Page 14 of Jaxson

“I asked her and she said yes.”

“Wow,” Mark said.

Jaxson looked toward his dad, because this wasn’t helping.

“You’ve always had a soft spot for her, haven’t you?” Mark asked.

“What?”

“Come on, son, I’ve seen the way you look at her. You’ve always had a bit of a soft spot, and now you’ve asked her out on a date.”

He wasn’t about to tell him he had also taken her virginity, was madly in love with her, and had been for so freaking long.

“What do I do?” he asked.

“Well, you think of something romantic. You take her out. Don’t forget the flowers or chocolates, and you show her how you feel before you even tell her.”

“Why?” Jaxson asked.

“Don’t you want to know if she feels the same way about you?”

He hadn’t thought of that. “You think there’s a possibility she might not like me?” He hated how childish he sounded as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Has she ever given you any reason to think she might?” his father asked.

Jaxson thought back to how she thrust against him on the floor of her sewing studio. The smiles she sent his way. They were sweet, kind smiles, but none of that equated to dating or falling in love. He hated this.

“Son, are you all right?”

“No, yes, I’m fine.” He should have known coming to see his father wouldn’t be helpful. It wasn’t his dad’s fault, seeing as he wasn’t exactly giving him all the facts.

Mark put his cloth down, along with the wrench, and walked toward him. He put a hand on his shoulder. “Talk to me.”

Just then, his mother walked out with the glasses of lemonade.

“So, I take it you’ve finally asked Tillie Short on a date,” Susan said, taking one of the glasses of lemonade for herself as she took a seat on the porch.

His father moved toward his mother and Jaxson watched as the two sat side by side on the porch. He also happened to notice how his dad reached for her hand, locking their fingers together as they sat there. There was no reason to hold hands, but they had that connection. Growing up, he always saw them hugging, holding hands, embracing each other, and doing little things that showed their love for one another. Jaxson had always been a little grossed out by his parents’ physical affection with each other. Now, he saw what it meant—love, companionship, and a soulmate. What his parents had was rare. Not many people got to experience love like that.

“I have,” he said.

“And you care for her?”

He nodded.

“Good, good. There is not much gossip on the dating scene with Tillie, but she’s such a lovely girl. She’s sweet and kind, and bless her heart, she lost her parents when she was quite young as well. So tragic, and she was their whole world.”

He’d known it hit her hard. At the funeral, which he had attended, he stood there, even as Tillie was the only one to remain, so too had he. He stayed, just to be there to offer her comfort. She hadn’t sobbed that day, but he’d seen the tears in her eyes as they cascaded down her face. It had killed him not to cross over, pull her into his arms, and hold her. That was all he wanted to do.

He ran a hand down his face.

“What are your intentions with Tillie?” his mother asked.

“I want to marry her,” he said. He looked toward his parents and expected to see shock or worry, but instead, he saw total happiness.

“Our son is starting to understand what love is all about,” his dad said.

He groaned. “Are you going to help me with this or not?”