No Ordinary Love (A Modern Vintage Romance #5)

11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Amara

J ax had been invited to participate in a celebrity golf tournament, and when he'd asked me to come along as his plus one, I hadn't hesitated. It wasn't just about escaping Charleston, though that was part of it but it was also about seeing Jax in his element, surrounded by people who knew him, who understood his world. And, honestly, it was about having fun, which I'd been sorely missing since my relationship with Lucas ended.

As we drove to Myrtle Beach, the ocean sparkled in the distance, waves gently lapping the shore, and the air was rich with the scent of salt, sunscreen, and beachside grills.

"This is just the kind of break I needed." I leaned back in the comfortable leather seat of Jax's car.

"I don't know how you're surviving without taking any vacation off," Jax muttered.

I had not taken a holiday this summer, and during my time off between summer and Fall semester, I'd been nursing a broken heart and didn't feel like going anywhere. But now, months had passed. There was distance. I couldn't say I had gotten over Lucas, but I could admit that I was more than ready to work at it.

"I'm having one now, thanks to you," I pointed out.

"This is just a long weekend, sugar," Jax grumbled, "Not a vacation ."

"Oh, yes, it is! For me at least. I'm planning to spend my time on the beach doing nothing but drinking colorful drinks with umbrellas in them."

We were staying at a luxury resort on the beach; the website of which practically screamed relaxation with its sprawling pools, palm trees, and private balconies overlooking the ocean.

Our two-bedroom suite was spacious and airy, with floor-to-ceiling windows that opened out onto a balcony where I could already picture myself sipping coffee in the morning, watching the sun rise over the water.

"This is so cool, Jax." I stepped out onto the balcony and let the sea breeze whip through my hair. "You really know how to treat a girl."

Jax grinned, joining me outside, his arm draping casually over my shoulders. "Hang with me, kid, and I'll take you places."

I laughed, leaning into him a little. "That's what they all say."

It was easy with Jax. There were no expectations, no pressure, just two people enjoying each other's company. And for once, I felt like I could actually let go and have a good time.

That first evening, we had dinner at a restaurant at the resort, and after two glasses of wine, I tapped out and slept through the night for the first time in a very long time. It was the sea air, I concluded. It was Jax. It was me, finally, ready to move forward.

Did I still miss Lucas? Yes, every day.

A part of me knew he was the love of my life, but people lost the love of their lives and moved on, didn't they? I, for one, did believe that there was life after love.

After breakfast on the balcony, where I discovered that Jax was not ready for human interaction until he'd drunk two cups of coffee, we headed to the golf course.

The course was stunning, a lush green expanse bordered by tall pines with glimpses of the ocean. The air buzzed with soft laughter, conversation, the clink of clubs, and the occasional cheer for a well-made shot.

Since this was a charity and celebrity event, the atmosphere was relaxed and not quite as competitive as it would be during a regular golf tournament.

Jax introduced me to his friends, all of whom were players or former players in various sports—big, confident men with easy smiles and a camaraderie that felt genuine, not forced.

Davis "DJ" Turner, a former NFL linebacker turned sports commentator, greeted me with a bear hug and a booming laugh that made me feel like I'd known him for years. His wife, Sienna, a petite woman with curly dark hair and a wicked sense of humor, immediately looped her arm through mine and started chatting about everything from the tournament to the best places to get seafood in Myrtle Beach.

Ace Mitchell was a pro golfer like Jax, with an infectious grin and a laid-back attitude that put me at ease. His wife, Emily, was tall and graceful, with a quiet confidence that I admired. She and I bonded quickly over a shared love of literature, and before long, we were deep in conversation about our favorite books and authors, completely ignoring the game unfolding in front of us.

"Jax told me you're a professor." Emily's eyes lit up with genuine interest. "What do you teach?"

"Communication…well, specifically with regards to women's health and public relations. That's what I have my PhD in," I replied. "It's not as glamorous as being on the PGA Tour, for sure, but I love it."

Emily shook her head, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "Don't sell yourself short. That sounds fascinating. I just started my own event planning business after working for one of those big companies. Maybe you can do my PR."

"I'm afraid I'm more on the strategy side of things and not on the tactical, but I can hook you up with some top agencies where my former students now work," I suggested warmly.

