Page 36 of Capitally Engaged

“Sounds like someone else has some news they’ve been withholding,” Laurel said, watching her cousin.

“Just another form of stress relief,” Michelle said, typing on her phone. “I downloaded Tinder last night on a whim.” Laurel looked shocked. “I know, I know. Casual hook-ups are totally not my style, but that conversation with my boss really had me questioning a lot about myself last night. I went to delete it just as quickly, but got a message from a guy right away. RidgeMan93. He has lots of tattoos, abs I’d like to eat stuff off, and he’s only in town for the weekend. New city, new me, right?”

Laurel didn’t look so sure, but Caitlin kicked me on her way to tap Laurel’s foot across the table. Laurel seemed to swallow what she was going to say, opting for, “Well, if you do meet up with him, make sure to share your location and keep me posted, okay?”

Michelle nodded. “Of course. He may not even answer. He said he had family stuff to do today and would see if he could get away. Now, back to you, Jax. What are you going to do about it?”

I thought for a moment and then looked over at Laurel. “Is there somewhere near here I could buy a new littlesomethingspecial? I think it’s time to seduce my fiancé.”

Laurel looked thrilled. “I know just the place. Let’s go shopping.”

Chapter

Fifteen

Preston

We made the trek across most of the District to find ourselves at Sequoia in Georgetown, near Duncan’s new apartment. He used to live in Navy Yard, close to where we cleaned up this morning, but sublets the apartment to Charlotte and Hayden now. Something about not wanting to live in your little brother’s sex den, which fair.

“Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m getting a mimosa,” Hayden announced, Hunter quickly following behind. I scanned the drinks menu, not interested in that much sugar or carbonation right now.

“Want to do the scotch tasting they have?” Duncan asked from my left side. “I’m buying.”

I shrugged. “Sounds good to me. And of course you are. I don’t know that any of us have paid for a meal we’ve eaten with you in the last five years.”

Duncan didn’t even have the good graces to look ashamed. Old habits died hard, and providing for his brothers was one of the longest-lasting inclinations for my older brother.

We put in our drink orders with Eduardo, our server. Duncan and I sat facing the Potomac, the sun shining on our faces, taking full advantage of the outdoor seating the restaurant boasted. There weren’t many boats out given the early spring season, but I wondered if we might see the crew team from the university row by. I shuddered, not envying their all-weather training regimen.

“So guys, what’s new?” I asked, ending the lull in conversation as Hayden put down his menu, the last of our group to do so.

“That’s rich coming from the guy who told us about his engagement in a text message,” Hunter snarked.

“Hey now, some of us found out by seeing her in the flesh and having Preston’s boss break the news,” Hayden added.

“Can I at least get a drink before we start in on this?” I groaned, very glad Jax accepted Laurel’s invitation for brunch, so she wasn’t faced with this interrogation. Like magic, Eduardo and a colleague appeared, setting our drinks down with a flourish.

“To pulling teeth,” Duncan toasted, and even I laughed good-naturedly as our glasses clinked together in the center of the table. We all took a sip before Eduardo returned to take our orders.

It seemed all my excuses had run out, so I steeled myself and looked at each of my brothers in turn. “All right, let’s have it.”

Duncan turned to me and started. “You have to understand why we’re concerned. We didn’t even know you were dating someone and then you show up at a work event and you’re engaged? It seems an awful lot like your relationship with Diana.”

I swallowed another sip of my scotch, understanding where he was coming from. “Yeah, well, I never proposed to Diana, did I?”

“Thank fuck for that,” Hunter said. Hayden smacked him upside the head, but added, “He’s not wrong, though.”

“Diana just wanted to be a politician’s wife. She thought it would be all glamour and parties and inside favors. She didn’t care about me or the issues I cared about. Jax isn’t like that.”

“You see that now,” Hayden said seriously. “But you were blinded by love, lust, beauty, and whatever it was that made you turn a blind eye to Diana’s true nature. If Duncan hadn’t uncovered her plan to announce you were running for the House...”

I grimaced. My intentions to get a job and work for a congressperson before running for office hadn’t sat well with Diana. She thought if she leaked to the press my plans to run, I’d have to go through with it, and would need her by my side as the doting partner.

“Okay, yes, my judge of character may not have been the best. But I’m older and wiser now,” I protested.

“You also haven’t dated anyone at all since then,” Duncan said, raising his eyebrow.

“That’s also true, but that’s because I’ve been so wary. Doesn’t the fact that I let Jax in count for anything?” I realized I was arguing about a fake relationship, but the truth in my words struck me. From the moment I rescued Jax on the visitors center floor, something drew me to her. I couldn’t tell her no when she asked me to dinner, and I hadn’t wanted to tell her no when she presented me with her plan. Something about her seeped through my barriers and made me want to let her into my life, even in this unconventional way.

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