Page 47 of Finding Hope

“Of course!” He grins. “You were the catalyst to a lot of change.Andthe funniest person we’ve known in a long time.”

“Jim,” Jack grumbles. “Stop.”

“So…” I clear my throat. “What are you all celebrating?”

“Nothing,” Jack answers dismissively. The light and humor that was in his eyes minutes ago vanishes. Now, it’s like I’m looking at the Jack I knew two months ago.

I don’t like it.

“Jack’s back on the fighting circuit,” Bobby answers proudly. “He stopped for a bit, but he’s back. Had his first fight today. Kicked ass.”

Wide eyed, I shoot my gaze back to Jack’s face and desperately search for injuries. “You fight?”

“Yeah, he fights,” Jon scoffs. “Surprised he didn’t tell you that already. Wasn’t so long ago he was the cocky kid who’d tell everyone about hisalmostundefeated reign.”

“Jon. Quit it.”

“Did you win?”

Meeting my eyes, the anger in Jack’s chips away. “Yeah, I won.”

Nerves flutter in my belly. The fight has already ended. He’s okay, he’s right here in front of me, and yet, thinking of him fighting makes me nervous. “I’m glad you’re not hurt.”

“Pfft,” Jim scoffs. “Jack doesn’t get hurt in the octagon.”

“Alright,” Jack announces sharply. “Thanks for coming over, Britt.” Turning his back on his family, he shuffles Brad and me across the restaurant and away from the crowded table and doesn’t stop again until we’re standing by the booth I started in tonight.

Glancing at Brad for the briefest second, Jack shrugs, daringly leans forward, and presses a kiss to the corner of my lips.

Damn you, fizzing toes!

“It was so good to see you, Bambie. I mean that.” Glancing at Brad one final time, he steps back. “And that other thing I said. I meant that, too.”

He’s sorry.

I nod in stunned silence. Watching him turn on his heel and walk away, Brad’s painful grip barely registers in my mind as my lips tingle and my brows furrow.

He’s intriguing.

And he’s sorry.

13

JACK

FINDING PEACE

“You should kick that guy’s ass and bring her back here,” Jon grunts across the table. “Did you see the way he was all caveman over her.”

“Oh please,” Tink scoffs. “Like you aren’t a caveman most of the time.”

“No, that’s different,” he argues. “She didn’t like it. I could tell.”

I toss my napkin down onto my plate and sit back. “She’s on a date with the dude. Leave her be.”

“But she was yours first,” Jimmy whines. “And she’s funny.”

“And pretty,” Iz supplies.

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