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Iwince. “Didyou really need to announce thatI’mJackson’sgirlfriend?”
“Yes, and it’s not like everyone doesn’t already know.TrustthatJacksonis this town’s very favorite son.Everyonehere knows everything about him.Includingabout you.”
Lilyis a whirlwind of a shopper, just like she’s a whirlwind at everything else.BeforeI’veeven put my second foot into a pair of boots, she’s already vetoed it and is moving onto the next one.Thisshop has a surprising amount of vegan options.Ormaybe it’s not surprising at all?Thereis life outside ofL.A.,Iguess.There’san entire world out there.Onewhere everyone isn’t always on a diet, trying to get famous, or bragging about their proximity to someone famous.Itsounds pretty nice, actually.
Andthe lifeJacksoncould have here inWesternSpringswould be full of family, friends, and laughter.Butinstead, he’s all by himself up in that big, white, sterile house inL.A.It’snot the choiceIwould make.Ihope that it’s right for him, but it’s just thatI’mnot sure it is.Otherthan being worried about his dad,Jacksonseems more relaxed thanI’veever seen him here, surrounded by his family and friends.
“Whydoesn’tJacksonever come home?Hesaid that it’s been years since he’d been home, and that he never stays more than a couple of nights at a time.”
“Becausehe’s an idiot?”
Pursingmy lips,Ifrown at her. “Nothelpful.You’resupposed to be his best friend.”
“Ifyour best friend can’t call you an idiot, then who can?”
“So, best friend, tell me why?”
“Hesays it’s because he’s too busy.Imay not be an expert onHollywood, butI’dsay he’s successful enough to make a few of his own rules.Hasbeen for a long time.Hecould spend more time here, andIbet it wouldn’t hurt his career one bit.”
“So, why doesn’t he?Heseems happier since we’ve been here than the whole timeI’veknown him.”Bitingmy lip,Ithink about how that’s not all that long.Notlong at all.
“Mytwo cents is that he feels like he made his choice when he left.Idon’t think he feels like he belongs here anymore.Andthen when his mom got sick, he tried to be here as much as he could.Hefunded an upgrade of the entire hospital.Buthe wasn’t here when she passed, andIdon’t think he’s ever forgiven himself.AndI’msure none of those idiots have ever actually talked about any of it.Let’sjust say that none of theWatersmen are great at talking about their feelings.”
Ibite my lip to stop from smiling. “Youdon’t say?”
Lilysmiles, but she’s shaking her head. “Shocker, right?Completefreaking shocker!”
chapterthirty-six
jackson
Todayis the longestI’vespent away fromSelenasinceIpicked her up on the way to the airport to come home.Imiss her.Imiss her voice.Herlaugh.Imiss seeing her smile or being able to reach out and take her hand in mine.Whenpeople are around.WhenI’mallowed to.
Theway she threw her arms around me whenItold her my dad was coming home, that didn’t feel fake.Therewas no one around.Butthe way she let me go, and shoved me away likeIburned her.Thatdidn’t feel great.
IthinkIwould have taken her spilling that hot tea all the way down my back over how shitty it felt when she pushed me away.Aslong as she cleaned up the mess… with her tongue.
Aftera couple of vitals checks and a parade of doctors and nurses coming through, the hospital finally released my dad around six.He’sbeen able to stand up and walk around for days now, even showering.Oneof his new, full-time nurses showed up a couple of hours before that to get up to speed on his situation.Thisone’sBrenda, but there’s a team of them that will be taking care of him at home for as long as it takes to get him better.
Likeclockwork, my brothers,Gunnar, andIall arrive back at the farm exactly fifteen minutes after we all left the hospital when they released my dad.Brendainsisted on driving him home.Asmuch asIhated it, it made the most sense forDadto come home in her accessible mini-van with a medical professional than with any of us in our pickup trucks.
WhenIwalk through the front door,IseeSelenacoming down the stairs withOatson her heels.She’schanged into another short dress that swings around her hips with a little extra fabric.Thisone is sleeveless with thicker shoulder straps.Thelow, round neckline shows off her tits to perfection, without making me worry that some other guy is going to see her nipples.Itsroyal blue color makes her hazel eyes sparkle, and the neckline shows me enough inches of her breasts thatIdon’t have a single thing to complain about.Thedress is perfect, and she looks perfect in it.Selenamust have just put on perfume because the scent of vanilla, berries, and brown sugar is wafting off of her.She’swearing that bright pink lipstick of hers.Shelooks so much prettier thanIdeserve.
Allof that, combined with how good the house smells after she spent the afternoon cooking, is nearly enough to give me a hard on.
Oatsruns up to rub against my legs and demand attention.Leaningdown,Igive him a pat on his head.ButSelenahasallof my attention.
“Whatthe hell smells so damn good?”
WhenSelenablushes,Iwonder if maybe we’re both thinking about how muchIlike how she smells.Thenshe glances towards the back of the house to the kitchen. “Dinner.Isyour dad here?Hisroom is all ready.Iput on a fresh set of sheets and put some fresh flowers by the bed.Itried to make it nice for him.Anddespite whatIsaid about never cleaning for you,Idid the bathrooms, vacuumed, and dusted a little.”
Leaningback,Istare down at her. “Baby, you didn’t have to do any of that.”
“Iwanted to.Yourdad’s finally coming home, andI’vebeen staying in his house like a squatter for weeks.Ijust wanted to say thank you.”
“Baby, you’re the one we should be thanking.Youdidn’t need to do any of this.Justyou being here is enough.Butdinner smells so damn good.What’dyou make?”
“Guess.”
