Chapter Thirty-Two.

You can bulls.h.i.t the rest of the world, but there isn't any B or S in family. Jason had used that phrase frequently when they were teenagers as a reminder he was always one step behind her, or ahead, depending on the issue. Why was she surprised when her brother walked in the shop door on a Tuesday morning?

"I thought you said you were too busy to drive all the way into the city," she admonished when he approached her side.

He scratched the scruffy facial hair lining his chin. "I am, but you're making quite a commotion on the Internet and I wanted to see for myself." He darted a glance around the crowded shop. Abby was thankful Caroline's marketing gimmicks had created a steady flow of customers. "I thought I'd warn you the rest of our clan is coming this weekend. They wanted to surprise you, and I know how you hate family surprises."

Great. Just what she needed-more lectures from her parents. "c.r.a.p, why?"

He tapped a finger against his chin. "Hmmm, I don't know ... maybe because you haven't answered your phone in weeks?" He came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder, rubbing the knot she hadn't noticed. "Everything okay, Abs? Everybody's a little worried. I'm worried."

"Don't be. I'm fine. Just busy. The shop's open every day, so I don't have a lot of spare time. Besides, the last thing I want is another 'why would you want to do that' lecture from Dad. Or a 'you know it would be easier if you just let me fix you up with Scott Crankston' from Mom. Between the two of them, one would think I don't have enough brain cells to take care of myself or find my own social life." Which was true, though she'd not admit any such comment.

He snickered, but the look on his face was agreement mixed with amus.e.m.e.nt. Still, he apparently knew not to poke the bear. "Have you been following the Astros this year?"

They spent the next half hour chitchatting between customers as he followed her around the shop. When a lull in business quieted the room, Jason suggested they meet for lunch and left. Why had he driven so far just to check on her?

They met for lunch at the nearby cafe.

"So, what gives? I know you didn't just happen my way. Something's up."

Jason glanced toward the door, a dead give-away she'd delved into deep water. He shrugged. "Nothing. Just wanted to stop in and see how the new business is doing. And tell you I'm proud of you."

Huh, what? She gulped. Proud of her? No one in her family had ever said that. Was he sick or did he need something? "Need I repeat myself? What gives?"

He grinned. "Honestly? A friend of yours made it very clear we've been less than supportive of you on something that's real important to you. Come on, don't say you haven't seen it."

"Seen what?"

"Your blog. You've got quite a following."

"Do I look like I have time for blogging and social media? Besides, whatever is there was put up by Caroline for advertising purposes. It's worked well, so I've left it to her literary skills since she's the one with the background in that. Are you telling me she's posting my personal business there too? I've had enough miscommunication via electronics for one lifetime. Don't need any more."

"She's good. And judging by the number of people that came through the shop today, effective. Listen, remember when we went over to Europe and Dad nearly panicked when he couldn't get in touch?"

"I didn't know he panicked, but I do remember about ten different missed calls in two hours while we were on the bicycle trip in the vineyards. It was one of the greatest experiences ever. Why?"

"Well, he called me at least twenty times. Then he left a message at the hotel desk and when I called, he screamed. I mean like never before. I heard words I didn't know he could even say ... or knew. Bottom line, he was worried sick I'd led you down a path of danger and destruction. That I'd corrupted you. He was about five minutes away from jumping a plane when I called him back. He worries about you, Abs."

"All parents worry about their kids. That's normal."

"There's nothing normal about us. You know that. I mean, look at Jerrick. He's living on some farm in Montana and looks like a frickin' mountain man."

"He's developing a new strain of hybrid wheat to feed three times what a normal crop will. He's a genius."

"He's a hippie. And a genius. And me, I don't exactly fit the mold of perfect kid."

"You're kidding, right? The best tight end in the state as a junior. College football star. You graduated in four years with honors and have a job with the company making three times my annual budget for this shop. How much more perfect do you want to be? I used to roll my eyes when I followed you around Europe and the French girls trailed after your a.s.s." She feigned an accent. "Oh, Jason, you have the s.e.xiest voice. Your hair is so-soft." She reached up and thrust her fingers through his curls with no attempt at gentleness. Okay, maybe they were a little kinder. "I wasn't sure if you were traveling across Europe or s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g across it."

He grinned. "It was kinda fun, wasn't it? Still, you were the one they worried about the most. You always took on more than you could handle and expected too much. You never said a word about it when things got hard and we all wondered when you'd crack."

"That's ridiculous. No one even noticed what I did. Mom and Dad never had a kind word of support in anything. I doubt they even ... "

"Knew or cared? h.e.l.l, you should have heard the phone call from Dad then. If you ever thought they didn't care, that would have cleared it up permanently."

