The corner of his mouth lifted in acknowledgment. He swung Jazi up into his arms. “Hey, jelly bean.” He carried her inside.
She kissed his cheek. And he flushed.
Lexi smiled and headed into the kitchen. “What can I do for you?”
“I’ve been instructed to pick you up.”
She went still. “And do what with me?”
“Take you to Jackson’s. We’re having Thanksgiving dinner at his new place.”
She swung around. “By Jethro?”
“Grace is cooking.”
“You know what I’m asking, Clay.” It would be easy to assume Clay was here at Jethro’s urging. The garbled message could have meant Clay will pick you up. But she wouldn’t be tripped up. This was too important to risk assuming anything. “Was it Jethro who instructed you to pick me up?”
“Everyone agreed. Jazi is family.” He set the little girl on her feet and she ran off to the media room. “You deserve to be with the family for Thanksgiving.”
Leaning back against the counter, arms crossed over her chest, she demanded, “Everyone but Jethro?”
“You are relentless.” He lifted a lid on a steaming pot of carrots.
“I love him, Clay.”
“Then fight for him, Lexi.” He clipped out the demand.
“I want to.” No, that wasn’t right. “I’m going to. But this isn’t the way.”
He propped his hands on his waist. “Why not?”
“Come on.” Needing movement, she grabbed a dish towel and wiped up the water the lid had dripped. “You know how he is about Jazi. He hasn’t stopped any of you from meeting her, but he hasn’t shared her with you either.”
“He’s a private man. But I’ve seen the way he looks at you. And he’s changed these past few weeks, found an inner calmness. It’s good to see him happy. He just needs a nudge.”
A nudge? To get through Jethro’s thick skull she was going to need a wrecking ball by four. But calm was good, happy even better. She soaked in the words of encouragement. All the more reason to stand her ground.
“It’s more than that. He’s very protective of all of you. He doesn’t want anyone to become attached to her, to be hurt when I take her away.”
“You mean he doesn’t want us trying to change his mind.”
“That may be part of it, yes.”
Enough already. Didn’t he know how much she longed to go? To spend time with Jethro and the people he held so dear? The fact that he hadn’t invited her festered like a raw burn. It didn’t help that she knew all the reasons why he hadn’t; she wanted to celebrate with him. But only if he wanted her there.
“I just know surprising him with our appearance isn’t a good idea.”
“Well then, let us have some time with her. Come over for an hour. Jethro isn’t due until one.” He ran a large hand through thick blond hair. “I don’t want to put your relationship at risk, but she’s essentially our niece and we want to get to know her.
“I’m pretty sure that’s what he’s trying to prevent.”
“We’re adults. How much damage can happen in an hour? If Jethro objects, I’ll say I shanghaied you.”
“Mama.” Jazi came running in on bare feet. “More juice.”
While Lexi refilled her sippy cup, Jazi tugged on Clay’s pant leg. “Daddy?”
Clay shot a questioning glance Lexi’s way.
She cringed as she shrugged. “She started in when he left and I can’t get her to go back to his name.”
Clay hunkered down to talk to Jazi. “He’s on his way, jelly bean. He’ll be here soon.”
“Later?”
He swiped her nose. “Yes. Later.”
Jazi looked so sad Lexi sighed and gave in. It felt like they’d been holed up for the last three days, constantly waiting for Jethro’s return. Jazi had been so good, but she could really use the distraction.
“Okay, you win. We’ll go. But only until twelve thirty. I want to be long gone by the time Jethro gets there.”
* * *
Though he argued, Lexi insisted on driving her own car. Really there was no need for him to break up his celebration to take her home. As for her required escort, she’d be following him there and she promised to go straight back to the hotel with no stops and no passing go.
Jackson and Grace Black lived in an extravagant trilevel mansion in the hills of Henderson overlooking Las Vegas. The building had a majestic presence with beautiful stone finishes and white columns. A large palm tree shaded the circular drive.
There were no near neighbors. On the way down in the elevator Clay told her Jackson had bought the ten lots surrounding his to ensure his privacy. The only people he’d consider selling to were his foster brothers.
“Do you think you’ll build here someday?” she asked Clay as they walked to the door.
“Maybe. We used to joke about having a compound. At least here we’d get to spread out. And I can always travel or buy a second home somewhere else if I feel crowded.” He gave a hard knock but didn’t wait for the door to be opened. He walked straight in. “I heard Jethro was looking at plans.”
Lexi had no time to think about the pang his announcement struck in her heart. People came from all directions to welcome her and Jazi. Or so it seemed. There were actually only the four of them. Clay, Jackson, Ryan and Grace, who came forward and wrapped Lexi and Jazi in a warm hug.
“Welcome to our home. I’m so glad you came. And this is our beautiful Jazi. I’m Aunt Grace.”
Jazi peeped up shyly.
“Will you come to me?” Grace held out her arms.
“Grace,” her fiancé admonished her.
“Pooh.” The slim brunette waved him off. “If I only get an hour, I’m making the most of it.”
“Pooh,” Jazi echoed and giggled.
