Chapter 23

Jackson

I gazed up at the stairs to the second floor, my lower half already twinging from the short walk to the office. Why hadn’t I said anything during our ride yesterday, asked Cooper to stop for five minutes to adjust my bike?

Because he was Cooper, and I was me, and that was how we worked. And now I was paying for it with shooting pain in my legs and…other areas.

But I didn’t have to be brave today. I took a shuffling step toward the elevator.

“Jay! How was the ride?” Tyler bounded up beside me.

“Excellent. Thanks for the tip.”

I’d had to boot him out of my apartment late Sunday morning because of my scheduled ride with Cooper. When I’d told him our plans, Tyler had recommended the bike rental place near the Barton Creek Greenbelt.

He tilted his head toward the stairs. “Going up?”

I glanced at the elevator and sighed. “Yeah.”

My achingly slow pace didn’t escape Tyler’s notice, and by the time we made it to the kitchen, he had the whole story out of me.

While I went for coffee and ibuprofen, he went to the fridge. “Want an ice pack while I’m in here, old man?”

I shot him the finger.

He had the balls to laugh. “Just thought you’d want a faster recovery so you can perform at your best with—morning, Alicia.” He stuck his head back in the refrigerator like he didn’t already have a can of Mountain Dew in his hand.

“Morning, Tyler.” She lowered her eyebrows at him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt y’all.”

My pulse pounded in my ears, and not in a good way. Not like when I’d kissed her the other night. “You didn’t interrupt anything,” I said. I glared at Tyler, daring him to call me “old man” again.

Tyler closed the refrigerator and came to stand next to me at the coffee counter. I repressed a growl. He didn’t drink the stuff. Why was he getting between Alicia and me?

“You’ve got something on your face,” I grumbled.

Blushing, he rubbed his hand over his chin. “Did I get it?”

I squinted. “No.”

Alicia sighed. “Tyler, he’s ribbing you about your beard.”

“That’s a beard?” Kid looked like he had dryer lint stuck to his face.

He went even redder. “It’s a work in progress.”

Alicia mouthed, Role model, behind his back.

Fuck. “Um, looking good.” I scratched my own beard.

“Thanks, man.” Tyler crossed to the center island and lingered in the kitchen like an old-fashioned chaperone, getting himself a napkin and taking his time making his selection from the fruit bowl.

Alicia strode to the coffee station and stood next to me to prepare her morning tea. I inhaled the herbal scent of her hair swinging next to her ear.

“You’re wearing your hair down today,” I murmured. Had I told her I loved it down? Had she done it for me?

She grimaced and drew the curtain of it away from her neck, where a red rash bloomed. Beard burn, she mouthed silently.

“Oh, fuck,” I said loud enough for Tyler to look up from the fruit bowl. “Sorry,” I mumbled.

She flashed me a quick smile. “Worth it,” she whispered.

My chest swelled. Our code review could’ve crashed and burned later that morning, and I’d still have been the happiest guy in Austin. But we had an audience, so, to hide my grin, I looked down at the ibuprofen still in my hand, the orange coating starting to melt onto my skin. I popped the pills into my mouth and washed them down with coffee.

“You’re not hungover, are you?” Alicia asked quietly, still dunking her tea bag.

“No, just a little twinge from a bike ride yesterday.” I wiped my hand on my jeans.

“Are you all right? Do you need ice, or a heating pad?”

Yes, please. Make me lie down on a couch in a dark room, and kiss it better.

Tyler snorted and muttered something about “old bones.”

“No, I’m good.” To prove it, I hobbled across the kitchen and flicked the back of Tyler’s head.

“Ow!” he yelped, feigning injury.

“Jay, what’s going on?” Cooper stood tall and straight in the kitchen doorway.

Fucking perfect, leave it to Cooper to catch me acting like a twelve-year-old. “Nothing. Just bonding with my teammate.” I gripped Tyler around the shoulders and rubbed my knuckles into his hair.

