Her Ex: The Braxton Brothers Series Page 8

  Isabel nodded as she reached out to grab the handle. “Awesome. This will just take a minute. I apparently forgot a signature.”

  Jackson nodded. “Yeah, of course.”

  Isabel studied him for a moment but then shook her head slightly and stepped out of the car. It was probably her oversensitivity to Jackson that was causing her to misread him.

  He was a successful businessman in New York. A place that had women aplenty. There was no way he was still pining after her. Or that he cared what was happening in her life. She was just his friend, and she knew Mrs. Braxton wasn’t going to let her son not take care of a friend.

  The gravel crunched under her feet as she walked across the parking lot and pulled open the door. Cool air surrounded her. It didn’t take long for her to sign the paperwork, and she forced a smile as Holly asked how her dad was doing and how the wedding plans were coming.

  Not wanting to get drawn into a long conversation, Isabel kept her answers short but polite.

  A few minutes later, she walked out of the store. She half expected to see Jackson gone, but his car was still parked in front of the store. She could hear the hum of the engine as she approached.

  Glancing over to the driver’s side, she could see Jackson had his head tilted back and his eyes were closed. She studied him for a moment, staring at the hard line of his jaw. His five o’clock shadow. His cheekbones. Everything.

  He was so familiar that it hurt.

  Isabel felt like a fool. Only a fool would get involved with an ex.

  She was engaged. She was moving on with her life, and she was pretty sure Jackson was doing the same.

  They weren’t anything anymore.

  Even “friends” was pushing it.

  And from the way her heart pounded when he was around, she knew she was headed down a path that would only lead to heartbreak.

  Just like eight years ago.

  She had to call this off before she fell down that rabbit hole again.

  She rapped her knuckles against his window. Jackson startled awake and glanced over at her with his brows drawn together. He stared at her for a moment before he rolled down his window. “Do you need my help?” he asked.

  She tried not to react to the way his voice had deepened from sleep. She used to love calling him in the middle of the night just to hear him talk to her. His voice was gravely and oh so sexy.

  Just another reason why she needed to run away.

  “I think I can take things from here. You’ve been so sweet driving me around, but I don’t want to be a burden to you anymore. Besides, I’m sure your family is missing you.” She forced the biggest, most relaxed smile she could manage.

  Jackson stared at her. “Are you ditching me?”

  Forcing herself to remain positive, she laughed and shook her head. “Of course not. I just don’t want to burden you. You’ve got a life, just like I have a boring, yet busy one.”

  Jackson reached over and turned off the car’s engine. Before she knew what was happening, Jackson had stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind him.

  He walked over to her, staring her down as he towered over her. “What are you doing?”

  Not sure where to look, Isabel stared at his chest. He was so close that she could see how deep of breaths he was taking. She was sure that if she reached out her hand and rested it on his heart, it would be pounding as hard as hers.

  “Jackson, I…” She raised her gaze up to meet his.

  There was so much behind his eyes, so much pain and hurt, that it took her breath away.

  She took a moment before continuing. “We aren’t good for each other. We just hurt each other in the end.” She took a step back, hoping that the distance between them would dull the ache inside of her. She wanted him to stay, and that scared her.

  Not only because she was engaged to another man, but because she feared what he would do with her heart. He could break it again, and this time, she wasn’t so sure she would heal. Not with how she was failing at everything else.

  She glanced up at Jackson. His jaw was clenched, and his hand was pushed through his hair like he was trying to figure out what to say.

  Not wanting to hurt him, she stepped forward. “It’s what’s best for us. I’ll go and move on with my life, and so will you.” She stepped forward with her hand raised. She waited for him to look up, but he never did. “This was good, seeing you again. I think old wounds that never properly healed were finally able to scab over.”

  And that was the truth. She’d lived her life in the memory of Jackson. Of what they had and what they could have been. But seeing him again made her feel there was a better possibility for her to move on. And she looked forward to that happening…someday.

  “Isabel, I…” Jackson turned his gaze up to her and lingered at her face. His brows furrowed as his words trailed off.

  Hoping he wouldn’t see the desperation in her gaze, she tried to get him to believe that she was going to be okay. That he could let her go. That he could let the idea of them go.

  “You’ll be fine. I’ll be fine.” She smiled softly.

  Jackson nodded as he blew out his breath. He shoved his hands into his front pockets and glanced around. “Can I at least take you to the mechanic? Your car is ready.”

  Isabel studied him. She wanted to say no. She wanted to turn and walk away while she still had the strength. But he looked so desperate, like if she rejected him, he would crumble.

  So she nodded. “Sure. That would be sweet of you.” Then as she walked past him, she held up her hand. “As long as I can pay you for the gas.”

  Before he could respond, she passed by him and opened the passenger-side door, sliding into her seat. She sat there, staring out at the parking lot as Jackson followed suit.

  Soon, they were on the road again, making their way to the auto body shop to pick up her car.

  Isabel was trying to convince herself that it was okay she was never going to see Jackson again after he dropped her off. They were officially over, and she could finally move on with her life. But her heart still felt as if it were hemorrhaging in her chest.