As the day went on, we moved from one hole to the next, and I found myself easily slipping into the rhythm of the group. There was no pretense here, no need to prove myself or navigate the tricky social waters that had always felt so treacherous with Lucas's friends and family.

Jax's friends and their partners welcomed me without hesitation, making me feel like I belonged in a way I hadn't experienced in a long time.

At one point, Jax nudged me with his elbow, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You having fun yet?"

I grinned back at him, feeling lighter than I had in months. The mood and the two margaritas that I'd had with gorgeous snacks were absolutely contributing. "I think I might be."

He chuckled, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me close. "Good. You deserve to have fun, Amara. And I'm glad you're here with me."

I leaned into his embrace, enjoying the warmth of his presence. Being with Jax was like breathing fresh air. His world was open and welcoming, and no one made me feel bad about my blue-collar background—they appreciated me for me; no fancy pedigree required.

With Lucas, I often felt like I was walking a tightrope, always balancing, always trying to find the right footing. It was simple with Jax. There was no balancing act. It was comfortable. It was good.

It was also not passionate. As much as I liked him, and he me, I wasn't sexually attracted to him. Damn it!

When we got back to our suite, Jax dropped his golf bag in the corner and flopped onto the couch, looking every bit the picture of masculine repose.

"So, what's the verdict?" he asked, propping his feet up on the coffee table. "Did I manage to show you a good time?"

I smiled, sitting beside him, feeling a genuine sense of contentment. "You did. Your friends are great. I felt…welcome."

He reached out, taking my hand in his, his touch warm and reassuring. "You are. Always. I never expected to have the connection we built…you know, without the…."

"Sex?" I volunteered.

He laughed. "Yeah, without that."

There was something in the way he said it that made me think he knew more than I'd given him credit for. Maybe he could sense the shadows that still lingered around me, the remnants of my past with Lucas that I hadn't fully shaken off. But Jax didn't demand anything more than I was ready to give. And maybe that was precisely what I needed right now.

"I'm not over him," I whispered. "Do you think that's why we are not happening?"

"I don't know, darlin'. But I'll tell you one thing, I think you're damn attractive, and I'd love to fuck you."

I gasped. And here I thought we didn't have any chemistry.

"I'm a guy. You're hot."

"That simple?"

"Yep. You know what they say?"

I tilted my head, amused. "What do they say?"

"That for men, sex is like pizza; even when it's a day old and cold, it's a slice, and we're game."

I licked my lips and straightened. "Kiss me."

Jax quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Stop looking like you're walking into a war zone, darlin'; it's hurting my fragile ego."

I rolled my eyes. "Bud, your ego is monumental and not frail at all."

He leaned, cupped my check, and drew me to him. He gently placed his lips over mine. I could taste the martini he'd just had and the cigar he'd smoked.

"Open for me, Amara," he growled softly, and I did as he asked. My heart thundered. I was anxious. Nervous. This was the first time I was kissing someone who wasn't Lucas in over three years.

He kissed like a dream. His technique was ten out of ten. His hands moved over my body, and it felt damn good to be touched.

I was slightly breathless when he lifted his head.

"Fuck, you're sexy, Amara. I can see what you'd look like when I make you come," he whispered, stroking a cheek.

I licked my lips, feeling like an ass. As good as the kiss had been, all I wanted right now was to burst into tears. I'd kissed a man who wasn't Lucas, and it felt like cheating.

Jax kissed my nose and smiled, that easy, confident smile that I had become familiar with. "Darlin', you're not ready."

Tears filled my eyes. "When will I be ready?"

He shrugged. "I'm still waiting as well. Someone broke my heart a long while ago, and…sure, I've fucked since then, dated casually, but it always feels like I'm steppin' out on her."

"We make quite a pair," I sniffled.

"How about we can the serious talk and go have dinner, drink some more, maybe dance and have a good time?"

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the room in a warm, golden glow, I realized something important: I didn't have to have all the answers right now. And that was the most freeing thing of all.

"Yeah, let's have a good time," I agreed.

We arrived at the beachfront party to the sounds of laughter and music filling the night air. Waves crashed softly in the background while guests mingled under a sky full of stars. Tiki torches lined the sand, casting a warm, inviting glow.

