Page 83 of Fake Dating Daxton Hawk
“To find Jordan and do the right thing.”
“I’m proud of you, Daxton. And I love you.”
Hearing those words from my mother gives me strength, and for the first time in years, it gives me closure to say it back to her. “I love you too, Mom.”
ChapterForty-Two
Jordan
After an hour of touring the vineyard and not once being able to get Daxton off my mind, I decide to return to the restaurant and be with him. To hold his hand. To see his face and hear his voice. To tell him that we need to fix our issues because we’re too good together to let everything fall apart like this. I don’t let Amabella know I’m leaving the tour because honestly, I think I might cry, and I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of her and Josh. They’re busy talking to a few other guests, so it’s easy enough to slip away without being noticed.
Within a few minutes of walking through the vineyard and getting my emotions in check, I arrive back at the restaurant in search for Daxton. The venue is still crowded with guests on the dance floor and many more scattered around the tables, chatting with each other, but I can’t find Daxton anywhere. Shirley remains at the same table I left her at, so I take a seat beside her, hoping Daxton isn’t far off.
“Your vineyard is so beautiful,” I tell her.
“Thank you, darling. Daxton was looking for you. Did he speak with you?”
“No. Do you know where he is?”
“This place is so big. He could be anywhere.”
I take out my phone to call him, finding zero bars of reception. “No signal.” I’ve had no cell signal for almost an entire day and I’m going out of my mind unable to use the internet.
“Oh well. Best stay here. I’m sure he’ll be back soon enough.” She tops up her wine glass then holds the bottle out, showing me its label. “This is a special bottle. It was gifted to me on the day Brad was born. I kept the bottle all these years, saving it for the day Brad got married. I have a bottle from Daxton’s birth too, but I don’t know if I’ll be around long enough to open it.”
Well, that’s depressing.
“Would you like a glass? Oh, shivers. I’m sorry. I forgot Daxton mentioned you don’t drink. All the more for me, then.” She brings the glass to her lips and smiles at me. It’s the smile of a loving mother and the way they look at their child. A smile I can’t remember ever receiving from my parents. “I need to thank you for making my son so happy. You’ve healed him and I will be forever grateful.”
“Healed? What do you mean?”
“From Brad and Felicity. The only way he was able to attend the wedding was because you’ve helped him move on.”
Right. He’s healed from the way Brad betrayed him, which is still a mystery to me. I sigh, feeling a sting of sadness return. “Daxton doesn’t talk about Brad and Felicity a lot,” I tell Shirley.
“I don’t blame him. Daxton loved Felicity dearly. It was hard for him, discovering his fiancée and brother were involved.”
Um…what?
Daxton was… engaged to…Felicity?
Heat creeps up my neck, prickling my skin. My mind struggles to comprehend the information. Did I even hear Shirley right? Yes, she said Daxton and Felicity were engaged. But… what the hell?
A sense of possessiveness washes over me. My chest hurts. No, itburns, hearing that Daxton had such a serious relationship with another woman and I knew nothing about it. It’s belittling and… embarrassing.
All the puzzle pieces suddenly click into place and I realizethisis what Daxton couldn’t tell me about his family, and why he said this weekend isn’t the right time to discuss the topic. Butwhyhe felt he couldn’t tell me? I have no idea. I could have handled this information just fine, hearing it fromhim.
Does he…stilllove Felicity?
Every muscle in my body tenses and I feel sick in my stomach.
“And then, of course, I never made things easy for Daxton by supporting Brad and Felicity’s relationship,” Shirley says. My attention switches to her, and from the peaceful look on her face as she sips her wine and watches guests dance, I realize she’s oblivious to the impact her words have on me. “I know what you must be thinking, how could I support Brad and Felicity? Well, I didn’t at first. I was there for Daxton when the betrayal happened. I wasn’t proud of my other son. But once Brad proposed to Felicity, I realized their relationship wasn’t just a fling. They were serious about each other and I had to accept it. Daxton wasn’t pleased about my stance, and that’s when I lost him. But you’ve brought him back to me. Finally, I have my precious Steel back.”
My eyebrows draw together. I blink several times in confusion, trying to process that last bit of her story.
Steel.
Did Shirley just refer to Daxton as… Steel?
