Page 106 of The Usual Family Mayhem

Gram rolled her eyes. “You never learn.”

I wanted to shake Harlan until his survival instincts kicked into life. “You are not going to bribe Jackson into living your dream.”

Harlan did a pretty good impression of someone being shocked. “I would never.”

“You run for office. You want this so badly. Go for it.” An obvious solution. He craved the spotlight. Give it to him.

“That’s not how this game is played. Jackson is the one with the opportunity here. He’s young. He has a future.” Harlan shrugged. “There are some issues in my background that could be problematic.”

Talk about an understatement. But he didn’t say no. He wanted this and was settling for living vicariously through Jackson. The women. The whole jackass thing. Yep. Harlan likely commissioned a report on himself and saw the red flags.

Harlan was born for political life, so I kept lobbying. Let’s see how he liked being on the receiving end of the pressure.“You have the connections. You have the drive and the ideas. You want it, so take it.”

“Kasey is right,” Celia said. “You have the right skill set.”

Gram snorted. “Politicians act shitty all the time. You’ll fit right in. The voters will forgive your pontificating and blowhard nonsense if you have a strong family behind you. That last part is up to you to fix.”

“You’re the only Quaid with a political future,” Jackson said. “I’m not entertaining any additional meetings or discussions on this. The topic is closed forever.”

“When are you leaving town?” The heat cooled in Harlan’s voice, but he clearly was not ready to stop viewing me as the enemy.

“As soon as I know everyone I love is okay.” That didn’t include him but for Jackson’s sake I’d try.

“You’ve all made your point.” That fast Harlan’s voice returned to normal. He sounded unruffled and sure like he usually did.

The switch in his mood should have been a good sign but it creeped me out. Who changed their position and body language that quickly?

Harlan nodded as he looked at Jackson. “That maneuvering you did to win over Micah? Impressive.”

Jackson shrugged. “You didn’t give me much choice.”

Harlan hesitated before heading for the door. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

Gram waited until Harlan stepped outside to hug Jackson. “I’ve always said the business needed a lawyer. You’re hired.”

Nice. Maybe too nice. All wrapped up except for one thing. Sure, I should wait until we were alone. Think it through andcome up with a game plan. Sharpen my skills in being tactful. But I’d held the question in as long as possible.

“What was that part Harlan said about love?”

Celia winced and Gram rolled her eyes. I got it. My delivery needed work, but they had to admit I’d showed great restraint in not asking before now.

Jackson wasn’t answering, so I tried again. “Jackson?”

“Simple. I’ve been in love with you for years and you’re the only person who hasn’t noticed.”

Chapter Forty-Nine

The ringing in my ears drowned out everything else. I struggled to focus, stay standing, and hear. Basically, my whole body shut down at Jackson’s comment.

Before I could ask a question or even think of what to ask, Jackson continued. “I’ve worked impossible hours, exercised, dated other women, and nothing. I still thought about you. I still missed you.”

“So, you’re saying...” Nope. The words refused to come together in my head. If he said what I thought he’d said? Couldn’t be. “What are you telling me right now?”

I wasn’t toying with him or trying to make him prove anything. His huge declaration sounded like it matched the decade-long fantasy running through my head. All those dreams I had about him and about us. The one-sided attraction that kicked my butt.

Unrequited love sucked. That’s why his professing big feelings now made zero sense

Jackson looked as confused as he sounded. “Did you really not know how I felt about you?”

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