I was looking forward to a carefree evening but that idea evaporated the moment I spotted Flynn and Shelby across the sand. I'd known they would be here—Jax had mentioned it earlier—but seeing them now, in the flesh, hit me like a blow to the chest. Flynn stood with a drink in hand, his usual smirk firmly in place, while Shelby looked polished, her gaze cutting through the crowd like a knife.

Jax squeezed my hand, sensing my unease. "You okay?" he asked.

I nodded, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Not gonna let them ruin my fabulous weekend."

We hung out with Jax's friends, but I knew that we'd ultimately have to talk to Shelby and Flynn. After all, Jax knew the families and Rena was almost like a godmother to him.

Jax squeezed my shoulder as they made their way over, and I tried to brace myself for whatever barbs Shelby and Flynn had prepared. They'd never been kind to me—Shelby with her condescending comments and Flynn with his sleazy advances—but tonight, I felt particularly vulnerable. Maybe it was because I'd allowed myself to believe, even for a moment, that I was moving on and realized, to my embarrassment, that I wasn't ready. Just because Lucas didn't love me hadn't reduced my affection for him, which was a shame.

"Amara," Shelby called out as they approached, her voice oozing with false sweetness. "What a surprise to see you here. I didn't realize you and Jax were still …an item."

"Amara was kind to accompany me for this golf tournament," Jax interjected coolly.

Flynn grinned, that smug, knowing grin that made me want to slap it off his face. "Well, well, well. Look at you, Amara. Moving up in the world, aren't you? Jax is a hell of a catch. He's no Covington, obviously, but definitely up there, yeah?"

I ignored him and caught Emily's eye as she sauntered over with her husband, Ace. "Shelby, Flynn, oh my God, imagine seeing y'all here!"

Shelby's gaze landed on Ace and Emily, familiar faces in our tight-knit, tangled Charleston social scene. They all exchanged the usual hug-kiss routine, while the men shook hands.

"Amara, so great to see you again." Emily pulled me into a warm hug.

Ace leaned in, brushing his lips against my cheek. "Hey, gorgeous."

Their greetings were deliberate, a subtle signal to everyone around that I was part of their circle.

"Keep your hands off my girl, Ace," Jax teased good-naturedly.

I hadn't told Emily, Ace, or any of Jax's friends about Lucas, but it looked like they knew (probably because of how small Charleston was) and were supporting me. It felt good, and once again, I wished Lucas's friends had been this way; instead, they were the ones who'd tried to put me down.

"We didn't see you at the Prentiss anniversary." Emily leaned into her husband, a champagne glass in hand.

"We wanted to make it but couldn't. We've been so busy," Shelby replied, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied me. "Planning the wedding, of course."

My heart skipped a beat.

Emily quirked an eyebrow. "The wedding?"

Shelby tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Oh, didn't you know? Lucas's all but proposed to Kath. It's only a matter of time. I thought you would've heard, Amara, considering how close you two used to be."

Her words hit me like a physical blow, the ground shifting beneath me. I'd heard rumors, of course—seen them together—but hearing it from Shelby, in such a casual, matter-of-fact way, made it real. Too real. I felt Jax's hand tighten around me, grounding me, but the damage was done. I was shattered, my heart breaking all over again.

Lucas was marrying Kath. I wasn't surprised by that announcement; and neither was I was astonished at how much it hurt me. Shouldn't I be over him after all these months instead of moping around like a spineless woman?

"I'm so happy for them. Do give Lucas my best," I crooned, not giving Shelby the satisfaction she sought, though the words tasted like ash in my mouth.

Flynn chuckled, clearly enjoying the show. "Don't worry, Amara, I'm sure you'll land on your feet. After all, you've got Jax now, right?"

The sleazy implication in his tone made my stomach turn, and I could feel the bile rising in my throat. I needed to get out of here, away from them, away from their toxic presence.

Ace's jaw clenched. "I think you've got the wrong end of the stick, pal. Jax is the lucky one to have someone like Amara give his ugly mug any attention."

"Truer words have not been said." Jax kissed the side of my head.

I felt weak and stupid, having to be held up by so many people, all because of Lucas.

At least no one can see what's in my heart and mind. I'm going to be okay. I'm going to be absolutely fine.

Flynn chuckled. "And here Lucas thought he hurt you; probably a good thing he left you if you so quickly moved on, right?"

