Page 64 of Golden Ruin

“I think it’ll go smoother than you think.”

“From your lips to God’s ears,” she smiles, then lowers a look toward Jax. “Let’s go, kid. I still have to stop for gas.”

My brow tenses at her words. “Not happening.”

She stops midstep, and her eyes land on mine. “Not happening?”

“It’s not safe,” I say flatly. “With all the people following us around, hoping to get a glimpse of something, I can’t have you and Jax stopping in open spaces like that.”

“So… would you prefer it if we hoof it?” she jokes. “Because I’ve been getting him back and forth to school all week, so the tank’s on empty. Besides, I went thrifting for clothes with Jules a couple days ago and everything was fine.”

“I’ll take you.”

I’m already on my feet, and the hesitant look in her eyes has me reframing my words.

“I don’t mean I’m staying for dinner. I’ll just drop you guys off since you’re already late, then I’ll switch to the Range and fill it up for the week. Just call when you’re ready to be picked up.”

Lexi stares a moment, always reluctant to accept help, but she eventually sees the logic.

“Okay. Thanks.”

I nod, reach for my keys on the coffee table, then head toward the garage.

“Daddy’s going to dinner?” Jax asks as we cross through the kitchen.

“He… no, baby. He’s just dropping us off,” Lexi explains.

“But I want him to go,” Jax whines, and I step in so Lex doesn’t have to be the bad guy.

“I’m sure Grandma Elena only made enough food for you guys, but I promise we can hang out when you get home later. Sound like a plan?”

Jax doesn’t respond, opting to protest in silence when he huffs and crosses both arms over his chest. Lexi glances at me from where she stands near the door. Her mouth opens, but then she closes it again, like she just changed her mind about something.

We head out after that, and she climbs in on the passenger side while I buckle Jax into the back. There’s more of the usual when we back down the driveway, paparazzi waiting out in the street, pressing us for answers to a few dozen questions. We ignore them, and Jax seems to be getting used to it, too. They used to freak him out. Now, he’s just playing on his iPad like nothing’s happening.

I smile, watching him in the rearview mirror, but when I stop focusing on him, I’m completely focused on her.

She lowers her window and sunlight bursts into the cab of my truck, shimmering through her curls as the wind sweeps them into the air. It takes me back to a spur-of-the-moment road trip we took to Mexico during spring break of my last year of college. We got lost more times than I can count, ate way too much gas station junk food, and sang way too loud to our playlist, but… that trip was everything.

We spent the week pretending the world outside our bubble didn’t exist. Turns out, real life was waiting for us the second we crossed back over the border.

I’ve replayed the entire trip in my head by the time we pull up to the house. I park behind Lexi’s stepsister, Luisa, and her husband. I smile when I spot her stepbrother, Lorenzo’s, convertible parked in the middle of the driveway. No doubt doing his best to protect the custom paint job. He’s pretentious as hell, but he’d also give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.

After sharing hundreds of meals with these people, I know them almost as well as I do my mom and brothers. So, losing them after the breakup was painful in a way I hadn’t expected, adding insult to injury.

“Ready, kiddo?” I brush it off and look at Jax over my shoulder. Kid’s so excited he’s already unbuckling himself, hopping down from his booster seat with his tablet in hand.

“Ready,” he says back, and I smile at how his face lights up.

It isn’t until after I open my door that I realize what I’m doing. I should clear it with Lexi first before walking into the house like I own the place.

“You cool with me just saying hey to everyone? I haven’t seen Lu or Zo since Jax’s birthday party.”

She shoots me a look. “Are you seriously asking if you can speak to my family, you weirdo? Get out of the truck, Sterling,” she laughs.

The tension in my shoulders eases a bit.

Jax takes my hand, leading me up the walkway to the front door. Lexi bypasses the doorbell and walks right in.