Avoiding Temptation (Avoiding #3)(17)

“Jack,” she whispered unintentionally, “what is it?”

“You remember that time we went to the beach together?” Jack asked.

Lexi tilted her head to the side and eyed him suspiciously. What did that have to do with anything? And for that matter, how could he think she would forget? That had been the first time they had…been together.

“Of course I do. What about it?”

“I was just remembering how you looked at me that day when you saw me in the sand.” His eyes were distant as he seemed to be recalling the moment.

“You weren’t supposed to be at the beach. You were supposed to be in Savannah,” she reminded him. “I was just surprised.”

“Surprised.” He laughed and shook his head. “You were flat-out shocked and lit into me, like it was all my fault for existing.”

Lexi’s cheeks burned as she recollected the experience. She remembered he had been about to kiss her before Kate and Clark had interrupted them. He had deserved her sharp tongue.

“It had a happy ending, I suppose,” he said with a shrug.

Lexi narrowed her eyes. “Happy ending? Clark conning me into telling him we slept together was a happy ending?”

Jack shook his head like he was breaking out of a trance—as if he had forgotten that was how the story had ended. “Sleeping with you was the happy ending.”

She immediately dropped her gaze to her hands. What the hell was up with him? Recounting old memories and digging up the past—there was no point in any of that anymore.

“What does this have to do with anything, Jack?”

“Nothing.” He shrugged. “It doesn’t have to do with anything, Lex. I don’t even know why I brought it up.”

“Jack, what’s going on? You’re acting really strange,” Lexi said, her gaze returning to his troubled blue eyes.

“Bekah served me divorce papers,” he said flatly.

“What?” Lexi snapped. “What did you say?”

“She served me papers,” he said, his blue eyes showing as much pity and shock as she had ever seen.

“After everything…she’s filing for divorce?” Lexi couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t f**king believe it. Bekah had done everything to keep her and Jack together, and now, she was going to divorce him after only two years. Lexi suddenly felt murderous. How dare she ruin everyone’s life over and over and over again like this!

“I guess, Lexi. I don’t know what to do. That’s why I called you. I never thought this would happen.”

“But did she at least give you a reason?” Lexi demanded.

Jack hung his head and sighed. Her heart went out to him in that moment. He looked so lost and vulnerable. Those weren’t emotions she associated with Jack.

“She thinks I cheated on her.”

Lexi snorted. That was rich!

“I’m serious!” he cried angrily. “Take this seriously.”

“How can I when this is all a sham to begin with? You did cheat on her!”

“Not while we were married!”

“And who’s going to believe you?”

“I was hoping you would.”

“You thought I would believe that about you, Jack? After everything I know about you, you thought I would think you wouldn’t cheat on Bekah? Did you hit your head this morning?” Lexi asked, crossing her arms.

Jack rolled his beautiful blue eyes at Lexi’s dramatic behavior. “I thought I’d proven myself over the past couple of years.”

“You thought wrong. I know who you are, even if you are my friend. Even more so, I’ve known you too long. I’ve been there.”

“But it didn’t happen! You have to convince her—”

“Whoa, there!” Lexi cried, holding her hands up in front of her. “I’m never convincing Bekah of anything ever again.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“I don’t care! I don’t care! Can’t you just deal with this like everyone else?”

“How does everyone else deal with this, Lexi? I’m not everyone else. This isn’t a normal scenario or anything.”

“It never is with you,” Lexi remarked sullenly.

Jack sighed and stormed away from Lexi to the other end of the room. “Can we be serious for one goddamn second? My whole marriage is on the line.”

“You shouldn’t have gotten married in the first place!” she cried angrily.

She hadn’t been able to hold it back. He shouldn’t have gotten married. That was one thing she was damn certain of.

She shook her head, already riled up from the conversation.

“I knew it was a mistake to ask you about this.”

Lexi shrugged. She couldn’t agree more. “I don’t know how you could expect anything else from me.”

“Things are different.”

“You’ve been saying that for a long time.”

“But you know they are.”

Lexi tried not to glance at her left ring finger. She wasn’t ready to tell him about that yet.

“Maybe they are, Jack,” she whispered.

She should tell him! She knew she should tell him.

He walked back across the lounge to Lexi and sat next to her. “I’m sorry I bothered you. You shouldn’t have to deal with this. You have your own life. I know what we are now, but you’re all I have left. I can’t talk to anyone else about something like this. Lex, you’re my best friend,” he whispered huskily.