He stood tall and cleared his throat. “Is my being here bringing you more stress? Because if it is, I can go. I know this is a big deal for you and your family, and I don’t want to cause any kind of harm.”

Oh, Jackson… “You being here is the only thing keeping me from drowning.”

“What happened? Did someone hurt you?”

“Yes, no, well…they just hurt my heart.”

He moved in closer and combed a fallen curl behind my ear. “Those are the worst kinds of hurts.”

A tear rolled down my cheek, and I didn’t bother to dismiss it.

Jackson frowned. “What can I do for you?”

“I just need to step outside for a moment. Can you just…wait,” I whispered, laying my hand against his chest. As I looked up into his hazel eyes, I saw such softness. I stared into those hazel eyes for a moment. Those same eyes that helped me take small breaths… Those same eyes that brought me peace during my darkest storms…

“Please, Jackson,” I begged, “just wait for me.”

“Princess…” His thumb moved to my cheek, and he wiped away my falling tears. He tilted his head to the left and gave me a smile. It was small…tiny, really. Most people would’ve missed the expression, but I’d been so zoomed in on Jackson that I noticed every move his lips ever made. The comfort that swept over me as he softly spoke words my way. “How could I not wait for you?”

41

Jackson

Grace walked away for a minute to get some air, and I waited for her return. I stood in the room, feeling completely out of place. The suit was itchy. The people were rude, and the food was bite-sized.

I was officially in hell.

“Not your normal crowd, huh?” a woman remarked.

“Not in the least.”

She held her hand out toward me. “I’m Judy. Grace’s sister.”

Of course—they had the same eyes. I shook her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Same with you.” She smiled and shifted around in her heels.

I arched an eyebrow. “Is this the part where you tell me to stay away from Grace?”

“No. Why would you think that?”

“That’s what everyone seems to be telling me to do.”

“I see. That’s not why I’m here. I’m just here to ask you to be gentle with her, okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Her heart…it’s fragile. She’s been through more than I think she even realizes, and I don’t think she can take much more. If you are going to allow her to fall for you, please be ready to catch her because I’m not certain she’ll be able to stand again after being dropped.”

She loved her sister, and it was apparent through her words. She wasn’t shouting at me to stay away from Grace, only requesting that I be easy with her heart and soul.

“I can do that,” I told her.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

She smiled, rubbing her left hand up and down her right arm. “You like her.”

“I do.”

“She likes you.”

I hope so…

“Have fun tonight, Jackson, and please ignore everyone at this party except for her. She’s all who matters tonight, okay?”

Judy thanked me before she walked off to go entertain others. I could see so much of Grace’s personality in her sister. It was nice to know other good people existed in the world besides Grace.

I wanted to go check on her since she’d been gone for a while, but I was working on being patient. She needed to breathe, and I’d be there when she came back to me.

“You must be real proud of yourself, huh?”

I turned to see Finn walking my way. He looked a bit wild in the eyes as he spoke to me.

He was drunk.

I’d seen the look in my father’s eyes enough times to know.

“Finn, let’s not get into it tonight,” I told him.

“Stay away f-from my wife,” he ordered, slurring his words a bit.

“Wife?” I huffed. “We’re using that term a little loosely, aren’t we?”

“Don’t get slick,” he warned, stumbling in my direction.

I groaned.

This is the last thing I want to deal with.

I took a breath and tried to calm my natural instinct of stepping up to him. Even though he was an asshole, he was still Grace’s ex, and I didn’t want to do anything stupid that might tick her off.

“Look, buddy, you’re drunk and not in your right frame of mind. Go find yourself some water.”

“Oh, fuck off,” he hissed. He obviously wasn’t going to make it easy for me. “You think you’re so amazing for banging my wife, huh?”

“Again, that word,” I remarked. “Using it rather loosely.”

“She’s been mine for fifteen years.”

“And then you let her go.”

He grimaced, running his hands over his face, and then he moved in closer and lightly shoved me in the chest. “I’m getting her back.”

“I need you to not touch me,” I warned, feeling my anger building with each second.