figure out exactly who Annabelle Montgomery is.”
I shook my head. “I’m the same person I always was.”
“Now that’s a lie,” Jacob corrected. “And I think that maybe we should get to know the people we are now, rather than dwelling on the people we left behind in the shadows.”
I looked at him then, wondering what I felt. Was it warmth? I didn’t know. But I wanted to reach out and hold him, tell him that everything would be all right, even though that was a lie. I didn’t like that I noticed how his eyes darkened, the way his lips parted. I didn’t like that we were buried in memories of a time gone by and mired in loss and fractured silences. And yet all I could do was look at him and wonder who this man was. Who was Jacob Queen?
Betrayal slid over me then, and I knew it made no sense. It wasn’t as if Jonah and I had genuinely been in love. Not like that. And yet, this was Jacob. I shouldn’t feel anything. Especially not right now.
Still, I had to say the words. “I would like to get to know you,” I whispered.
He studied my face for a long moment before he finally spoke. “Good. Because I think we should. Mom and Dad love you so much. I’d like to get to know that woman. And I don’t want you to carry the burden of my family alone any longer.”
I shook my head. “You were always there. Even if you weren’t in the same room.”
“Maybe, but I’m here full-time now. Let’s help them together if you want to. Or you can step away so you can breathe. You don’t have to bear any responsibility.”
I shook my head. “I will always be a part of their lives, of our old life, who we were. And that means I’m going to be a traveler on this road your family takes. So, I guess we’re in this together.”
“Then I suppose I should start with this.” He held out his hand. “Hello, I’m Jacob Queen. Permanent asshole and perpetual insomniac workaholic.”
My lips twitched. “Hello,” I said, sliding my hand into his, ignoring the heat between us. “I’m Annabelle Montgomery. Also a workaholic, a slight insomniac, and someone who loves her family very much.”
His lips softened into a smile, and then he let my hand go. I ignored the fact that it felt chilled now without his heat. “It’s nice to meet you, Annabelle.”
“You, as well, Jacob.”
“I don’t think I ever really hated you,” he admitted.
“I think I was starting to hate you,” I replied, and he laughed.
“I wouldn’t blame you. It’s going to take me a little while to fix things in my head, but let’s be friends until then.”
“I don’t know about friends,” I said honestly. “Maybe neighbors?”
He snorted. “Neighbors, I can do. Now, I’m going to let you have your peace because I haven’t let you have that for most of the night. Just know if you need me to crawl over gravel, I can do that. I do have a deposition tomorrow, though, so I may have to work around that.”
I laughed, surprising myself, and shook my head. “No need to flay yourself. I know you miss your brother. And I know you needed someone to hate. Just don’t let it be me anymore.”
He met my gaze, and once again, I ignored the little ping I felt that warned me something was different.
“I don’t think I can ever hate you again, Annabelle Montgomery.”
Before I could say anything, he turned on his heel and left, and I had to wonder what the hell had happened.
Chapter 6
Jacob
“I need you to get me the deposition in the next hour,” I said to my assistant. He nodded, quickly typing on his tablet. I looked at my other assistant, who also nodded as she slid a hand over her dark hair. It had been a long day, and the amount of paperwork—even for lawyers—was insane. It would be a long night unless we figured out our plan now.
“You’ve got it, Mr. Queen,” Dustin said.
“You also have a meeting at seven,” Seressia said, frowning. “You have meetings back to back tomorrow.”
“Understood. It’ll be busier than usual tomorrow because I need to take Friday off,” I said, and they both knew why. Mom had a doctor’s appointment and I planned to be with her and my father. We were structuring my practice the way I needed to, and we’d find a way to make