  No matter how much she wanted to convince herself that Jackson wasn’t a part of her life anymore, she knew that was lie.

  And always would be.

  Jackson was her first love. And her heart wouldn’t forget so easily.

  Chapter Ten

  Jackson’s hands tightened on the wheel as he drove Isabel to the mechanic. Even though there was silence in the car, his mind was reeling with thoughts. Thoughts about Isabel. Thoughts about what she’d said. And they were muddled even more by his ridiculous emotions getting in the way of the rational part of his brain.

  He knew Isabel wasn’t his and would never be his again. He’d thought he’d come to peace with that and had even moved on.

  But now he couldn’t figure out what he was supposed to do. How he was supposed to act around her.

  They had been such an important part of each other’s lives and walking away from that hadn’t solved anything. He was a fool to think that he could remain unscathed after seeing Isabel.

  He’d allowed himself to feel things for her again. Things he should have left buried forever. And now his heart was hurting.

  Throwing on his blinker, he took a left and pulled into the parking lot of the mechanic. He put the car into park and unbuckled his seatbelt.

  “I’ve got this,” Isabel said, holding out her hand as if to stop him from getting out.

  He stared at her, trying to control his frustration. He didn’t want this to be the end, but when she was determined to call things off, what could he do?

  “Are you sure?” he asked. Was he crazy not to want this to end? He’d forgotten what it was like to spend time with her. But perhaps he was fighting their inevitable fate. Maybe he was destined to leave with his heart in pieces because they could never work.

  She chewed her lip and nodded. “Yes. I don’t want to impose on your family anymore.” She sl
owly raised her gaze up to meet his. “You’ve done so much to help me. I couldn’t ask you to do more.”

  Jackson nodded as he settled back into his seat. Thankfully, he’d already paid the mechanic. He knew she’d never let him cover the cost, so he figured taking care of it ahead of that conversation was best.

  Besides, his mom would never let him live it down if he didn’t help her. And with her dad being in a home, he doubted she had a ton of money just laying around.

  At the thought of his mom, he remembered that Sondra had invited Isabel over. He leaned toward her. “Are you still coming to dinner tonight?” He braced himself for her answer.

  She fell silent, and when he glanced over, he saw that she was studying her hands. “I don’t know, Jackson. I don’t think that’s wise.”

  Why? Because of him? Because of their history? Or was it because she was engaged to some guy who was MIA? So many questions rolled around in his mind and lingered on the tip of his tongue.

  He wanted to ask her what was going on. He wanted to confront her. After all, their relationship had been built on calling each other out on their crap. They never sugarcoated things. It was something he missed about Isabel.

  She had been able to see through him and had always known how to push him to be better.

  But the Isabel sitting in the seat next to him wasn’t that Isabel anymore. Something had happened. She’d changed. He just wasn’t sure why.

  It was like she’d given up. Not just on them—he wouldn’t blame her if she had—but on her own happiness. It was like she’d decided that living this life in Honey Grove was all she was good for. That she needed to take care of her father at the expense of her own happiness.

  And that was driving him crazy. He wanted to hear her laugh. To see her genuine smile. Because when she smiled, she lit up the room. Angels sang when she smiled.

  And Jackson couldn’t help but want to fix all of her problems so he could see that smile again.

  He clicked his tongue, knowing that his mom wasn’t going to take too lightly the news that Isabel wasn’t coming. “You might want to think that over. You know my mom—she’ll be at your place with half the town if you don’t come.”

  Isabel glanced over at him and sighed. “Yeah, you’re right.” She grabbed her purse as she pulled open the door. She stepped out of the car and then leaned back down to meet his gaze. “I’ll think about it. Tell your mom I’m a maybe?”

  He nodded, and before he could say anything, she shut the door and started making her way across the parking lot. He sat there, watching her pull open the door and enter.

  Frustration coursed through his veins as he threw his car into drive and sped out of the lot.

  So many feelings were crashing inside of him. Feelings he thought he’d gotten control of. But apparently, all it took was a day with Isabel for him to lose his ever-loving mind.

  He needed the feel of the ocean across his skin and the salty breeze surrounding him to calm his nerves. To give himself the jolt he needed to snap out of the trance he was in.

  It was definitely something he missed while living in New York.

  The ocean was calming. It had a way of surrounding him and giving his soul peace. And if there was ever a time in his life when he needed that, it was today.

  He followed the familiar streets back to his childhood home. He’d run up to the apartment, throw on his swim trunks and grab his board —if it was still in the garage—and head out to the water.

  As soon as he pulled into his parents’ driveway, he parked and got out, leaving the keys in the car. If he saw one of his brothers, he’d invite them out, but he wasn’t going to go out of his way to do it. He didn’t want to be slowed down.

  He took the stairs on the side of the garage two at a time. He pulled the spare key from just above the door frame and shoved it into the lock. The cool air from the small apartment hit him as he stepped inside. The drapes were drawn in an effort to keep the rooms cooler.

  He set the key down on the counter and made his way back to his room. After slipping on his trunks, he headed out into the kitchen and jumped at the sight of Dean sipping a glass of water and leaning against the counter. His free arm was crossed across his chest, and he was staring off into the distance.

