Page 35 of Heartbreaker

Chapter 13

Jackson

I love my family truly I do, but I would give anything not to be here right now, specifically I would give anything to be with Ashley. I try and engage with my family and eat the Midweek roast my mum insists on even in the middle of summer, but my mind keeps wandering.

I shovel the last of the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding into my mouth and place my knife and fork down.

Patting my full belly, I lean back and think of a reason to get out of here so that I can go home and text Ashley. I’m still in a state over that text she sent earlier, the little minx is going to kill me, unless Lindy doesn’t do it first. We had a disagreement over hiring Alex and she is currently not speaking to me.

My phone dings and I go to reach for it. As my fingers touch it, I hear a throat clear. It’s my mother, I look up and see her raised eyebrow.

“Are we forgetting the rules?” she asks, and I hear Jake snicker. I look over and he is laughing. I shoot him the middle finger and he laughs more when our mother yells.

“Jackson James! I brought you up better than that.” Even now as a grown adult the sound of my full name said in that tone makes me contrite.

I stand and cross to my mum, winding an arm around her, I drop a kiss on her cheek. “Sorry mum, I shouldn’t have. I was just waiting for a message.”

She pats my hand and turns her head, a look of unbridled glee on her face. “Is it a girl? Have you met someone?” she asks, and I wonder how to answer. It is all so new and I know my mum is like a dog with a bone. She will have the church booked before I can finish her name.

“Yeah, Mum, our Jacky here is dating that girl from the chocolate shop you like,” Jake pipes up. Fucker! He laughs as mum pushes her chair back and stands. I back away towards the door as my tiny unassuming mother gets that look in her eye. She has been on at me for years to settle down and the first whiff of a girl and she will be all over me.

“Not that lovely little thing from Sweet Heaven?”

“Yeah that’s her.” Jake laughs, and I glare at him, barely resisting the impulse to flip him off.

“Oh, Jackson,” she says, and I start backing towards the door.

“Mum, I have to go. I have a work thing I just remembered. Hey, Jake, did you tell mum about you getting a motorbike?” I say and as my mum and Sadie turn on him, I laugh and make my escape.

Running to my car I jump in and head home, knowing that I will have a visit from my mother at the office sometime this week.

Sitting at my desk the next morning, I scroll through my texts from last night. Tinkerbell has a cheeky sense of humour. I told her about my mother and she called me. All I could hear for about five minutes was her laughing her ass off.

We spent the next two hours just chatting. I told her things that I haven’t told anyone. I even told her about my dick of a father and why she will never meet him.

I scroll to the last text I had from her.

Tinkerbell: I like that you will be the last thing I think of before I go to sleep;)

Jackson: I don’t think I’m even going to stop when I close my eyes.

Okay, so that last one was a bit cheese ball-ish of me, but the last two nights I have dreamt of my rainbow-haired girl.

Just as I’m about to put the phone down it buzzes in my hand. I pick it up and read it.

Jake: Hey Douche-canoe mum gave me shit for hours last night and Sadie made sleep on the couch!

I burst out laughing, that’ll teach the fucker to mess with me. I text back while still trying to control my hilarity.

Jackson: Hahaha serves you right dickwad!

Jake: Payback is coming!!!!!

I laugh harder and text back.

Jackson: Bring it!

I put the phone down on my desk as Lindy knocks and comes straight in. Alex is behind her, he smiles an affable smile and pushes his glasses straight.