Finding Mr. Happily Ever After_Edwin Read online

  Jazz didn’t regret doing either of those things, but being married to Xavier had shown her a different way. She didn’t have to sacrifice her own dreams to make someone else’s come true. Couples worked together to make each other’s dreams happen. That was one reason he’d paid off her student loans before their divorce.

  He’d done that to thank her for helping him gain access to the massive trust fund his parents hadn’t allowed him to touch, but he’d also wanted to get her closer to starting her own non-profit. His exact words had been, “Now you can change the world, Jazz.” The world might be a bit of a stretch, but changing one life at a time would work for her.

  Someday, she’d have all she wanted—and that included love—but she had plans.

  Goals.

  That was why letting a pretty face—okay, a breathtaking one—distract her for even one night would be stupid. She also wanted to be Xavier’s supportive friend and keep him in her life, the way she had with Nathan and Chase. Xavier and this party honoring him needed to be her focus. She would forget the stranger.

  Resolve in place, she elbowed Xavier. “So where is your workaholic, womanizing boss?”

  He tilted his head toward the other side of the room. “Over in that crowd of people.”

  Hoping the stranger was no longer there, she glanced that way.

  The man who’d grabbed her attention before was still there.

  Tall, confident, hot.

  Her pulse kicked up a notch.

  His regal air made him seem larger than life.

  Prince Charming in the flesh.

  You thought the same thing about Chase Killion, who’d been the love of your life.

  She forced herself to breathe.

  True, but despite her heartbreak over two years ago, Jazz still wanted the fairy-tale ending. She may be taking a hiatus from dating and have a better chance of finding a happily ever after in a novel or Hallmark Channel movie, but she wasn’t giving up.

  As the man spoke with a red-haired woman, in her late forties or early fifties, he kept his focus on the lady even though others tried to get his attention.

  He laughed. The rich, lovely sound made Jazz wonder how his voice sounded. Would it be deep, warm, sexy…

  “Earth to Jazz,” Xavier said.

  Her gaze jerked to him, but she blinked as if in a daze. “Did you say something?”

  “You were drifting away again.”

  Heat pooled on her cheeks. “I’m sorry. Just taking in your party.”

  And the other guests. Well, one.

  Her throat tightened. Why was she daydreaming about another man with Xavier—her ex-husband and close friend—standing next to her? She told herself to forget the mystery hottie.

  Her first step toward moving on needed to be finding an apartment, not a man crush. Xavier deserved better from her.

  Determined to avoid any further distractions, Jazz focused on him. She didn’t need to meet Mr. Forrester since she’d sent him a thank-you note back when he’d contacted InstaLove on her behalf. “Do you want to—”

  “The guest of honor has arrived,” a deep male voice interrupted.

  It was him.

  The stranger.

  She sucked in a breath. The extra oxygen ignited a fire inside her, the flames spreading until her insides were burning.

  As he moved closer, charm and sex appeal oozed from him.

  “Win.” Suddenly bright-eyed, Xavier shook his boss’s hand. “Thanks for the great send-off. Not sure how you’ll top this the next time.”

  Jazz kept her lips pressed together so her mouth wouldn’t gape. Mr. Forrester’s photographs hadn’t done him justice. The gorgeous man she’d been eyeing was her ex-husband’s boss.

  And technically, hers, too.

  Three

  Jazz heard the two men speaking, but her frazzled brain didn’t comprehend a word they said. All she could do was stare while her body reacted—more like overreacted—to the man standing in front of her.

  Win was better looking up close. The mix of greens in his eyes reminded her of gemstones: emerald, jade, peridot, tourmaline. His lips were the softest thing about the man, full and meant for long, slow kisses, and curved into an easy smile showing off straight white teeth. She wanted to grab onto something solid in case her suddenly weak knees buckled.

  What was going on? She’d been instantly attracted to a man before but not to this magnitude. Yes, she felt a strong draw toward him—a connection. That didn’t mean she needed to act like a tween meeting her favorite pop star. She was being ridiculous.