"I'm in the middle. No one notices or fawns over the middle kid. They're not the first or the last."

"Which is why they're usually the sanest."

"Not really."

"Look. I know we don't say the things you want to hear much-"

"Like never."

He reached out and squeezed her arm. "But everyone cares. You know that, right?"

She let a couple seconds tick away as she let his words sink in. Sure they did. They were family. Still, they could have been a tiny bit supportive once in a while. "You know, I remember going to one of your games and sitting behind the cheerleaders. Dad came up to the gate as the team ran on the field as he always did. You stopped long enough for him to give you a huge hug and tell you he was proud of you ... and to kick some a.s.s."

"He did that every game."

Abby blinked back the sting in her eyes. "That's my point. Not once did I ever get that. Not once."

Jason brought the other arm up and wrapped her in a hug. "You didn't play football. He had no idea how to relate."

"He should have tried."

Jason dropped his arms and pulled back. "Think back. He said it in a different way. You never let him close enough to talk like he did with me. He was different with each of us. It took me a long time to understand it. Abby, you're the only one of us that can stand completely on your own two feet. No one has to tell you how proud we are because the only one you seem to have trouble pleasing is you, sis."

"That's ridiculous." But it was true. She never let herself think she was as good as they were. She always thought herself insignificant. He was right. Still, a few hugs and atta-girls would have been nice. "So, why did you come, really?"

He sighed. "You're holding out on us. Who's this guy you're seeing?"

Chapter Thirty-Three.

Carter stared at the computer screen and cursed. The entire thing with Abby had been his fault from the beginning. Why hadn't he done this before?

A two-minute comparison of the paper from Roger that doc.u.mented their most used numbers would have cleared the entire fiasco. He ran an Internet search on LinkedIn for Abby, then for Jackson. Roger had written the number down wrong. Ironically, the number Carter blocked weeks ago because he thought it was a telemarketer was the right one. If he simply had answered the phone instead of blocking it, the entire mess wouldn't have continued. He stared at Roger's list. Had he done that by accident?

There had to be karma in that, right?

c.r.a.p. He was starting to sound like Jackson ... or his mom.

Carter picked up the phone and dialed the right number.

"We need to talk. Feel like lunch?"

There was something very satisfying about seeing his friend from childhood with no less than twenty extra pounds. Jackson's Johnson Murphy shoes were shined to perfection, but the designer shirt stretched across a small basketball that rolled over the top of his perfectly pressed designer khakis.

Carter smiled but didn't get up from his seat. "You're fat."

Jackson squeezed his tall, not-so-lanky physique into the seat across, and the shirt stretched further. Was it going to pop a b.u.t.ton? He patted the roll above his belt lovingly. "What can I say? Life is good."

Is it? Carter frowned. He wanted to make it short. Admit his texting snafu and get it over with before walking away from Jax permanently. "So, tell me about your relationship with Abby."

Jackson's face screwed up in a look that Carter had known for years. "Who's Abby?" He didn't look away nor flinch. He was telling the truth.

"You know, running chick."

He nodded and opened his mouth. "Ooohhh, the crazy flower girl? Why the h.e.l.l does everyone think I know her?"

For the first time in a couple of months, the baseball in the pit of Carter's stomach dislodged. "You don't?"

"Never seen her until she poured a gallon of water in my crotch. Wait, is she the one responsible for getting you into a green hulk suit in makeup at the craft fair?" He burst out laughing and slapped a hand to his knee. "My mother told me about the whole thing. In fact, I think there are some pictures floating around town somewhere. Another one of your historically big stunts the town will talk about for years. Look out, they may end up on Facebook."

Carter pounded a hand to the table, jolting Jackson's mirth away. "You said you met her first."

Jackson's humor wavered then disappeared. He adjusted in his chair.

A waiter arrived to take their order, which included a scotch and water for the overweight ex-bean pole and ex-friend. It hadn't helped the guy that the sun shone right on his midsection through the restaurant floor-to-ceiling windows. He was uncomfortable. Good.

"I was talking about Amanda. I met Amanda first. Several years before you, actually. We were friends in college. Then she landed an internship with Dad's office."

"You work together?"

"Not now. Only for a year. We did several projects together. She's d.a.m.n smart and worked on a lot of the company contracts for jobs I sold. Then, without warning, she quit after a year. I never knew why."

"Are you telling me you were seeing Amanda when you introduced her to me? What the h.e.l.l?"

The man's eyes collided back to Carter. "h.e.l.l, no. I hadn't seen her until that party. You and I both met her that night. Only, it was the first time for you. For me, it was like finding my high school sweetheart. I had no idea I'd missed her. We'd been such great friends, it never occurred to me there was more."

