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“Mama? What’s sex?” I hear Alexis ask and Sarah groans as I steer my horse in Jax’s direction. She’s going to kill me later.
After a few minutes, I catch up to him back at the stable. He’s untacking his horse when I swing off my Appaloosa and tie him up.
“Jax, I’m sorry—”
“Do you know how hard it is being the kid of someone famous?” He clenches his jaw, unbuckling the girth.
“No, I don’t.” I look at the ground and shake my head. “But I have an idea.”
“It sucks. Everyone wants a piece of you.”
“That, I am familiar with.” I smile ruefully. “So is your Uncle Tatum. And it does suck.”
“I can’t trust anyone because I wonder who wants to be my friend because they like me or if they’re using me because I’m Lex Ryan’s kid.” He hauls the saddle off and carries it into the barn. I follow him, not sure what to say.
“Jax, I’m sorry, bud. I never thought my fame would be a hindrance to ye.”
He walks by me like he didn’t even hear me and grabs the saddle blanket off his horse. “When Samantha asked to come over and ‘study’ and maybe meet my famous da, I thought, why the hell not? If she’s willing to throw herself at me, why shouldn’t I cash in on your fame?”
“Oye, that’s a wicked line to be walkin’ there, boy.” I follow him back into the tack room. “First of all, women are to be respected, got it? I’ve had me fair share of picnics before I met yer mum, but I always respected the woman, ye know what I mean?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I know ye think I don’t know what yer goin’ through, but I’ve been in yer shoes.”God, if only he knew the truth about the hell his biological mother put me through.I stand with my hands on the doorjamb, blocking his way out. He reluctantly leans against a wall. “There are users and there are givers in this world. The users leech yer happiness. They don’t care what happens to ye, they’re in it for themselves, along for the glorious ride. Then there are people like Sarah and yer Uncle Connor. They are the givers. They love ye even when they’ve seen ye at yer worst. No matter what, they are there for ye. The givers are who ye need to look for in the crowd.”
“How do I know if someone is a giver or a user?”
“Lemme ask ye this. Did Sam make ye feel good?”
He scuffs the floor with his boot. “No, Da. I felt like I was being used. Like she didn’t give a shit about me.”
I nod. “Come here.”
He pushes away from the wall, and I throw an arm around his shoulders, steering him back outside. He’s almost as tall as me and lanky. His black hair falls into his eyes. He reminds me so much of me and Connor at this age.
We walk out to the paddock and I point to Sarah in the distance, walking Alexis and Wyatt on her horse. “See yer beautiful mum and yer sister and brother? They will always have yer back. No matter how angry ye make us, or what embarrassin’ situation ye get caught in, we will be here for ye. Same with yer Uncle Connor and Uncle TJ. Yer friends Trip and Mason? The ones you’ve been friends with since seventh grade? They’re yer givers, too. You’ll know how to find us, bud. Most of the time, we’re standin’ right in front of ye, quietly holdin’ out a hand to help ye up.”
Jax nods quickly and swallows, his cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry, Da.”
“Nothing to be sorry about, Jax. It’s called growin’ up.”
We wait for Sarah to walk the younger ones in, and I exhale a shaky breath, moving my hand to Jax’s back. I love this family so fiercely.
“Daddy! Mommy said we can have a picnic tonight on the covered porch and watch the sunset,” Alexis crows from atop the horse.
“Did she now?” I waggle my eyebrows at Sarah. She rolls her eyes, but she can’t hide her bemused smile.
I look at Jax, and he grins, shaking his head. “Twisted.”
I clap him on the back, feeling like a million bucks. I think I just survived my first teenage crisis. Da will be so proud.
Chapter 20
Connor
The sound ofdrills and sawing behind the closed door has the hair on the back of my neck bristling. “TJ?”
“Back here,” he calls, poking his towel-turbaned head around our bedroom door. “Getting dressed.”
