I Want You Back (Want You #1)(81)

“Then he told me the real deal breaker for hiring a professional is they believe money is no object and they want no oversight.” I exhaled. “How is that any different than what he’s asking me to do? I have an unlimited budget, which scares me because I’ve never had that as an option. His only criteria? The furniture has to be in stock. Nothing custom made or ordered because he expects his apartment to be move-in ready.”

“That is a bit of a catch-22, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” I took another breath. “I’m here to plead for your help. Not only don’t I have a freakin’ clue what Jax wants in his home, I don’t know why he asked me, instead of you.”

Another tap tap tap of her perfectly manicured fingernails on the desktop as she studied me. “Lucy, hon, you know why he asked you to do this.”

Dammit.

“My concern: Is Jax manipulating you with his sudden ‘decorate my apartment’ scheme? Demanding you choose furnishings you love to make it a home that you’d want to live in with him, when you haven’t given him any sign that’s a possibility?”

It appeared Jax had taken my “don’t broadcast the status change in our relationship” literally, as he hadn’t even told his mother. “Edie, Jax and I are starting over. It’s still new enough we’re taking it a day at a time, keeping two separate places and not upsetting Mimi’s life all at once. We’d prefer to ease her into the change in our relationship because there’s a lot at stake.”

Then Edie did the oddest thing; she squealed happily, hopped up, pulled me out of my chair and into a bear hug that stole my breath. “I’d hoped this would happen for so long.”

“Really?”

“Yes. During his dark days, when even I didn’t like him very much, I’d lost hope. But now . . .” She squeezed me again. “Now my heart is filled with joy at the thought you’ll become the family you were always meant to be.”

Good to know she approved. “I’m relieved you’re happy, Edie.”

“And I’m relieved that my son will be happy again.” She stepped back and gently framed my face in her hands. “He told me that you are the love of his life.”

Lucky thing she held my jaw or it would’ve hit the floor. “Jax told you that? When?”

“He actually told me that twice. Right after we met you for the first time and before he went into rehab, when he talked about how spectacularly he’d fucked up with you.”

Ooh, Edie dropping the f-bomb. “And Mimi?”

“That’s something entirely different for him.” Her eyes shimmered with tears. “I’m grateful that you’ve taken a leap of faith with him and are moving on from the past.” She lowered her hands but kept full eye contact with me. “I know firsthand how hard it is to forgive.”

Wait. Was she telling me that Archer . . . ?

“This isn’t something I ever talk about, because it’s in the past, but I feel it’s important for you to know, even when no one else does. Maybe especially because of that.”

“Jax isn’t aware?”

“That his father cheated on me? No. I’ve never told my sisters-in-law, my parents or my siblings. The only person I told was my best friend, and she passed on about fifteen years ago.”

It was difficult watching her collect herself; this wasn’t an Edie I recognized.

“Anyway, our situation happened early. Archer and I fell in love fast, became engaged quickly, but we hadn’t set a wedding date. He came back from a business trip, acting weird. I jokingly asked if he was acting guilty because he’d cheated on me, not expecting that he’d confess that’s what had happened. He told me it hadn’t meant anything, he was drunk . . . she was drunk . . . he didn’t even remember her name.”

She closed her eyes, took a moment and inhaled before she continued. “I broke it off with him. Once a cheater, always a cheater, right? No redemption, no forgiveness, cut and dried, we’re done, and I’m gone.”

I nodded, forcing my mouth to ignore my brain’s like father, like son comment.

“This happened in the summer. I left the Cities and headed to our family’s cabin near the Canadian border, needing time to sort my life out. I’d been up there three weeks when Archer showed up. He admitted he’d screwed up and after I’d left he finally understood that making excuses for his behavior had made it worse; he should’ve been making amends.

“He loved me, Lucy. I knew that. I loved him too, which is why it was so hard to believe that walking away from each other was the best option after one mistake. I told him he could have me or he could have every other woman in the world. He chose me; he chose us. It took us a few months to get back on track, for me to choose him and most importantly to choose to forgive him. I never told anyone about it, not out of embarrassment, although it was humiliating, but I knew people would think I stayed with him because of his money. Being married to a billionaire buys a lot of forgiveness, you know?” she said sarcastically.

I wondered if people would say the same thing about me when they found out Jax and I had gotten back together. “And you never worried or wondered?”

“That he’d cheat on me again?” She paused. “No, and not because I watched him like a hawk. When I forgave his behavior I had to trust him again. Having my trust meant everything to him. He’s never violated it in the thirty-nine years we’ve been married. I have the best life I could’ve ever hoped for, with a man who loves me with all that he has.” She offered me a wistful smile. “Everyone’s ability to forgive is different. There’s no right or wrong way, so I don’t pass judgment on what works for other couples. I’m telling you how it worked for us.”