Page 19 of No Ordinary Love

"Nothing like a small town masquerading like a big city to keep life interesting." I kept my voice flat, not bothering to hide the edge in my words.

Amara's eyes met mine just for a second before she turned back to Jax. She didn't show her feelings. She was skilled at keeping her emotions in check, never letting anyone see how much things truly bothered her. It used to drive me crazy how calm she could be, how she'd let me spiral and rant while she justsat there, waiting for me to come back down. Now, watching her do it with Jax, I hated how much it reminded me of what I'd lost.

Flynn, who could never let an opportunity to be an asshole slip by, leaned forward, his gaze sliding over Amara in a way that made my fists clench under the table. "Amara, how did you snag our man here?" His tone was too friendly, too interested, too insulting.

"Rena introduced us," Amara threw at him.

"Rena Covington?" Flynn was shocked.

"Is there any other Rena you know?" Jax taunted as he took Amara's hand in his and kissed her knuckles. "At the Magnolia Ball. Best evening of my life."

Son of a bitch!

She'd moved on. I thought I'd wanted this, her to be happy, but I hadn't expected it to hurt quite so much. Was she fucking him? I couldn't get intimate with Kath, and Amara was sleeping with Jax. Didn't she know he was a complete man whore?

"I can't believe it," Flynn sounded incredulous. "I…I thought Rena was team Kath all the way."

"What the hell does that mean?" Jax growled.

"Flynn," I warned, but he just grinned, that slick, obnoxious smirk that always made me want to rearrange his face. He'd been like this ever since we were kids—solicitous, but in a way that made you feel like you needed to wash your hands after shaking his.

Amara didn't flinch, didn't even blink. "What do you mean, Team Kath?" she asked smoothly, taking a sip of her drink.

Before Flynn could speak, his wife stepped in, preventing him from further shoving his foot in his mouth. "Jax, Mama mentioned that you're interested in myEat Rightcharity."

It wasn'thercharity, but Shelby liked to pretend. It was actually run by some very hardworking and genuinelycaring people who were funded by Covington money, which I controlled. Shelby was a figurehead in the truest sense.

"I hear they're doing good work." Jax picked up his wine and toasted. "To friends, old and new."

He looked at Amara intently when he saidnew. She blushed, and I wanted to kill someone.

"Amara," Flynn slurred, "I met a couple of students of yours. They think you're hot as fuck. How do you get them to learn anything in the class when they're watching you?"

"Man, do you not have a filter?" Jax muttered.

Flynn sneered. "Why are you getting so defensive? I'm just sayin'…."

Before I could just knock him out senselessly, Amara spoke calmly and politely, using her professor-to-student tone.

"My students do just fine. But if you're curious, Flynn, you should enroll in one of my classes. Maybe I could teach you a thing or two."

The table went quiet for a beat, the tension stretching thin. Then Jax laughed, a deep, genuine sound that somehow made the whole situation feel even more surreal. "I think that's a challenge you might want to take, Flynn." His eyes glinted with amusement and pride for how Amara was deftly handling my seriously emotionally damaged brother-in-law. "You could use the education."

Flynn's smile faltered, but he recovered quickly, raising his glass in a mock salute. "I'll keep that in mind."

Shelby, sensing the shift, jumped back in, trying to steer the conversation away from dangerous waters though she'd started this whole thing by being a bitch and throwing down the gauntlet, goading Amara. "Jax, I hear you're going to be doing the charity golf circuit before the season starts."

Jax shrugged, clearly comfortable with the attention. I zoned him out as he talked about golf. I didn't miss the way hishand moved subtly to rest on the back of Amara's neck, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin. It was a small gesture, probably one that someone else wouldn't notice. But I did. And it took everything in me not to react, not to let the frustration and anger bubbling inside spill over.

I had no right to feel this way. I had told Amara I didn't love her. I had chosen Kath. And yet, watching Jax with her made me feel like I was the one who had been left behind.

Kath shifted beside me, clearly feeling the distance growing between us. Her hand found mine under the table, squeezing it tightly, a silent plea to stay with her, to not let my mind drift back to the woman across from us. I squeezed back because what else could I do? But my heart wasn't in it.

"I'm going to get another drink." I suddenly and desperately needed an excuse to get away, if only for a moment. "Anyone need anything?"

"No, we're good," Jax replied, his eyes meeting mine with a calm confidence that only made my jealousy flare hotter.

I stood, feeling Kath's gaze on my back as I walked away. The bar was crowded, full of noise and life, but all I could think about was the table I'd left behind—and the woman sitting at it with another man. The woman I hadn't been able to stop thinking about, no matter how hard I tried.

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