Just One Night (The Kingston Family Book 1)

Linc arrived at Beck’s place of business and went through the same routine as last time before he was escorted back to talk to him. Although he planned to have the money he owed wired today around the same time as this meeting, Linc wanted one last conversation with the man.

He knocked and walked in, coming face-to-face with his one-time friend. “Beck.”

“I was just notified you wired the money.” Beck rose from his seat behind the desk. “Guess we’re in business.”

Linc inclined his head. “Apparently we are. But you didn’t succeed in grabbing a part of my company. Despite using an older man’s weakness to try and do it.” Linc wouldn’t come out and admit to his father’s illness, but Beck had to have realized something wasn’t right when Kenneth Kingston had put up a piece of the family company as collateral in the deal.

Beck shrugged. “You win some, you lose some. But for your information, I had nothing to do with your father’s choices.”

Not about to let him off the hook easily, Linc stepped toward him. “You could have given me a heads-up and chose not to. You also dragged out the information for your own enjoyment. Can’t say I appreciate either choice.”

Beck shrugged. “And I can’t say I care.”

“Great.” Linc refrained from rolling his eyes. “With that settled, keep Brian, my CEO, updated on anything having to do with this deal. I don’t want to be blindsided again.”

Better to let Brian deal with the actual purchase and subsequent renovations and leasing. Linc and Beck might kill one another if they had to work together directly. And since it was Beck who was involved, Linc wouldn’t turn it over to someone more junior. To be safe, he wanted someone he trusted implicitly handling it.

“Whatever you say.” Beck took his seat again, obviously finished with the conversation, which was fine with Linc.

“Let’s try and stay out of each other’s orbit from now on,” Linc said before turning and walking out, letting the door slam behind him this time.

*     *     *

Jordan worked allmorning without a break because she’d promised Aurora they could go shopping for post-maternity clothes.

Melly had done so much for her, furnishing the baby’s room, supplementing accessories and clothes that she didn’t get at the shower. But when it came to her own wardrobe, Aurora wanted someone closer to her own age to join her. Aurora was coming to the office to meet up with Jordan and Chloe for a girls’ afternoon.

Jordan had taken off the day after the baby shower, as Linc had offered and she’d returned the next day. For the most part, she was feeling better except for an occasional bout of light-headedness and nausea. She assumed she had a lingering virus, or as a migraine person, she attributed the symptoms to her condition and went about her days.

She looked forward to shopping with the two girls today, and by the time Aurora arrived, Jordan was ready to go.

The young woman walked up to Jordan’s desk, an excited smile on her face. “Did you hear the cool news?”

Jordan shook her head. “What’s up?”

“Dash and the band are performing at a special charity event this Saturday night and we’re all going! Melly asked the nanny her friend’s daughter used if she could babysit for Leah and she said yes.” She vibrated with excitement and Jordan was thrilled for her.

“That’s amazing. I know you’ll have fun.” Jordan smiled. “Now how about I call Chloe and we get going?”

“You’re going, too! I spoke to Linc on the way here, and he said you would both be there.” Aurora bounced on the balls of her feet.

“Oh!”

“Sorry,” Linc said, as he came up behind his sister. “Everything came together for Dash and the band this morning, but I was tied up with an appointment and didn’t get a chance to tell you. But we’re going on Saturday night.” He walked past her, stopping outside his office door.

What was with this we stuff, anyway? “It sounds like a family event to me.”

Jordan glanced at Aurora, who was watching them with interest.

“Aurora, honey, why don’t you go find Chloe? I’ll be with you in a few minutes. I want to talk to your brother.” Jordan pushed herself up from her seat.

“Oh. Sure.” Aurora spun and headed to the other side of the office where Chloe worked. She’d been here before and had learned who sat where.

Once she was gone, Jordan walked around her desk, put a hand on Linc’s back, and prodded him toward his office. Once inside, she shut the door behind them.

“If you wanted alone time, all you had to do was say so,” he said with that sexy grin she couldn’t resist.

When she’d taken the day off from work, he’d had a nearby delicatessen send chicken soup and sandwiches over for her to eat. He’d wanted to come by, but she needed sleep, not to mention distance, and he’d agreed to let her rest. And on her return, he’d been on his best behavior, not pushing their relationship, and she’d been grateful for the reprieve.

“What’s going on?” She set her hands on her hips and cocked her head to one side.

