Page 88 of Broken Destiny

I smiled faintly.

“Soon. I’ll probably drag Greg with me next time.”

Jack chuckled.

“Good. We’ll be happy to have you.”

“The food was great,” I admitted. “Honestly, I was impressed. The place has a good atmosphere too. You’ve done a hell of a job with it.”

Jack barked out a laugh.

“You should tell Jiya that.”

I frowned.

“Jiya?”

“Yeah. She owns the restaurant.”

“The Tipsy Cow belongs to Jiya?”

“Sure does,” Jack replied. “And two cafés.”

My eyes drifted across the yard toward her.

She was crouched beside Emma, wiping frosting from her face while Lucas laughed about something nearby.

Jack followed my gaze and smiled.

“She’s worked hard for everything she has.”

Another piece of the puzzle slid into place.

A successful restaurant.

Two thriving cafés.

A partnership in a major development project.

An entire life she had built for herself.

Despite everything I felt toward her, I couldn't deny one thing.

I was impressed.

Liam chuckled beside him. “Careful, Jack. You’re going to scare him off with all that emotional talk.”

The corner of my mouth twitched.

“I think I’ll survive.”

Elle crossed her arms lightly, studying me. There was nothing unfriendly about her stance, but there was something protective in her gaze.

A thought had been bothering me since I walked into the backyard.

“I thought you and Jiya didn’t keep in touch,” I said evenly. “At least that’s what you told me.”

Elle met my eyes without flinching.