by Cassie Cross
Which is ridiculous, of course. But she and Jason have been through so much together in such a short amount of time, she doesn’t want anything to jinx it.
But none of that excuses her for not making time for her best friend.
“When you come back, you’re basically going to be living together,” Janine continues. “And you’re totally going to get married. Which I honestly can’t wait for, because I know the bridesmaids dresses will be killer, and the meal will be amazing, no doubt. So, I’m excited about all those things, but…I just want to make sure there’s room for me in all of it.”
“Of course there’s room for you in it,” Kaia assures her, leaning over and wrapping her arms around her friend. “I promise I’m going to be better about finding a balance here.” Her work is picking up; new jobs are flowing in almost faster than she can handle them, but if she’s going to make this all work, she’s got to learn how to maintain a healthy balance.
And that starts with making that commitment right now.
“We’ll make time for girl time,” Kaia suggests.
“Like a platonic date night?”
With a laugh, Kaia replies, “Yeah, something like that.”
“Okay,” Janine agrees. “I think that would work.”
“We’ll make it work.”
Janine bumps Kaia’s shoulder with hers. “Yeah, we will. Know what would make it easier to spend time together?”
Kaia knows she’s up to something, but she plays along anyway. “What’s that?”
“If you…I don’t know, set me up with one of Jason’s hot, eligible bachelor friends? Or even the head secret bodyguard.”
“Paul?” Kaia asks, incredulous.
“Yeah! He was pretty cute.”
Kaia laughs. “I’ll look into it.”
That placates her. “Cool. I’m going to nag you about it again, just F-Y-I.”
“I would expect nothing less.”
“I’m going to get serious for a minute.”
That makes Kaia sit up straight, preparing herself for whatever’s coming next. With Janine, she never can be too sure.
“Despite what I said earlier,” she begins, taking Kaia’s hand. “He makes you happy. And that makes me happy.”
“I am happy. I never thought we’d get here, but…”
“Here you are.”
Kaia nods. “Yeah.”
“There’s nothing I’d want more.”
“Except for a…what was it? A hot, eligible bachelor friend?”
Janine laughs. “Maybe that.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
* * * * *
From the terrace of Elise’s gorgeous condo, Kaia can see the Golden Gate Bridge. Kaia’s lounging on one of the most comfortable chairs she’s ever had the pleasure of sitting in, sipping one of the best wines she’s ever tasted.
Elise is sitting on the chaise next to her, doing the same.
Jason is inside, taking care of some business that needed to be tended to when they landed.
A billionaire’s work is never done, it seems.
“This view is gorgeous.”
Elise smiles. “Isn’t it? I’ve lived in this city my whole life, and I don’t think I’ll ever tire of it.”
“I can’t imagine you would. I’ve only lived in New York for a couple of years, but I feel that way about Central Park. That piece of heaven right in the city. It’s one of my favorite places, and I don’t think that’ll ever change.”
“It’s nice to have your own little sanctuary.”
“I think we can toast to that?”
Elise smiles, and gently taps her glass against Kaia’s.
“I’m incredibly sorry that we didn’t get the chance to spend more time together when we met.”
Kaia shifts in her seat, feeling ever-so-slightly uncomfortable that Elise has decided to broach this subject with her. She was hoping Jason would talk to her about it and that would be that, considering that conversation is the whole reason why they’re here in the first place.
“I’m sorry, too.”
“I’m embarrassed of what happened that night. That you had to witness it.”
Kaia gets the sense that Elise might be trying to break the ice here, hoping that Kaia will give her some insight into what Jason’s thinking. About how he’s feeling about the whole thing. Of course she’s on edge, and Kaia would like to soothe her frazzled nerves if she can.
She wonders if she can do that without taking some of the wind out of Jason’s sails, or betraying his confidence.
“I don’t think you have anything to be embarrassed about. Wanting to protect the people we love makes us do some crazy things sometimes,” she says, thinking back on the whole security detail debacle. Even though Jason still insists on keeping Paul and company around, just in case, it was an eye-opening exercise in learning the lengths to which Jason would go to hold on to someone he cares about.
It doesn’t surprise her at all that he would’ve learned something like that from Elise.
“Yes, it can. Doesn’t make it right, though.”
Kaia nods. “I think it’s easy to forgive someone for loving you so much that they’d be willing to do whatever it was they thought was right for you, no matter how difficult. Even though those things might change over time.”
Elise takes a deep breath, and gives Kaia a genuine, if small, smile.
“I’m glad he found you, Kaia. There was a time when I didn’t think he would.”
“I’m glad he found me, too. He’s a remarkable person, Elise. You should be proud to have raised such a man.”
Her eyes sparkle with unshed tears. “I had a hand in it, at least. And thank you.”
Elise holds out her hand, and gives it a squeeze.
“You about ready?” Jason asks, basically appearing in the doorway behind them out of nowhere. “Paul’s waiting for you in the foyer.”
“Where are you going?” Elise asks, as Kaia reluctantly puts down her wine and stands up.
