Page 17 of No Ordinary Love

"You're my best friend; I'll always worry about you."

I smiled at him, the warmth of his words a healing thing.

The night air was filled with the sounds of laughter, glasses clinking, and the soft strumming of a guitar someone had picked up in the corner of the garden.

"I know, but not tonight, 'cause Jim brought his guitar. Let's go have fun." I dragged him with me as we joined those who were signingQue Sera, Seraalmost tunelessly, but no one cared.

As the song went, "the future will be what it needs to be." It was very apropos. I didn't know what was to come—but I did know that this was my life and not an episode ofSex and The City. My story was my own, and whatever came next, I needed to be ready to face it…without Mr. Big.

But it was easier said than done because I kept bumping intomyMr. Big almost as often as Carrie did in Manhattan, which was considerably larger than Charleston.

My adopted city's charm was its intimacy, but that also meant there was no escaping the past.

A few days after we sent Basil off, my history came crashing into my present in the most awkward way possible,again.

Jax and I had just walked into The Blind Tiger Pub, which was snuggled in a quiet corner of Broad Street, close to my old townhouse and Basil's home. The bar was a perfect blend of old Charleston charm and modern vibrancy, with exposed brick walls, wooden beams, and a lively atmosphere.

I was looking forward to a relaxed evening with my new friend who I'd just gone house hunting with. We'd found nothing Jax liked, but we'd had a whole hell of a lot of laughs.

I made friends with ease, but the relationships were never deep, except with a select few. Jax had wormed his way into my life in a few weeks. Even Basil liked him, and he didn't like anyone outside of academia because he was an intellectual snob. Jax won him over by discussing how he disliked Kant (who Basil revered), and he liked him for it. Go figure! With Basil away inLos Angeles and Jax off the tour, we were spending a lot of time together.

Our plan was to get a couple of drinks and maybe something light to eat before heading to our respective abodes—his, a hotel suite at Restoration Charleston, and mine, still Basil's guestroom.

But life, it seemed, had other plans.

As soon as we entered the dimly lit bar, the unmistakable sound of Shelby Covington-Bellamy's laugh cut through the noise. My stomach twisted in that familiar, uncomfortable way, and I found Lucas, Kath, Shelby, and Flynn, all seated at a high table right in front of us.

Lucas's eyes met mine first. There was a brief flash of something—surprise…or maybe annoyance—before he quickly masked it. Kath was the next to notice me, her expression neutral, though I didn't miss the slight tightening of her jaw. And then there was Shelby, always ready to turn a casual encounter into an Olympic event of passive aggression.

"Jaxon Caldwell, darlin', where have you been," Shelby called out, her voice dripping with that signature blend of condescension and false warmth that I'd come to expect. She rose and gave him a hug.

Jax grimaced. "Shelby."

He shook hands with Lucas and Flynn; and hugged Kath. He nodded at everyone and then turned to me, "I guess you know everyone here, Amara."

"I do."And I'm hugging none of them and getting their bad juju onto me.

Over the weeks, I'd told Jax all about my relationship with Lucas and the sordid way it ended.

"Amara, what a surprise! I didn't realize you already snagged yourself a new beau. And that too, Jax, no less. Aren't you two quite the pair?" Shelby's eyes were full of malicious curiosity.

I forced a smile, trying to keep my composure. Jax gave a relaxed grin as he slid an arm around my waist, pulling me closer. I could feel the muscles in his arm, strong and reassuring, and for a moment, I was grateful for the show of support—even if it was just that, ashow.

"Amara and I spent the day house hunting." He kissed the side of my head, and I wanted to roll my eyes. He was laying it on thick.

"House hunting? Together?" Shelby all but screeched, her eyes bugging out.

"I'm helping him," I interjected before everyone decided Jax and I were dating.

"You certainly are, darlin', in more ways than one." Jax's voice was warm and full of flirtatious Southern charm. "Figured we'd grab a drink, get something to eat before we continue ournight. We didn't expect to run into such good company, though."

Lucas's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of Jax's arm around me, a trace of something dark passing through his expression. He wasn't the only one who noticed. Jax gave me a subtle squeeze as if to say, "Let's have some fun with the son of a bitch."

Kath offered a polite smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Charleston is small." Her tone was cool. "These things are bound to happen."

Shelby was far from cool. She leaned forward, her eyes glinting with curiosityandjudgment. "Jax, I didn't know you and Amara were so…close. This is new, isn't it?"

Jax didn't miss a beat. "New? I don't know. It's been a minute, hasn't it, darlin'?" He winked at me, his tone smooth as silk. "We met at the Magnolia Ball."

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