I Want You Back (Want You #1)(26)
Jax took my elbow and led me to the refreshment table. Before I said anything, he said, “Don’t freak out about this.”
“Why shouldn’t I? I don’t belong here.”
“Yes, you do. Now, what are you hungry for? There’s a full menu as well as a small buffet.”
“The buffet is fine.”
It didn’t escape anyone’s notice that Jax showed me around and damn near doted on me, like I was his girlfriend or something.
Annika was the last Lund to arrive with her hot, Swedish, hockey-playing husband. She immediately went over to her sister-in-law Lennox and put her hands on Lennox’s rounded belly. Working with both of them, I knew they maintained a more formal relationship at the office, so seeing Annika, aka the Iron Princess, being so touchy-feely with Lennox, and baby-talking to her nephew Liam, gave me a deeper sense of being out of place.
“I barely remember when Mimi was that little,” Jax said beside me, his gaze on Walker holding Liam.
“Me either.”
“But not for the same reasons I don’t,” he said softly.
“We can’t change it, Jax, so it serves no purpose to dwell on it.”
He stepped in front of me. “Why are you cutting me slack now, Lucy Q?”
“I’m not. But I’m tired of being angry and hurt about it. I’m tired of my guilt. It’s taxing.”
“Can you stick around after the game so we can talk?”
I shook my head. “Lindsey is coming over for dinner tonight. I haven’t seen her in a month.”
“Ah. Okay. I’ll touch base with you this week and see if we can’t set something up.”
“Jax. What is going on?”
His dad called him away and I didn’t get an answer. I was alone maybe four seconds before Nolan sidled up. “Lucy.”
“Nolan.”
“Mimi seems happy to be here.”
“She’s in heaven. She’ll eat twice her weight in chicken strips and French fries.”
“I’m happy she’s here.” A beat passed. “I’m happy you’re here too.”
I tilted my head to look at Jax’s younger brother. Although he wore the same Lund jersey we all did, it looked better on him. Classier for sure. He’d added a long-sleeved, high-necked white silk undershirt that muted the vivid purple. He’d tucked the bottom of the jersey into his jeans, creating a tighter, leaner look. “Why?”
“Because it makes Jax happy.”
“I feel weird. Selka keeps looking over here like I’m trespassing.”
“Ignore Aunt Selka. She always gets weird when her son Jens plays.”
“And where’s your flavor of the week?”
“I’m done with that.”
I laughed.
“I’m serious. I’ve been so busy, if I have time for a little down-and-dirty action, my partner has to be happy being my flavor of the day.”
“Well, you learned that from the best.”
“Jax? Man. He is not like that anymore.”
Hard not to shrug.
Mimi bounded over.
Then Jax moved to the center of the space and called for everyone’s attention. “Before the game gets started, I have an announcement. After some soul-searching and a lot of sleepless nights, I’ve decided that I’m not a good fit for an executive’s position at Lund Industries, so I’m resigning from the company effective immediately.”
Shocked silence distorted the air.
“I’ve been grateful for these past months, getting to see how this amazing company that you all built works. It’s mind boggling and daunting for a guy like me, who’s spent most of his life on the ice, making decisions on the fly. While I appreciate the tradition and the chance to prove myself, what it’s proven is that I’m underqualified to transition into a leadership position.”
Stunned, I stared at him in silence, as did all the rest of his family members.
“I’ll stay on the board of directors and fulfill my volunteer duties for Lund Cares Community Outreach.”
“What else will you do, son?” his father asked.
“That is a damn good question, Dad. We’re making changes with the bar business I co-own with Simone, so that will take a good chunk of my time. I’m fully invested in raising my daughter, so I don’t know that there will be much time left after that.”
It seemed everyone started talking at once. Mimi leaned back against me and watched with wide eyes.
Not everyone was tossing questions at him. Nolan stayed mum.
“You knew this was coming, didn’t you?” I said to him.
“Yes. And I know he’ll be happier in the long run.”
“Working in a bar?” I said sharply. “Really, Nolan?”
Nolan set his hand on Mimi’s shoulder. “Hey, girlie, I think your daddy could use a hug, so why don’t you scoot over there and offer him one, okay?”
Mimi skipped off without question.
“That was my first thought too, Lucy, believe me. But Ash and I never did squat with the place when Jax entrusted it to us. Last week Jax pointed out it was a hobby for us—which is entirely true. I think his decision to leave LI boils down to his need to restructure every aspect of his life—personally and professionally. Up until now both of those aspects of his life were dictated by the hockey season. One of the first things he said was after the initial renovation is done, he intends to have minimal interaction as an owner. He also reminded us that he hadn’t moved back to the Cities so he could spend his nights in a bar, ignoring his kid.”