by Elena Aitken
“Yes, to everything you just said.” He slid lower in his seat. “You think this is going to work?”
“Well, the hard truth is that people don’t like change. If they’re doing just fine with what they’ve got, they really don’t want to rock the boat to go after something that could end disastrously. And now, hearing that your mom’s introverted, we definitely want to go at her pace and find things that will appeal to her.”
“I don’t think she knows what appeals to her. It’s been over a decade since she’s done anything. And with only five days…”
“Remember Helen, that woman you met in my salon yesterday? Her friends knew she was depressed and in a rut, so they tried to get her to do yoga, like they do, but it doesn’t interest her at all, so it didn’t work. So, in our initial conversations, I found out she’d played tennis in college. In fact, that’s how she met her ex-husband. They were both on the tennis team, but she was better than him, and so they eventually stopped playing together. Because, yeah, his ego is that fragile. So, instead of yoga, she’s back to playing tennis, and it’s something she really enjoys, which means working out isn’t a chore for her.”
“I’ve tried everything I could think of. I booked a spa weekend in Palm Springs once, but she couldn’t make it because of work. I thought if I bought her a car—a convertible—it would inspire her to get out more. But last time I visited I saw the car in the garage. She said it’s too nice to leave it out in the Vegas heat.” He glanced down at the fingers he’d clasped around his coffee cup. “Everything I’ve done has failed, so I’m just going to sit back and let you lead the way.”
She held his gaze, something powerful passing between them. She didn’t take his trust in her lightly. “We’ve got this.”
Chapter 4
“Merry Christmas.” His mom stepped out of her condo to give Jinx a hug.
He couldn’t help noticing she felt a little softer, thicker. “Mom.” He hugged her a little longer, a little tighter, partly out of guilt that he’d brought someone here to change her, and partly because he was so damn worried about her.
When he pulled back, he gestured to Skylar. “Mom, this is Skylar James. A friend from Calamity.”
It never failed. Even though he was dating Lori—and liked her—every time he looked at Skylar his chest got tight, his blood pumped hard, and his breath caught in his throat. When she’d hugged him in the diner, he’d thought he’d have a heart attack. It was all he could do to keep his hands to himself.
“Hello.” With a grin, Skylar reached for his mom’s hand, clasped it between hers. She had a way of leaning in, of looking people right in the eye, that told them they were important. “It’s so good to meet you. Jinx talks about you a lot.” Her voice was filled with warmth, and he wanted some of it.
Which is progress. I used to want all of it.
“Well, come on in,” his mom said. “Let’s get out of the cold.”
“Cold?” Skylar headed inside. “Calamity’s minus ten right now, so your sixty degrees is downright balmy.”
“Let me take your coat.” His mom held her hands out for Skylar’s parka.
Jinx looked around the condo. With the blinds shut, the condo looked tired and gloomy. Other than a couple of his paintings hanging on the walls, the room had no personal touches. “Hey, Mom, no tree?”
“No.” His mom leaned into the closet to hang up the coat. “It’s just me here. I didn’t want to bother.”
“You used to love Christmas.” He thought of Skylar’s salon, the twinkling lights, the smell of pine and cinnamon. The feeling of home. In contrast, his mom’s place felt stark. Like she was a traveling salesman just passing through.
His heart twisted at his mom’s isolation. He hoped like hell Skylar could help her. She needed friends, hobbies, interests.
His mom turned to face them. “I loved it when you were guys were little. Now, there’s really no point.”
“If you love Christmas and don’t want the bother, you should come to Calamity next year,” Skylar said. “We go all-out. Lights everywhere, a huge tree all lit-up in the town green. The coffee shop rolls out a cart and sells hot cocoa. We’ve got carolers. It’s awesome.”
“That sounds lovely. Maybe I will come.” She jerked her thumb towards Jinx. “Of course, it all depends on whether he’s still around.”
“I’ll be there.”
