Page 44 of Sweet Wicked Vows
“You put the appointment into the shared calendar.” He slid into the chair beside me, setting one of the cups in front of me. “I’d have been here on time, but you know how Manhattan traffic is.”
“What about the other appointments? You didn’t attend the one three days ago about flowers. Or the one about a gift register.” I didn’t touch the cup or react when he rested his arm on the back of my chair. His warm skin breaths from the back of my neck. “It doesn’t require a lot of effort to send a simple text message and let me know that you’ve decided this appointment is worth attending.”
“Evelyn,” he said lowly. “I had unavoidable business to attend to.”
“Almost a week ago!” I exclaimed. Thankfully, the bakery was empty, with Olivia being the savior she was and securing a private appointment. “I get that you don’t want to do this, Jaxon, but you can’t just decide to pick and choose when you want to be involved. That’s not fair.”
His jaw flexed before he silently nodded. “You’re right. I originally anticipated only being away for a day, but something else came up.” He ran a finger along the rim of his cup. “In the future, I’ll be open to keeping you informed when I’ll be gone and for how long.”
It was a small breakthrough, but it felt so much bigger.
“Is everything okay with the company?” I tilted my head, trying to get a read on him. He was an enigma of frowns and scowls. “Anything I should be aware of?”
“It wasn’t company-related,” Jaxon said flatly. “Nothing that couldn’t be handled.”
His tone was final, a closed book and one I didn’t wish to pry open. If he’d flown back to Ontario and it wasn’t business-related, then it was a safe guess that the problem was family-orientated.
“Like I said, the traffic wasmerde,” Jaxon said. “Apologies if your coffee is cold.”
I lifted the cup. “You brought me coffee?”
“Creamer and an obscene amount of sugar,non?”
“Enough to make my dentist hate me.” Sipping the sugary goodness, I tried to ignore the sudden jump in my pulse at his kind gesture. I was mad at him, and no amount of coffee was going to change that, right? “Thank you for the drink, and for coming. I honestly thought you didn’t want to have anything to do with all this.”
A flicker of a smile. “You’re right, I didn’t want to have anything to do with this.” He turned, our knees knocking together. “I was still in half a mind about this whole charade you wish to portray. But you’re right.”
“About what?”
“If we are to do this, be married for a year,” he said, a single fingertip touching the base of my neck. “Then it wouldn’t hurt to try and come to some sort of understanding. As you said, make the best out of our situation.”
His gaze dropped to my throat as I audibly swallowed. “You’re willing to try?”
The tip of his tongue traced the seam of his lips. “Like I said before, if you want love and romance, that is not what this marriage is about. Business first and foremost, that’s what was agreed.” He kept his voice level. “But a friendship, a mutual respect for each other—that I am willing to try.”
No point in my life did I think I would marry a man for any other reason than love.
Marrying Jaxon was an obligation to keeping my father’s business and legacy alive.
Maybe one day, when this was all over between us, I’d have a chance of finding the love I wanted.
The love I deserved.
“So, friends?” I offered him my hand.
Warmth encased my fingers as he took my hand. The pad of his thumb caressed each one of my knuckles. “Here’s to being friends,douceur.” I gasped lightly when he brought my hand to his mouth, lips making contact with my flesh. Goosebumps burst into life up along my exposed arms, drawing out a breathy chuckle from Jaxon.
I could be friends with my husband. That wasn’t so difficult, right?
Chapter Fourteen
‘THE FINAL DAYS FOR BILLIONAIRE REYNOLDS.’
News broke about Lexington’s terminal diagnosis on the same day as the wedding party.
Evelyn left early that morning, wanting to finish the final touches, but immediately changed her plans to go back home and see her father after seeing the news. Her friends stepped in, the one from the cake shop and one I never met before. They showed up at the house, sent Evelyn to her family, and took over all party issues.
In the honor of our newfound friendship, or whatever the hell she wanted, I offered to pick up the cake and finalize any last-minute things with Olivia.