“I recommend groveling,” Damien had said when he passed Rachel’s desk on his way to a lunch meeting. “Of course you have to find her to do that.”
Jackson stiffened, remembering all too well that it had been Damien who’d told Sylvia about his paternity action. But that had been public record, and Damien had only been trying to help.
What Jackson had done—insinuating himself between Sylvia and her dad—well, he’d been trying to help, too. He’d just fucked the helping up royally.
Now it was Jackson who was the asshole. And Damien looked genuinely sympathetic.
“Any ideas?” Jackson asked.
“You could try the gym.” He grabbed the folio that Rachel handed him. “And if all else fails, you can catch her at Jamie’s tonight.”
Jackson winced. He’d completely forgotten about the Halloween party. “You think she’s still coming?”
“Sylvia’s not one to disappoint a friend.” Damien pressed a supportive hand to Jackson’s shoulder as he passed. “She’ll be there. Whether or not she’ll talk to you—well, that’s a different story.”
And it would be a very public one. If that was his last resort, so be it. But first he was going to search every nook and cranny of this office. And when he found her, he’d let her know that hiding from him was counterproductive to getting anything done on the resort. Because right now, he couldn’t concentrate on design if his life depended on it.
He needed Sylvia.
And he was determined.
He headed to the gym next, following up Damien’s suggestion, and although the girl at the check-in desk told him that Sylvia was running on the treadmill, by the time he got back there, she was gone.
He couldn’t prove it, but he had a feeling she’d seen him coming.
Fuck.
He debated whether continuing to play chase all over the building was worth it, and decided it wasn’t.
No, time for a new strategy.
Time to call in the big guns. And as far as Jackson was concerned, that meant Cass.
He headed back to twenty-six, told Lauren he was gone for the day, and beat a path to Venice Beach.
He hadn’t yet been to Totally Tattoo, but he found it easily enough. He parked on the street, then went inside, and was greeted by a woman with short, spiky hair, at least a dozen piercings, and a wide, bright smile. “Hey, I’m Joy. Is this your first time to Totally Tattoo?”
“It is.”
“Are you looking for a tat? Piercing? You’d look hot with an eyebrow piercing, you know. It would totally rock that scar.”
“I actually want to see Cass. Is she around?”
“Oh, sure.” She sucked in a breath, then bellowed, “Cass! You’ve got a walk-in!”
Jackson kept his lips pressed tightly together, trying to hold back a grin. As soon as Cass appeared, however, he lost it. “Like your front desk girl,” he said as he followed her back to her table. “I think she’ll give me a break on a piercing.”
“Are you trying to be funny?”
“Trying,” he admitted. “Apparently I’m not succeeding.”
“Dude, you screwed up so bad you’re going to need Black & Decker to fix the damage.”
“Shit.” He dragged his fingers through his hair. “Do you think I don’t know that? Do you think I haven’t been kicking myself every single minute since I laid into her dad?”
“Honestly, Jackson, I don’t know what the fuck you were thinking.”
He drew in a breath, and in that moment he felt as broken as he’d ever felt. “I can’t not be with her, Cass.”
She cocked her head and studied his face. “Then you need to get your act together. Because you’re going to lose her if you don’t give it a rest.”
“Have I lost her?” Just asking the question burned a hole in his gut. “Can I fix this?”
“I don’t know.” She sighed. “Look, she loves you. I know that. But you know that song? Love is all you need?” He nodded. “Well, it’s bullshit. Love isn’t all you need. You need love and respect and communication and—”
Jackson couldn’t help it. He pulled her close and kissed her cheek. “Christ, Cassidy. She is so damn lucky to have you.”
“Hell, yeah, she is.” She plunked herself down on her stool and studied him. “So what are you going to do?”
“Whatever I have to. I fucked up, and I’m going to make it right. I can’t lose her, Cass. I love her.”
