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His mouth pulled up into a sort of half-smile when he nodded. “Yeah, it’s Teagan.”
“I have to be going anyway… just wanted to come by and apologize for Cassandra. Once she realizes how happy Teagan is, she’ll come around.”
Jaxon swallowed down everything he wanted to say and instead just nodded. He knew damn well that Cassandra would never come around to liking him, but seeing Teagan’s name on his phone made him almost desperate to be alone. To read what she’d sent him in private because…
Because somehow along the way, this had become something real. Damn it. Maybe it had been real for him all along. Maybe he never really got over that crush he had on her when he was younger.
This wasn’t just friction and the fact that he was a horny bastard. No, this was more than that.
Because yeah, he wanted their kisses to turn more heated. He wanted those tiny moans he swallowed to be real. He wanted to make her gasp out his name until she couldn’t even form the words anymore and he had to shake himself because her father was still here.
“I don’t know about that,” he said with a shrug.
“She will. Just… take care of Teagan, okay? I know she thinks she doesn’t need someone… and she’s been doing great on her own, but…” He trailed off. “She’s been floating around on autopilot for a while. She’s animated now. Like she used to be.”
Was she? Jaxon felt embarrassed that he didn’t notice. Teagan seemed the same as she always was… wasn’t she?
“As I said, I’ll leave you to it. Go ahead and answer her back.”
“You’re sure? I don’t want to run you off…”
“I’ll see myself out. You’re doing a great job, Jaxon. Truly.” The words felt like they had layers upon layers of meaning. But he couldn’t delve into that just now.
Chapter Fifteen
Owen was gone. Walking down the stairs while Jaxon reached for his phone to read the text Teagan had just sent.
Teagan: Hey do you want takeout for dinner? Just so I don’t have to run to the grocery store after work?
The text was so familiar, so achingly domestic, Jaxon had to close his eyes for a second. He needed to distance. She’d want to end this sometime soon, and he’d be left in the dirt.
Me: I’m probably going to be here late. Don’t worry about anything for me, I’ll take care of it.
She read the text, typed something, but then didn’t send it.
Jaxon put the phone back in his pocket and went downstairs to grab the power drill and start on the banister. No time like the present to get into a long, dedicated project that would keep him busy here for hours.
It took him a little while to get each screw out, but once he had, the banister was well-balanced enough to remain standing while he went to grab longer screws from the toolbox. Yeah, it made more sense to replace them while he went, but he wasn’t thinking more than “be busy”, so here he was.
As his dumb luck would have it, there weren’t any longer screws in his toolbox, but he knew for a fact that he had some in the back of his truck.
So, after making sure the banister wasn’t going to fall while he was gone, he opened the door and pulled out his keys to walk round to the back of the truck, where he kept his supplies.
He went down the few porch steps and skidded to a halt in the gravel on the sidewalk.
His gaze was locked across the street, where a very familiar black sports car was parked just far enough away to be inconspicuous, but close enough to keep an eye on him.
Eric grinned, flashing his teeth at him and pushing off his car to cross the street. He was careful never to step on Jaxon’s property, though. Which was probably good for him, because Jaxon could be considered a loose cannon.
“So,” Eric began. “Getting the talk from the future father-in-law?”
Jaxon wasn’t sure what to say, so he just shrugged. “If you like.”
“Not really, no… I can’t say I’m overly fond of you gorging yourself on my sloppy seconds, but…”
Jaxon had to stop himself from moving towards Eric. The nerve that fucker had, trying to insinuatehewas with Teagan. He hadn’t been. He wished.
Jaxon snorted. “Teagan and you were never together. You just fucked up her apartment and scared her a little.”