  Would she mentally measure the length of his long, thick eyelashes next? Or have the number of lines at the corner of his eyes memorized?

  Someone gave her a nudge.

  Xavier glanced at her strangely before looking back at his boss. “Win, this is my wife—former wife—Jasmine…Jazz Michaels.”

  Win focused his full attention on her. Being in his spotlight sent pleasurable sensations exploding through her, but she found something else in his gaze. Power, confidence, worth. With him on her side, she would achieve whatever she set out to do. No one had ever made her believe that.

  “Hello, there.” His rich voice washed over her like a full-body massage. She wanted to melt into a puddle at his feet.

  Pathetic, but her feelings were out of her control.

  “Hi.” Ignoring the flutters in her stomach, she extended her arm toward him. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Forrester.”

  “Please, call me Win.” His fingers brushed her skin, leaving a wake of tingles. Slowly, as if he wanted the moment to last as much as she did, he squeezed her hand. Heat scorched the point of contact. “The pleasure is all mine, Jazz.”

  Her name rolled off his tongue so perfectly she wanted to sigh. His handshake lasted longer than was socially acceptable, but she wasn’t ready to let go. As he did, awareness of him buzzed through her.

  Bad. Bad. Bad.

  Where had her resolve gone? Common sense?

  She cleared her dry throat. “Thank you again for arranging my interview at InstaLove. Without your help, I would have never found that position.”

  “I’m always available to help my employees.” Win glanced at Xavier. “Or former employees, if I can.”

  “It’s much appreciated,” Jazz said.

  “Yes, it is.” Xavier’s jaw jutted forward with his mouth set in a tight line. She’d seen him like this when he’d been arguing with his parents over access to his trust fund after their elopement.

  Uh-oh. Had Xavier noticed her attraction to Win? She hoped not. “I’m grateful Xav was comfortable about approaching you on my behalf.”

  Xavier didn’t relax, but his features weren’t as tense. “Jazz is now the director of human resources at InstaLove. I’ve been trying to convince her to work with me, but she has her own plans. Don’t you, darling?”

  She nodded. “And you don’t want Olivia and me working together, anyway. We’re professional, but that’s asking too much of us.”

  “Who’s Olivia?” Win asked.

  “My best friend, Olivia Gable,” Jazz answered. “We were roommates at business school and again when I moved to New York. She’s a marketing guru.”

  “That she is.” Xavier shot Win a pointed look. “Don’t expect an introduction so you can hire her away from me. She’s irreplaceable.”

  Jazz would let Olivia know how much Xavier valued her.

  Win held his hands up. “You’ve observed me well.”

  “On my first day at Forrester, you told me to watch and learn.” Xavier’s arm slipped around Jazz’s back. “I did.”

  “So I see. Well done.” Win sounded proud, yet amusement flickered in his eyes. “I also respect a man who knows how to stake his claim.”

  “I feel the same way about a man who respects said claim,” Xavier said, his tone firm.

  Jazz liked how he wasn’t intimidated by his billionaire boss. She filed it away to tell him when they were alone.

  Win’s gaze tr
aveled back to her. “Jazz, you’re still at InstaLove?”

  “Yes.” She basked in his attention, almost blurting out that her plan to found her own non-profit relied on her salary and stock options for at least the next year. “It’s a great company, but I haven’t seen you at the office.”

  When he cocked his brow, his sexy expression shot straight to her gut. The flame burning erupted into an inferno, and she moved away from Xavier’s hold.

  “Forrester likes to allow the start-ups we purchase to remain autonomous if they continue to post strong results,” Win said with a hint of pride. Or perhaps arrogance.

  “It’s worked for InstaLove,” she said.

  He stepped forward, close enough to make her wonder if billionaires had different definitions of personal space. “Do you have intimate experience with InstaLove’s dating algorithm?”

  He sounded flirty. Anticipation thrummed.

