I Want You Back (Want You #1)(27)

“Oh. Well that’s a relief.” I felt Nolan studying me. “What?”

“Jax’s change of . . . well, everything, doesn’t surprise you as much as I thought it would.”

I shrugged.

“Come on, Lucy. Did Jax talk to you about any of this?”

“You’d hate that, wouldn’t you? If your hero brother spilled his life plans to his demonized baby mama before confiding in you.”

“Not fair,” he said crossly. “My offers to help you out have always been shot down. But that’s not what I’m talking about. I’d be happy if Jax had talked to you about this.”

“Why?”

“Because at least he was talking to someone. It’s ridiculous that he’s more of an island here than he was all the years he lived in Chicago.”

I exhaled the angry breath I’d been holding in. “I’m sorry. I know you’ve supported Jax no matter what stupid shit he’s done. I know you tried to fix him when no one else was aware he was broken. I know you tried to balance your hero-like worship of him with the harsh realities of what kind of a man he was becoming. I never envied you that, Nolan. And I don’t know if Jax fully realizes everything you’ve done for him. So while you and I haven’t always agreed, I’ve never questioned your loyalty to him and your love for Mimi. I know it hurts you to see him struggle.”

After several long moments, Nolan reached down and briefly squeezed my hand. “That might be one of the best things anyone has ever said to me, Lucy. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Then I bumped him with my shoulder. “It appears you’ll be filling your dad’s shoes after all. Good for you. Nolan Lund, CEO, sounds damn good.”

“Doesn’t it?” He grinned. “It’ll be a while before Archer is ready to retire, and I’ve got a lot to learn before that day finally comes, so I’m in no rush.”

I stayed in the background as each member of the Lund family took their turn talking to Jax. Ash and his sister Dallas spent the least amount of time chatting with him, since I suspected they too knew about this development ahead of time.

Mimi scampered off when Jax’s dad, his uncle Monte and his uncle Ward circled him. A muscle ticked in his jaw, and he’d folded his arms over his chest in a defensive posture, but really . . . what could these men do? Jax had made up his mind. And I, for one, was proud of him.

Brady said, “Game’s about to start.”

Everyone scurried to their seats. Even Mimi crawled onto Grandma Edie’s lap to watch the players’ intro.

Jax looked around until he saw me. He slowly ambled over, keeping his back to the room. When he loomed over me, blocking my view, I didn’t really care. And since no one could see us, I placed my hand on his chest and felt his heart racing. I smiled up at him. “Perfect timing for your little bombshell.”

“It went better than I expected.”

“Really?”

“Fuck, Luce, I had no idea how they’d react.”

“Really? You’re a Lund. Aren’t they obligated to support you no matter what?”

He shook his head. “You remember my cousin Zosia? Her dad was my granddad’s younger brother. He hated my grandpa, hated him to the point he threatened to kill him. Jackson Lund conspired with his other brother, and they cut him out of Lund Industries completely. My great-uncle didn’t marry until way later in life, so our cousins Zosia and Zach are actually my dad and uncles’ first cousins. He left the Twin Cities with an old deed to a fishing fleet and made his living that way. I might’ve been set adrift the same way.”

“Your dad and your uncles aren’t assholes, Jax. And you’re not the only Lund not to go into the family business. Walker didn’t. Dallas hasn’t so far. And Jensen won’t have to make that decision for a while.”

Those beautiful eyes burned into me with an intensity that sent my pulse tripping.

Automatically I attempted to retreat, but Mr. Quick-Handed hooked his fingers into my belt loops, holding me in place. “Not so fast. Drives me crazy that you can say such sweet or thoughtful things to me, about me, and then figure it’s acceptable just to run off.” He tugged me closer. “Not. Happening.”

I froze.

“I miss this,” he said softly. “This ease of talking to you. Of being with you. Not just because you said nice things to me instead of nasty.”

“Jax.”

“Have you ever had anything like this with another man, Lucy? The connection, the passion, the sense that this is what everyone looks for in an intimate relationship?”

When I didn’t answer right away, a spark of fear danced in his eyes, which he replaced with that look of cool indifference that I hated.

That jarred me. Hard. My brain started picking out images of other times I’d seen that look in Jax’s eyes. How hadn’t I noticed that aloofness manifested after he’d opened up and he feared I’d go for the quick kill, the nasty remark, the easy shot at hurting him?

And after his infidelities came to light, I hadn’t had a single conversation with him without pointing it—them—out. Not that any of the blame for his cheating behavior fell on me, but I never, ever, ever let him forget how badly he’d fucked up and that I was the wronged party. Even if our discussion had nothing to do with our conflicted past, I’d find a way—or ten—to remind him that he was a cheating bastard.