“Let’s try to bond without physical contact.” Cooper’s smile was tight.

Tyler and I both froze. Slowly, I released him. He took a step away and combed his fingers through his hair.

“You okay, Tyler?” Cooper asked.

“’M fine,” he mumbled.

“Good.”

Tyler scurried out of the kitchen. Alicia started to follow him, but Cooper stopped her by saying, “Good morning, Alicia.”

“Morning, Cooper. Did you have a nice flight?”

“I did, thanks.”

Their small talk was making me sweat. Would Cooper see the beard burn on Alicia’s neck and somehow know the beard in question had been mine? Would he pick up on the sexual tension zapping between the two of us? I needed air. And for the three of us never to be in the same room again.

When I calmed my breathing and tuned back into their conversation, Cooper was saying, “Jay and I went for a ride yesterday at Barton-something.”

“Barton Creek. You biked at the greenbelt?”

“We did, though this guy overdid it a little.” Cooper chuckled and gave me a fond smile. “Feeling better today?”

“Much.” My face felt too tight.

Alicia looked between us. “Well, I’m going to check on the rest of the team, make sure we’re ready for the demo.”

“Before you go, Alicia—”

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. Somehow, he’d found out. Who could’ve seen us kissing and reported it to Cooper? Frantically, I cast my mind back on the party.

“—I thought we’d bring in lunch after the review. And I have a surprise for you.”

“For me?” She put a hand on her chest. Maybe her heart was trying to beat its way out, too.

“For you. Better go on, or I’ll be tempted to spoil it.”

With a last, worried glance at me, she hurried out, clutching her tea.

“A surprise? I hope it’s a good one.” Like, not being outed for kissing me.

“She’ll like it. You will, too.”

“Give me a hint.”

“Sorry, Jay. My lips are sealed.”

Why’d he have to mention lips? Now I’d be staring at Alicia’s mouth while she presented the demo.

He closed the distance between us and nudged me with his elbow while he poured a cup of black coffee. “Really, you’re okay?”

No. “Absolutely.”

Alicia

I expected to see the standard selection of sandwiches and a giant bowl of salad arrayed on the credenza near the conference room’s door. What I didn’t expect to see was—

“Jamila!” I squealed and rushed to hug her.

“Hey, girl, how’ve you been?”

I ached to pour out all my troubles and confusion, but a couple of the guys were already in the room, and, besides, what would my mentor think of the mess I’d gotten myself into on my very first gig, one for which she’d recommended me?

“Good,” I said, my voice too high.

She raised a delicately sculpted eyebrow. “Come sit with me.” Grabbing my hand, she led me toward the back of the room, away from the food.

“Cooper tells me you’ve been a rock star.” She crossed one long leg over the other, her champagne-colored skirt rising to her knee.

“The team’s been great. We’ve really come together.” My cheeks went hot when I recalled how Jackson and I had come together at his party.

Jamila’s voice went low and urgent. “Alicia, you have to own your success. No one else will. Say, ‘I’m a rock star.’”

“I’m a rock star,” I parroted.

“She is a rock star.” Jackson’s hand landed half on the back of the chair and half between my shoulder blades. He smiled down at me.

Jamila stood and hugged Jackson. “It’s been a while, Jay. Join us, and we’ll catch up.”

“I’ll get some food first,” he said. “Alicia, would you like this? I grabbed you one of those chicken Caesar wraps you like.”

He’d made me a plate. My favorite sandwich alongside a pile of green salad with balsamic dressing, and he’d even left off the disgusting pasta salad. Parked on the side was a double-chocolate-chip cookie. My eyes prickled, and I blinked, fast.

“Thank you. This is perfect.”

He shot me a grin and sauntered back to the food line.

Jamila raised her eyebrow again. “He fixed you a plate.”

