Page 19 of True Abandon

“This is my dad we’re talking about. Let’s not pretend he’s some wholesome guy who cares about his kid.”

I shake my head. “That makes no sense. You’re like the only thing your dad actually cares about. You were his carbon copy.” I motion a hand toward his head and make a circle in the air. “Well, before all this happened.”

Jax ticks his jaw. “Let’s just say the golden boy became the black sheep.” His fierce gaze is staring hard into the linoleum. With each pass of his eyes, the muscles in his face tighten, and his aggravation becomes apparent.

I throw my hands up in the air, more annoyed at myself for walking into this black hole of a conversation. “Do you want to elaborate?”

“Not particularly.”

I try to bite my tongue. “I’m not in a position to feel sorry for you.”

He blows out a deep breath of air. “Trust me, I’m not asking for your sympathy.”

The wind outside the window makes a high-pitch screech as the heavy rain smacks the glass, and I can hear movement outside the hospital room door. Fast footsteps and wheels of roller beds pass by the door as more patients are moved into this wing of the building. Good thing he came in when he did, or he may have been one of those poor souls sleeping in the hall.

“You look good.”

My head pops up at his comment.

“You look like an idiot,” I retort.

Jax laughs as he runs his fingers through the bleached-out locks. “It is a little bright, huh?” He smiles and showcases the gorgeous row of perfectly straight teeth his father paid a fortune for with years of orthodontic work. “Maybe I’ll make it red,” he says, eyeing my auburn tresses.

“You can’t handle red.”

With a smirk, he replies, “No, I can’t. It suits you. Brings out your eyes.”

My stomach flutters. When Jackson looks at me with the determined stare—like he’s doing right now—I can’t help the whoosh that takes place in my gut.

“When did you change it?”

I’ve been dying it for so long, I almost forget what it’s like to be blonde. “When I left Virginia.”

“Hiding who you really are?”

“Hiding who I’ve become.”

He pulls at the tab on his sheet, twirling it between his fingers. “Can’t imagine you turned out to be anything but flawless. You’re the gentlest person to ever walk the planet. You used to save animals and tutor kids for free.”

“You’re the one who climbed the tree to save that cat.” I’m mad at myself for bringing up the sweet memory as soon as the words leave my mouth.

“Because you were devastated. I was a sucker for the pretty blonde who lived next door. You remember that time you didn’t make the cheer team?”

I lower my chin at him. “You told me the squad was filled with wannabe prostitutes and a resting place for girls with inferiority complexes.

“I was right.” His tone is matter-of-fact.

I narrow my gaze. “Ella was on the team.”

“Exceptions can be made.” He gives a crooked smile and looks back at me. “You were too good for them. And then you joined the damn drama club.”

I nod. “Yeah, I loved it until I got that scathing review in the Whyndam Gazette. I never should have been cast as Annie Oakley.”

“I must have gone to fifty newsstands and bought every damned paper. Burned them in the field behind the football field.”

I jolt in surprise. “You bought all the papers?”

“It wasn’t a big deal.”