Page 67 of The Sandover Beach Billionaire

Jackson grinned. “Guilty as charged. Also, for the record, I’m shocked you thought we were together. I would never have done that to you.” His voice softened to hold a tenderness that made Jenna’s heart flip.

“I’m sorry that I even thought it. I should have known. I think after everything that’s happened, I sort of expect to be cheated on or left for someone else. Then Steve said you were looking at houses—”

Jackson held up a hand. “I’m sure he intentionally planted doubt to mess with you and with me. He did see us together looking at houses. Mercer helped me look for the perfect place—for you. When I realized this was the place, she helped me decorate with things we both thought you would like. I had some ideas, but home décor is not my strong suit. I wanted you to walk in the door and feel like you were coming home.”

“That’s exactly how I felt,” she said, her voice sounding breathless. She played with her napkin. “You did all this for me?”

“I did. It’s not nearly enough, but it’s a start.”

Her chest felt like it was going to combust. No one had ever done something so thoughtful for her. Not ever.

Jenna gripped the edge of the wooden table. “Jackson. I can’t do this.” His face fell. Sucking in a breath and trying to gather her own bravery, she reached across the table for his hand. His head jolted up in surprise. “What I mean is that I can’t have this kind of conversation without talking about what happened between us. It’s too weird. I don’t know how you feel, not really, or what you’re thinking. We left things on bad terms and then just …”

“Pretended?” She nodded. He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “I owe you an apology. Several, really. I should have done this weeks ago. You know how I am with apologies. I was … scared.”

Me too, she thought. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from speaking. She wanted him to finish, needing to hear these words.

“I’ve had issues with Steve for a long time, all the way since high school. When you mentioned his name and that he had kissed you …” Jackson’s hand clenched hers almost to the point of being painful. His eyes were focused somewhere in the distance. She squeezed his hand gently. He sighed out a breath and released the death grip. “I just snapped. You made it sound like there was something between the two of you.”

“There wasn’t, but I know how I made it sound. I was overwhelmed and not thinking how the words came out.”

“Mercer explained everything. She said that you didn’t want her to say anything, but I had asked her directly what she knew. Why didn’t you tell me?”

This was the same question that Rachel had asked and that she had asked herself. “I think I was scared too. And hurt. I felt so guilty when I realized Steve and Anna were still together. Even though I didn’t want him to kiss me and I didn’t kiss him back, I felt like the other woman. My husband had so many other women. To be put in that position, willingly or not, felt horrible.”

“And then I attacked you for it.” Jenna couldn’t look at him. He squeezed her hand gently. “Will you take a walk with me, Monroe?”

Jenna nodded. Jackson didn’t let go of her hand as they went down the stairs and to the quiet street. The walk to the beach was pleasant, especially with Jackson squeezing her fingers. There was still much to say, but somehow the quiet between them felt comfortable. He didn’t speak again until they had crossed over the wooden steps to the sand.

They shed their shoes by the steps and walked close to the water’s edge. The night had a bite to it with the breeze. They had been holding hands palm to palm, but as they turned south, he laced his fingers through hers.

Jenna felt his touch from her hands to her hairline, an electric tingle that sent her skin humming.

After a few minutes, Jackson said, “Can we sit? I want to tell you how I feel and I’m not sure I can do it while walking.”

They sat in the sand in the small rise just above the reach of the surf. He looked down at their interlaced fingers as he spoke.

“That day, I lost it. In a way I hadn’t in years. I started driving out to the marina, intending to find Steve. Thankfully Beau saw me driving like a maniac and stopped me. I was so angry that I ended up punching Beau.”

Jenna gasped. “You punched Beau?”

“Not one of my finer moments. Beau engaged me, instigating me on purpose. He thought it would keep me from going to the marina. It did, but it also meant he got a black eye. Not something I’m proud of.”

“He’s a good friend.”

“The best. He knows me well and knows about my anger problem. I’ve seen someone in the past about it and just started again.” Jackson sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. Jenna could sense his shame as it flowed off him in waves. She squeezed his fingers and he continued.

“If Beau hadn’t gotten to me, I don’t know if I could have stopped at one punch with Steve. That doesn’t make what I did okay, but I’m glad Beau did what he did.”

Jenna studied Jackson’s profile. His face looked beautiful in the light from the half-moon. It was hard to imagine him punching anyone, but she could remember the way his face had looked that day, etched with anger.

“I’m sorry that I pulled away from you, Jenna. I was ashamed of what I did and what I said. I kept thinking that you wouldn’t want to be with a guy like me who had an anger problem. Has an anger problem. I’m a broken mess.”

“Jackson—”

He interrupted her, turning to look full at her and cupping her face in his hand. “Jenna, I’m broken. I am. But if you still want me, I’m yours.”

His eyes searched her face, waiting for a response. Jenna wanted nothing more than to close the distance between them and kiss him. But she couldn’t without saying some things first. She didn’t want to leave any doubt in his mind of how she felt.

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