Page 30 of No Ordinary Love

He had mentioned being in love once. "Still not over her?"

He nodded, a sad smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I amnow. We were together for a few years, and I thought she was the one. But things didn't work out, and I took it hard. Real hard. Ittook me a long time to get over her, and for a while, I thought I never would."

I could hear the pain in his voice, the remnants of an old wound that still hadn't fully healed. "I'm so sorry, Jax."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. She wanted things I couldn't give herthen. A life I wasn't ready for. She ended it, and I spent the next couple of years trying to pretend like I was fine, but I wasn't. I dated other people and tried to move on, but nothing ever stuck. I wasn't ready."

I nodded, understanding all too well. "That's how I feel. I thought I was ready to date again, but the truth is, I'm still hung up on Lucas."

Jax turned to face me, his eyes kind and understanding. "You'll get over it. I did…mostly."

I laughed. "Mostly?"

He shrugged and winked at me. "Yeah. I think when you really fall in love, the years blunt the pain of loss, but it never goes away. My grandma has been gone for a decade, and I still miss her, not with the same intensity as before, but there's a hole in my heart. We humans are resilient, though. We can survive with a hole in our heart."

I leaned into him, and we watched the waves.

"I never thought I could be friends with someone like you."

"What does that mean?" he asked.

I looked up at him, smiling wide. "Someone so full of himself."

"With good reason," Jax countered. "I mean, when you're perfect, it's hard to be humble."

"You're a lot like Lucas," I mused.

Jax nodded. "Yeah. I know."

"When he was with me, he was sweet and loving; affectionate, supportive…except when it came to his family."

"Lucas is a Covington and thinks the family name is important; that following traditions and all that shit matters.See, I gave it all up, and sure, my family is thrilled now that I'm successful, but when I said no thanks to the Caldwell textile empire, my father told me I'd fail, and he wouldn't lift a finger to help me; granddad basically disowned me. Good times."

He said it casually, but I could see that his father and grandfather's defection—not having faith in him and not wanting his happiness—had tainted his feelings for them.

"And now?

"Now, I'm the Caldwell who won the PGA Championship."

I stepped away from him and put a hand on his cheek. "You shouldn't have to win anything to have your family's approval. That should there unconditionally."

He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. It was not sexual but loving, full of affection and gratitude.

"Do you have that?"

I nodded. "My father is amazing. He's going to come here for Thanksgiving. I hope you'll have a chance to meet him. He's pretty impressed I'm now friends with the reigning PGA Champion…though he doesn't see golf as arealsport."

Jax narrowed his eyes teasingly. "We'll have to change his mind."

"My father is as blue-collar as it gets. Only contact sports, according to him, are the real thing." I leaned back into him and turned to face the water. "Thanks for having my back with Shelby and Flynn."

"I know you think I was doing you a favor, but we're friends, and I get as much being with you as you do being with me. No thanks needed, darlin'."

We stood there for a while longer, just watching the waves, the sound of the party a distant hum behind us.

After a while, I told him, "I think I'm going to go to bed. You should stay. Your friends are here."

"You sure?"

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