“Tell me you don’t want to see The Original Kings in person?”

“Of course I do, but–”

He shrugged. “No buts. We’re going. And Jordan? Now that you’ve had a week to recuperate and you feel better, after the concert, we’re going to talk about us. We’ve danced around what this is long enough.” He gestured between them.

She drew a deep breath and mentally acknowledged the need for them to have that conversation. The time had come. Her pulling back and giving in only to pull away again was giving them both whiplash.

Maybe what she needed to do was let their relationship happen and run its course, which she believed it would. Probably not for her, because she’d become emotionally invested. In truth, she already was. But she would go into this knowing they didn’t have a future, and she’d eventually have to nurse a broken heart.

Still, if she made it clear to him she understood the parameters, sex only, when things ended, they could go back to the way things had been before.

Decision made, she hoped she could handle it. Meeting his gaze, she nodded. “Okay. We’ll talk.”

He raised his eyebrows, surprise etching his features. “Good.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, to ask her questions, but he’d said they’d discuss things on Saturday night, and she wasn’t going to do it in the office. “Well, I need to go meet up with Chloe and Aurora. You’re okay by yourself this afternoon?” she asked.

He grinned. “I’ll be fine. Are you coming back to the office today?” he asked.

“Doubtful. I think we’ll be out till after five. Chloe has shopping plans.” She used a quote gesture with her fingers.

His sister had laid out a day, beginning with lunch and keeping them hopping from store to store.

He laughed at her description. “Got it.”

She turned to leave, and he hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her against him and, before she could react, sealing his lips over hers.

She’d missed this and returned the kiss, opening her mouth for him and letting his tongue swirl inside. He nipped her lower lip and licked the sting, the hint of pain causing her to moan and inch closer. Her sex clenched and need pulsed through her body, making her wish they weren’t in the office.

But for a brief moment, she let herself go. She wrapped her arms around him and indulged. The kiss was wet and hot, everything she dreamed about when she thought of Linc. Until a knock sounded on the door.

Before they could fully pull apart, Chloe walked in, Aurora bumping into her as she came to a sudden halt. “Oh, shit. Sorry!” Chloe exclaimed.

Jordan’s face flamed and she buried her face in Linc’s chest.

“Ever hear of knocking?” Linc’s arm wrapped tighter around her.

“It’s an office, not a bedroom,” Chloe shot back, sister arguing with her brother. “But I am sorry, Jordan.”

Jordan pulled herself together and stepped away. “It’s fine. We shouldn’t have been…” She cut off her explanation and shook her head. “Are you ready to go?” she asked the women.

“We are.” Chloe stepped back, and Aurora, who had already inched out of the doorway, waited for them by Jordan’s desk.

Jordan glanced at Linc and spoke quietly, so only he could hear. “I know you don’t want anyone to think of you behaving like your father. We shouldn’t have been making out in the office,” she said, taking partial responsibility even though he’d started it.

He strode over and placed his hands on her shoulders. “My father cheated on my mother. I’m with someone I care about. Totally different. Now go have a good time and stop finding reasons to worry.”

She nodded, managed a smile, and headed out for the day.

*     *     *

At lunch, Chloeand Aurora chatted while they ate. Jordan, suddenly dizzy and nauseous, picked at her salad. They’d been talking about the stores they planned on checking out first, but Jordan had tuned them out. The minute the waitress placed the Cobb salad in front of her, bacon bits and the strong smell of cheese had her stomach churning.

“Jordan? Are you okay?” Chloe’s voice calling her name caught her attention, and she shook her head to clear her mind. “Yes, sorry. What were you saying?”

Both women looked at her with concern.

“You haven’t eaten anything, and you spaced out for most of our conversation,” Aurora said. “What’s wrong?”

Jordan sighed. “I haven’t been feeling great. I think it’s a silent migraine.” She’d read up on them earlier today, wondering if she needed to make an appointment with a neurologist. Usually her migraines were painful with throbbing in her head. This was different. All the other symptoms without the pain.

“What’s a silent migraine?” Chloe asked, taking a sip of her club soda, her engagement ring twinkling as the sun in the window bounced off the large diamond. “I’ve never heard of one.”

