“You’re wearing my ring,” Jackson said softly. “I’m ready to make it official.”
She glanced down at the diamond sparkling on her finger, and when she spoke her voice sounded strange. “I’ll check my schedule for June.”
“I’ve already blocked it out in your calendar. It’s the only way I’ll get priority over your job.”
“That’s not true! But June—” Breathless, visibly flustered, Kayla started to pace again. “It’s not long. I’m not sure I can organize everything by then. There’s a lot to do.”
“Not for you. You’re not organizing your own wedding.”
“But—”
“You’re not organizing your own wedding, Kayla.”
“Then who will?”
“We will. Gramps, Grams, Mom, Élise, Sean—your family.” He spoke the words with quiet emphasis, and Kayla stopped in midstride, her eyes shining. She met his gaze, and something passed between them.
Elizabeth gave a soft sigh of satisfaction, and Jackson stood up and pulled Kayla into his arms.
“Get a room.” Tyler zipped his jacket. “And do it fast before Kayla books them all out because you’re sure as hell not staying with me. I’d better go and find your reporter.” He walked out, and Brenna stood up, too.
“Congratulations.” She walked across the room and hugged Jackson and Kayla, happy for them and envious at the same time. They didn’t share only friendship, they shared everything.
She’d never had that closeness with anyone, and it wasn’t because she hadn’t tried.
She knew that Élise treated sex as little more than an athletic workout. If rumor was correct then Tyler was the same. She didn’t know if she was different, more old-fashioned, or whether it was simply that she’d been in love all her life, and that had affected the way she related to other men.
The few physical relationships she’d experienced had been fun at the time, but there had been no deeper connection.
For her, love wasn’t fleeting or temporary. It wasn’t something that could be cured by absence or willpower. It couldn’t be found in a glance or a single night. It was deep and permanent. Loving Tyler was as much a part of her as her limbs and her hair color. She couldn’t switch it on or off.
“I have a class to teach.” She kept the smile on her face as she stepped out of the door and made sure it didn’t slip until she was safely clear of everyone.
“So now tell me the truth.” Waiting for the room to empty, Jackson blocked the door as Kayla tried to walk past him.
“The truth about what? How I feel about the wedding? I’m thrilled. Nervous, of course, and a little overwhelmed because I have a million things to do and—”
“Not the wedding. Why did you book Forest Lodge?”
“Oh, that—” She didn’t meet his gaze. “I already told you, I had a flurry of bookings and—”
He slid his fingers under her chin and forced her to look at him. “Honey, do you think I’m stupid?”
“You think I’m inventing guests?”
“No, but I think you could have chosen to put them somewhere other than Forest Lodge. You know how much Brenna loves that place. She was hurt that you’re making her move, and on the surface it’s a mean thing to do, especially this close to Christmas—”
Kayla winced. “Jackson—”
“—but I know you’re not a mean person, so there has to be something else behind it and given your ‘brilliant idea’ that she moves in with Tyler, I’m assuming the two are linked.”
“It is a brilliant idea. I’m so glad I thought of it.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t think of it two minutes ago. That isn’t how your brain works. You are a master problem solver. You analyze every possible solution. You started that meeting knowing exactly how you wanted it to end. So my question is, why are you trying to throw Tyler and Brenna together?”
Kayla opened her mouth to refute that accusation and then caught his eye. “Because Brenna has been in love with him her whole life, and nothing ever happens. It’s infuriating.”
“You can’t interfere, sweetheart.”
Her face fell. “I feel guilty. We’re so happy. I have you, and Élise has Sean, and Brenna loves Tyler so much, and he’s blind and stupid.”
Jackson closed his hands over her shoulders. “He is neither blind nor stupid. Emotions aren’t as easy to control as you wish they were. You can’t force feelings. They’re either there or they’re not.”
“You’re a man. You don’t understand.”
“I understand more than you think. I grew up consoling women who were in love with Sean.” He smoothed her hair with his hand. “You can’t make one person fall in love with another. That isn’t how it works.”
“I know that!” She scowled at him. “Do you think I wanted to fall in love with you? I didn’t! It derailed all my plans.”
“Yeah, that turned out really badly.” Smiling, he lowered his head and kissed her. When he finally lifted his head, she blinked dizzily and locked her hand in the front of his shirt.
“You always do that when you’re losing an argument.”
“I wasn’t losing anything.”
“What were you saying?”
“I was saying that a person can’t interfere with other people’s love lives. What happens between two people is a personal thing.”
“What if two people are perfect for each other and nothing ever happens?”
“Then maybe it’s not meant to happen. They’ve known each other since Brenna was four years old. If something was going to happen, surely it would have happened by now.”
“It would have done if your brother wasn’t so blind.”
Jackson gathered her against him. “He isn’t blind.”
“Don’t defend him.”
“I’m not defending him. I’m just saying he’s not blind.”
“Then why hasn’t he made a move?”
“It isn’t a conversation I’ve had because I figure it’s his business, not mine.” He eased away from her and gave her a pointed look. “But I’m sure he has his reasons.”
“Are you telling me you’ve never thought they’d be perfect together?”
Jackson hesitated. “They have plenty in common, that’s true, but Brenna is the settled type. I wouldn’t exactly describe Tyler as settled, and I wouldn’t want either of them to be hurt.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “But you think they are good together.”
“They’re best friends. But there is a difference between being friends and being lovers. You can’t make it happen because you’d like it to.”
“Maybe not, but I can help things along by at least putting them in the same place. Sometimes people need a little help to see what’s right in front of them.”
“Presumably my mother is also in on this, given that we are about to be visited by ‘hordes of relatives from England,’ none of whom we’ve heard of before?”
Kayla pulled away from him and picked up her purse. “She wasn’t in