“Security guard Paul and I are going to be doing a little sightseeing this afternoon.” What she doesn’t say is, so that you and Jason can have a little time alone.
“I’ve given him a list of destinations. He’s not to deviate from that list.”
“You want to show me all the special places, huh?” Kaia asks, stepping up to give Jason a peck on the cheek.
He leans down and whispers in her ear. “You know how much I like showing you my special places.”
Just out of earshot of his surrogate mother, but still enough to make her blush.
“I’ll see you later,” she says. “Maybe I’ll bring you a tacky souvenir.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Thank you for the wine, Elise.”
With a gentle nod and a smile, Elise says, “Oh, honey, you’re welcome. I think we’ll be sharing more, soon enough.”
CHAPTER SIX
Jason takes the seat that Kaia just vacated, and finishes off the rest of her wine in three long gulps.
“Pace yourself,” Elise warns. “You’re a terrible wine drunk.”
Jason laughs, which is something he hadn’t imagined doing during this conversation when he’d thought about it. And he’d thought about it a lot over the past couple of weeks. Almost constantly during the flight over here.
“I am,” he admits. “Of all the things you choose to remember about me.”
Elise gives him a soft smile. “I remember everything about you, Jason. The day you said your first word, the day you lost your first tooth. Your first day of high school, your first date, your first hangover,” she says, turning her head and giving him a pointed look. She sits up, and sets her glass down on the table between them. “You aren’t my son, but…I’ve always loved you like you were.”
Jason swallows past the lump that’s in his throat. “I know you have.” She took him in after his parents died. She could’ve sent him off to boarding school, or made him someone else’s problem. But sh
e always made him feel loved, and wanted. And she always tried to do right by him.
“I’m sorry about that night,” she says, her voice wavering. “I’m sorry I kept the truth from you for as long as I did. I know it wound up doing more harm than good, but-”
“I didn’t come with a manual, Elise. Seems to me that parenting is a learn-as-you go kind of thing. And you always told me that we never stop learning.”
With a watery smile, Elise says, “No, we don’t.”
“I’m sorry for how I acted that night. I shouldn’t have pushed you away like that, but I have a lifetime of dealing with things that way, and it takes a while to unlearn it. Not that that’s an excuse; it isn’t, I was just hurt and surprised. I was mad at Mom and Dad. I was mad at you. I was…confused. Angry, because I’d lived my life looking over my shoulder for so long when I didn’t need to. I was scared of something that didn’t even exist.”
“I don’t blame you, Jason. Not for any of those things. And I wouldn’t blame you if you were still angry with me. I know it’s going to take a while to earn back your trust-”
“I do trust you, Elise. You’ve given me a lifetime of reasons to do that. One screw-up isn’t going to change that. Besides,” he says, smiling at her. “I’m not even sure it was a screw up.”
She raises her brow. “Why’s that?”
“I’ve been thinking a lot about the course of my life, ever since that night. How different things might’ve been for me if I’d known the truth a little sooner. Kaia helped me understand why you kept it from me, why you wanted me to have a good memory of them. I know you’d never intentionally hurt me, so I can’t hold your good intentions against you, especially not when that road led me straight to Kaia. Or maybe it led Kaia to me, I still haven’t figured that one out.”
Elise laughs. “Well, that’s certainly one way of looking at it.”
“It’s the positive way,” Jason explains. “I’m feeling more positive about my life lately.”
“I can tell. It’s a good look on you.”
“You think?” Jason asks, pleased.
“I do. A man in love is a sight to behold.”
Jason doesn’t shy away from it. He doesn’t even try to deflect. “I am in love with her.”
“I couldn’t have picked a better match for you myself. I’m…”
“You’re what?”
“I don’t want to push,” she explains quickly. “But I’m very much hoping I see the two of you around here more often.”
Jason has spent the better part of his adult life avoiding this place. He comes here when he needs to, and only when business requires it. The past was just too painful, and everywhere he looked he saw nothing but his parents, and felt nothing but sadness.
He thinks that in time, if he’s willing to take that time, that he can start loving this city again. Especially if he rediscovers it through Kaia’s eyes.
“I think you can count on that. I’m hoping Kaia would like to start spending more time here, too. New York is our home, but I think we might make this a more frequent destination.”
Elise smiles. “I’m glad to hear that, Jason.”
“C’mere,” she says, standing, and brushing the wrinkles out of her dress. He does as she asks, and she pushes up on her tiptoes to wrap him up in a fierce hug.
“I love you, kid.”
The words bring him peace, and he finds himself smiling. “I love you, too.”
* * * * *
On a bench along the banks of the San Francisco Bay, Kaia cuddles up against Jason’s side, searching for some warmth.
“I brought a blanket,” he says, reaching into the bag at his feet, and pulling it out. He drapes it over her shivering body.
“You’re wonderful. Amazing. Your foresight is one of the things I love most about you.”
Jason laughs, then reaches back into the bag. “It’s a good thing I brought this, then.” He puts the still-warm thermos in her outstretched hands.