“I actually had to look it up myself, but since I get painful migraines and what I’ve been feeling has similar symptoms, like nausea and light-headedness and a general blah feeling without the head pain, there’s a good chance that’s all it is.” She shrugged and took a small sip of her own club soda, hoping it would help settle her stomach.

Aurora leaned in closer. “Nausea, huh?”

“Yep.”

“And you’re light-headed?” she repeated.

“Again, yep.”

The young woman narrowed her eyes. “Very tired?

Jordan thought about how she’d been feeling. “Well, yes.”

Aurora glanced at Chloe, whose eyes opened wide. Something silent had passed between them.

“Do your boobs hurt?” Aurora asked bluntly.

“What?” Jordan asked loudly, caught herself, and moderated her tone. “I’m sorry. What are you asking me?”

Aurora grinned. “Jordan, could you be pregnant?”

Her words caught Jordan mid-swallow, and she swallowed wrong and began to choke on the bubbles in her drink. “What?” She was beginning to sound like a broken record. “Pregnant? I don’t think so!”

And how could she even talk about this with Linc’s sisters?

Chloe clasped her hands in front of her, looking shaken but not at all upset. “Okay, so based on what I saw at the shower and today, I’m assuming you and Linc are together.”

“Yes. And he’s your brother and we don’t need to talk about it. But I know we always used protection. Now subject closed. End … of.” Jordan sliced her hand through the air.

But the word pregnant lingered between them.

And Aurora wasn’t finished. “Nothing is one hundred percent.” She shot Jordan a knowing gaze. “How long have you two been … you know?”

Chloe’s eyes were wide, but she appeared focused and was listening.

Jordan swallowed hard. “In Florida. And one more time after that,” she said, squirming in her seat. Not because she couldn’t discuss sex but because these women were too closely related to the man she’d been with.

“So a little over a month ago.” Aurora was a persistent thing, something Jordan was discovering.

She nodded. But she couldn’t be pregnant now. She’d gone through that experience before, and early on, which was all she’d had, she’d felt fine. No symptoms until she missed a period. Oh God. She thought about when she’d been due and realized she had skipped her period. With everything going on in her life, she hadn’t even realized it. She began to sweat, the possibility of being pregnant now running through her mind.

“We passed a pharmacy on the corner. Let’s get the check and you can buy a pregnancy test,” Chloe said. She wiped her mouth with her napkin and gestured for the server.

Stunned, Jordan nodded, her mind going back to the first time she and Linc had been together. He hadn’t intentionally brought condoms but had found one in his Dopp kit. And it had looked old, like it had been there for a long time. Wincing, she pulled out her wallet to pay.

A little while later, Jordan had purchased the pregnancy tests, a few because she needed to be certain, and the three women returned to the restaurant, which was attached to the mall. Nobody else was in the lounge or the room with the stalls.

Chloe and Aurora sat down in chairs in the waiting area while Jordan, panicked and horrified, closed herself in a stall alone, peed on three sticks, and placed them on top of the boxes they’d come in on the floor in front of her.

And she remained in the private stall, wanting to be as alone as possible.

And she waited.

“Any news?” Aurora called out to her.

She glanced down but her phone and the alarms she’d set hadn’t gone off. “Not yet!”

She’d bought three different brands. Unfortunately that meant three different time frames before she got all of the results. One minute, three minutes, five minutes.

Nausea filled her, this time thanks to worry and fear. She’d been down this road before, and the last guy had not taken the news well. Linc’s father hadn’t taken the news well. It was a wealthy man pattern.

She and Linc didn’t make sense as a couple, and the rationale for that conclusion hadn’t changed. A pregnancy now would be a nightmare. Sure, Linc wanted them to be together, enjoying sex, having fun. He didn’t want kids. He’d once told her about his fear of subjecting children to parents who tried marriage but didn’t get along, like his had. And Jordan was still certain she didn’t fit into his world.

So the tests had to be negative. They just had to be, she thought, closing her eyes and praying hard.

The first alarm went off on her phone. She shut it and glanced down, seeing a dark line. Fuck!

“Well?” Chloe sounded closer.

“Give me a minute!” Jordan breathed in and out, and finally the second one went off.

She knelt down and this time she saw a plus sign. Closing her eyes, she wanted to cry. Not needing the other one, she turned off her last alarm, scooped up the tests, and walked out, tossing them in the trash.

With Chloe and Aurora surrounding her, she washed her hands, stalling before facing them.

