a boy on my mom's couch. I needed to get back home. That was
where I belonged.

My
mom came and sat down next to me. We talked for a long time while we
waited on dinner. I told her about Jackson's assistant and how huge
his office was. She knew he owned the company. I told her about the
credit from the hotel and that he'd paid the entire bill for my room
for the wedding. She talked so highly of him. Then she told me that
he'd been helping her and my dad for years. I was shocked and asked
her to explain.

“
I've
seen things pop up here and there. My cell phone bill is just one
example. I know that it costs more than ten dollars a month for my
phone and all of the things I have on it. Jackson told me he got it
through his company account. He got your dad one too. I give him
twenty dollars a month. I'm not stupid. Even through his company my
phone bill is way more than that. The rehearsal dinner is another
example. You told on him, but I knew the minute that waiter said the
bill was already paid that it was Jackson. My cable and internet bill
are only twenty dollars a month. He got us a deal. I'm not as old as
you kids all think. I've gotten gift cards in the mail for groceries.
There are so many things that have happened that I know Jackson did.”

“
You've
never said anything?” I asked.

“
No,”
she said. “It makes him feel good to do those things for me and
your dad. He's very proud of what he's done. I'm proud of him too. I
know he feels like we love him more than his own parents do. He gets
so excited when he does something and I don't figure out it's him. I
always mention what happens so he knows I appreciate it. He goes
through a lot to do things without being caught. It makes me smile
every time. He's a good man, Tina. I think you need to talk to him
before you push him away.”

“
No,”
I said. “I'm not letting him hurt me, mom. I won't do it. I'll
be just fine without him. I've done just fine so far.”

“
He
does a lot of charity work. He's gone to other countries to build
things to help them live better lives. Did you know he built an
orphanage in one country? He goes to schools to give talks. He brings
kids from different local high schools to his company to learn
things. He's given some of the schools here entire technology rooms.
He does so much to give back.”

“
That's
amazing,” I said. “I don't doubt he's a good man. I'm
sure he is. He's just not the man for me. I think I'll stick to
hooking up and walking away.”

“
Tina,”
she said sternly.

“
Look
at me, mom,” I said.

“
What
about you?” she asked.

“
Look
at what he's done with his life. I bet he lives in a huge house,”
I said. “Shit!”

“
Tina,”
she snapped.

“
That
car at the wedding. It was his car. I made fun of him. I asked him if
he went broke renting it. I'm so embarrassed. Even if he wasn't with
someone, we would never work. Our lives are too different.”

“
You
don't know that,” she said. “Look at your life. You have
two jobs and good friends. That doesn't mean you're happy. Those
friends don't know the real you. Just because he owns his own company
doesn't mean he's happy either. Do you think those people know the
real him? Stop acting like you're less than he is just because he has
money.”

She
told me to close my eyes and rest while she finished dinner. I heard
her telling me everything was going to be okay and that she loved and
missed me. That was the last thing I remembered before my eyes won
the battle over my exhaustion.

Jackson

The
flight felt like it took five hours. It took all I had to drag myself
through the airport and out the arrival doors. As soon as I saw him,
I stopped. My ass was a mess. The last thing I needed was Tim giving
me more shit. My hand went up and ran through my hair. That was when
I realized how bad I had to have looked. My shirt was wrinkled from
all the running, sitting, and moving around I'd done through the day.
I could feel the tangles in my hair between my fingers. Tim narrowed
his eyes at me.

“
If
you're going to give me shit, don't bother. I'll take a cab before I
put up with your mouth right now.”

He
held up his hand to stop me from going on.

“
Get
in the car,” he said.

I
narrowed my eyes back at him.