Better Off Away (BOOK 2)(Wattys2016)

Just Now Hearing It

My Aunt pulls me into one of the nearby rooms which happens to be her home office. Strewn across the desks are blueprints for buildings and models carefully constructed to replicate her designs. My Aunt has always loved buildings. My mother told me once that Izzy used to get lost in the town they grew up in because she would wander off and explore old abandoned buildings. They were always off to look for her and when they would find her she would be sitting in the building, drawing a masterpiece with a similar structure of the building she was in, but ten times more beautiful. It was a natural talent she had and even from a young age, people knew she would be designing the future buildings of all the biggest Cities in the world.

"Alright, Macey...Who's the rich hunk?" She arches an eyebrow.

I look at her, surprised at how abrupt and to the point she is. "Izzy!"

"Well? Is he your boyfriend?" She crosses her arms, her eyebrow both arched at me now.

"Oh, God, no." I say, shaking my head. I don't know what he is, but Jack isn't my boyfriend.

"Well? Explain." She looks at me impatiently tapping her foot.

"Izzy, please. I really can't right now. I'll explain it to you once I myself understand it." I look at her, knowing that's not the explanation she wants.

"Macey, don't make me call your mother." She says in a warning tone, tilting her head.

"Izzy, honestly. It's complicated. He's only here because he didn't want me to come alone in the big City." I roll my eyes. "Please, don't make things awkward. It's already weird enough."

Izzy laughs, loosening up. "Honey, please. He is about to undergo an interrogation worse that the Spanish Inquisition."

I don't get a chance to respond – Izzy is already turned and starting back for the living room. I don't have time to even think, I catch back up with her wondering to myself, what I've gotten us all into.

***

We make our way back into the living room, where Jack is standing next to the curved wall, running a hand over it. He lets out a low whistle, oblivious to our presence. I'm afraid Izzy will call him out, tell him he doesn't know what he's looking at, but she doesn't.

"Are you interested in architecture, Jack?" Izzy crosses to the kitchen which is adjacent to the living room. Her apartment is an open floor design which means the walls are minimal and most of the rooms are joined together with open spaces. Izzy begins filling a pot with water.

Jack's eyes fill with excitement at her question. "Actually, I am. Macey mentioned that you design?"

My aunt eyes him carefully as she puts the pot on the stove to boil. "Yes, I've officially designed for twelve years now. I love it."

Jack crosses and sits on a bar stool next to the kitchen bar which Izzy is using the surface to chop up lettuce. "If you don't mind my asking, who do you work for?"

Izzy smiles proudly. "Oh, I'm self-managed. I don't have to work for a corporation because I'm fairly well-known. I don't make as much as I could if I was corporate protected, but I like it better this way. I get to pick and choose what I want to do and who I want to build for."

Jack looks at her, awe filling his features. "I just finished up studying architecture for a year and a half in California. I miss it every day."

"I think you should take that as a sign. If you love it so much, do it. It's not that hard." Izzy shrugs, filling a bowl with the lettuce she's chopped.

I watch them talk, their sentences absorbed with a passion for what they love to do. I don't have that passion when it comes to Publishing and I wish I did. I wish I could physically become excited when I talk about what I do, but I don't – not at all.

***

"So let me get this straight, you are the heir for your father's business?" Izzy asks Jack as we finish up our dinner by loading the dishwasher. Talk of designing and architecting hasn't really stopped since we got here. I hate to admit it, but I think my Aunt actually likes Jack and approves of him a lot.

I'm not jealous that he's got her attention. I'm just slightly annoyed that now she'll want me to be with him always and forever. She can't know about my contract. I know she wouldn't approve of something like it.

Jack shrugs, handing her a plate that's been rinsed. "No, but I will be. I'm not officially the heir – I have to sign papers still."

"Do you think you will be? Is it what you want?" She asks, closing the dishwasher.

Jack shrugs again. "I think it could give me something I want even more... if things work out." Jack's eyes cut to mine and when they do I feel the floor drop out underneath me.

Jack... has fallen for it.

Jeremiah was right. He said that if I persuaded Jack to fall for me, then he would fall so hard he'd let go of his own dream and take on publishing just to be with me. Oh God, he'll hate me so much once he realizes it was all a contract.

I hate myself for doing this to Jack – for replacing his true dream with one that will topple over in a matter of days.

I look away from him to where my aunt is watching him with mixed emotions on her face: disappointment and wonder. I think of all the men she's turned down so she could focus on her designing. Perhaps, she and Jack aren't as similar as one would think.

Jack is willing to give up his dream for me. That's what he's been saying all day, only I'm just now hearing it.

***

"I'll go wait outside while you say goodbye. It was nice meeting you, Isabelle." Jack nods his head at Izzy before disappearing into the elevator.

I turn to Izzy, hugging her. "Thanks for having us."

"No problem, hon. You know I'll have ya anytime you want." She pulls away, looking at me funnily.

"What?" I ask.

"He's a good guy... Jack is. It's rare in the industry he's been brought up in, but he's... Really good." She smiles at me and I wonder if she can read through my charade.

I swallow the lump in my throat and nod. "I... I know he is."

"And I can tell he cares for you... A lot. I hope you know that not everyone is like me. You can fall in love before you're successful and so can he. Dear, most of all, I want you to be happy." Izzy rests a hand on my shoulder and smiles at me.

I look down at my feet and nod, guilt heavier than ever within my heart. "I want to be happy, but I'm not sure I can be happy with Jack."

"That may be, honey. But don't let any rock be left unturned before deciding."

•••

A/N: Hey, guys!

On the side is a pic of part of Izzy's apartment :)

Love always, Samantha XO