Finally she spoke. “I’m pregnant.”

Chloe and Aurora stared at her with wide eyes, clearly stunned.

Before they could say a word, Jordan continued. “And you cannot tell anyone. I’ll talk to Linc in my own time and in my own way.” They’d planned to be alone after the concert. That gave her a couple of days to come to terms with the situation, and she’d have to find the courage to tell him then.

“Promise me,” she said, meeting each of Linc’s sisters’ gazes. Could this be more awkward?

“Yes, of course,” Chloe said, biting her lower lip. “Jordan, I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how you feel. I…” Trailing off, she merely pulled Jordan into a hug.

Once she released her, Aurora did the same.

Then Chloe grasped Jordan’s hands. “Linc loves you. Everything is going to be fine.”

Jordan forced a smile. Love wasn’t a word they’d ever used, and she didn’t kid herself about the future. She’d done this before, and nothing had been fine. She didn’t anticipate things going any better now.

*     *     *

Jordan didn’t knowhow she made it through the week, coming in to work every day and hiding the news of her pregnancy from Linc. She was sure fear and panic were written all over her face, but as he was busy with business deals, he didn’t seem to notice.

The private investigator had located Wallace, who’d taken a private jet owned by a friend to the Maldives, which lacked an extradition treaty with the United States. He’d jumped through hoops to hide his tracks, but Linc hadn’t been interested in how the CFO had accomplished his disappearing act. He wanted to talk to him and understand what had been going on with his father in his final days.

Now Jordan stood in her bedroom, trying to find something to wear to Madison Square Garden for tonight’s concert. She took out her favorite pair of tight dark-washed jeans and slid them on, wriggling her lower body as she pulled them over her thighs and tried to button them around her waist.

They’d always been snug, but she still had to convince herself the tightness as she lay down on the bed to button them was normal. And not the result of her pregnancy.

She chose a light blue silk top with a low-cut V-neck and loose sleeves, tucking in the front and letting the back and sides hang over the jeans. A pair of black over-the-knee boots laced up the outer sides completed the outfit.

Standing in front of the full-length mirror behind her door, she took in her appearance, knowing she wouldn’t be wearing tight clothes for much longer. Her hair hung long over her shoulders and her makeup was done.

Grabbing her black leather jacket, she was as ready as she’d ever be to deal with telling Linc he was going to be a father. She was so nervous and worked up, she doubted she’d be able to pay attention to the concert.

Linc picked her up with Max driving, as usual. His eyes lit up when he saw her, but she couldn’t find comfort in the fact that he found her attractive. Not when so much more was at stake.

Linc was in a good mood as they drove to MSG, and she tried to put everything out of her head until later. On the way, they chatted, making small talk.

“Will Chloe’s fiancé be there tonight?” she asked.

Linc frowned. “No. Concerts are too loud for him. Pussy,” he muttered under his breath.

She couldn’t help but laugh. “I have a question. Would any man be good enough for your sister?”

He leaned back against the seat. “I take the Fifth.”

She laughed. Soon they pulled up at the Garden. Linc helped her out and kept an arm secure around her waist as they pushed past the crowds and headed to the private entrance to the VIP suites. The family had backstage passes, and their tickets were for a box high up in the arena. The actual VIP event was scheduled for after the show for a select group of people allowed to hang out with the band, including family and close friends.

Once inside the box, she said hello to everyone, doing her best to avoid Chloe’s and Aurora’s curious stares. She was actually glad when Linc made his way over to Aurora and hugged her tight. Jordan trusted the young woman not to spill Jordan’s secret.

While waiting for the opening act, she walked over to Xander, who had poured himself a drink.

“Hi there,” she said.

“Hi, yourself. Can I get you something?” He gestured to the bar.

“Club soda would be great.”

He filled a glass with ice and handed her the cup. “So. What’s happening in your life?” he asked.

“I think I’d rather know about the life of a famous novelist,” she said, deflecting and turning the subject to him.

He shrugged. “Just writing my next book and talking to the director and producer about the next movie.”

“He says modestly.” She nudged him with her shoulder. “Who’d have thought the Kingston brother who went off to join the marines would end up being a world-famous thriller writer.”

His eyes turned darker. “Writing lets me deal with things without actually having to talk about them.”