“See—” Grace grinned “—she agrees with me.” She held her arms out to Jazi. “Won’t you come to me? I have treats for you downstairs.”
Suddenly shy, Jazi laid her head on Lexi’s shoulder.
“It’s okay,” she whispered, then loud enough for all to hear, “These are Daddy’s brothers. You know Clay.” She moved so Jazi had a view of Clay, starting with him because she already knew him. “And this is Ryan. Jackson and his fiancée, Grace. Can you say hi?”
“Hi.”
Progress.
Once Lexi finished the intros, she set Jazi on her feet. “Can you take Grace’s hand and we’ll go see what treats she has?”
Grace held out her hand and Jazi took it, earning a bright smile.
“This way,” Grace led them past a lovely cream-and-dove-gray living room and a grand curved staircase to a game room down a short set of stairs. TVs were mounted on every wall. Plenty of large comfortable chairs hugged the walls offering a view of the huge table in the middle of the room currently dressed in the colors of fall and set for a formal dinner.
“Is that a billiard table?”
“It is. I had it custom-made to be converted into a dining table for bigger events. It’s tapered on the sides so people can sit at it. I was hoping you would be staying, so I set us up down here.”
“I’m sorry you went to extra trouble.”
“I’m not. I enjoy a pretty table. And the guys can watch the game.” She continued through the large room to a table on the far side with so many cookies, pastries and candies displayed it looked like a bake sale.
“I hope you don’t mind—” Grace softly touched Lexi’s arm “—but since we missed her birthday and I didn’t have time to get a gift, we all have a little something for her.”
Jackson stepped into the adjacent media room and came back with a plethora of colorful gift bags.
“Goodness.” Lexi was overwhelmed with their generosity. Jazi, she had no
doubt, would love it. “That really wasn’t necessary.”
“We wanted to.” Grace called Jazi over. “She’s a part of Jethro, a part of us.”
Jazi squealed when she saw the packages. She came running and tissue went flying. The first bag, from Clay, contained a colorful book of butterflies. Jazi sat right where she stood and began to flip through the pages.
Lexi glanced at Clay. He beamed and bent to point out Violet the purple butterfly. “Jethro said she liked books.”
“I think this will be a new favorite.” Lexi climbed down on the floor next to Jazi. “This one is from Ryan.”
Jazi dug into the bag and pulled out a toy almost as tall as she was. It was a magnetic drawing set, with a pen attached for drawing. She started to play while Lexi lifted her gaze to Ryan. “Thank you. She’s going to love this.”
Lexi directed Jazi to the next gift. “From Uncle Jackson.”
“Unka Jackson,” Jazi repeated.
“That’s me, kiddo.” Jackson dropped down beside her as she pulled out an eight-inch porcelain cylinder hand painted with pink flowers. Jazi shook it.
“No, sweetie, it’s a kaleidoscope. You look in it.” He took it and put it to his eye to show her how it worked. Then held it to her eye and turned it.
“Ooh.” There was wonder in the childish exclamation. She insisted on showing Lexi.
“It’s beautiful.” Lexi glanced at Jackson over Jazi’s head. “I’ve never seen one with such pretty colors.”
“It’s made with real precious gems.”
“Jackson! She’s two.”
“And it may be the only thing she ever gets from me.”
She had no answer for him, so she carefully wrapped the extravagant gift. “I’ll keep it safe for her.”
“It’s a toy,” he protested. “It’s meant to be played with.”
“We’ll bring it out on special occasions until she gets a little older.”
“This is from me.” Grace joined them on the floor, leaning against Jackson as she held out a small square box gaily wrapped in red, a tiny white bow propped on top.
“More?” Lexi watched Jazi tear into the pretty paper. “What do you say to everyone, Jazi?’
“Thank you.”
The two-year-old showed no delicacy for the packaging and soon held a slim silver bracelet from which five filigreed hearts dangled. Each heart held a gemstone.
“Pity.” Jazi held it right in front of Lexi’s face to show her.
“Very pretty.” And way too expensive. Just another example of these people’s easy wealth. But also of their affection for this child they cared for simply because they loved her father. “Shall we put it on you?”
Jazi held up her wrist. She loved to play dress up. Lexi set the latch and Jazi wiggled her wrist delighted with the flash of the gems.
“They’re our birthstones,” Grace said, “so she’ll always have something to remember us.”
Jazi hopped up and threw herself into Grace’s arms. “Thank you.”
Grace hugged the small body to her, tears shimmering in her eyes. “Please stay.”
Jazi wiggled free and went off to play.
Grace’s comment was both encouraging and heartbreaking. And required a conversation with Jethro before Lexi could commit.
“What’s going on here?” A harsh male voice demanded from across the room.
“Daddy!” Jazi ran to the man standing at the bottom of the stairs. He swept her into his arms and kissed her curls.
A slim blonde, presumably Sierra, slipped past him and moved discreetly aside.
Lexi pushed to her feet along with everyone else. Dread swamped her at the displeasure stamped into his stone-hard features. Betrayal blazed in the gaze he leveled on her. This was why she wanted to be gone before he got here.
Clay stepped in front of her. “We invited them. We wanted to meet Jazi.”