  Until she remembered Xavier was watching and listening. Win’s question, however, reminded Jazz that she and Xav had been a one hundred percent match according to the algorithm. They’d been perfectly compatible, but that hadn’t been enough for them to remain married without being in love. Probably best not to share that with the CEO.

  “My coworkers have had wonderful results, which the PR department has shared with the media. Though they should put out a press release on how wonderful Forrester treats employees.” She looked from Xavier to Win. “I appreciate how much effort went into Xavier’s going-away party.”

  Win’s gaze hadn’t left her. “Your…former husband has been an asset to my corporation. I hate to see him go, but now he can turn his attention to nobler endeavors.”

  As Win took two steps back, Jazz felt as if all the oxygen had disappeared from the room.

  “I have profound respect for people who want to help others,” Win said. “I hope to team up with him in the future.”

  An I-told-you-so look formed on Xavier’s face. “I’d like that, Win.”

  “I shouldn’t keep you to myself.” Win took another step away. “People want to speak with you.”

  Xavier nodded. “Thanks again for everything.”

  Win looked at her. “I enjoyed meeting you, Jazz.”

  “Nice meeting you.” Her tongue felt ten sizes too big. She had no idea how she’d strung the three words together.

  Once again, his gaze lingered too long to be considered polite. Did Win feel a connection as she did?

  Not that it mattered, she realized with disappointment. Xavier was leaving Forrester, Inc. Win had nothing to do with InstaLove. Once she left here tonight, Jazz would never see him again.

  Four

  Finding an affordable apartment was an effort in futility. Jazz searched listings and toured units, but she couldn’t picture herself living in any of them. Olivia asked her to move back in with her, but Jazz wanted to be closer to work and where she volunteered. Thankfully, she found a place in April.

  On move-in day, she stood in the living room with Xavier and Olivia. Bethany Goldman, her best friend from high school, was standing watch over the boxes in the rental truck.

  A sense of pride filled Jazz. “The place is more like a studio with a sleeping room than a one bedroom, but the location and price are great.”

  “It’s cute.” As Olivia pushed her black hair behind her shoulder, she checked out the apartment as if she were the love child of a building inspector and interior designer. “Great crown molding and chair rail. Lots to work with here.”

  “I fell in love the moment I entered.” After a quick tour, she’d told the rental agent she wanted it. “My favorites are the windows that let in natural light and the hardwood floors.”

  Olivia peered out the window—there was a peekaboo view of a park. “You’ll be comfortable here.”

  Xavier removed the boxes from the dolly. “The apartment is very much you, but there isn’t room to have people over.”

  “I’m not planning to entertain,” she admitted. “My priorities are volunteering, working as hard as I can, and helping you with whatever your non-profit needs.”

  Xavier raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t leave much time for fun.”

  “I’ll have fun with you and Olivia. Netflix and takeout on Friday nights like we’ve always done, but now we can rotate apartments. Bethany can join us if she has a night off from her residency program.”

  “Four people will make for a tight fit. Even three would.” He didn’t sound convinced.

  “Nothing wrong with cuddling on the couch,” Olivia chimed in with a pleased expression. “We’ll put Xavier in the middle. He’ll be our man-heater.”

  “Actually.” He took an exaggerated look around. “This place is perfect.”

  Jazz laughed.

  Olivia rolled her eyes. “Men. Although… I did see two hotties who most likely live in the building.”

  Jazz shrugged. “I didn’t notice.”

  “You weren’t paying attention, as usual.” Olivia gave her an exasperated look. “This place will open up new dating possibilities.”

  “I’m not looking to date.”

  “Does that mean I shouldn’t give your number to Win?” Xavier asked.

  A lump the size of Manhattan lodged in Jazz’s throat, but anticipation made her nerve endings twitch. She swallowed. “Did Win say why he wanted my number?”

  “No, but I can guess the reason.” Xavier didn’t sound happy. “That’s why I wanted to ask you first.”

  There’d been such a strong connection at the party. One that had a physical component, but there’d been more to it than that. At least for her.

