“Your husband thinks she’s way out of my league. ”
Jessie made a scraping sound in her throat. “My husband is fall-down drunk, and he’s always been jealous of you. He probably just doesn’t want you bagging a woman prettier than his. ”
“Oh, stop. No one is prettier than you. ”
“You’re a lousy liar. And I’ve never seen you not go after a woman you want. What’s up with that?”
“She seems pretty…classy, you know?” He looked down at Jessie. “I think your husband might be right. ”
Jessie stopped dancing and gazed up at him with a what-the-fuck look. “Bentley Jaxon Chamberlin, don’t make me flog you at my own wedding. ”
Jax laughed, but he wasn’t feeling the humor. And as he looked down into Jessie’s eyes, he was reminded that even she had chosen Connor over Jax one night long ago. Something Jax never thought twice about. Never regretted. In fact, he’d believed in a lot of ways Connor had taken a bullet for him. He’d felt pushed toward Jessie because of her father’s not-so-hidden wishes and Jax’s own drive for Stan’s fatherly approval. Once Jessie had chosen Connor, Jax had been so relieved in so many ways, he’d never cared why she’d chosen Connor.
Only now, it was clear. Connor had respectable family, an outstanding Hollywood reputation as an upstanding guy. Walked the walk. Talked the talk. Shook hands and kissed babies.
A sick gurgle of a laugh came from Jax’s throat. His mother would get such a thrill out of this moment. She’d always told him he’d lose out big someday, because in Hollywood, image was everything.
This was never something he’d ever fathomed losing. Probably because he’d never imagined falling in love.
Pain shot through his shoulder, and Jax finally heard Jessie talking to him, tugging on the arm he’d injured in Idaho to get his attention.
“Are you okay? Maybe you had a little too much to drink too. ”
No, but he definitely wasn’t right either. Physically or emotionally. The longer he watched Lexi in this environment, with the upstanding businessmen flocking around her, the lower Jax sank.
The song changed, and another guest came up to claim Jessie for the dance.
Jax slipped through the other guests on the dance floor and leaned against the bar. A wave of dizziness made him sway.
“Are you all right, sir?”
Jax put his forehead against his hand. “I could use some water. ”
His cell rang. The Renegades phone, not his personal phone. Jax was suddenly exhausted, but he answered, “Renegades. ”
“Jax, it’s Ted Rimer. ”
Jax’s gut coiled tight. “Part of me was hoping you wouldn’t call. ”
“But you knew I would. ”
“What else are you going to do? Sucky spot to be in, Ted. I’m sorry this happened. ”
“You’ll keep your mouth shut in bed from now on I guess, right?”
Jax didn’t appreciate the dig. “People who live in glass houses…”
Rimer sighed heavily. “So what am I going to have to give you to pick up this job? You’ve pretty much got a gun to my head here. ”
“You put it there. It’s not my fault you tried to go cheap and ended up getting screwed. ”
“I’m twenty million over budget,” he said, ignoring Jax’s comment.
“I heard thirty. ”
“You heard wrong,” Rimer said.
“Whatever. ” Jax didn’t doubt it, and how much over budget they were didn’t matter to him. “Since you didn’t pick us up for your movie, I’ve found a lot of work. I’d be giving up a lot, taking my boys off sure things. You’re the one over budget. Tell me what you can give us to make it worth the risk. ”