"Crossing lines, Flynn," Jax warned.

"Oh please, Jax, Amara has been seeking a man in Charleston society and—" Shelby began.

"Excuse, us, but I've had enough of your company," Jax smoothly cut her off. "In the future, Shelby, Flynn, you see either Amara or me, just keep walkin', yeah? I don't think I want to mix with uncouth assholes like you."

There was a gasp that ran through the group and from the few people who overhead Jax, who hadn't tempered his volume; Emily smirked, and Ace openly laughed.

Jax led me away from the crowd and down to the water's edge, where the noise of the party faded into the background, replaced by the soothing sound of the waves. The sand was cool beneath my feet, and the moonlight blanketed us with calm, but I couldn't find any peace in it. Not with Shelby's words still ringing in my ears.

"Amara," Jax said gently, his voice cutting through the fog in my mind. "Talk to me. Tell me how you feel."

I held back my tears but I knew he could hear them in my voice. "Hearing about Lucas and Kath made me realize how much I'm still not over him, and I hate that I still love him, and I hate that he's getting married to…someone else."

Jax was quiet for a moment, his gaze thoughtful as he watched the waves roll in. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, darlin'. I get it. I've been there."

He had mentioned being in love once. "Still not over her?"

He nodded, a sad smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I am now . We were together for a few years, and I thought she was the one. But things didn't work out, and I took it hard. Real hard. It took me a long time to get over her, and for a while, I thought I never would."

I could hear the pain in his voice, the remnants of an old wound that still hadn't fully healed. "I'm so sorry, Jax."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. She wanted things I couldn't give her then . A life I wasn't ready for. She ended it, and I spent the next couple of years trying to pretend like I was fine, but I wasn't. I dated other people and tried to move on, but nothing ever stuck. I wasn't ready."

I nodded, understanding all too well. "That's how I feel. I thought I was ready to date again, but the truth is, I'm still hung up on Lucas."

Jax turned to face me, his eyes kind and understanding. "You'll get over it. I did…mostly."

I laughed. "Mostly?"

He shrugged and winked at me. "Yeah. I think when you really fall in love, the years blunt the pain of loss, but it never goes away. My grandma has been gone for a decade, and I still miss her, not with the same intensity as before, but there's a hole in my heart. We humans are resilient, though. We can survive with a hole in our heart."

I leaned into him, and we watched the waves.

"I never thought I could be friends with someone like you."

"What does that mean?" he asked.

I looked up at him, smiling wide. "Someone so full of himself."

"With good reason," Jax countered. "I mean, when you're perfect, it's hard to be humble."

"You're a lot like Lucas," I mused.

Jax nodded. "Yeah. I know."

"When he was with me, he was sweet and loving; affectionate, supportive…except when it came to his family."

"Lucas is a Covington and thinks the family name is important; that following traditions and all that shit matters. See, I gave it all up, and sure, my family is thrilled now that I'm successful, but when I said no thanks to the Caldwell textile empire, my father told me I'd fail, and he wouldn't lift a finger to help me; granddad basically disowned me. Good times."

He said it casually, but I could see that his father and grandfather's defection—not having faith in him and not wanting his happiness—had tainted his feelings for them.

"And now?

"Now, I'm the Caldwell who won the PGA Championship."

I stepped away from him and put a hand on his cheek. "You shouldn't have to win anything to have your family's approval. That should there unconditionally."

He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. It was not sexual but loving, full of affection and gratitude.

"Do you have that?"

I nodded. "My father is amazing. He's going to come here for Thanksgiving. I hope you'll have a chance to meet him. He's pretty impressed I'm now friends with the reigning PGA Champion…though he doesn't see golf as a real sport."

Jax narrowed his eyes teasingly. "We'll have to change his mind."

"My father is as blue-collar as it gets. Only contact sports, according to him, are the real thing." I leaned back into him and turned to face the water. "Thanks for having my back with Shelby and Flynn."

"I know you think I was doing you a favor, but we're friends, and I get as much being with you as you do being with me. No thanks needed, darlin'."

We stood there for a while longer, just watching the waves, the sound of the party a distant hum behind us.

After a while, I told him, "I think I'm going to go to bed. You should stay. Your friends are here."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm going to go drink the minibar," I said slyly, "And live to regret it tomorrow."