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“It’sokay.Justbe calm, okay, sweetie?Nowlay down with your dad.He’shad a long day and could use some doggie snuggles.”WhenIpat my hand onJackson’sthigh to showOatswhatIwant him to do,IfeelJackson’smuscles clench under my hand.Oatsdoes as he’s told and lays down across my lap resting his head inJackson’s.
“He’sso smart,”Iwhisper.
Jacksonrolls his eyes. “He’ssmart at getting what he wants.”
“That’sthe most important kind of smart.”
Mystomach rumbles loudly in the quiet night air.
“Thatyou?”Jacksonlooks over at me.
“Wouldyou believe me ifIsaid it wasOats?”Iask, staring at him out of the side of my eye.
“You’reembarrassed by your stomach grumbling afterIhaven’t fed you anything decent all day, when you peed right in front of me the first time we met?Sure, that makes sense.”
“WhatdoIhave to do to get you to never mention the-incident-that-shall-not-be-named ever again?Tellme, please.Ibeg you.”
Jacksongrins. “Probablynothing you’d be interested in doing.”
“Whatdoes that mean?Tryme.I’mpretty desperate here.”Iwould do just about anything to haveJacksonnever mention the fact that he’s seen—and heard—me pee right in front of him.Hemay not be attracted to me, butIdon’t want him to be repulsed by me either.Isneutral an option?Whatis the equivalent of beige in terms of attraction?
“Sorry,Icompletely forgot about dinner when we left the hospital.Andwe can’t really get delivery all the way out here.”Jacksonrubs his hand over his eyes. “We’redefinitely not inL.A. anymore.”
Heseems tired.Todaywas a long day, by any standards.AndIdon’t think he slept on the plane likeIdid.Whenhe woke me up, he was brooding in the direction of a plane window.Heprobably hasn’t slept much since the night before last.Nowonder he’s exhausted.Notto mention the emotional strain.Iwant to do whateverIcan to make this easier for him.That’swhatI’mhere for.BecauseI’mhis friend.
Whateverit takes.
chaptertwenty-two
selena
“Wedon’t need delivery.There’sa kitchen inside here, right?”Inod back towards the front door.
“Yeah, but my dad’s not much of a cook.So, no accounting for what’s in it.”
“I’msureIcan come up with something.MaybeLilycould take me to pick up some groceries tomorrow when you’re at the hospital with your family?”
“Sorryif the hospital was too much for you today.Youdon’t have to come tomorrow.Andyou don’t need to stay all day.Mywhole family…Iknow it’s a lot.”Jacksonshrugs his shoulders like he couldn’t explain it if he tried.
“No, it was great meeting your dad, and your brothers, and everyone.Imay need some help to tell your brothers apart, though.Youall look so much alike.AndIonly meant that getting groceries and cooking is somethingIcan do.I’mhere to help.That’sthe whole point of me being here,Nugget.”
Jacksonsmiles at the nickname, likeIwanted him to.Thenhe runs his hand over his beard. “Ididn’t bring you here to cook and clean for me.”
“Holdup.Noone said anything about cleaning.Youcan pick your own gross nose-hairs out of the sink and scrub your own toilet.”
“Tellme where you stand, why don’t you?”Jacksongives me a smile that tells me he’s up to something. “Getin the kitchen and start cooking, woman.I’mhungry.”
BeforeIcan slap him, he jumps up and out of reach, disturbingOats, who jumps off the porch swing in a flurry of nails and fur, sending me swinging raucously. “I’llget the bags.”
“Jerk.Where’sthe key?”
“It’llbe open.Folksaren’t much for locking doors around here.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
OatsfollowsJacksondown to the truck, andIhead inside by myself.Jacksonwas right.Thefront door isn’t locked.It’sone of those old doors with the stained glass panels at the top.Itmust be at least a hundred years old.