"So, you guys got back together."

"Not at first. You asked her out, remember? Here I was telling you it was time to trust again. To make an effort at a relationship and you picked the one d.a.m.n woman that-"

"Don't s.h.i.t me. You always wanted the ones I dated."

"That's ironic. I thought it was the other way around."

Carter cursed, but the baseball was gone from his gut. He should be completely p.i.s.sed about Amanda, but the only emotion he felt was relief. It wasn't Abby. It never was. He grabbed his fork and cut a big slice of the enchilada on his plate. With a mouthful, he shook his head. "You and Amanda, that's crazy. I should beat the s.h.i.t out of you, you know."

Jackson grinned. "Not near as crazy as you and the plant lady."

Not funny.

"You could have told me about Amanda from the start and saved us both a lot of trouble." He took another bite then washed it down with the drink he'd sent the waiter back for. He knew it was taboo during lunch, but one wouldn't be a big deal, would it? He needed something to keep him calm.

"Well, I hadn't even talked to her when you first met. The night we all went out for drinks to celebrate you landing the new a.s.signment, I decided to ask her why she quit her job. Why she ran out without a word. She'd had a lot to drink, and while you were outside on the phone with some client from across the world, we talked. A lot. Turns out she left because of me. Anyway, one thing led to another and when you said you had to go to work, I took her home." Jackson looked away. He took her home.

"That was the week before she ditched me. You guys-"

"I know. She was tied in knots for days before we talked it out and decided we had to stay together. Then it was figuring out how to tell you. I was standing around the corner in case it got ugly. I told her it wouldn't, but she didn't believe me. I know you, man-I knew you weren't in it for the long haul, no matter how much you pretended. I saw the way you drooled over that runner in the park."

The light came on. Blaringly bright. Carter shook his head, gulped the last of the beer, and absorbed what he'd learned. What more could be said? All those years as kids, sparring and competing for kicks-and this?

He should be p.i.s.sed, but the only thing that seemed to surface was relief. In truth, Amanda was more his style anyway. "Consider yourself off the hook, man. Why did you talk me into the baseball tickets? What was the point in that?"

"Don't you remember? You were going to buy her some expensive bracelet. The price tag alone was gonna set you back a week's pay. She'd never wear it and if you got it back, it'd be a total waste. At least with the tickets, you had something for yourself out of it. Something you could use."

"You weren't doing it for yourself?"

Jackson had the courtesy to look down. "I kinda hoped I'd go too. Once in a while. But I wasn't sure how things would turn out. I expected it to take a while to get past this. At least we're talking again though. That's good."

"I'd better get back to work." He tugged his wallet out and dropped some bills on the table. "Here's my part. We'll talk later." Much later. He still needed to digest the screw-ups he'd started when he sent the first text to Abby. And the last text to Jackson.

Jackson reached out and held his arm. "Wait. There's one more thing you need to know."

Carter shrugged his hand away and scowled. "I think I can handle this one from here, Jax. I can be civil about Amanda because-well, it doesn't matter now, and Abby's history. But you're not going to screw up anything else in my life. Sorry."

"Don't do that to yourself, man. Listen to me. If you don't, you're gonna regret it."

That caught Carter's attention. He seriously thinks I can make a bigger mess than he's already made? What a complete a.s.s. "Listen to you? Are you kidding me? What's happened to you, man? Do you get a sick pleasure out of s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up the good parts of my life?" Screech. His chair legs were like fingers on a chalkboard as he jolted up. The chair toppled and the entire restaurant glanced his way. Carter ignored them. "Not this time, Jax. I've known you all my life and until now, I hadn't realized what an a.s.shole you are. I appreciate you getting me in the door with the Asians, but ... "

Jackson's voice remained calm. "That's exactly why I'm here. I did the intro-and I can't let this go down the way-"

"It's not up to you."

"Look, you're p.i.s.sed at me about Amanda. I get that. This is different. This is your career."

Carter yanked a fistful of Jackson's shirt up and leaned lower. "And you want me to fail. Why? Is this compet.i.tion we've had since high school really that big of a deal to you? Jesus, Jax, get over it. n.o.body cares anymore."

Jackson darted a glance around the room over the cloth that was under his nose. He sighed and held up his hands in a surrendering gesture. "You're right. No one cares. Not even then, but think about it, Carter. I've known you since you were a snot-nosed kid that took showers once a week and hated girls. We built forts in the trees and fished in your pond. You changed. When Carley died, you caved in, man. My best friend ... tanked. How the h.e.l.l was I supposed to get you back? Guys don't hug and kiss and talk s.h.i.t out. We-compete."

Carter rolled his eyes. "So all this is just therapy for me? Yeah, right."