CHAPTER NINETEEN
AUBREY
I WALKED home in a daze after studying that day. He’d shifted gears completely, walking me through every step of an investment plan, telling me the only reason I wasn’t getting it was because I wasn’t taking risks.
He’d looked at me and said, “Let yourself fly a little. Playing it safe won’t get you anywhere in this class or in life.”
His words rang over and over in my head that night and the next day.
They knocked around in my head until the next time I saw him.
He brought me chai tea again, and I grumbled about not drinking it again.
He just repeated as he sat down, “Humor me.”
I made an effort to look somewhat disgusted as he passed it over.
He looked me up and down. “Black and gray today, I see. So, I guess you don’t wear black everywhere you go.”
It’d become our little thing to comment on each other’s wardrobe. A smirk slipped out when I replied, “And no suit again, I see. Guess I’m just not good enough for those TV clothes.”
A genuine laugh rumbled from him.
I took him in and smiled behind the cup of chai tea. The way he relaxed when he laughed made him look a little younger and a little less dominating. He was just as beautiful but in a boyish, carefree way. I found myself wanting to see him like that more, like I cared about his well-being.
That thought scared me enough to snap my attention to the tea. I took a huge gulp and practically moaned. He’d had Jackie make it, I was sure. The woman was a magician, and chai tea was my favorite even if I wasn’t going to admit it to him.
It tasted of memories, sweet and so painful, and I normally avoided it.
When I looked up, his eyes were trained on my lips, dilated and pulling me in. I rubbed my thighs together and tried not to act aware of him.
Clearing my throat, I began walking him through my investment plan again.
This time, he responded so well that someone might have thought he’d been teaching his whole life.
The man was an easy study. He could be good at just about anything.
For another two weeks, we met and discussed investments every other day.
It wasn’t enough and too much at the same time.
Every time I saw him, I wanted him but knew I couldn’t handle having him again. My heart would warm even though it should have cooled.
Falling back into friendship with Jax proved to be even more difficult.
We danced around the serious topics. He didn’t discuss the past with me, didn’t divulge why he still visited my father.
I didn’t discuss my past with him. I didn’t share anything about my past relationships or other friendships.
He didn’t really talk about his life at all back in the city. I knew he had one there but was too afraid to ask him questions I wasn’t sure I wanted the answers to.
Did he like the city he chose over his family and me?
Did he have as much fun as the magazines showed him having?
Why wouldn’t he just make another album? His fans begged and begged him to. Instead, he would just repeat to any inquiry that investing was his true passion and he wanted a quiet life.
I don’t think the world believed him.