Defeated.

It was a feeling she'd grown accustomed to be familiar with. Moreso in her personal life than her professional. Maggie didn't have a plan on how to tell Jackson about the turn of events on her wedding day. But this isn't what she imagined. The two of them sitting across from each other not speaking.

She continued to let the wine speak to her as Jackson excused himself from the table to take a call.

Maggie swirled the last strawberry from her dessert in the vanilla pastry cream. She looked at the remaining patrons in the venue. Mainly couples, a few girl squads living their best lives and thought about how she wanted both of those things. She never really had a best friend that she could run to about everything she was going through. Her sisters were great but there was still a void they couldn't fill.

He returned to her line of sight and she drank the remainder of cranberry colored liquor in the wine glass. Maggie swallowed back the words she wanted to say. She said enough and equally not enough. Maybe it was the wine but he seemed to move slower than normal. His eyes remained set on her until he returned to the table. "Ready to leave?" he asked.

"I can get an uber but I think I'll have another" she raised the wine glass. "I won't keep you since you clearly have other places to be." Before Jackson could respond the waitress returned and filled her wine glass.

"Maggie, you are not keeping me from anything. I was just.."

"Whatever you say Jackson. It was nice catching up…" she took a long sip from the glass and watched as he scrolled through his phone. He placed the device down and signaled the waitress that they were ready to go.

Once outside Maggie pulled out her phone to get an uber. Jackson came up from behind her and took it away. " You are coming with me Pierce."

"I already told you Jackson. I will get an Uber you can go and ..and..meet up with whoever is waiting on you. I got this." She stuck out her hand gesturing to him to return her phone.

"And I already told you I have no plans. So you are coming with me. It's settled. So let's go."

"Nothing is settled Jackson! I will get an uber you will go home and rest up, stay up, lay up or whatever you do and be back in your fancy ass office in the morning while your cliche blonde receptionist drools over you. Now give me my phone!"

Jackson wanted to laugh but thatwouldn't get her in the direction of his car any faster.

He walked towards her and her hand was still out. He put her hand to the side and held it in his.

Jackson was close too close she could smell him. His hand pushed back her hair to expose her ear and he whispered,"I have you until Sunday. It's me and you until then. Phones off. It's settled. Now let's go."

Maggie looked up at him.

"What?" she was in a complete state of confusion.

"Going to eliminate all distractions. Neither one of us can run or hide.And then Sunday whatever we decide from everything we learn we go from there. We can't dance around this Maggie. We need to talk."

The nearness of him made her dizzy.

"I - I need clothes. I gotta call my dad."

"It's all handled Maggie. Now let's go. We can discuss when we get to my place." he took her hand and began to lead her to the car.

Once inside the car.

"Who the hell are you right now?" she asked.

"Maggie, how long have you been in town?"

She didn't expect the question. Which made her wonder what he was thinking.

"Three days." she answered

"Three days hmph." He shook his head.

They drove in silence. The tall buildings of the city landscape soon vanished. Majestic trees, contemporary and modern homes roledl by as Jackson maneuvered his luxury SUV through the suburban streets.

He pulled into a Target parking lot and found a spot for curbside parking.

Maggie looked over at him.

"You said you needed clothes. Handled. We can get more tomorrow. I figured this would be the only place open after dinner."

"Why are you doing this? What makes you think you know what I wear?"

He popped the trunk and showed the associate the code to drop bags in the trunk. Once the trunk was closed. Jackson turned to her, " Maggie I know what you wear cause. I- I just know.

And if I let you control this with limited time you are here. We will be at this same moment three weeks from now. Which is no where. You afraid to talk to me when we clearly have a lot to discuss. So Maggie can be upset and pissed. Please I want that. But we will be honest with each other the next few days and we will know if we are done with each other once and for all or if this is …"

He didn't finish. He put the car in reverse and let the music from the speakers fill the silence.

I love me

I love me enough for the both of us

That's why you trust me

I know you been through more than most of us

So what are you

What are you, what are you so afraid of

Darling you

You give but you cannot take love

10:15 pm

Jackson didn't want to wake her; she looked peaceful. He exited the car and came around to her side and removed her heels. He brushed the curls off her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb. He picked her up and carried through his home and headed towards the guest house past the pool. Maggie was going to hate the idea of sleeping in her outside clothes, he could always undress her but thought against it. Being around her was torture but, seeing her body nearly naked, a cold shower wouln't be enough. He left to get the target bags and placed them on the dresser for her to go through when she awakened.

1:45 a.m

Maggie found herself in an unfamiliar room and wondered where she was. She sprung up and surveyed her surroundings. To her right a dresser with multiple Target bags. Jackson.

The plush accent rug under her feet felt like heaven. She went through the bags and found multiple items of clothing for sleep, lounging and personal hygiene. Based on the selection he definitely knew her. She found the shower and lavished in the much needed therapeutic cleanse it provided. Maggie made a mental note to soak in the claw tub before she left.

Once she opened the door Maggie realized the space was detached from the main house. She was quite surprised that it wasn't a mansion. Black and grey very Jackson.

She walked past the pool and into the kitchen since the lights were on. Maggie followed what she assumed were the sounds of tv.

Jackson was laid out on a grey extra large sectional watching highlights on ESPN. Looking around she noticed the room was barely decorated and a few boxes were piled up in a corner. Odd.

She decided to let him know she was awake, "You should be in bed. Since you have plans for us and all." She walked by in front him and the ESPN highlights no longer mattered. He rubbed his head as he looked at the long floral camisole he chose clinging to every inch of her. "I wouldn't say I have plans. But if I need to make an itinerary I will."

"I'm a guest in your home. Your rules Avery." Jackson wasn't sure if she meant for it to sound seductive but it did. He reached for the remote and powered off the tv.

"Really?" Jackson wasn't convinced.

Maggie nodded.

"No holds barred. Complete transparency from the both of us. Honesty. Whatever you are thinking, feel, act on it."

"Act on it? Expound Avery."

"Maggie what are you thinking?" He knew but he was testing her.

"I think YOU should go to bed, Jackson." Maggie rose from the couch and started to walk by him. He followed her.

"Do I want you Maggie, yes. I think that's quite obvious. But this isn't about sex.I just want to know if you are going to try this wee.."

"Let me stop you right there Jackson. You think I can't be honest with you? Here's a moment of honesty to start the weekend off. Ready?"

He crossed his arms and leaned against the hallway wall then nodded for her to continue. "You want ME to try this weekend, right. Why couldn't you fight for us when we were together Jacskson? You let us go, remember? Broke up with me at work. After YOU left me on the side of the road and thought I didn't need to be upset."

"Maggie I wasn't.."

"No, I'm not done. So as much as I would love to wrap my legs around your waist and go through one of our favorite textbooks and reminisce on the good times. We wouldn't even be here if YOU would have fought for us."