Game Changer by Kelly Jamieson Page 0,18
to drive me. We went to his place.” I hold up a hand. “Jax and I are friends. We’re a team at trivia nights at some local bars.”
They all nod slowly.
“I didn’t want to face anyone, so I stayed there. He was leaving today, and I begged him to let me tag along so I could get out of town.” I shrug. “That’s it.”
“You left your fiancé at the altar?” Riley asks, wide-eyed.
“You didn’t hear about it?”
“No!”
I suck my bottom lip briefly. I could say more, but I don’t. “Well, it’s probably on YouTube.”
They all burst out laughing.
“You’re probably right,” Everly says, amusement glinting in her eyes. I like that much better than the detached looks she gave me earlier.
Jax returns with my wine. “So, what are you up to for the summer, Rye?” he asks his sister.
They chat, eventually getting to the things they want to do while Jax is here, and Riley, the sweetie, tries to include me.
“I don’t want to interfere with your family time,” I tell her. “I’m going to lay around the pool at the resort. Maybe go for a hike and find the beach.”
“We should get together, the ‘young ones,’ ” Everly says to Jax. “You missed all the fun of the family meetings.” Her voice has a bit of an edge.
Jax shoots his grandpa a concerned look. “How’s he doing?”
Everly’s eyes shadow and her lips droop. “Okay. Sometimes good, sometimes…not.”
Right. It had slipped my mind that her dad has Alzheimer’s. “I’m so sorry about your dad’s illness,” I say quietly.
“Thanks. It’s been hard.”
“Yeah, we should get together,” Jax says. “We need to talk.”
“You sure?” Everly eyes him skeptically. “You didn’t seem to want to have much to do with it.”
“I was on the other side of the country,” Jax replies, with a hint of defensiveness.
I touch his back to show my support.
“Uh huh,” she says skeptically.
“You’re here now.” Riley defends him, narrowing her eyes briefly at Everly.
Hmmm.
“Yeah,” he says shortly, then sips his wine. “We can get together any time.”
“I’ll arrange it,” Everly says tersely.
Dinner is served then, so we all move to the gigantic dining room with a table as long as a runway. I pause next to Aline. “I didn’t realize this was a sit-down dinner. I do apologize for showing up uninvited.”
“It’s fine.” She’s so gracious and sweet. “We’re happy to have you. Here, you can sit next to Jax.”
She probably had to reconfigure her entire table setting because of me. Oh wait—she didn’t know Jax was coming either. Nonetheless, shame curls inside me at my selfish entreaty for Jax to bring me here. Well, actually, I didn’t need to come to the party; I would have been fine exploring the resort. He was the one who insisted on not leaving me alone my first night.
Still, I feel a bit ill-mannered. I resolve to leave Jax to his family visits for the rest of our stay here. There’s a lot to do at the resort and I’ll keep busy.
“So, has my family convinced you that I’m right about them?” he asks in a low voice.
“They are…a lot,” I admit. “But I like them.”
“Ooookay.”
I nudge him with my elbow. “Come on. You like them too. You love your sister.”
“Yeah, she’s okay.”
I laugh.
Conversation buzzes around us. I find myself watching Bob Wynn, how he doesn’t seem to pay attention to the conversation, noting how Chelsea sticks close to him, and the determinedly cheerful expression she wears. Sadness swells in my chest for both of them. Well, for the entire family, but right now I’m imagining what it’s like for a husband and wife to be losing half of their relationship.
I look down at my plate. One more reason to never have a relationship.
I’m an outsider for much of the talk; there are family reminiscences, some of them a bit snarky, stories and jokes. But I listen and laugh and occasionally Jax leans closer to explain something to me.
After dinner, Jax and I take seats in the living room near Bob Wynn, and listen to the conversation he’s having with Mark and Matthew.
It’s…heartbreaking.
And I can tell Jax is hurting too.
They talk about the Condors’ season and Bob nods and smiles and makes a comment that’s completely unrelated. He tells a story about someone, I don’t even know who, which goes on for a good two or three minutes, but makes no sense whatsoever. It’s words, and he sounds clear and confident, but they’re not put together into anything meaningful.
I sense Jax’s frustration, but