Eyes, sharp as black ice, cut to Clay. “And no one thought to call me? My daughter. My decision.”
“You were in the air.” Lexi slid forward, drawing his attention back to her. She wouldn’t sacrifice his relationship with his brothers because of her decision. “And I wasn’t staying for dinner, just for an hour. They had birthday presents for her.”
“Oh, well then.” Sarcasm dripped from the words. He set Jazi on her feet. “Can you go play with your presents? I need to talk to Lexi.”
“’Kay.” She ran over to Grace and the stack of packages.
“Jethro.” Jackson strolled over and clapped Jethro on the shoulder. “Why don’t you relax? Have a drink and some food. You just had a long flight after a couple of long days of meetings. We can work this out.”
“There’s nothing to work out. I just need to talk to Lexi.”
Jethro grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs, through the foyer and out the front door.
“I can’t believe you went behind my back to bring Jazi here. You knew I didn’t want them involved in this business.”
Business?
Anger came off him in waves, hotter than the desert sun shining down on them. She crossed her arms in front of her, but held her ground. “They weren’t taking no for an answer.”
“They didn’t have to try too hard, did they? You’ve been angling to come here all week.”
“That’s not true.” Her ire jacked up to match his, mixing with the hurt and betrayal she fought to contain. No way was she going to pay for his inability to communicate a simple response. “I’ve been asking what your plans were so I could make mine.”
“You’re not dense. You knew I didn’t want you here.”
“Which is why I gave up asking.” She tried for calm. “I have a whole meal prepared for Jazi and me back at the hotel. Did I want to come spend the day with your friends? Yes. So when Clay came to get us, I may have put up less of a fight than I should have. But only because these people care about you and they think of your daughter as their niece.”
Attempting to breach the gulf between them, she reached out a hand toward him. He jerked away from her touch.
“They want to know her so they can support you.”
“There is no knowing her. Not when she’s leaving.” He slashed a hand toward the house. “These people are my family. I won’t let you take them from me too. Won’t let you destroy my life any more than you already have.”
Every word shattered her heart more until nothing remained but pieces.
Devastated by his rejection, she retreated a step. Hope trickled away.
She closed her eyes, momentarily blocking out the world, but there was no blocking out the pain, no blocking out the sense of loss.
She opened her eyes, focused on the face she loved so dearly, and choked back a sob. He deserved so much more than he allowed himself. He just didn’t know how to open himself to others so he drove them away. As he was driving her away.
“I feel so sorry for you. You’re so worried about protecting your friends you don’t see you’re hurting them.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know they love you. And it’s their right to stand by you and help when you’re suffering. When you refuse their support, you’re telling them they don’t matter.”
“You’re wrong. It’s because they matter too much. I don’t want them to suffer with me. And now they will. You brought Jazi here and now they’ll love her. And they’ll lose her too. That’s on you.”
“Oh, Jethro. You don’t get to choose what people feel. They wanted to know her because she’s a part of you. And even if she’s not with you they can share your memories of her. Show them they matter. Introduce them to your daughter.”
His features hardened to the point of granite. “I no longer have the option, do I? You’ve already done that.”
“I haven’t destroyed your life. You’ll do that all on your own by pushing people away, the people who care about you. You say it’s to protect them, but it’s really to protect yourself. The problem with that is you’ll be the one who loses out and the future is likely to be a very lonely place.”
He cocked an arrogant brow. “I was fine until you came along.”
How sad. He actually believed that.
“You want to know why I came here today? The truth?” Why not go out big? “I came because I hoped it didn’t matter anymore. Fool that I am I fell in love with you. Making love with you was the most incredible thing I’ve ever done. I felt connected in a way I never have with anyone else. And I thought it was the same for you. That maybe we could be a family together, you, Jazi and foolish, foolish me.”
Her throat closed up, cutting off her words. She shook her head, began backing away.
“You want to save them from being hurt? Quit pushing them away.”
Heart rending, she turned her back on him and walked away.
Hard fingers wrapped around her elbow and swung her around. “Where are you going?”
“Anywhere but here. I’m leaving Jazi here. She loves you. If you care for her at all, you need to let her into your life or let us go.”
“You’re in no position to offer an ultimatum.”
“You know me well enough to know I’ll love her and care for her to the best of my ability. Unless you can come up with a new plan, the longer we stay, the harder it’s going to be on her when we leave.”
Yanking her arm from his grasp, she walked away.
Jethro stood in the driveway and watched Lexi storm away, knowing it was just for show. She’d said Clay came for her so she’d ridden here with him, and she didn’t have her purse. No way she’d walk away without it.
Weary beyond belief, he rubbed the back of his neck. The break gave his tired mind time to catch up with the conversation. He needed a moment to breathe, to think. Lack of sleep dragged at him. A pounding headache reminded him he’d only gotten eight hours in three days.
Her statement about letting Jazi into his life confused and angered him. Something she excelled at. She had no business trying to change the terms of their agreement at this stage. From the beginning, she’d made it clear she wanted to take Jazi and leave. He wasn’t invited to join the party. So why should she be surprised that he wanted to keep his family out of it?
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