“I’m starting to get that now,” I told her. “It’s kind of interesting that from the outside, I’m sure it looked like you were the family who had it all.”
“Sometimes those are the families who are the most dysfunctional,” Riley said with a sad smile.
I nodded slowly. “I guess I was really lucky. I lost my dad when I was in high school, but both of my parents were always supportive, and I always knew it when they were proud of me. We didn’t have a lot of money, and things were really tight after my father died, but Mom was and is my rock. She’s been there to cheer for every one of my successes, and pull me up from every failure.”
“God, she must have been frantic when you were kidnapped,” Riley pondered.
“She was, and I felt so guilty that I didn’t want to share that I was struggling to cope with what happened. That’s why I’m so grateful to Jax. I can tell him almost anything and he never judges. He helped me feel normal again,” I shared.
Taylor reached out and took my hand. “I would have been there for you, Harlow. You never told me you were really having a hard time.”
“I know,” I said as I squeezed her hand before I released it. “But you were recovering, too. I didn’t want to bring you down.”
“You wouldn’t have brought me down, but I’m glad you had Jax,” she said earnestly.
“Me, too,” Riley added. “And don’t believe for a single minute that he’s not still attracted to you. I think maybe he’s trying to give you time to heal by just being supportive. I think the question is, are you attracted to him? You obviously turned down the opportunity to go out with him. Was it just his player reputation, or was the interest just not there?”
I sighed. “Seriously? Jax is ridiculously attractive, intelligent, successful, and he has a wicked sense of humor. How could any woman not be attracted to him? He draws women to him without even trying. When I’m with him, women check him out more than once, even if they don’t recognize him as a Montgomery.”
“You are still attracted to him if you notice that,” Taylor said with a chuckle.
“I am. I won’t deny it. I was attracted to him when he asked me out, and I still am, but we’re just friends. Maybe you two don’t believe it’s just friendship, but I have no delusions that Jax Montgomery wants to get one of his research geoscientists naked.”
“Ha! Little do you know,” Riley teased. “Jax likes intelligent women, and have you looked in the mirror lately? You’re beautiful, Harlow. Why wouldn’t he still be attracted? Honestly, I’ve never seen him look at any female the way he looks at you.”
“He’s a concerned friend,” I said adamantly.
“Who just happens to be undressing you with his eyes?” Taylor asked saucily.
I shook my head, ready to give up. “Stop. If I really thought he was attracted to me, I’d probably break my own rules and offer him a wild fling. Our dating opportunities are gone, but I value him a lot as a friend.”
Riley smirked. “You do realize that Taylor and I will be the first ones to say ‘I told you so’ when he starts pursuing you like a madman.”
“Feel free,” I told her. “It’s not going to happen.”
“We’ll see,” Riley said knowingly. “I think we all need more wine, and I need to hit the bathroom and see how the guys are doing. I’ll be back in a while.”
“I’m going to take Harlow outside to show her the patio,” Taylor called after Riley’s retreating figure.
The moment Riley had left the room, Taylor pulled me off the couch and led me out to the patio.
We were barely seated in two side-by-side patio chairs before she said, “When did this start with Jax? I know you’re leaving something out, Harlow. Spill it. I want the entire story.”
Harlow
“How did you know? Do you think Riley knows, too?” I asked Taylor anxiously.
The light was dimmer outside, but there were enough lights on that I could see her face.
Thankfully, she’d seated us underneath some sort of hot coiled heater that was running near the ceiling, so we were warm, even though it was getting cooler and breezier.
“She doesn’t have a clue,” Taylor told me. “But I know you, Harlow. I could tell that something was missing, and I have a feeling you’re not