No One But You Read Online Free

your father since we struggled from the ground up. Nothing in life comes for free. We all have to make sacrifices. Look at us now. As a family we get to enjoy the fruits of your father’s labors. Respect that, son,” his mother advised.
    Jackson accepted the chastisement, but stubbornly held onto the belief that he was right. There was no doubt that his family lived a comfortable life. His father wanted him to follow in his footsteps with the family business. Jackson sensed that he’d demanded the same obedience from Jackson when it came to matters of the heart.
    “When you find that special someone to share your life, you’ll understand,” his mother offered.
    “I once did.”
    “Oh, Jackson, please let’s not talk about that mistake you almost made in your life. Move on. You risked losing everything.”
    “Lucky for everyone, the family business is still intact,” Jackson said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
    “You have a knack for this business. Not even your brother or sister showed the business savvy necessary to survive in this market.” His mother’s praise poured over him heavy and thick in a syrupy way that always constricted him.
    “And they have satisfying lives with their families,” Jackson said, continuing to stress his point.
    “Yes, they do. I’m glad that your dad and I were able to ensure that would happen by sending them to Ivy League universities and joining those professional organizations. Your sister’s debutante ball landed her Minister Brown’s son. And she is as happy as a mother and a wife. She aspired to be a minister’s wife. As for your brother, we’re hoping that Thadeus will follow in his father’s footsteps soon to be a minister of his church.”
    Jackson was ready to break off from this conversation and its uncomfortable direction. “Good talking to you, Mom.”
    “Okay, Jackson. Hurry home. We have much to talk about.”
    Jackson hated to ask, but leaving this call with an ominous parting didn’t sit well with him. “What’s the matter?”
    “Sweetheart, it’s not pressing. The Rosewell and the Finney families have hinted about setting up lunch dates with you and their daughters. I think they were feeling me out when I went to my Pilates class at the club yesterday. Mrs. Finney came to me first, but the Rosewells have such a great family reputation. Don’t worry, I’ll do the prescreening.”
    Jackson gritted his teeth. “Goodbye, Mom.”
    He placed the phone on the receiver. He’d managed to fend off his mother’s plans to hook him up with various choice families. Apparently, her promise to stay out of that part of his life must have expired.
    He and his siblings had been raised to value family connections. His father had stopped all of his children from playing basketball, football and even baseball. Instead they were signed up at the country club to play tennis, golf and polo. The ready explanation, if asked, came down to the business networking potential that these sports afforded.
    Thank goodness a bad fall from a horse during his first polo match helped keep him permanently out of that sport, Jackson thought.
    He rubbed his jaw, furiously trying to erase the tension that his parents caused. His two-week hiatus from his father’s grasp couldn’t be wasted. Every second counted to restore the priorities he wanted in his life.
    Jackson dressed, skipped breakfast and headed out of the hotel. The continued warm temperature hit his face with a surprising level of humidity for that time of the morning. For the trip, he’d packed light with the intention to visit Sara’s party and then return home. Shopping would have to be added to his to-do list.
    The first item on the list was to find out where Sara worked. He didn’t want to spend his precious two weeks trying to track her down. Short of parking near the community building that housed the party, he had no idea how to find her.
    “Hey, Jackson, wait up.”
    Jackson looked toward the SUV that stopped