His mom looked surprised. “You’re staying?”
“I am.”
His mom eyed him thoughtfully. “I’m glad to hear it.” She rubbed her hands on her scrubs. “Well, I just got home and haven’t had a chance to go shopping, but I can make you some sandwiches. Anyone hungry?”
“We just ate, Mom. We’re good.”
“I’ll bring out some drinks.”
“Just water for me, thank you,” Skylar said. “Can I help?”
“No, no. I’ll just be a second.” His mom practically ran into the kitchen.
Troubled, Jinx watched her go. “She doesn’t want us here.”
“She’s used to being alone,” Skylar said. “Visitors mess with her schedule.”
“I’m her son.” Anger cracked in his voice. It surprised him, and he quickly looked away.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you a—”
“No, it’s not you. It pisses me off that she doesn’t want to spend Christmas with me. She chose to work on the twenty-fifth. Told me to come after, if I wanted to visit.” Yeah, if I wanted to visit. Not that she wanted me to come.
He sounded like a whiny little boy, when all he wanted was to get his mom’s mojo back. It just had been a long time since his mom had loved him. When he’d lived at home, she’d taken care of his basic needs, but the days when she’d spent any real time with him…touched him with affection…were long gone.
“It isn’t personal.” Skylar gestured around the bland room. “I think she’s in survival mode. Routine helps her with that.”
She came up close, and his body felt her nearness like a jolt of static electricity. The hairs on his arms stood on end, and a shiver ran down his spine.
“What do you bet she has her frozen dinners stacked according to days of the week, and she’s been waiting to watch her favorite show tonight at eight?” Skylar gave him a reassuring smile. “One thing I can say for sure, I’ve never had a client who didn’t wind up in a better place.”
A moment later, his mom came back with two glasses full of water. She handed one to each of them. “So, if Christmas in Calamity’s so great, what brings you to Vegas?”
He shouldn’t be hurt. He wouldn’t be. Everything Skylar had just said made perfect sense. “I wanted to spend it with you.” Don’t you want to spend it with me?
I’m all you have left.
“That’s sweet. Thank you.” She gestured for them to sit on the couch, the same she’d had his entire life. “So, Skylar, what do you do?” She brought over a dining room chair and sat across from them.
“I’m an image consultant.”
“What’s that, exactly?”
“I know. Weird job, right? Okay, so, for example, when a woman’s graduating college and ready to go on her first set of interviews, she might come to me so we can put together a look. Not just clothes but hair and make-up, too. I have a lot of divorced women looking to reinvent themselves. Some want to start dating but most just want to find out who they are again. Their identities have been lost in their family’s lives.”
“Sounds interesting.” She cut him a look. “You’re not hoping I’ll reinvent myself, are you?”
Yeah, she’d figured it out. “I want you to be happy, Mom. That’s all.”
She turned back to Skylar. “Jackson should’ve checked with me first, before you came all the way out here and missed out on the holidays in your town. I’m not looking to revamp my image. I’m not going to date or change jobs.”
“Mom, it’s not about dating.” I’m sitting on the same couch Zach peed on when we were watching Toy Story. Whatever wa
ve of hope he’d ridden the last twenty-four hours crashed on the shore of reality. Because what Skylar had told him that morning in the diner was true.
His mom wouldn’t change, because she didn’t want to. And there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
Because his family had been irrevocably shattered.
“What is it you want from me, Jackson?”
He was tired of being careful with her. He got up and yanked the pull cord on the blinds. Sunlight streamed in. “I want you to make friends. I want you to date, travel, get out of this condo and have some fun. You’ve worked hard your whole life…I’d like to see you happy.”
“I live in the desert, so the blinds are going to stay closed during the hottest part of the day. And, honestly, Jackson, I’m on my feet and around people all day long, so when I get home all I want to do is eat, read, and sleep. I need the income, so I can support myself into old age. So, there’s not going to be a big social life or travel. I’m sorry my life upsets you, but I’m fine.”
