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“Great, like I have a choice now?” Jackson muttered, stomping up the steps toward the door. He walked in without knocking and found his father sitting in a recliner only a few feet from the door. He realized this was the living room and took all of two steps to sit down on the small sofa.
“I would’ve bet good money that you were going to turn around and leave.”
“Do you want me to leave?”
“No,” Cash replied as he relaxed in the chair. “I didn’t get to see you the last time I was in Magnolia.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t get to see you for most of the last twenty years, so…does that make us even?”
For a moment, his father didn’t respond. He just seemed content to sit and smile at him, and it was a little unnerving.
Jackson glanced around and had to wonder if Savannah was going to listen in on this conversation—not like she could even help it, he thought. The house was so small that you could probably hear someone breathing in the next room.
“So what’s the plan here, Cash? You’re back but you haven’t called anyone.”
“I called your Aunt Georgia.”
“Probably because you didn’t have a choice.”
Another laugh. “Exactly, but I still called.”
“What about Austin? Garrett? Mom?” he asked. “Me?”
“To be fair, last I heard, you were still deployed. Want to tell me why you’re hiding out in Laurel Bay? I mean, I know why I’m here, but I’m curious as hell about what your story is.” Then he grinned. “It would really be ironic if we were both hiding out from our family, wouldn’t it?”
Dammit, it would and he hated the thought of having anything in common with this man.
Cash nodded toward his knee. “You had ACL surgery, huh?”
“Yup.”
“Is it not healing properly?”
“It is. Just…slowly. I was nearing the end of my contract and it just made sense for me to come home. Permanently.”
Understanding registered on Cash’s face. “And no one knows this yet.”
It wasn’t a question.
Shaking his head, Jackson said, “That’s why I’m here. I wanted some time to come to grips with it all and figure out what I wanted to do without anyone pressuring me. A buddy of mine who’s still in is letting me use his place for a while.”
“Good for you, Jackson,” Cash said gruffly. “You’re smart to know your boundaries. You know everyone would mean well, but until it’s all good and settled in your own head, it’s best not to let anyone else influence you.”
“Speaking from experience?” he said with just a hint of snark.
Luckily, Cash caught it and laughed again. “You could say that.”
If he wasn’t so angry and hurt and confused, this would almost be a good moment—a comfortable one—but unfortunately, he was angry and hurt and confused and had so many questions.
“So now we know why I’m here,” he began cautiously. “It’s your turn.”
“I think we all know why I’m here,” Cash replied wearily. “My doctor told me I had three months. That was two months ago.”
“That’s not what I meant. I mean, why are youhere, in this house, and not in Magnolia? Why haven’t you reached out to Garrett or Austin?”
“Or your mom?”
He nodded.