  “Hey, man,” Jackson said as he walked over and grabbed a glass of water.

  Dean blinked and straightened as he turned toward Jackson. “Hey,” he said. He almost sounded like he’d been caught. But Jackson wasn’t sure why—he was basically a member of the family.

  “Going to the beach. Want to come?” Jackson asked after he downed the water.

  Dean’s gaze slipped past him as he hesitated for a moment, but then he shook his head. “Naw. I’ve got to head to Humanitarian Hearts. It’s my night to dish up dinner.” Dean turned, setting his empty glass down next to the sink, and shot Jackson a smile.

  Jackson shrugged and pulled open the front door. “Suit yourself. I need some sun and some waves.”

  Dean nodded, and just as Jackson stepped out into the late afternoon air, Jenna appeared from the back room. She was wearing a t-shirt and had her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Jackson stared at the door as it shut behind him.

  That was strange. Since when did Jenna and Dean hang out?

  Shaking his head, he forced that question from his mind. He really didn’t care what his baby sister was up to. All that he could think about was grabbing his board and heading to the water.

  Thankfully, Sondra Braxton was a notorious pack rat, and he found his board tucked up in the rafters of the garage. He pulled it down and headed over to his car, only to find that it wasn’t going to fit. Frustration built up inside of him as he set the board next to his dad’s truck and jogged up the back stairs.

  “Hello?” he called into the kitchen. Female voices could be heard in the living room.

  Sondra appeared, and when her gaze landed on Jackson, her smile widened. “Hey, honey. How’s your day going?”

  Not wanting to be grilled by his mom—she had a way of pulling the information she wanted from any unwitting soul—he gave her a quick hug as he scanned the kitchen for the keys to the truck.

  “Can I borrow Dad’s truck for a bit? I want to head to the beach.”

  Sondra pulled back. Her brows furrowed as she stared up at him. “What’s wrong?”

  Jackson stilled his frustration as he smiled down at his mom. “Nothing. I just need to see the ocean. It’s been too long.”

  Sondra stepped back and swept her gaze over him. “Nope,” she said, waggling her finger in his direction. “I don’t believe it. You take to the beach when you’re upset.” Then realization passed over her features. “Isabel.”

  Jackson’s chest squeezed at the sound of her name. It was like torture and pure perfection at the same time.

  “I’ll get the keys,” Sondra said with a knowing hint to her voice.

  He nodded, thankful that he wasn’t going to be grilled about the woman who’d managed to break his heart again. Sondra emerged from the living room with the truck keys in hand. She pressed them into his palm. She didn’t let go right away, instead, she kept his hand encased in her own.

  “I know it’s hard now,” she said, her voice low and meaningful, “but things have a way of working out. Trust me.”

  Jackson swallowed the lump that had risen in his throat. He hated that his mom had so much faith in true love. She’d forced the four Braxton boys to watch every Hallmark movie that released at Christmas time. She’d even put them into etiquette and dance classes in order to help them “win the girl of their dreams.”

  Well it was all fake. Love was fake.

  It didn’t exist. At least not for him.

  The one girl he loved was untouchable. Her dad hated him, and now she had Bobby—a guy that both Isabel and her father had deemed good enough to marry her.

  But not Jackson.

  He didn’t matter. And up until now, he’d convinced himself that he didn’t care. But that lie
was getting harder and harder for him to maintain.

  And maybe he didn’t want to move on. Maybe Isabel was the girl he was supposed to end up with. Maybe the love between them was a once in a lifetime kind of love.

  How was he supposed to move on from that?

  Frustration brewed in his stomach as he leaned over, kissed his mom on the cheek, and headed out of the house. Sondra shouted something, but Jackson didn’t stop to hear what it was.

  Right now, the only thing that would calm his beating heart was the feel of water across his skin and the thrill of the waves under his feet.

  And he wasn’t going to stop until he got there.

  Then, and only then, would he worry about where he was going to go from here. How he was going to pick up the broken pieces of his heart and move forward.

  If he was going to survive, he needed to let the idea of him and Isabel slip away.

  Once and for all.

  Chapter Eleven

  “I’m sorry, what?” Isabel asked as she leaned closer to the young mechanic behind the counter who furrowed his brows as he stared at the computer screen.

  “It says here that the bill has been paid.” The poor kid looked worried as he glanced back at her. “So, it’s been paid,” he repeated.

  “But how? By whom?” Isabel racked her brain, trying to figure out who would possibly front the bill for her. Or who even knew her car was in the shop.

  “I’m not sure,” the kid said, dragging out each word. “I can go ask.”

  Isabel waved away his offer. It was probably Bobby. The only other person who knew that her car was in the shop was Jackson. And he didn’t have any reason to pay her bills.

  “No, it’s fine. I’m sure it was my fiancé.” She drummed her fingers against the counter. “Can I get my keys? I’m late for work.”

  A look of relief passed over the mechanic’s face as he nodded and grabbed a key from the board behind him. “Here you go. If you could just sign here, you’ll be finished.”

  Isabel nodded as she scribbled her signature next to the “x” and grabbed her keys. As she left, she shoved her hand into her purse in search of her phone.