Every sibling had found their own way to deal with Kenneth Kingston’s affairs and painful behavior. Xander’s had been to get as far away as he could. No one knew what had happened when he was overseas, but when he returned, he became more of a loner who put his emotions on the page.

“Well, I’m proud of you. In fact, I have an entire bookshelf devoted to your books. Someday I expect you to come sign them.” She lifted her cup and took a sip of her bubbly drink.

“It would be my pleasure. Invite me over any time.” He winked at her, and she laughed, just as Linc joined them, slipping an arm around Jordan’s waist.

“What are you trying to get her to invite you to?” he asked Xander.

“Jordan wants me to sign her X. Kingston collection, and I told her I just need an invite.” Xander grinned.

“Just make sure I’m there when this Bozo shows up.” Linc pulled her closer and his fingers wrapped nearer to her belly.

She jerked away in panic. “I think I hear the opening act.” She turned to the big window overlooking the arena, and sure enough, as if she’d conjured them, the band was on stage, the sound of their guitar and drums growing louder.

The warm-up band played, and by the time they finished, the crowd was stamping their feet and calling for The Original Kings to come out.

Dash, as the lead singer, commanded the stage. Jordan had seen him evolve over the years, from a young boy performing in random bars to the man and star performer he was now. She put her problems away, letting herself sing, clap, and dance to the music, losing herself and her problems.

Linc was by her side, enjoying watching his brother with all the pride of an older sibling. His hands often came to Jordan’s shoulders, his lips settling on her neck, causing shivers of awareness to ripple through her in the dark room, lit only by the lights of the band. Her nipples grew tight and desire lit a flame inside her. God, she wished relationships were as simple as moments like they shared tonight.

When the lights came on, everyone was on a high from the performance, and they were talking loudly because their ears were ringing from the blaring sound of the music for the last couple of hours.

They made their way downstairs to the room where the band’s meet and greet was to be held. People from all the boxes and those who’d won tickets courtesy of music stations and online sites waited for their time with members of the band.

Everyone talked over each other, and Jordan was uncomfortable with the crowds, needing air. “I’m going to find a chair and sit,” she said in Linc’s ear because it was the only way for him to hear her.

“Let’s go into the outer room. It’s quieter there.” He grasped her hand and led the way.

She followed, working their way past the groups of people until they found the door and stepped into the outer connecting room. The sounds immediately dimmed, and she could hear herself think again.

She pressed her palms against her ears and patted them hard. “My God. This night has been insane!” She knew she was still talking too loudly and laughed.

“I like seeing you happy like this.” Linc looked at her intently, his stare steady.

God, he was gorgeous. She loved that he hadn’t shaved completely, the scruff of beard on his handsome face so appealing.

Suddenly she remembered what she had to tell him, and she sobered, feeling the grin on her face dimming. Before she could react, a male voice called her name. Thinking it was one of the Kingston brothers, she turned, shocked to see Collin Auerbach, her ex, walking up to her, a pregnant woman by his side.

Bile rose up in her throat, and Linc, who had met Collin years ago when she’d started dating him, slid a steadying arm behind her back.

But she wanted to handle this herself, without Collin knowing his presence brought back painful memories. Or that he affected her at all, and she pulled away to stand on her own. She knew that if she wasn’t pregnant now, she wouldn’t be thrown by his presence at all.

He strode up to her, looking every bit the preppy guy she’d known, with his light brown hair and caramel eyes, wearing slacks and a long-sleeve shirt. His outfit was too conservative for a concert. His wife, in her black pants and fitted maternity top, looked at her curiously. She clearly had no idea who Jordan was.

“Jordan! It’s been a long time,” Collin said.

It hadn’t been long enough as far as she was concerned. She treated him to a forced smile. “Collin. I didn’t think concerts were your thing.”

“They’re more Naomi’s. She loves The Original Kings and I got us box seats. She’s dying to meet Dash Kingston.” His gaze came to Linc’s.

The two men didn’t run in the same circles, so they hadn’t met up since the early days of Collin’s relationship with Jordan. But from Collin’s expression, he obviously recognized him.

“Aah, you two are still close, huh? And Dash Kingston is your brother. What do you say you get us to the front of the VIP line? You know, for an old friend?” He let out a laugh, as if he truly meant what he said.

“You have got to be kidding me. How about I escort you out?” Linc asked through clenched teeth.

Jordan put a calming hand on his arm. She did not want a scene.