“Coffee?”
“Better. Hot chocolate.”
Kaia lets out a high-pitched squeal of delight as she pulls off the top, and pours a little into the attached mug.
“I may or may not have spiked it.”
“Mmm…” She presses a warm kiss to his cheek. “My hero.”
She takes a sip, then offers the mug to him.
“No thanks,” he says, wrapping his arm around her, holding on tight. “I’m driving, remember?”
“Trying to get me all liquored up, are you?”
Jason laughs. “Maybe just a little.”
“You’d like me tipsy.”
“I’m sure I’ll love you tipsy.”
“Tipsy me is a little bit looser. It’s a shame you didn’t bring a driver. We could’ve fooled around in the back seat while he drove us home.”
Just a minute ago, she’d praised him for his foresight, and the thought hadn’t even occurred to him at all. Now, he’s regretting it. Still, “We can always fool around in the car before we head back.”
“Ah, like a couple of horny teenagers. Sounds like a plan.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
She pulls the blanket up around her neck, before she rests her head on his shoulder, her hair brushing his neck. She sighs, then looks up at the sky, streaked with the bright yellows and pinks of the setting sun.
“I love it here. It’s so gorgeous.”
“Yeah?”
“Mmm. I’ve never been to California before. I think you picked the perfect place to bring me for my first time.”
He loves that she loves his hometown, and he wants to make her fall even more in love with it if that’s possible.
“I’ve seen a lot of this state, and it’s all really nice. But this? This city is the best.”
“I think you’re a little biased,” she teases.
“Maybe a little.”
“But I believe you.”
Jason likes the sound of those words. He knows this is something totally trivial, but he never wants her to doubt him. Not ever.
“Like it enough to come back?”
She crooks her head in his direction, and gives him a thoughtful look. “Your talk with Elise went well, huh?”
“It did,” he explains. “But that’s not the only reason I want to come back.”
“It’s a good enough reason for me. But just for kicks, why don’t you tell me the other one?”
“I always loved this place growing up, but there came a point in my life where I couldn’t wait to leave. I was…I was running away from things. I’m not the kind of man who runs anymore. And I’d like to come back here more often, make this town and the people in it a part of my life again.”
Kaia smiles up at him, like this is the best news she’s heard in a while. “I think that’s a great idea.”
“It would be nice if you wanted that, too.”
“What exactly are you asking me for, Jason?”
“I’m not asking you to uproot your life, Kaia. New York is home. What I am asking you for is long weekends here and there, if you’re willing to give them.”
It’s too early, he knows this. But at some point, Jason is going to ask her for forever. Wherever in the world Kaia wants that to be.
“Would we come and stay with Elise, or-”
He only hesitates a moment before he says, “I was thinking I’d buy a place. A condo overlooking the bay, maybe? We can decide that later.”
He doesn’t miss the way she looks up at him when he says “we.” He means it, too. He only wants to take this step if she takes it with him.
“Maybe, at some point, when you get a handle on your new clients, you could look into taking on some accounts out here. Go bicoastal. Expand.”
If it wasn’t for the small smile that was steadily growing, he’d be worried about her silence. He’s more than happy to give her whatever time she needs to think about it, but he hopes she’ll agree.
For a long while, they both sit there together, watchin
g the sunset as the waves lap against the sand in the background. Even though Jason’s whole future is basically hanging in the air between them, he’s at peace.
Then, Kaia finally says, “It sounds nice.”
Jason laughs, then says, “Which part?”
“All of it. The condo, expanding my business…the long weekends, you and me together. For as long as you want it.”
He’s going to want it all forever, he knows.
For now, it’s enough.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Jason sits on the edge of the bed, nervously watching Kaia packing her suitcase. He tries to hide it, sure, but she can read him like a book.
“You need to unclench,” she teases, winking at him as she walks into their closet.
“Easy for you to say,” she hears him yell from the bedroom. “I’m not the one going to Vegas for a bachelorette party.”
Kaia peers out of the doorway at her husband-to-be, looking adorably on edge. “Do you want to go to Vegas for a bachelorette party?”
Jason rolls his eyes. “You know what I mean.”
“What I know is that I’ve explained this to you about a thousand times.”
He reaches out for her, taking her hand in his and pulling her closer, and the way he looks at her is completely unfair. He’s too handsome for his own good. He’s too handsome for her own good.
“Explain it to me a thousand and one times, then.”
Kaia sighs, then leans down and kisses Jason’s beautiful, pouty mouth.
“We’re just going out for a little girl time before the wedding. No bachelorette party, no strippers.”
He pulls a face at the word, but Kaia continues.
“We’re just going to drink, gossip, and get mani-pedis by the pool. The upside is that I’ll have a really nice tan for our honeymoon.”
That gets a grin out of him. “Good, because I don’t think we’re going to be spending much time outside.” He moves in and sucks a quick kiss on her neck, making her shiver.
“Not fair, you’re playing dirty.”
He hums against her skin. “My favorite way to play.”
