Page 112 of Love Unspoken

"Amara, what a surprise! I didn't realize you already snagged yourself a new beau. And that too, Jax, no less. Aren't you two quite the pair?" Shelby's eyes were full of malicious curiosity.

I forced a smile, trying to keep my composure. Jax gave a relaxed grin as he slid an arm around my waist, pulling me closer. I could feel the muscles in his arm, strong and reassuring, and for a moment, I was grateful for the show of support—even if it was just that, a show.

"Amara and I spent the day house hunting." He kissed the side of my head, and I wanted to roll my eyes. He was laying it on thick.

"House hunting? Together?" Shelby all but screeched, her eyes bugging out.

"I'm helping him," I interjected before everyone decided Jax and I were dating.

"You certainly are, darlin', in more ways than one." Jax's voice was warm and full of flirtatious Southern charm. "Figured we'd grab a drink, get something to eat before we continue our night. We didn't expect to run into such good company, though."

Lucas's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of Jax's arm around me, a trace of something dark passing through his expression. He wasn't the only one who noticed. Jax gave me a subtle squeeze as if to say, "Let's have some fun with the son of a bitch."

Kath offered a polite smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Charleston is small." Her tone was cool. "These things are bound to happen."

Shelby was far from cool. She leaned forward, her eyes glinting with curiosity and judgment. "Jax, I didn't know you and Amara were so…close. This is new, isn't it?"

Jax didn't miss a beat. "New? I don't know. It's been a minute, hasn't it, darlin'?" He winked at me, his tone smooth as silk. "We met at the Magnolia Ball."

I felt my cheeks flush, both from his implication and the attention that came with it. It wasn't like Shelby to miss an opportunity to make me squirm, and she was already gearing up for another jab when her husband, Flynn, decided to join the fray.

"Well, well," Flynn drawled, his eyes lingering a little too long on me. He was the kind of man who didn't think twice about crossing lines, especially after a few drinks. "I say, Jax, looks like you're still goin' after Lucas's exes."

"Flynn," Lucas clipped.

I was too shocked to say anything, too humiliated to even formulate a response. Had Jax dated someone Lucas used to?

"Oh, come on I'm just kiddin'," Flynn slurred. "Remember when Jax dated⁠—"

"We were in middle school then." Jax glanced at me, a smirk on his face. "Give it a rest, will ya, Flynn?"

"All I meant was that Amara is," he paused for an infinitesimal minute and I stiffened, waiting for him to say something ugly, "a beautiful woman," he finished smug as only an asshole could be.

The compliment, if you could call it one, made my skin crawl.

I tried to sidestep it with a polite laugh, but the tension in the air was suffocating. Lucas's jaw clenched, his eyes darting to his brother-in-law with disgust, and I could tell he was holding back from saying something that would escalate the situation.

Jax, sensing the shift in my mood, leaned in closer, pressing his lips to my temple in a gesture that felt far too intimate for where we actually were in our friendship. But I understood why he did it, and for that, I was grateful.

"It was nice seeing, y'all. It's been a long day, so we're going to head to the bar." Jax kept his voice calm and measured.

But Lucas's eyes remained locked on me, a storm brewing behind them that I couldn't (didn't want to?) decipher. He was the one who'd let me go, the one who'd decided to walk away, and yet in this crowded bar, he was staring at me like he had the right.

Kath, sensing Lucas's distraction, shifted in her seat, trying to draw his attention back to her. But it was too late. The undercurrents in the room were strong, pulling us all into a whirlpool of unresolved feelings and uncomfortable dynamics.

"Why don't you join us?" Shelby suggested, her tone too bright to be sincere. "I'm sure we have plenty to catch up on."

Jax glanced at me, raising an eyebrow as if to ask, "We'll do whatever you want."

"You don't mind, do you, Amara?" Shelby continued. "I mean, you and Lucas have been over forever, so there's no need to be all awkward about it."

Well, fuck this bitch! I wasn't about to give Shelby the satisfaction of thinking she could intimidate me.

"Of course," I replied, a knot tightening in my stomach.

As we sat at their table, I found myself wondering how I'd ended up here—once again, caught in a web of past mistakes and unresolved glances. Charleston felt far too small for all this history, and with Lucas's eyes on me, watching my every move, it was clear that some things were far from over.

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