Page 31 of For the Promise

“Jaxon’s a nerd, not a geek,” I mutter.

She ignores me. “Nonetheless, you are attending a wedding atHideaway Haven Resortthis weekend with Jaxon?”

I blow out a breath. “Yes, I am.”

“But you were done chasing Jaxon,” Dakota says.

I waggle my eyebrows at her. “Maybe he chased me.”

“It’s true.” Paisley nods. “Jaxon did chase you out of the restaurant.”

Dakota narrows her eyes on me. “There’s more to this story.”

“Fine.” I huff. “The groom is my ex, who cheated on me and Jaxon agreed to help me show him I leveled up.”

All true. Not the entire truth, but true.

Dakota throws her hands in the air. “Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”

I roll my eyes. “The same way you told us about your dead husband.”

Her shoulders hunch. “Oh, yeah.”

“Now.” I shove her toward the basketball shootout game. “It’s time for me to win my bet with Paisley.”

“You can try,” Paisley sings.

We pay and line up at three hoops games next to each other.

“Ready, set, go,” I shout and grab my first basketball. I don’t pay attention to Dakota or Paisley as I sink ball after ball into the hoop. Dakota isn’t a threat anyway. And what Paisley doesn’t know is, I played on the basketball team in high school. I got this.

“Ow! My nose!” Someone shouts and I glance over my shoulder.

A man is standing with a hand covering his nose while blood pours down his face. Dakota rushes to him with Paisley and me hot on her heels.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. The basketball slipped out of my hands.” Dakota reaches for him but he steps back.

“There’s a first aid station a block away next toThe Salty Siren.”Paisley points toward the red cross sign.

He hurries off. “I’m sorry!” Dakota shouts after him.

“I have to admire your aim,” Paisley tells her.

Dakota’s eyes widen. “What?”

“Whether you use a dart or a basketball, you go straight for the nose.” Paisley laughs and I join her.

Dakota and Paisley came to my apartment to snoop into my love life. What they don’t realize is, they offered me a reprieve from all the questions swirling around in my mind.

Does Jaxon want me? Or is he just being nice?

Does Alan believe I’m married? Will he drop the lawsuit now?

Spending the weekend with the man I want, who obviously doesn’t want me, is going to be difficult. But if the result is Alan dropping the lawsuit, it’ll be worth all the sexual frustration.

Chapter 11

“Maybe having brothers isn’t such a bad thing after all.” ~ Jaxon

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