Control Me(56)

Mia was quiet. “Max, I’ll try calling her. She may just not want to answer you; that’s all.”

I closed my eyes. “Thank you, Mia. I owe you one. Call me back as soon as you hear anything, please, and tell her that…”

“No, Max; you can tell her whatever you have to say yourself.”

“Thanks, I will.” I sat back down, but realising I was still stark naked I went upstairs, got dressed and waited in the bedroom for Mia to call me back. Twenty minutes later, my phone rings. “Mia, where is she, what did you find out?”

Mia sighed. “Calm down, Max, she’s fine. Jada is at her parents’ house. She’s upset and thinks you don’t want to marry her anymore because of what happened, and especially the fact that she may have trouble conceiving.”

“I know that but…hey, wait a minute, what did you just say? So, Jada can have a baby? That is not the story she told me. She said she’s damaged, and she can’t give me children.”

“And you said you’re not a bastard! Gee, Max, it’s no surprise she left,” Mia spat at me through the phone.

“I don’t care if she can or can’t have them. I didn’t say anything because I was in shock when she told me, and she took it the wrong way.”

“Well, aren’t you the dumbest person in the world right now.” Mia quickly apologised, “Sorry, Max, I know you’re hurting. Give her some time alone. It’s what she needs to sort through it all. Telling you was very hard for her. She was scared this would happen; it was her worst fear.”

“Thanks, Mia. I owe you double time, squirt.”

“I love you, Max. I wanted to tell you when it happened, but she wouldn’t let me. Jada has loved you for a long time, Max; surely you knew that?”

My chest swelled, and my heart pulsed. I just hoped she gave me another chance, and that she really did love me like I loved her.

***

I swung past my parents’ house in the morning. I needed to talk to my father before I went storming over to the Sinclair Winery. The identical grave expressions on both my parents’ faces brought a frown to my own lips. “What’s going on?” I demanded.

They both exchanged a look.

“Tell me.” My frown deepened.

Then my father cleared his throat, distinctly uncomfortable. “Jada’s leaving.”

My pulse sped up. “What?”

“She’s leaving the Barossa,” my mother said softly. “Janet just called to tell us Jada is packing and going back to Sydney.”

Shock and confusion spiralled through me. “What do you mean, she’s leaving? I would have gone around there last night, but Mia said she needed time. Why didn’t Michael and Janet stop her?”

“They are. They have been trying to stall her until you get there, Max,” my mother informed me. “Michael tried calling you, Max, but your phone went to voicemail.”

My heart thundered in my chest, and I dug my phone out of my pocket and frantically searched the screen. Shit, it had flicked over to silent, and sure enough, I had several missed calls from Michael Sinclair.

Along with a text message, from Jada.

JADA: 7:43 AM





Dear Max, I’m going back to Sydney. I’m driving down to Adelaide and then I’m catching the twelve-thirty flight. You deserve so much more than what I can offer you. This has been an agonising decision for me, but I can’t give you the one thing that I know you so desperately want. I love you too much to take that dream away from you. Love Jada.





I quickly read the text, once, twice, unable to believe my eyes.

“She’s driving to Adelaide and catching a flight back to Sydney.” I looked at my watch and cursed. “Son of a bitch. The flight is scheduled for twelve-thirty. I need to see her before she takes off.”

My mother’s brown eyes filled with sympathy. “Oh, Max.”

“It’s not too late to stop her,” my father mumbled. “She’s still here.”

I flew out of the house without another word. I sprinted out to my car, and I heard footsteps pounding behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see my mother, her cheeks red from running after me.

“Max, you do know she’s the one, don’t you?”

I froze.

“You know that, right?” my mother asked me gently.

I slowly met my mother’s eyes, my heart squeezing painfully. “I know, Ma.”

“Then go get her, son.”

***

JADA

Standing in my dark bedroom, I continued to pack my belongings into my suitcase. I didn’t have much to pack because everything I had was at the penthouse, but what I did have, I packed. I heard loud footsteps approaching and I swivelled around, expecting my father to come through my bedroom door. I gasped when I saw it was Max. What is he doing here? Why did my parents let him up here?