“You remember I told you I needed to forget someone? The woman from the magazine?”
“You couldn’t forget her, could you?”
“No.”
“How far are you in over your head, Jax?”
“Underwater.”
Christian purses his lips. “So what happened? Did you have to cut her loose?”
“No. I got her fired from her job.”
“Jax,” Christian says, starting to laugh. “What have I told you about fucking women in the office?”
I decide not to tell him about that part.
“I got her fired from her job.”
Christian’s mouth drops open. “What the fuck?”
“It was killing her, man. She was going to lose it. The only thing is, I didn’t get a chance to tell her about the plan I had.” I run my fingers through my hair. “She got so fucking angry at me that she dumped me, and then she had to run home for an emergency with her sister.”
“Jesus, Jax. And you haven’t gone to talk to her yet?”
“She left New York.”
“So?”
“So, she’s in a different state with her family.”
“And you have a private jet.”
“She doesn’t want anything to do with me.”
Now it’s Christian’s turn to roll his eyes. “People say stupid shit in the heat of the moment. Are you absolutely sure?”
“Pretty sure.”
“That doesn’t sound a hundred percent to me.”
“What the hell do you expect me to do?”
Christian slaps me on the back like I’m his junior employee and he’s a sixty-year-old CEO. “Well, Jax, I tell you this as your best fucking friend in the entire world: stop being such a controlling jackass and trying to take over her life. Also, if you miss her enough to interrupt parties over her, just go see her. It’s never too late for love.”
“Shut your damn mouth. Never too late my ass.”
“Are you coming back in or not?” Having imparted his wisdom, Chris is already turning to head back into the club.
I brushed it off, but his words have started the gears turning in my head.
There’s only one way to find out if it’s too late, and I’m not going to try it empty-handed.
“You go. I have calls to make.”
“It’s 1:30 in the morning.”
“Go.”
Christian gives me a jaunty salute and heads for the door. I start dialing. I’m going to need my accountant and my lawyer, and I need them right now.
Because in the morning, I’m going to find Cate.
This is my only chance.
Chapter Forty-One
Cate
It’s not long before I’m back at Bee and Dex’s house. As thrilled as they are with Gabi and Izzy—nicknames set in early in our family—it’s beyond exhausting to have not one, but two newborns in the house, so I’ve been spending my free time cuddling one baby or another so Bee and Dex can take turns napping.
I don’t know how they do it all and still smile at each other. Bee’s more of a mess than I think I’ve ever seen her, and Dex still looks at her like she’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen in his life.
For all I know, she is.
One day, Bee sends Dex out for an afternoon with his friends.
“You’ve been here every second since the twins were born,” she says as he stands in the doorway between their living room and their bedroom, looking back and forth from her to me to the babies.
“I’d feel like shit to go out and leave you here.”
“Cate’s going to be here the entire time,” Bee wheedles. “You can go for a couple of hours. These are your friends, Dex. In a few months when I’m not attached to these gorgeous babies all the time, you can return the favor.”
“Okay,” Dex says, his forehead still furrowed.
“Go take a shower and make yourself presentable. Then get out of here.”
Another flash of guilt crosses Dex’s face, but as he disappears into the bedroom I see the corner of his mouth turn up in his signature half-smile. Bee is right. He needs this.
Fifteen minutes later, he emerges wearing a fresh outfit, his face neatly shaven, smelling like his body wash and face brimming with excitement. He gives Bee a kiss that lasts almost long enough to be embarrassing, plants little kisses on each baby’s head, and then grabs his keys.
“Don’t let anything here get too crazy, Cate,” he says to me.
Izzy is asleep on my chest, her soft baby scent filling my nose. “I won’t. Scout’s honor.”
Dex lets out a snort of laughter at my joke and heads out the front door at a clip.
Bee giggles as the front door swings shut. “It’s like he’s a little worried that I’ll call it all off. He misses his friends.”