hugely significant.
Not just because she would no longer be living in Forest Lodge, which she adored, but that they expected her to move in with Tyler.
She didn’t know which part upset her most—the fact that Kayla could have put her in this awkward position when she knew how Brenna felt, or the fact that Tyler clearly wasn’t bothered.
If she needed further evidence of his lack of feeling toward her, she had it now.
He didn’t see the situation as awkward because it wasn’t.
To him, she was a lodger, nothing more.
He wasn’t worried that he might bump into her in her underwear.
Kayla was talking details. “The journalist will be here at 9:30 a.m. Will you do it, Tyler?” She looked anxiously at him, and he sighed.
“Yeah, I’ll do it. But you owe me.”
Kayla beamed, strode across the room and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you, have I told you that lately? You’re going to be a perfect brother-in-law.”
“Going to be? I’m already perfect.” He glanced between Kayla and Jackson. “So have you two finally set a date to get this thing over and done with?”
“This thing is called a wedding,” Jackson said mildly, “and over and done with isn’t the phrase I would have picked.”
Kayla rubbed the lipstick from Tyler’s cheek. “The answer is no, we haven’t set a date, but it’s on my to-do list.”
“June.” Jackson spoke firmly. “I’ve blocked out the whole place. We’re going to get married at Snow Crystal, in the orchard behind the house.”
“Oh!” Thrown, Kayla’s eyes flew wide, and she pressed her hand to her chest. “Seriously? That’s—well—” she breathed “—married?”
“You’re wearing my ring,” Jackson said softly. “I’m ready to make it official.”
She glanced down at the diamond sparkling on her finger, and when she spoke her voice sounded strange. “I’ll check my schedule for June.”
“I’ve already blocked it out in your calendar. It’s the only way I’ll get priority over your job.”
“That’s not true! But June—” Breathless, visibly flustered, Kayla started to pace again. “It’s not long. I’m not sure I can organize everything by then. There’s a lot to do.”
“Not for you. You’re not organizing your own wedding.”
“But—”
“You’re not organizing your own wedding, Kayla.”
“Then who will?”
“We will. Gramps, Grams, Mom, Élise, Sean—your family.” He spoke the words with quiet emphasis, and Kayla stopped in midstride, her eyes shining. She met his gaze, and something passed between them.
Elizabeth gave a soft sigh of satisfaction, and Jackson stood up and pulled Kayla into his arms.
“Get a room.” Tyler zipped his jacket. “And do it fast before Kayla books them all out because you’re sure as hell not staying with me. I’d better go and find your reporter.” He walked out, and Brenna stood up, too.
“Congratulations.” She walked across the room and hugged Jackson and Kayla, happy for them and envious at the same time. They didn’t share only friendship, they shared everything.
She’d never had that closeness with anyone, and it wasn’t because she hadn’t tried.
She knew that Élise treated sex as little more than an athletic workout. If rumor was correct then Tyler was the same. She didn’t know if she was different, more old-fashioned, or whether it was simply that she’d been in love all her life, and that had affected the way she related to other men.
The few physical relationships she’d experienced had been fun at the time, but there had been no deeper connection.
For her, love wasn’t fleeting or temporary. It wasn’t something that could be cured by absence or willpower. It couldn’t be found in a glance or a single night. It was deep and permanent. Loving Tyler was as much a part of her as her limbs and her hair color. She couldn’t switch it on or off.
“I have a class to teach.” She kept the smile on her face as she stepped out of the door and made sure it didn’t slip until she was safely clear of everyone.
“So now tell me the truth.” Waiting for the room to empty, Jackson blocked the door as Kayla tried to walk past him.
“The truth about what? How I feel about the wedding? I’m thrilled. Nervous, of course, and a little overwhelmed because I have a million things to do and—”
“Not the wedding. Why did you book Forest Lodge?”
“Oh, that—” She didn’t meet his gaze. “I already told you, I had a flurry of bookings and—”
He slid his fingers under her chin and forced her to look at him. “Honey, do you think I’m stupid?”
“You think I’m inventing guests?”
“No, but I think you could have chosen to put them somewhere other than Forest Lodge. You know how much Brenna loves that place. She was hurt that you’re making her move, and on the surface it’s a mean thing to do, especially this close to Christmas—”
Kayla winced. “Jackson—”
“—but I know you’re not a mean person, so there has to be something else behind it and given your ‘brilliant idea’ that she moves in with Tyler, I’m assuming the two are linked.”
“It is a brilliant idea. I’m so glad I thought of it.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t think of it two minutes ago. That isn’t how your brain works. You are a master problem solver. You analyze every possible solution. You started that meeting knowing exactly how you wanted it to end. So my question is, why are you trying to throw Tyler and Brenna together?”
Kayla opened her mouth to refute that accusation and then caught his eye. “Because Brenna has been in love with him her whole life, and nothing ever happens. It’s infuriating.”
“You can’t interfere, sweetheart.”
Her face fell. “I feel guilty. We’re so happy. I have you, and Élise has Sean, and Brenna loves Tyler so much, and he’s blind and stupid.”
Jackson closed his hands over her shoulders. “He is neither blind nor stupid. Emotions aren’t as easy to control as you wish they were. You can’t force feelings. They’re either there or they’re not.”
“You’re a man. You don’t understand.”
“I understand more than you think. I grew up consoling women who were in love with Sean.”
