Jackson sighed as he watched Isabel disappear into her house. His chest squeezed as he pulled out of the driveway. The time they’d spent together had him all out of sorts. His heart disagreed with his mind, and he felt as if he were being pulled in two different directions.
And after his mom’s invitation to Isabel, it was clear his trip home was not going to go as planned. He’d hoped to put his feelings for Isabel to rest. To see her happily engaged so that he could finally have some closure.
None of that was happening.
Jackson growled as he pulled to a stop at a red light. Why had he allowed himself to get involved? Why had he allowed Isabel to walk back into his life?
In New York He’d done so well at forgetting the one girl who had stolen his heart. Now it seemed he was a glutton for punishment.
She was engaged, and her father probably still hated him.
Yep, he was a smart one.
Gripping the steering wheel tighter, he pressed on the gas and flew through the green light. He needed to drive. He needed space.
Just as he got onto the highway that ran alongside the ocean, his phone rang.
It was a South Carolina area code, but he didn’t recognize the number. Not sure who it was, he pressed talk and brought the phone to his cheek.
“Hello?”
“Is this Mr. Braxton?” a female voice asked.
“It is.”
“This is Honey Grove Towing. We’ve got an estimate for the repairs. It seems like you need a new ignition, brakes, and tires. The cost is about a thousand dollars.”
Jackson swallowed, thinking about Isabel. She seemed distressed when she had to call in sick to work, and from the look of her house, a grand was not something she had just sitting in the bank.
“I’ll pay for it. Fix whatever you need to so that the car is safe.”
The woman rattled off a few more instructions and said he could pick the car up tomorrow around noon.
Jackson thanked her and then hung up.
The silence was getting to him, so he reached over and flipped on the radio. Familiar cords and melodies filled the air, and Jackson found himself relaxing into his seat. He leaned back, resting his wrist on the steering wheel.
This was what he needed. The expansiveness of the road, not the stifled feeling of the past that smothered him when he was home. Here, he could be free. Here, he wasn’t failing everyone he loved. Here, it didn’t matter if Isabel’s dad thought he wasn’t good enough for his daughter.
Here, he was just himself.
Jackson drove for an hour before he got a text from Josh asking where he was. Realizing that he couldn’t spend his entire time in Honey Grove on the road, he texted that he was on his way and dropped his phone in the passenger seat.
Thirty minutes later, he pulled into the driveway of his childhood home. It was dark out now, the stars above shining through the windshield.
The windows of his parents’ two-story house were lit up, and every so often he saw the shadow of someone walking by a window.
Even though he tried to tell himself that being a lone wolf wasn’t so bad, he missed his family when he was in New York. And if he were honest with himself, he was excited to reconnect with everyone.
Being the youngest Braxton boy did have its drawbacks, though. While Josh, Jonathan, and James shared a strong bond, they had always been too busy to bother with him.
Thank goodness for Jenna, but even then, she’d always had her own thing. Jackson always felt like he’d been the forgotten child.
Jackson pushed those thoughts from his mind as he pulled open the driver’s door. Once his feet landed on the driveway, he made his way up the porch steps to the front door.
He turned the handle, and the door opened, revealing his family.
Some were gathered in the living room, and others could be heard from the kitchen.
“Jackson,” Josh’s familiar voice exclaimed. Before he knew what was going on, Josh’s arms were around him and pulling him into a bear hug.
“Hey, Josh,” Jackson said, thumping Josh’s back.
Jonathan and James came into the room with their arms open. In a matter of seconds, Jackson was sandwiched between his three older brothers.
What had started out as a friendly hug quickly turned into a wrestling match. Determined to finally win, Jackson took on Josh and had him down on the ground in a head lock while Jonathan battled for dominance with James.
“Boys!” Sondra yelled.
Jackson laughed as he let go of Josh, and they all four flopped onto the carpet. Sondra came into view with a very displeased expression.
“If you’re going to act like animals, go outside,” she said, pointing her finger toward the window for emphasis.
Josh stood and reached down, offering his hand to Jackson. “Ah, Ma. It’s all in good fun.”
Jackson chuckled as Josh helped him up, and then he made his way over to Sondra and wrapped her into a hug. A few seconds later, Josh, Jonathan, and James did the same, smashing their mom with a bear hug.
“You’re squishing me!” she exclaimed through her laughter.
“Let your mom go,” Tiffany said as she entered the room. Jonathan obeyed, and shortly after, so did the rest of the Braxton boys.
