I shook my head. “I’m the same person I always was.”
“Now that’s a lie,” Jacob corrected. “And I think that maybe we should get to know the people we are now, rather than dwelling on the people we left behind in the shadows.”
I looked at him then, wondering what I felt. Was it warmth? I didn’t know. But I wanted to reach out and hold him, tell him that everything would be all right, even though that was a lie. I didn’t like that I noticed how his eyes darkened, the way his lips parted. I didn’t like that we were buried in memories of a time gone by and mired in loss and fractured silences. And yet all I could do was look at him and wonder who this man was. Who was Jacob Queen?
Betrayal slid over me then, and I knew it made no sense. It wasn’t as if Jonah and I had genuinely been in love. Not like that. And yet, this was Jacob. I shouldn’t feel anything. Especially not right now.
Still, I had to say the words. “I would like to get to know you,” I whispered.
He studied my face for a long moment before he finally spoke. “Good. Because I think we should. Mom and Dad love you so much. I’d like to get to know that woman. And I don’t want you to carry the burden of my family alone any longer.”
I shook my head. “You were always there. Even if you weren’t in the same room.”
“Maybe, but I’m here full-time now. Let’s help them together if you want to. Or you can step away so you can breathe. You don’t have to bear any responsibility.”
I shook my head. “I will always be a part of their lives, of our old life, who we were. And that means I’m going to be a traveler on this road your family takes. So, I guess we’re in this together.”
“Then I suppose I should start with this.” He held out his hand. “Hello, I’m Jacob Queen. Permanent asshole and perpetual insomniac workaholic.”
My lips twitched. “Hello,” I said, sliding my hand into his, ignoring the heat between us. “I’m Annabelle Montgomery. Also a workaholic, a slight insomniac, and someone who loves her family very much.”
His lips softened into a smile, and then he let my hand go. I ignored the fact that it felt chilled now without his heat. “It’s nice to meet you, Annabelle.”
“You, as well, Jacob.”
“I don’t think I ever really hated you,” he admitted.
“I think I was starting to hate you,” I replied, and he laughed.
“I wouldn’t blame you. It’s going to take me a little while to fix things in my head, but let’s be friends until then.”
“I don’t know about friends,” I said honestly. “Maybe neighbors?”
He snorted. “Neighbors, I can do. Now, I’m going to let you have your peace because I haven’t let you have that for most of the night. Just know if you need me to crawl over gravel, I can do that. I do have a deposition tomorrow, though, so I may have to work around that.”
I laughed, surprising myself, and shook my head. “No need to flay yourself. I know you miss your brother. And I know you needed someone to hate. Just don’t let it be me anymore.”
He met my gaze, and once again, I ignored the little ping I felt that warned me something was different.
“I don’t think I can ever hate you again, Annabelle Montgomery.”
Before I could say anything, he turned on his heel and left, and I had to wonder what the hell had happened.
Chapter 6
Jacob
“I need you to get me the deposition in the next hour,” I said to my assistant. He nodded, quickly typing on his tablet. I looked at my other assistant, who also nodded as she slid a hand over her dark hair. It had been a long day, and the amount of paperwork—even for lawyers—was insane. It would be a long night unless we figured out our plan now.
“You’ve got it, Mr. Queen,” Dustin said.
“You also have a meeting at seven,” Seressia said, frowning. “You have meetings back to back tomorrow.”
“Understood. It’ll be busier than usual tomorrow because I need to take Friday off,” I said, and they both knew why. Mom had a doctor’s appointment and I planned to be with her and my father. We were structuring my practice the way I needed to, and we’d find a way to make it work, even if it killed me.
“You have court on Thursday, but you should be fine for that,” Dustin said, looking down at his tablet again.
My lips quirked. “I hope so. It is kind of my job.”
“Well, you did bring us up from Denver to this…whatever town you think this is,” Seressia said, looking out the window at the barren landscape behind me.
I snorted. “It only looks like that because this window faces east rather than the mountains. I gave the conference room the mountain view.”
“You’re the boss, you should have the mountain view.”
“No, because then I would never get any work done. We’re doing okay, you guys. Right?”
They both nodded. “Okay, let’s get this done. Maybe you can be out of here before six.” I knew they wanted to roll their eyes at me, but they didn’t. Instead, they gave me tight nods before getting back to work. Sadly, it would probably be more like eight, and they’d be taking work home right along with me. I needed another staff member on the books, and we were working on it. Unfortunately, it was a little slow-going. Mostly because two of the other staff members I wanted to bring up with me from Denver were on maternity leave. Their babies were cute, and I was very happy for my staff, but I sure as hell missed them right now.
I made a note to check in on both of them, not to ask them when they were coming back but because I was honestly interested and cared. I was trying to be a better boss. Attempting to be a better person. And I could do that even if I felt like I had no idea what I was doing.
That only reminded me that I was failing even worse at life and choices when it came to Annabelle. I had been such a fucking asshole. I needed to work on who I was and determine why I had acted the way I did. She seemed to take it with grace, but I had a feeling that was just Annabelle, and had nothing to do with my apology.
I’d be seeing her soon. Not that we had anything planned, but she would be at my parents’ house the next time they had a big family dinner, and she lived next door to me. There was no escaping that, even though I was pretty sure she worked as many long hours as I did, and both of us were rarely home.
I pushed Annabelle and that weird moment between us the last time I had spoken to her out of my mind. I did not need to think about the heat or awareness I’d felt. I had simply been exhausted and losing my mind a little. I wasn’t thinking anything else when it came to her. I let out a breath, pinched the bridge of my nose, and forced myself to focus.
I worked for another couple of hours, Dustin having to bring me lunch when I lost track of time. I smiled my thanks, and he pointed to his eyes and then at the sandwich. I snorted.
“I’ll eat it. Thank you for taking care of me.”
“Somebody has to. You sure don’t do it yourself.” He spun on his heel and walked out, and I snorted.
I liked the duo. Seressia and Dustin. They worked well together, and they kept me on my toes. They pretty much ran the office. That meant that once we finished filling our staff and settled in a bit, eventually making more money for the practice, they would get raises. I wouldn’t work them to death and not pay them. Nor would I work them to death. I hadn’t liked that when I was just starting out, and even though I was young to have my own practice, I didn’t want to be that boss. The one everybody feared and who forced them into heart attacks at the age of forty because they worked too hard, drank harder, and forgot about the real world. I also liked my paralegal, Lucas, who was currently researching for me. He worked as many hours, if not more, than I did. Lucas was probably buried in a book right now, and I didn’t mind.