bit watered down. “I guess they’re more generous than most places with the tequila,” I said to Jax as I put my glass back down on the table.
“Did you really think I’d take you to a Mexican place with lousy food and watered-down margaritas?” he asked drily.
The restaurant was very clean, with colorful décor, but it wasn’t what I’d consider an upscale place. It was exactly the kind of Mexican restaurant that generally had the best, authentic food. Apparently, Jax preferred good food over ambience.
“Probably not,” I confessed as I stirred the margarita with the oversized straw. “You apparently have very good taste in restaurants.”
Jax and I had talked about our favorite places to eat in San Diego. Some of his were my favorites, too, but a few were so pricey that I’d never been able to convince myself to try them.
“There’s a few of them you still need to try,” he reminded me.
“The outrageously expensive ones are out,” I said firmly. “I don’t mind paying the price for good food, but a few of your favorites are ridiculously overpriced.”
“Do we not pay you enough as a research geoscientist to try them out?” he asked. “Or for you to get a nicer apartment? I know it’s not like you live in a bad area, but that place is tiny, and everything is really outdated.”
“I’m just one person,” I said defensively. “Why do I need a bigger place? And you pay me plenty. I just choose to use that generous salary to save. I’d like to buy my own place someday.” I took a deep breath and released it slowly before I asked, “You don’t have any idea what it’s like to have to save for anything, do you?”
I didn’t mean for the question to be an insult. It was just…fact. Jax had been outrageously wealthy since the day he was born.
“I don’t,” he said reluctantly. “If I want a new home, I buy it. Hell, if I want anything, I buy it. It wasn’t my intention to offend you, Harlow. I was just thinking that maybe we needed to reevaluate our pay scale for geoscientists with a doctorate degree.”
Jax looked so contrite that I felt bad I’d asked that question in the first place. “You don’t. Montgomery pays more than any other company in the country would for my job title and education. There’s also plenty of opportunity for advancement. I could have a nicer apartment, and I could probably put out some cash for a fancy restaurant, but I’m looking at the more tangible reward. Real estate prices are outrageous here, and I do want to be a homeowner. I shouldn’t have asked you that question, Jax. It was rude, and it’s not your fault that you were born filthy rich and have never had to worry about money. I guess I just can’t even fathom what that kind of life would be like.”
Our waiter arrived with our food before Jax could say anything else.
He devoured two of his tacos, and washed them down with his margarita before he finally replied, “Just because a person is born wealthy doesn’t mean they’re automatically happy. My siblings and I may have won the financial lottery, but we got completely screwed in other areas to make up for it.”
I paused with a forkful of quesadilla as I asked, “What do you mean?”
“We had money, but not a very happy childhood,” he grumbled. “There were plenty of times when I was a kid that I would have traded all the material things for parents who weren’t total monsters.”
“Explain,” I requested softly.
He shook his head. “Not happening. Not right now. I’d rather enjoy my dinner. So let’s talk about you instead. I get that you’re saving to buy a home, but when was the last time you did or bought something frivolous just because you wanted it? You have to have some short-term rewards occasionally, Harlow.”
Jax had very smoothly sidestepped my questions about his childhood. Now I was so curious to find out what he’d meant that I wanted to push for more, but I didn’t. He’d respected my boundaries, and I wanted to do the same for him. Hopefully, he’d talk more about himself someday. I understood that he was my advisor, but I was tired of all conversations revolving around me and my issues.
I pushed the empty plate aside once I’d savored the last bite of my lobster quesadilla, and put my swordfish tacos in front of me.