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“That’s amazing. But how is this out of character for him? He seems so thoughtful.”
“Dad’s always been supportive. It’s how I became the first one in my family to attend college. But he isn’t thetake your shotand follow your dreamstype of guy. He’s always been you want something—work your ass off for it.”
“That’s my dad’s motto. It’s probably why I graduated a year early,” I quickly add.
“They’d probably get along then,” he surmises. “But to answer your question, Dad had a mild heart attack last year. He’s always been a planner, a saver, and worked his ass off. He’s expected me and my sister to do the same. I guess he’s realized you can’t take it with you when you’re gone… and now he basically lives by the motto ofyou’ve only got one life to live—so make it count.”
“I’m sure a heart attack will do that to you.”
“Yeah, it sure does. Thankfully, he’s fully recovered and expects to have a long life ahead of him. According to Dad, he plans to make the most of it. Mom couldn’t be happier. She gets to travel and see the things she’s always wanted to see. He’s still got a few years before he can retire, but they make their vacations count.”
“Have you told your parents about performing?”
Shaking his head, he shrugs. “No, I needed to do this on my own. Once they’re back in town, I’m sure they’ll come watch—especially since I’ll have a regular gig at Pop’s…” Suddenly, he lets out a low sound, something between a laugh and a grunt and shakes his head. “Huh… a regular gig… Never thought I’d hear those words coming out of my mouth.”
“Well, you should. I think this will be the start of something amazing for you, Jax.”
“Hmmmm… I’m not one to jinx anything. So, let’s just see how this goes.”
When a group of high schoolers come and gather at a bench nearby, I point in the direction of the path. “Wanna keep walking?”
He doesn’t say a word, but once again, his hand rests on my lower back as we maneuver our way around the crowd. My spine tingles, and again, I’m hypersensitive to everything Jax. As if the universe is against me, the wind picks up at this exact moment, making my mouth water as his heavenly scent washes over me.
What the hell is this man wearing? I swear, whatever it is, it’s laced with the most toxic pheromones I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been around him before, and he always smells good, but tonight—well, this is next level. Leaning in a little closer, I allow myself to slowly inhale, capturing it to memory.
Once we’re clear of the crowd, he drops his hand again and steps to the left, putting some distance between us. I’m not sure if it’s a guy thing, or a Jax thing, but his protective instincts spark something inside me that I’d long forgotten and makes me realize I may be perfectly fine on my own, but I do miss intimacy.
“So…” he draws out, breaking my trance. “Tell me, Sloane, when you’re not working, what do you actually do for fun?”
Shrugging, I admit on a heavy sigh, “I don't really have much of a life beyond work. During the summers, I spend as much time as I can with my sisters. We usually just cook meals together, watch movies, hang at the beach, or lounge around the house when we get a free night. Since Lanie first went away to college, we’ve made it a priority to spend our summers together. Then when Raven and I took off to Gonzaga, it became even more important—especially for Lizzy. If we don’t make family a priority, we’d never see one another.”
“Is Lizzy the youngest?”
“Yep. She’s the baby—though she just completed her first year at Portland State. I guess she’s not a baby anymore.”
Chuckling, he agrees, “No, she isn’t. But my younger sister Emily will always be the baby of our family, no matter how old she gets. She’ll be a senior in high school next year. I can’t imagine what it was like to live with three siblings growing up. I love Em, but we’re far enough apart that we tend to not have a lot in common.”
“I can’t imagine life without my sisters,” I gush. “Maybe it’s because we were forced to be each other’s best friends, or it happened naturally. But they’re my ride or die, and there’s not much I wouldn’t do for them.”
Turning to face me, he asks, “Do you have a sister you’re closest with?”
“Yep. Raven—hands down. She’s my culprit in crime and my other half. We couldn’t be more opposite on many things, but she’s my person.”
“I thought you weren’t supposed to have favorites?” he teases.
“Yeah…” I draw out, searching for words that could explain our connection. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my other sisters and would kill for them if necessary, but Raven and I are so closely wound, my mom used to tease that I’d get the box of tissues ready before she’d sneeze.”
“That’s…” he draws out as if he’s unsure what to say. Then after a few heartbeats, he blinks his eyes and admits, “A little freaky.”
Laughing at his bemused expression, I agree, “You’re right. It is. But It’s just so much of who I am, I don’t even think twice about it.”
“Are all of you connected like that?”
“Nope. Just Raven and me. I think we would’ve done our parents in if we all had telepathic senses. We already outnumbered them, especially after their divorce. Dad had to use his military training to keep us in line… and Mom… well… now that we’re all older, we recognize her for the saint she is. Though truth be told, they both made raising four kids look easy—even though I’m sure it was anything but.”
“I can’t imagine.” Jax shakes his head.
When I look up, I realize we’ve been walking so long, we’re almost to my house. Seeing all the lights are on and my sisters are hanging out in the kitchen, I give Jax fair warning. “That’s me, right there.”
