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“Are we doing the right thing?” I ask again as I chew on my thumbnail, my knee nervously bouncing up and down. Jax drops his hand to it and stops the movement.
“For the tenth time, Ace. Yes, we are doing the right thing. She needs her own car.”
Logically, I know he’s right. Genevievedoesneed her own car. It would lighten my load a whole hell of a lot if I didn’t have to drive her to cheer practice every day and games on the weekends, twice. And it would allow her to get a part time job. I take a deep breath, searching so desperately for that Zen that Lex has been trying to teach me to find. The front door opens and Jaxson gives my knee another squeeze, leaning over and pecking me on the cheek before standing up.
It’s been two months since I was released from the hospital. They kept me for six days before sending me home with strict instructions to take it easy and follow up with physical therapy. It wasn’t until a few days later when I finally had the courage to ask Jaxson what happened that day. All I remember is the governor showing up with Weller and taking one look at me before handing him a stack of cash and unzipping his pants. He had a strong grip on my hair just before the door was kicked in by Jensen, but everything after that is fuzzy.
Jax told me that Zander fired the shot that killed one of Weller’s men. Wood was the one who shot the governor, just one bullet to the back of his leg, effectively dropping him. But the first shot caused him to jerk the gun he had against my head, thank God, and he shot me in the thigh. He was left alive and the cops have a laundry list of charges that they’re pressing against him, so it’s not likely he’ll ever see the outside of a jail cell in this lifetime. As Jaxson took off towards me, Weller stepped out from behind a hay bale, gun trained on Jax, but Jensen saw him and fired his shot, hitting Weller right between the eyes. He was dead before he hit the ground.
The ambulance came for mama, but she didn’t make it to the hospital. They pronounced her dead in the ambulance. Damn near broke my heart. We may not have been close but at the end of the day, she’s my mom and I loved her fiercely. We had a small ceremony for her a few weeks after I was released after having her cremated. I’m not sure what I’ll do with her ashes yet, maybe a road trip with Genevieve when she graduates, and we’ll leave a little of mama each place we go. Jaxson loves that idea and even wants to start planning our trip.
Genevieve walks into the living room, cheer uniform still on and her book bag slung over her shoulder. She’s got her headphones in, but she skitters to a stop when she sees the two of us and pops one earbud out.
“Uh, hey freaks.” She says hesitantly because the both of us are staring at her.
“Did you give Wanda the gas money I gave you?” I ask and she rolls her eyes.
“Yeah, I’m never doing that again. She guilted me into keeping it and told me to tell Jaxson she’s going to kick his ass the next time she sees him.” He snorts and shakes his head.
“I’m going to start looking at nursing homes,” he grumbles, and I shush him.
“Vie, there’s something I want to show you,” he motions for him to follow her but hesitates when he sees me trying to get up from the couch. I wave him off. It just takes me a couple extra seconds to get up but I’m recovering well and am almost finished with physical therapy. I’ve only got three sessions left. Once I’m up, he wraps his arm around my waist and drags me with him, Genevieve trailing behind us. He walks through the mudroom and to the garage door, opening it up and Genevieve freezes.
Parked in the garage is the Honda Accord that Jaxson bought for her. I insisted we get her something older with more miles on it and he just told me that car buying was a man's job and he’d buy what he wanted to buy, and I didn’t get any say in it. That triggered a weeks-long argument that ended with him giving me three amazing orgasms in the back of his truck before I finally agreed with him.
Genevieve looks between him and me and then back to the car.
“I’m being punked, right?” She asks and Jaxson barks out a laugh, tossing the keys at her.
“Nope, not punked. Avery and I decided it was time you had a car. Being captain of the cheerleading squads means you have extra responsibilities, and we can’t always be available to run you places.” Genevieve squeals and runs to look at the car, climbing into the driver’s seat. Jax leans into the window of the passenger side and keeps talking. “There are extra rules and responsibilities that come with the car, Vie.” She grins and nods her head, turning the ignition over and fiddling with the radio.
“I expect you to take Blake to school each morning and to run him home each day that you don’t have practice. And you’ll need to get a part time job to pay for insurance and gas.” Jaxson was more than happy to just pay for it all and call it a day, but this was something that I wouldn’t budge on. She needs to learn responsibility and I think making her work and pay for the insurance will make her more responsible in the future. Winter has faded into summer and school starts back up in a few months, which gives her plenty of time to find something that will work around her schedule.
“I can’t believe this,” Genevieve says, meeting our eyes with tears in hers. Losing mama was really hard on her, but she’s been in counseling for a month now and seems to be doing better. “I can never thank you guys enough for everything you do for me.” I burst into tears and Jaxson sighs, wrapping his arm around me, and rubbing my shoulder.
“You’re a good kid, Vie,” he says, speaking for the both of us. “Why don’t you go get changed and then you can help me make dinner.” She turns the car off and goes back inside, pressing a kiss to both of our cheeks first. Jaxson turns to me once she’s gone.
“You good?” He asks and I nod my head, wiping the tears off my face. I’ve been so emotional lately and I can’t seem to turn it off.
He steps in towards me and rests his hands on my baby bump.
“Can’t wait for you to have my baby, Ace,” he says, and my belly flip flops at his words. The appointment I had before Weller kidnapped me was an appointment with my gynecologist to have my five-year birth control replaced but instead, I had a positive pregnancy test and they ended up doing an ultrasound. Pregnant. I wind my arms around his neck.
“Both babies,” I murmur and press my lips to his and his body turns to stone. I lean back and look at his face. “Honey, you look a little pale.”
“Both babies?” He asks, his voice low and eyes pinned to mine. I bite my lip and nod my head. “Fucking Christ,” he groans, pulling me into him and wrapping his arms around me. “Twins, Ace?” Yeah, imagine my surprise when during my second ultrasound the technician informed me that I’d be having not one baby buttwo. Because of Covid, the father can’t come to any appointments, so I’ve been holding onto this little secret for the last two weeks, trying to find the best time to tell him.
“Surprise,” I say weakly and he coughs out a laugh. I was afraid Blake and Genevieve would be upset that I’m having a baby, but they were both thrilled. Blake said he hopes its a boy, so he has someone to play with. We don’t know the genders yet but I’m happy regardless as long as the babies are healthy. Jaxson leans back and threads his fingers into my hair, blue eyes bouncing back and forth between mine.
“See, Ace. I told you. You deserve every bit of a big, beautiful life,” he finishes, pressing a searing kiss to my lips and I melt into him. He just might be right.
Epilogue
3 years later
“I’m not fuckin’ doin’ it,” Jaxson growls at Genevieve and I grin from my position at the counter, overlooking the graduation party that’s happening in our backyard.
“You will and you’ll enjoy every minute of it because you’re my dad and you love me,” she sasses back, and I glance over just as he narrows his eyes at her.
