Chapter 27
Jaxon
IwatchasLauren, Kate, and Andy disappear into the house, but I can feel eyes boring into the back of my head.
“Whatever you’re wanting to say, just spit it out, Reynolds.” I turn to find my best friend observing my every move with his chin propped up on his elbow.
“Who, me?” He fakes shock, bringing his hand to his chest.
“Yeah, I can hear your thoughts all the way over here. They’re so loud, I feel like I’m at a damn rock concert.”
“It’s nothing, really. It’s just good to see you like this.”
I cock my head to the side. What’s he talking about? “Like what?” I’m still the same old me.
“Happy.” I didn’t realize how much weight just one word could hold.
“I’ve been happy,” I snap back, yet my words don’t hold much conviction. I try to hide my expression by taking a long pull of my beer. “Happy” isn’t the word I would use to describe myself over the last few years, I know that. You could say that I was content. Content with the way things were that I wasn’t going to push for more, but then Kate barreled into my life, and I realized what exactly was missing.
Finn snorts. “Yeah, okay, grumpy ass. And I’m the president of the United States.”
“Mr. President,” I tease, tipping my bottle in his direction.
I sit back in my chair and use my thumb to pick at the label on the bottle to distract me from what’s going on inside.
I glance up over my shoulder, trying not to bring too much attention to myself, knowing it will only poke the bear, aka my best friend. How are things going? Does she need help?
I should have just put Andy to bed. He’s not Kate’s responsibility. She’s gone above and beyond to help us out. I don’t want her to think that I’m taking advantage of her and only using her to help with Andy. I mean, she knows that, but there’s always lingering doubt swirling in my mind. I think watching her and the bond she has with Andy only adds to her attractiveness.
“Uh-huh.” Well, so much for sneaking a glance past Finn. “I’m serious, man. It’s about time I saw that smile on your face.” Without a second thought, I run my palm over my mouth. Was I smiling at the thought of Andy and Kate?
Finn continues. “You know, I was thinking I might never see you actually happy again.” He pauses. “Courtney would want you to be happy, you know.”
I grip the back of my neck as I process the same words that my father-in-law said on our last visit. Of course, he didn’t necessarily mean with another woman, just in general when he asked how I was settling in.
I don’t really want to get all deep right now, so I just grunt out a nod.
“Funny how it all works out.” He leans forward on his elbows and takes a sip from his beverage. “Me moving back here and getting the girl and you moving out here and moving across the street from a particular brunette that just so happens to share my girl’s DNA. Maybe it was some higher power pulling some strings for us.”
I cover my teeth with my lips and hold back a laugh. “I’m sorry. Are you trying to tell me you think my dead wife was behind the house fiasco when I moved here so I could end up here in this house?”
He shrugs. “I’ve heard of weirder shit happening.”
I shake my head at him. “All right, crazy pants, I think that’s enough out of you.”
“Okay, okay.” He holds his hands up in the air in surrender. “I love you both, you know that.” The slider door opens and closes behind us. “And it’s nice to see a genuine smile on her face, too.”
He tips his head behind me, and I look up to see Lauren and Kate giggling over something.
Kate focuses on her sister when I grab her hand and pull her into my lap.
“Oh,” she gasps. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“I think I like the East Coast. There are beautiful women just falling into your lap here.” My comment earns me an eye roll but also a smile.
“I know, right?” I look up to see Finn’s pulled Lauren into a similar position on the other side of the fire.
Kate is wearing jeans with rips in them, so my thumb touches her skin when I place my hand on her thigh. I slide my thumb under the denim, and she gives me a seductive smile.
“Everything go okay?”
“Yeah, little man didn’t even budge when I laid him down. Had he woken up, I would’ve given him a quick bath. Pretty sure his sheets will need to be washed tomorrow because they’re going to smell of campfire.”
I lean forward and press my nose into her hair, which resembles the same scent. I think it might be my new favorite scent because it will forever remind me of this moment. The moment I truly let Finn’s words sink into my head—I am happy.
“Oh, and I brought the baby monitor out, just in case he wakes up.” She reaches into the front pocket of her hoodie and retrieves the baby monitor I keep by my bed.
I accept the baby monitor and set it down on the table beside me. I see her motherly instincts kicking in. For a moment, I picture Kate standing before me with her stomach swollen with my child, and my heart beats faster. Woah, where the hell did that come from? An ache forms in my chest, and my stomach knots with anxiety. The last time someone I cared about was pregnant, I lost her. I blink and shake away the thoughts and tighten my hold on her leg.
“I see that’s not the only thing you grabbed from my room, huh?” I pinch the material of the sweatshirt she’s wearing that I now recognize as one from my closet.
“What?” she teases. “It was getting colder, and your closet was closer than mine.”