  Did she want to talk to Win? Yes, but she didn’t want to put Xavier in the middle of anything that might hurt him.

  “Thanks, but please don’t give Win my number.” The words flowed and sounded natural, even though what she really wanted was to jump up and down screaming, Give it to him!

  Visible relief washed over Xavier. “I’ll tell him.”

  “It’s just a phone number.” Olivia walked toward Jazz with quick steps. “Why not give it to this Win guy?”

  Jazz shrugged. “It’s not the right time.”

  And Xavier might hate me if he found out I wanted Win to call.

  “You need to stop pretending you don’t want to find love.” Eyes wide, Olivia got in Jazz’s face. “And making Xavier keep playing the role of dutiful husband when you’re no longer married.”

  “I don’t mind,” he muttered.

  Olivia shot him a pointed look. “You should.”

  Jazz didn’t know why Olivia was upset. “I never said I didn’t want the whole perfect husband, white picket fence, and two-point-five-kids life. I do. But this is my time. I’ve put off going after my own dreams too long.”

  “Is that going to be enough?” Olivia asked.

  It had to be. “Yes.”

  “Finding your happily ever after is one of your dreams. Why not pursue all of them?”

  This wasn’t like her best friend. “What’s going on?”

  With a sigh, Olivia stared at a box full of books. “Chase called me.”

  “I’m going down to the truck to bring up more boxes.” Xavier wheeled the empty dolly toward the door.

  “What did Chase want?” Jazz asked, stomach dipping at the name.

  “To see how you’re doing after the divorce.”

  That made no sense. “Why did he call you?”

  “Because Emily wouldn’t tell him. And he’s afraid of Simone.”

  Her friends Emily Raines and Simone Sinclair in San Antonio still blamed Chase for the breakup, even though Jazz was the one who’d left town. “What did you tell him?”

  “That you were moving into your own apartment and doing great.” Olivia gnawed on her lower lip. “What if he’s calling because he wants you back?”

  “Trust me, he doesn’t.” Jazz had no doubt about that.

  Had things worked out, she and Chase would be married, and she’d be running their charity foundation
while he played shortstop for the San Antonio Sliders. She’d made the right decision to leave rather than wait for him after dating for three and a half years, but there’d been times when she’d wondered what would have happened if he hadn’t wanted to postpone their wedding, or she’d stuck it out in Texas instead of moving to New York.

  She shook the thoughts from her head. “Besides, he’s still dating his dancing partner from that TV show.”

  Olivia made a gagging sound. “Sorry for acting crazy, but his call wigged me out. I’m worried one day he’ll realize what an idiotic moron he’s been and come crawling back to you.”

  Jazz shrugged, but she wasn’t indifferent. She might play the what-if game by reimagining her and Chase’s history, but she wouldn’t do that with her actual future. Her heart had healed, and she wouldn’t inflict any more unnecessary trauma on it.

  She smiled confidently. “That won’t happen. It’s over. Chase wanted to be friends, and I agreed. Just like I’m still friends with Nathan. That doesn’t mean he’ll reappear in my life and ask me to put his ring back on my finger, either.”

  A turquoise ring she had in her bedroom at her mom’s house. She’d considered getting rid of his “engaged-to-be-engaged” symbol, but the ring was a sweet–okay, bittersweet—reminder of her first love.

  “I’ll stop worrying.” Olivia hugged her. “We’d better get downstairs before Xavier and Bethany wonder what happened to us.”

  Jazz grabbed her keys to lock the door. A satisfied feeling settled over her. Having an apartment and good friends made her feel blessed. “Let’s go.”

  Five

  A month later, Jazz sat at her desk at InstaLove. Most employees worked in the large accessible area where cubicle walls had been forbidden by the founders to foster an intimate working environment, but the HR staff needed privacy for confidential conversations, so each person on her team had an office with a door.

  The past three weeks had been brutal. Rumors of the company being sold had the staff on edge. Productivity plummeted in direct proportion to the amount of gossip spreading.