“Why is fine good enough?” And that was it right there. Before he’d met Skylar, he’d been fine, too.
He remembered it so clearly. The minute he’d looked into her eyes he’d felt this pop. It was hard to explain, but it had snapped him wide awake. He could’ve sworn he’d heard a voice in his head that said, That’s her. That’s the one.
From that moment on, fine had not been good enough. “There’s more for you, Mom. There’s better. And you deserve it.” He wasn’t all that great at communicating, but he realized it mattered a whole hell of a lot. “I think...I think Dad stole something from you.”
His mom’s eyes flared with surprise.
“He stole your power. For years, I watched you fight him, demand that he get out of the Army and come home. But he didn’t listen. He didn’t care what you wanted and eventually you gave up.” He sat back down on the edge of the cushion, elbows on his thighs, and looked right into her eyes. “You gave up. I brought Skylar here because I’ve seen her with her clients. I’ve seen her help them get their power back. I’ve seen her client cry because Skylar made her feel so good about herself. I want that for you.”
His mom watched him for a moment, eyes filled with sadness. “You’re right. He did do that.” Defeated, she looked to Skylar. “What do you want me to do?”
“Not a thing. I told Jinx, and I’ll tell you, people come to me because they’re not happy, they need to make some changes. If you don’t want to do that, then let’s just hang out in Vegas. We’re here for five days. Let’s have some fun.”
Jinx dreaded this conversation, but it had to be done.
He got that Lori felt possessive around Skylar—he had no doubt he was shit at disguising his feelings for her. But I could be persuaded to stay was something more.
He glanced at his phone, waiting to hear back from her. This conversation was going to suck. But it couldn’t be helped. He had to do it.
Because being around Skylar did things to him that shouldn’t happen to a man dating another woman.
They’d spent all day and night checking out casinos and walking the strip. They’d visited the aquarium and the fountains at the Bellagio. After dinner and a show, they’d dropped his mom off and come back to the hotel.
And every minute with Skylar had been physically painful. His feelings for her hadn’t gone away. In fact, they’d come roaring back. Neither he nor his mom were big on conversation, and Skylar had known just when to be quiet and when to engage. She’d asked questions and listened to the answers.
A memory slugged him, and he closed his eyes to fully experience it. They’d been walking through the tunnel, when a shark had come right up to the window. Startled, Skylar had taken a step back and fallen right against him. Jesus, she’d smelled so good—something floral and feminine—and he’d felt a pulse of electricity on his skin. Without even thinking, he’d wrapped an arm around her and…he hadn’t let go.
Worse, she hadn’t pushed away.
For one long moment, he’d gotten to know what her body felt like against his—and it had been bliss.
This isn’t good. He couldn’t go back to the torture of wanting a woman he couldn’t have.
Too late. There was just something about her. She made him think about his future in a way he’d never do with Lori.
Well, it made him think about a lot more than his future.
It made him think about sex.
About her walking into his room with sultry eyes that told him exactly what she wanted—and what she wanted was him. Her body hot, pliant. Her arms reaching for him, wrapping around his neck.
About filling his palms with her breasts, pushing them together, feeling the heavy, soft weight. Trapping his cock between their bodies and grinding against her stomach.
Fucking her against the wall in his hotel room.
Pleasure spiraled through his body, leaving him hard and frustrated, with no outlet.
At the restaurant tonight, he’d had to curl his fingers into a fist to keep from grabbing her thigh under the table and sliding his palm up high enough to see if she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Did she want him?
She’d sure as hell been a lot nicer to him.
And, sometimes, he thought she’d looked at him with longing. With…lust.
Or maybe he was making shit up because he wanted her so fucking badly.
He needed to talk to Lori.
He texted for the third time. Need to talk. You around?
She’d always responded to him right away. She liked to text him throughout the day to let him know she’d been thinking about him.
