Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
They shook hands and Asher gestured for him to sit. “Can I get you coffee?”
He shook his head. “No, thanks.”
Asher lowered himself into the chair beside him. “What brings you by? It sounded urgent.”
“I’m worried about your sister.” Knox decided to jump in with the truth.
“No need to be. She’s fine.” Asher picked a nonexistent piece of lint off his suit jacket.
Knox groaned. “Are we really going to play games? We’re old friends. You know you can trust me.”
Asher held up his hands in defeat. “All I know is that she told me she needed time to think, and I promised to respect that as long as she checked in with me every day.”
“When did she leave?” Knox asked.
“Two days ago.”
Damn. He wondered if Lauren had tipped her off to the fact that he’d planned to stop by.
“And you heard from her today?”
Asher nodded. “If I thought something was very wrong, I’d have gone with her.”
“Where?” Knox gripped the handles on his chair. “Where is Jade?”
“Why do you want to know? Because she’s my sister and I don’t want to betray her confidence.” Leaning back in his seat, Asher crossed one leg over the other.
Knox pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a building headache coming on. “I don’t appreciate having to tell you anything before I talk to Jade, but if it’s the only way you’ll divulge her location, fine.”
Asher remained silent. Waiting.
Knox shook his head. “One day you’re going to fall in love, and I hope it bites you in the ass,” he muttered. “Then you can think back to today and regret the smug way you’re forcing me to pull information out of you, piece by piece.”
Asher sat up straighter and coughed. “You’re in love with my sister?”
“Not that I planned to share it with you, but yes, I am. And I’m worried about her. She was supposed to be at the florist meeting with my sister two days ago and she didn’t show up. Lauren said she had a stomach virus, but when I went to her apartment to check on her, the doorman told me she wasn’t home. She must have been with you.”
Asher lowered his shoulders and groaned. “I had no idea you two had gotten serious.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think Jade realizes it yet, either.”
He let out a loud laugh. “Jesus. She’s keeping you at arm’s length, isn’t she?”
“She sure as hell is. But something caused her to run, and I need to find out what it is. So?” The ball was in Asher’s court. He’d either help Knox or turn him away.
“She’s at my house on Windermere. She showed up here with a carry-on bag and asked if she could go there for a few days. She took the jet.”
At least she’d gone somewhere familiar and safe. “She didn’t say why she needed to leave?”
“She didn’t.” Asher braced his hands on the chair and stood. “But I take it you want to head down there and find out.”
It wasn’t a question and Knox didn’t think it warranted an answer. Yes, Knox had work to do. Yes, he had an upcoming season to focus on. But he trusted his coaches and managers to handle anything leading up to pre-season training camp. But even if his team was heading into the Super Bowl, Jade would still be his priority.
He rose to his feet.
“The jet’s back at Teterboro airport. I’ll have my pilot fuel up and get ready to go. You two are giving him a workout,” Asher said as he walked around his desk and picked up his phone.
When he was finished issuing orders, Asher leveled Knox with what Knox had come to think of as his big-brother glare. “Don’t make me regret this.”
“That’s not my intention.” He started for the door and turned. “Asher, thanks.”
His friend inclined his head. “And good luck to you,” Asher said.
Knox knew he was going to need it.
Chapter Eight
Jade had arrived at the island and slept for almost two days. Maggie, the housekeeper, took care of her, bringing Jade’s meals to her room. Jade knew Maggie well since she’d worked for Serenity and Michael from the time Jade was thirteen and Layla was born, until Serenity no longer needed her. Asher had then hired her to run the island estate.
Her second day here, Jade felt somewhat better. She showered and came out for dinner. Her brother also had a live-in chef for himself and guests who came to visit, and he’d called ahead for her arrival. She ate a delicious chicken, rice, and broccoli dinner, relieved she could keep the food down. After, she made her way to her room, watched some television and turned in for the night.
Exhaustion had become her new best friend, and it felt so good to know she could crash and not worry about work the next day. She slept late and ate the healthiest breakfast she’d had in a long time, sitting outside on a veranda overlooking the ocean. She tipped her head and took in the blue sky. The sun shone overhead with a few white fluffy clouds. If not for the slight queasiness in her stomach reminding her why she’d had to escape to paradise, things would be perfect.