“Don’t you have a couple of brothers?” she asked. “Why couldn’t they help, too?”
He snorted derisively. “Because they’re both assholes. Neither one of them would be caught dead at an actual construction site, won’t get their hands or their five hundred dollar leather shoes dirty. And, frankly, both of them are also sort of stupid. My father hates to admit it out loud, but I know he doesn’t trust them with anything really important.”
“Hmm.” She glanced out the window as they entered the freeway. “Is that why he’s so determined to keep you on the payroll? He needs someone he can entrust the business to when he retires?”
“Something else he’d never admit, but probably, yeah. Though I can’t envision my father retiring for a long time yet. Way too much of a workaholic and a control freak. Even if I did ever take over the reins one day he’d still be looking over my shoulder constantly. I couldn’t work that way.”
“So strike out on your own, like you told me you really wanted to,” she challenged. “I mean, once Hannah is on the mend. Though by then you probably won’t want to leave town because of your girlfriend. What’s her name again?”
Jackson scowled. “I wasn’t aware I’d ever told you her name, but it’s Devon. And she’s got nothing to do with my future. Whatever decision I might eventually make about my career won’t involve her.”
“Huh.” Scarlett tried not to feel triumphant at this announcement. “I’m gonna guess that’ll come as something of a shock to her. When I saw the two of you together she looked awfully, um, what’s the word I’m looking for - oh, yeah. Possessive.”
His scowl deepened. “David - Doctor Parks - mentioned that you were skulking around the waiting room yesterday. What the hell made you decide to do something like that?”
She shrugged, trying with all her might to sound totally unconcerned. “Oh, I don’t know. Curiosity, I suppose. It was boring sitting inside that hospital room all alone with nothing to do. And then of course I’ve always had a devilish streak in me. Just ask any of the foster parents who almost tore their hair out of their scalp from dealing with my antics. It was real tempting, in fact, to stroll inside that waiting room and introduce myself to everyone. Would have been worth it just for the pleasure of seeing Neil piss his pants. Or faint. Maybe both.”
A reluctant smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “You are a devil, that’s for sure. What stopped you from doing just that?”
Not for the world would she ever admit that her fear of angering - or worse, disappointing - him was what had held her back. Instead, she replied airily, “Who knows? I was tired and sore and crabby and didn’t feel up to causing a scene for once. Just wasn’t worth the effort it would have taken.”
“Uh, huh,” he chuckled, sounding anything but convinced. “Well, whatever your reasoning I’m relieved that you decided against acting on your impulses. My father is still the biggest asshole you’d ever fear to meet, so the shit would have hit the proverbial fan if you’d waltzed inside that room to say hello.”
Scarlett grimaced. “Trust me, as slowly as I was moving yesterday there wouldn’t have been any waltzing involved. And all of you looked like such a cozy, tightknit little group that I wouldn’t have wanted to intrude. Especially on you and, uh, Devon. She was pretty much clinging to you like a vine.”
“She can be on the possessive side,” he acknowledged. “Especially as of late, since I’ve been too busy to call her very often.”
“Well, hey. Look at that,” she chirped sardonically. “Blondie and I actually do have something in common. You aren’t keeping in touch with either of us.”
“I’m really sorry about that, Scarlett,” Jackson told her, the sincere note in his voice assuring her that he meant it. “And when David called me yesterday to chew me out and tell me how bad off you were, I felt like hell. I mean, I’d already been feeling guilty about not having texted or called or stopped by to see you, but after talking to him I felt about two inches tall.”
She whipped her gaze around to glare at him. “He told you that?” she hissed. “That I was quote unquote “bad off”? Well, guess that explains why you’re my chauffeur today instead of Larry. Though, hey, you could have just sent a get well card, Jackson. You didn’t have to take time out of your busy day, or peel yourself away from your clinging vine girlfriend to worry about me. I’m a big girl, and I can take care of myself just fine. Doctor Parks stepped over the line calling you like that. None of his business. And definitely none of yours. He had no right to tell you anything about me.”
“Give the guy a break, Scarlett,” chided Jackson. “Like it or not, he’s your doctor. Sort of, anyway. And he knew you didn’t have any family, or any close friends who lived nearby. And he was right to chew me out, to tell me you weren’t doing so hot. I should have checked in on you more often. Because no matter what you say, you are my responsibility. I was the one who brought you into this thing, and I should have made the time to stop by and see you.”
“Then why didn’t you?” she asked him quietly, continuing to stare out the window. “I get that you were busy with work and all, but when I saw you yesterday you had just picked up a bunch of coffee orders and were hanging out with your family. You couldn’t have excused yourself for five lousy minutes to send me a text?”
Jackson exhaled deeply. “You have no idea how many times over the past few days when I had my phone in hand, ready to send you a message, only to be interrupted every single time. My family can be damned nosy, and I didn’t want to have to lie about who I was texting. Hell, I wouldn’t have put it past my father to peek over my shoulder and look at my phone. And he’s still furious that he can’t find out the identity of Hannah’s donor. He’s such a controlling bastard that it drives him nuts when he can’t have all the facts, that something has to be kept a secret from him.”
“What about Devon?” asked Scarlett slyly. “Is she nosy, too? Or controlling?”
“Nobody controls me,” he bit out. “Not my father, and definitely not Devon. And while she can be overly inquisitive, she also knows not to push me. Look, if it’s all the same to you I’d really rather not talk about her. Or about my family, for that matter. I’m actually enjoying having this little break away from everybody. I love my family, but sometimes too much togetherness can drive a person nuts.”
It didn’t escape her notice that he didn’t mention loving Devon, and the omission - whether intentional or not - gave her a tiny sense of satisfaction.
They were both silent for several minutes, until Scarlett happened to notice the freeway signs and frowned.
“Why are you driving towards Scottsdale?” she demanded. “I’ll admit to not being all that familiar with this area, but I’m pretty sure the Biltmore is in the exact opposite direction.”
“It is,” replied Jackson matter-of-factly. “But you’re not going there. The place you’ll be staying for the next couple of weeks is just outside Scottsdale, and it’s called Nirvana Wellness Resort. David recommended it to me when he insisted you needed some serious TLC. Fortunately, they had an opening so it will be home sweet home for awhile. And from what I’ve seen of the place on their website, it’s going to be a hell of a nice home.”