Like me, Jamila had grown up in Austin. She knew our ways. Jackson didn’t, and it didn’t mean anything. Though…maybe it did. Jackson tried so hard to hide it, but I’d seen him reveal how much he cared. Like that green smoothie he’d gotten Cooper the day after the kickoff. Food poisoning aside, he’d bought the guys dinner when they’d worked late. He’d talked to Noah about cars. And now he’d brought me lunch even though I was perfectly capable of getting it myself.

“He—”

She nodded. “You’ve trained your team well. I think you’re doing just fine.”

“Just fine?” Cooper had swept up silently on Jamila’s other side. “She’s doing great. Our code review this morning was impeccable.” He set down his plate.

“Oh, you brought me a plate. How sweet,” Jamila said. “Come back and join us when you’ve got your lunch.”

A micro-frown crossed his face, but he turned and joined Jackson at the food table. Jamila stared at the plate he’d brought, piled high with salad and lacking a cookie. “Northern boys.” She shook her head but picked up the fork and stabbed a bite of salad.

“You’ve known them a long time, haven’t you?” I said.

“Forever. Since our freshman year at Stanford. We were in some of the same classes together. I met Jay first, and he introduced me to Cooper, who was his roommate. I guess I’ve stayed closer to Cooper over the years. He and I come from a similar background. We understand each other. Jay’s a little…different. He doesn’t let many people close. Only Cooper, really.”

A warm glow settled inside me, right next to the chicken Caesar wrap. He’d told me about his ADHD. About his father. I’d become one of his select few friends.

The chair next to me pulled away from the table, and then Jackson sat in it. I didn’t even have to look to know it was him. I could tell from his scent and from the way he took up space behind me. Shit, I was developing Jackson Jones radar.

Cooper sat on Jamila’s other side. “Jamila, you haven’t been trying to pull Synergy trade secrets out of Alicia, have you?” He chuckled at his own joke.

“No, Coop, just checking that you’re taking proper care of my girl.”

“What’s the verdict?”

She smiled at Jackson. “I think you are.”

My heart went straight from a nervous trot to a full-out canter. Did she know him so well she could tell something was going on between Jackson and me? That I’d kissed him the other night?

Jackson’s knee pressed against mine under the table. “Breathe,” he whispered.

I nodded. Drawing in a shaky breath, I held it for a second and let it out.

“So, Jay, did you throw one of your legendary Halloween ragers this year?” Jamila asked.

“Sure did. Though it was pretty low-key. Music, decorations, and beer.”

Cooper said, “Jay told me he invited people from the office. Did you go, Alicia?”

“I—I did.” Shit, had he heard something?

“So you can tell us whether it was legendary or low-key.”

Some of my tension blew out with my breath. “I’m not much of a party person, so I’m not a good judge.”

“I think Jay would consider a party low-key if everyone kept their clothes on,” Jamila said with a smirk.

“Definitely low-key, then.” My voice shook. I’d kept my clothes on—barely.

“That’s too bad,” Jamila said. “Though I’m sorry I missed it. I hope you’ll be back in San Francisco next year so I can go.”

“You won’t have to wait too long for Jay to be back in the Bay Area,” Cooper said. “He’s coming back to headquarters when the project’s buttoned up in a few weeks.”

I shot a glance at Jackson. He’d told me he’d stay in town longer. So was he lying to me or to his best friend?

Jackson slashed a hand through the air. “Coop, let’s—”

“In that case,” Jamila said, “we need to make sure you get the full Austin experience. Ever played Chicken Shit Bingo?”

Jackson wrinkled his nose. “Can’t say I’ve done that yet.”

“What about you, Coop?”

He shook his head. “We’re not talking actual—”

“Tonight. Alicia, you come, too.”

“Tonight?” The evening routine of dinner and homework spun through my head.

Jamila read my mind. “Diane and Esmy can handle it,” she murmured.

But it was Jackson’s hopeful smile that convinced me. “Okay.”

“Chicken shit.” Cooper shook his head. “The things you two get me into.”