Page 14 of Second Chance for Mr. Alden

I frowned. A pang of jealousy hit me. She never smiled that way at me, and I wished she would.

“Oh, Lexi, I’m so happy to see you!” She wrapped her arms around my sister.

“I’ve missed you,” Lexi said, her head now resting on Jess’s shoulder.

“Oh stop you goose. I saw you last month in your shop. And by the way, your dresses looked stunning on Lily. Don’t be surprised if she asks you to make a wedding dress soon. I can’t imagine Jax waiting long to ask. I think he’s afraid someone else will scoop her up.”

Lexi giggled. “She’s really sweet.”

“She is. Much too sweet for grumpy old Jax.” Jess smiled again to take the sting out of her words. “They are so fucking adorable together.”

Lexi looked at the table and the fabric Jess had been holding on to. “Oh Jess, that’s beautiful.” She moved out of Jess’s arms and ran her fingertips along the aqua blue shimmering fabric with hints of pink.

Jess’s eyes lit up, and she smiled at the vendor. “It really is.”

Lexi pursed her lips in thought. “This would be perfect with that other fabric you showed me at your grandparents’ textile factory.”

Jess nodded. “I was thinking that too.”

“Do you think you could convince them to carry it?”

“You know me. I typically get what I want.” Jess smirked.

I started to smile at the back and forth between my sister and Jess until Lexi’s words sunk in. I grabbed Jess’s arm and spun her to face me. “When did you sneak off with Lexi?”

A guilty expression crossed her face so fast I almost missed it. “It’s none of your business.”

“Everything about you is my business,” I responded.

She flinched at my steely tone.

My chest heaved. What the hell was she thinking? It was bad enough she put herself in danger, but Lexi too? “What do you not understand about this arrangement?” Ice dripped off each of my words.

Jess’s mouth thinned. “I don’t need to explain myself to you.”

I leaned in closer to her. “If you have no regard for your own safety, you damn well better start thinking of my sister’s. Don’t you ever put her in danger like that again.”

Lexi tugged on my arm. “No, Jamie. It wasn’t like that.”

I shook her off.

“Did you take my sister with you on a factory tour?”

Jess gave me a sharp nod.

“By yourselves?”

She nodded again.

“Will you ever do it again?”

She rolled her eyes. “Fuck off, Alden.” Jess didn’t lie to me. If she didn’t answer or promise something, it was because she knew she might do it.

“Jess,” I gritted my teeth. I was losing my patience and my sanity. There was no way I could protect the two of them if Jess was going to continue to be so careless.

“Fine. I won’t bring Lexi anywhere without your permission.” Her shoulders sagged a tiny bit. Another thing someone else might not have noticed, but I did. I saw everything she did.

“Jamie,” Lexi tried again, her voice firmer this time.

---