“Geez, Jonathan. She’s got you whipped already,” Josh said, moving his hand like he was cracking a whip.
“Excuse me?” Beth said as she entered the room. Her hand was on her swollen stomach. Josh and Beth eloped a few months ago and were already expecting a baby.
Jonathan was the only one who wanted a big to-do for his wedding. Which Jackson was thankful for. One trip down was all he could handle.
Jackson laughed, patting his brothers’ shoulders. “Sorry guys, sounds like the only one here who’s not whipped is me.” Jackson plopped down on the couch and brought his feet up onto the coffee table.
“Excuse me?” Sondra asked, reaching over to swat at his feet.
Jackson’s brothers let out a low laugh.
“You just wait,” James said as Layla emerged from the kitchen with a cookie in hand. She made her way over to James, who’d sat on the recliner, and settled down on his lap. James’s hand rested protectively on her stomach, and Jackson couldn’t help but see how happy his brother was.
Whatever Layla was doing for James’s PTSD, it was working. Jackson had never seen his brother so calm and at ease.
“Where’ve you been all day, little brother?” Josh asked as he plopped down next to Jackson.
Jackson glanced over as Isabel rushed into his mind. The thought of her alone in her empty house pulled at his emotions. He hated that she was by herself, and he wondered where her dad had gone and where her fiancé was. If it were him, he’d never leave her alone like that.
He’d done it once. He knew what it was like.
“Hello?” Josh asked, snapping his fingers in front of Jackson’s face.
Jackson blinked a few times, forcing himself back to reality. “Sorry. I, um, was helping out a friend.”
Sondra snorted. “By ‘friend’ he means Isabel Andrews.”
Everyone let out an obnoxious “Ooo.”
Jackson hated how his skin heated. “It wasn’t like that. She needed help, so I helped.”
Dean had wandered into the room, and Jackson shot him a desperate look. “Right, Dean?”
Dean glanced around at them and then back to Jackson. “What are you guys talking about?”
“Jackson’s reunion with Isabel,” Tiffany offered as she settled down in front of Jonathan, draping her arm over his knee.
“His what?” Dean asked, looking completely confused.
“Jackson and Isabel?” Tiffany tried again.
It took a moment before Dean nodded. “Oh, that. Right. Yeah, he was making goo-goo eyes at her the whole time.”
The room erupted in laughter, and Jackson shot Dean a menacing look. “What?” he shouted, probably a bit too loud. The entire room burst out laughing again.
Frustrated, Jackson stood. He was trying to forget Isabel, and having his entire family thinking there was something going on between the two of them wasn’t helping.
“I invited her to dinner tomorrow,” Sondra offered.
Everyone’s eyes were on Jackson. Hoping to play it cool, he shrugged. “I doubt she’ll come.”
“She should,” Tiffany piped up. “She’d been holed up in that house by herself for too long. And her fiancé? He’s gone more than he’s here.”
Jackson glanced at Tiffany. Her statement left him with so many questions. And maybe a tiny bit of hope. Which was ridiculous—Isabel had moved on, and so had he.
“Where’s her dad?” he asked, hoping he came across as nonchalant.
Sondra appeared in front of him. “She didn’t tell you?”
Jackson furrowed his brow. “Tell me what?”
Sondra took a sip of tea from the mug she was holding. “He’s in a home right now. He fell a few months ago and broke his hip. He has Alzheimer's, and Isabel’s been trying to get him home, but she can’t afford the modifications to the house that she needs for him to be able to get around. Let alone the nursing help she’d need when she’s gone at work.”
Jackson furrowed his brow as his mom’s words sunk in.
“Apparently, she wants to stay here with her father, but the fiancé wants to move. Poor Isabel is stuck between the two of them,” Sondra said, taking another sip.
Jackson stood there, trying to process what she’d said. Even though he had choice feelings about Mr. Andrews, he never wanted to see Isabel struggle. It killed him inside that she was hurting.
“Now she’s left to plan her wedding alone,” Layla added. Jackson could feel her stare on him.
He glanced over at Layla and nodded. “Okay.” He wasn’t sure what else he could say.
Isabel wasn’t his anymore. She was marrying another guy. It wasn’t his job to make her happy, even though helping her was all he could think about.
Jackson nodded to his family. “I’m exhausted.”
Sondra studied him for a moment before she nodded. “The apartment above the garage is cleaned and ready. I figured you’d want some space, and Josh is no longer there.” She turned and shot both Beth and Josh a look. They just shrugged.