“Collin? What’s going on? Are you going to introduce me?” his wife asked.

“Yes, Collin. Why don’t you introduce us?” Jordan asked with sugary sweetness in her tone.

“And while you’re at it, why don’t you give her the history of your relationship?” Linc said the one thing sure to send Collin running.

And it worked if his panicked expression was anything to go by.

“Honey, let’s go. The line is long and I’m not feeling well.” He glared at Linc, then turned to Jordan. “I thought enough time had passed that we could be civil.”

“Never,” she said through clenched teeth.

He grabbed his wife’s hand and pulled her away, heading out of the room, Naomi complaining the entire time because he’d promised her she’d meet Dash Kingston.Belongs © to NôvelDrama.Org.

Jordan let out a long breath and shook her head. “I swear to God, of all the nerve.” It wasn’t like Collin didn’t know what had happened with her pregnancy, either.

About a month after she’d lost the baby, she’d sent him an email letting him know because she sensed it was the right thing to do, no matter how much of an asshole he’d been. She hadn’t heard back. She’d been young and stupid and here she was again. Pregnant by a man who she knew had concerns about having children and whose life she worried she wouldn’t fit into long-term.

“Hey, are you okay?” Linc asked.

She forced herself to meet his worried stare. “I’m fine and he’s still an asshole.”

“There you guys are!” Aurora walked over with Chloe beside her. “Hasn’t tonight been incredible?”

Jordan smiled. “It has been.” A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she barely held herself up with the heels of her shoes wobbling a bit.

She shot Chloe a nervous look, and she must have seen something in Jordan’s expression that told her what to do. “Linc, come on. Want to introduce you to someone.”

He grumbled but nodded. “Fine. I’ll be right back.”

As soon as he turned his back, she glanced at Aurora. “I need to sit down.”

Looking concerned, Aurora looked around and pointed toward two chairs in the corner. “Come on.”

Aurora waited as Jordan sat down, grateful to be off her feet. Her head spun and of course the nausea rose with it.

“Can I get you something? Maybe a drink? Club soda? Water?” Aurora asked.

“Maybe some club soda.” The bubbles might help settle her stomach.

Aurora smiled. “I’ll be right back.”

Jordan leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. A few minutes and maybe all these symptoms would go away.

“I’m back.”

Jordan heard Aurora’s voice, but she kept her eyes closed, not ready to deal with the dizziness.

“When I was pregnant, I lived on sour sucking candies to help the nausea. You should try those,” Aurora said.

“You’re pregnant?” Linc’s voice had Jordan’s eyelids opening fast. He stood behind his sister, his eyes huge in disbelief.

If Jordan’s stomach was churning before, there were no words for what she was feeling now. “Linc–”

“Oh, God, I’m sorry!” Aurora’s eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t mean for him to overhear.”

“It’s okay. Honest.” She sought to reassure the young woman. Meanwhile, Linc still stared at her, shock clearly not allowing him to process what he’d heard.

Aurora shook her head. “I’m going to… I guess I’ll just go.” She spun around and headed back into the VIP room.

With no choice but to face things head on, Jordan rose to her feet.

“You’re pregnant,” Linc said again, his voice hard.

At his harsh tone, she began to panic, breaking into a sweat, the dizziness worse. “I was going to tell you tonight.”

“How?”

She blinked at the question. “Excuse me? I would think you could figure it out yourself. Maybe that ancient condom we used the first time?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw and all her fears rose to the surface. Another man who couldn’t handle the reality of getting her pregnant. Hadn’t she just seen Collin and his pregnant wife? Jordan was good enough to fuck but not good enough to stand by when things got tough.

And as Linc’s silence went on, her mother’s words came back to her:

You aren’t family. I’m just reminding you of your place. One day that man you call your best friend is going to find a woman to marry, and where will that leave you?

“Shit,” he muttered, running an agitated hand through his hair.

She stiffened. “Don’t worry about it. This baby isn’t your problem. I’m not your problem,” she said, desensitizing herself the same way she had all those years ago with her ex. “Even if you wrote me a check like Collin or your father, I wouldn’t take it.” She barely recognized the robotic voice coming out of her mouth, but sounding numb was better than showing him her pain.

Her words seemed to jolt him out of his state of shock. “Jordan–”

She didn’t stick around to hear what he had to say. She brushed past him and ran out the door.