Lori was…she’s amazing. Cheerful.
But she’s not mine.
His phone vibrated. Lori. “Hey.”
“Hey.” She sounded down. A first for her.
“I haven’t heard from you. Everything all right?”
“Not really.” She let out a huff of breath. “I’m being stupid. I keep seeing the pictures Skylar posts on social media, the three of you together, and I’m jealous.”
He’d been careful about that, always putting his mom between them so he wasn’t touching Skylar. He didn’t want to hurt Lori.
But I’m going to.
“I want to be there with you,” she said. “I want to meet your mom and be the one to take her shopping and get her a make-over.”
He figured she wanted him to say she could come with him next time. But he couldn’t give her that. “Lori—”
“I mean, Skylar’s from Calamity, you know? She comes from a small cowboy town. You probably need someone a little more worldly, someone who knows fashion.”
What? That’s not what we’re doing here at all. “It’s not about fashion. I don’t care what clothes my mom wears as long as they’re not the same ones she wore twenty years ago. I want her to try new things, make friends. I want her to feel better about herself.” He paced to the window, pulling aside the curtain. “Walking around Vegas today drove it all home. My mom took us to all the tourist attractions, and when I asked if she knew of any interesting places to go, she said she didn’t. She hasn’t even been to the Hoover Dam. It just reinforced that she hasn’t explored this city at all. She doesn’t leave her damn condo.”
“Well, I’ve been thinking. What if I fly out there for New Year’s? Forget driving Skylar back. We’ll get her a flight, and you and I can have a long weekend in Vegas. I can bring your mom some clothes and jewelry from the city. Can you imagine her face when she opens up presents from Gucci and Burberry? I could get her some scarves, a handbag. Get me her sizes, and I’ll go wild.”
Jinx leaned against the window, looking down at the bright lights and flashing neon signs of the Strip. “No, don’t do that.”
“No, don’t come out there? Or, no, don’t buy her designer things?”
“I don’t want you to come out here.” In the silence, his skin prickled. He hated hurting her. She was a great, positive person. “Lori, I like you a lot. You’r
e fun and smart and beautiful, but we’re not on the same page.”
“Page? What does that even mean? What page am I on?”
“You’re talking about showing my work, and me moving to Manhattan.”
“Well, I mean, we can show your work on the west coast, but I think your best chance for a great launch is in the city. But I was thinking—and I actually brought it up with my parents—what if I started a gallery in Owl Hoot?”
The town, a living museum of the late Eighteen-hundreds gold rush days—had an upscale resort and spa. An art gallery would be a good addition to the lobby’s shopping arcade.
Just…not one run by her. “That’s—no, Lori. I don’t want you to do that.”
“I don’t think you realize how talented you are.”
“I like what I do. I like working in the garage with everybody around me. I like talking to the clients and hearing their stories, and I really like seeing their faces when I bring their stories to life on their bikes.”
“Okay, you can still do that, only it wouldn’t be motorcycles. It would be real art. We could do commissions only, where you’d meet the client, hear their story, and create a piece based on that. How cool would that be?”
“Lori.” He let out a breath. “I’m not moving to New York, and I’m not changing my work.”
“But you’re so talented. You don’t understand how important your work is.”
“But that’s the point. I do understand how important it is. It’s important to everyone who hires me to paint their bikes. Listen, the point isn’t about art or moving. When I said we’re not on the same page, I meant with our relationship. I think you’re a few steps ahead of me.”
She sucked in a breath. “You don’t see a future with me?”
I only see Skylar James. She’s in my blood and my tissue and fibers. “No,” he said quietly. “I don’t.”
“Then what have we been doing?”
“Dating. We’ve known each other two months, and we’ve gone on seven dates.”
“But who’s keeping count, right? Jackson, I’m thirty years old. I’ve had enough boyfriends to know—when I finally meet the right guy—that he’s the one.”