“I got married, Ma. I live with my wife now.”
Sondra threw up her hands as she passed by. “You both could live there, that’s all I’m saying.”
Josh muttered something, but Jackson and Sondra were already in the kitchen. Sondra just clicked her tongue and made her way over to a kitchen drawer. She rooted around until she pulled out a key.
“Come on, honey,” she said, nodding toward the back door.
Jackson followed his mom. They crossed the driveway and made their way up the stairs to the apartment door. Sondra unlocked it, pushed the door open, and then waved Jackson inside.
She flipped on the kitchen light and turned to study him. After a moment, she reached out and pulled him into a hug. “I’m happy you’re home,” she said.
Jackson patted his mom’s back and nodded. “Me too.”
Sondra pulled back but kept her grip on his shoulders. “I know things went south with you and Isabel, but I really think she could use a friend right now. Promise me you’ll reach out to her?”
Jackson stared at his mom’s earnest eyes. He knew she meant well, but she didn’t know what she was asking of him. Being around Isabel wasn’t smart. Not if he wanted his pathetically glued-together heart to remain intact.
But he nodded. “Of course. I’ll reach out to her tomorrow.”
Sondra smiled and patted his shoulders. “You’re such a sweetie.” Then she sighed as she dropped her arms. “All right. I should go. Have a good night?”
Jackson nodded. “Will do.”
Sondra gave him another smile and then made her way to the door and shut it behind her. Once she was gone, Jackson went to the kitchen sink and turned the water on. He filled up a glass and downed it. Then he set the glass next to the sink.
He drew in his breath as he rested his hands on the countertop and tipped his head forward. His whole body was tense, and he needed to relax.
A commotion at the door drew his attention. Jenna was dragging a suitcase into the apartment. She glared at him as she slammed the door.
“Where have you been?” she demanded.
Jackson held up his hands. “What?”
Jenna growled as she blew her hair from her face. “We were going to do this together. You were supposed to help me with Mom.” She staggered over to the couch and collapsed on it with a huff.
Jackson chuckled as he walked over to her. “Was it that bad?”
Jenna covered her face with her elbow and let out a groan. “She reminded me that my eggs aren’t going to last forever,” she murmured.
Jackson grimaced. That was not what he wanted to think about. His sister’s eggs. “Bleh. Don’t say that.”
Jenna nodded as she slipped her arm down to rest next to her. “Right? You get how wrong that is. But apparently it’s fine for Mom.” She sighed as she stared off into the distance. “I mean, Beth and Layla are pregnant. Who knows how long it will be until Tiffany is having a baby? Do we all need to be pregnant at the same time?”
She groaned as she slumped further down in her seat. Then she glared over at Jackson, who just sat there, not sure what to say. When she didn’t let up, he shrugged. “What?”
“You’re so lucky you’re a boy.”
Jackson dropped his jaw. “Um, then you missed our interaction in the living room. Mom basically told everyone that I’m still in love with Isabel.”
Jenna studied him for a moment. “Are you?”
Jackson groaned as he stood and began to pace. “No,” he said, but even he didn’t think he sounded convincing.
“She’s engaged, you know.”
Jackson shot his sister a glare. “I know. And I don’t care.”
Jenna looked skeptical, but after a few seconds she sighed and rested her head on the back of the couch. “What are we going to do? How are we going to survive an entire weekend with them?” She waved her hand toward the house.
Jackson shoved his hands through his hair and sighed. “I don’t know. Just grin and bear it, I guess.”
Jenna looked over at him. “Promise not to leave me hanging again?”
Jackson chuckled as he made his way over and offered her his hand. “Promise.”
Jenna laughed as he helped hoist her up.
“Come on, let’s go to bed. We need to be fully rested if we are going to survive tomorrow.”
Jenna nodded as she followed after him, dragging her suitcase. Realizing he had no clean clothes to change into, Jackson course-corrected and made his way to the front door. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Jenna furrowed her brow.
“I need to grab my luggage,” Jackson said, waving toward his car.
Jenna nodded. “Right. Yeah, I’ll see you in the morning.”
After a quick wave, Jackson shut the door and headed down the stairs. Once he got to the driveway, he made his way over to his car. After pulling out his luggage, he slammed the trunk shut and sighed.
If what everyone was saying about Isabel was true, he knew what he had to do. Even though it would hurt, she needed him. And despite everything that had happened between them, Isabel was his friend.
Even if his heart still wanted something more.