Page 23 of New Year's Renovations

I’m pretty sure my jaw dropped, I was so stunned by this information. Why hadn’t Jackson told me this when he heard the news about Channel 5 asking me back? Did he not want me to stay?

“Harper? Thatisgood news, right?” Logan tilted his head to the side, his brow furrowed.

“Uh, yeah. Great news. But I don’t understand. When did all this happen? Because Jackson and I kind of just broke up over my job search. And he didn’t try to stop me from leaving.”

“What?”

“Channel 5 called and offered me my job back. Jackson overheard and told me to take it. So if he wanted me to stay, why didn’t he tell me about this?”

“Huh. That doesn’t make any sense.”

I thought back to my conversation with Clark. What had Jackson heard, exactly? Did he think I was going back toClark? Is that why he got so angry?

“Sorry, Logan, but I’ve gotta run. See you!” I waved to him and ran out of the coffee shop without even getting my latte.

On my way back to the car, I called my mom. More confused than ever, I wasn’t sure if I was coming or going. I needed advice and she always had plenty to go around.

“Hi, honey! How’s Starlight Bay? How’s the reno going?”

“Not great, actually.” I sighed hard into the phone.

“Oh, dear. Sounds like a man problem. What happened?”

God, she always knew.

“It’s Jackson. The contractor, remember?”

I heard the rustle of her hair against the phone as she nodded. “Yes.”

“We kind of have—had—a thing. Well, more than a thing, we were dating. But then Clark called and offered me my job back at Channel 5 and Jackson got all pissed off and told me to take it.”

“Whoa, slow down, honey. Why would he do that if y’all were dating?”

“See, that’s why I’m confused. I might have said something to the effect of there was nothing for me in Starlight Bay. But I meant job-wise, nothim.”

My mom sighed. “Asked and answered, Harps. You hurt his feelings, plain and simple.”

“You think?” I asked, biting my lip and thrumming on the steering wheel.

“I’m 99.9% sure. And didn’t you tell me he had a lot of recent losses? And now you’re going to leave him, too? It’s the old band-aid adage: rip it off fast so the pain is quick. He doesn’t want to drag it out.”

I sighed, resting my head on the steering wheel. “What should I do, Mom?”

“Do you want to go back to Channel 5, Harper?”

“Not really. Clark’s an asshole and I don’t want to look at his smug face every day.”

“And Jackson?”

“I think I love him.” I clapped my hand over my mouth in surprise, even though I was alone in my car.

OMG. I was in love with Jackson Montgomery.

“Thanks, Mom. Gotta go.”

“Love you, honey. Good luck!”

She disconnected and I fired up my car, heading back to Bramblehill House and hopefully Jackson.

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