Southern Storms (Compass 1)

I saw the light in her eyes vanish from watching the two of them interacting. It was the same way when she saw the little girl eating ice cream. Was it always like that for her? Whenever she saw children, did her mind freeze in a daze of confusion and hurt?

“Sun,” I called out, breaking Kennedy from her own thoughts.

She turned my way and tilted her head. “Yes?”

“Who do you talk to?”

“What do you mean?”

“Who do you talk to about everything you’ve been through?”

She gave me a broken smile and shrugged. “No one. It’s okay. I’m okay.”

“You should talk to a therapist, or something. They can help.” True, I wasn’t one hundred percent fixed, but I liked to think that no human being on this Earth was one hundred percent healed from past tragedies. Yet I did think talking to Eddie throughout the years did help me. Sometimes it was nice to have a professional person to reach out to for a hand.

“I’m okay, Jax.” She pressed on a fake smile. “Don’t worry about me.”

She went back to her book, and I did the exact opposite of what she said, I worried. As she kept reading, I kept shoving and overthinking.

“Uh, hello? Earth to Jax?” Connor said, walking in front of me and waving his hands around. “Dude, are you deaf? I’ve been calling you for the past two minutes and you’ve been in some like weird daze staring at Kennedy like a psychopath.”

I shook my head. “What? I wasn’t staring at her.”

“Yes, you were.” He narrowed his eyes as Kennedy stood to head into the house. He snatched the shovel out of my hands. “I thought you said you two weren’t screwing each other.”

“We aren’t.”

“Then why are you eye-fucking her in public?”

“Don’t say eye-fucking,” I groaned.

“And don’t avoid my question.”

“You don’t get it. Kennedy and I have…history.”

He wiggled his eyebrows, pleased.

“Not that kind of history, dork. Don’t get excited,” I explained. “We used to be best friends when we were kids. It was a long time ago, but she was a big part of my life.”

“Wait. Time out. Smoking hot Kennedy used to be your best friend?”

“Yeah.”

“What are you guys now?”

“Nothing. We’re just two people who live in the same neighborhood.”

Connor laughed. “But you want more. Does she want more? Does she want to be your friend or something?”

“No, I mean, I don’t know.” Damn, was it really that hot outside? Was I sweating? Why was Connor asking me so many questions? “I mean, she mentioned being friends a while back in the woods, but I figured it was just because she felt bad for me.”

“Orrr,” he dragged out. “She wanted to be your friend.”

I paused.

I thought.

I denied.

“No. I don’t think so.”

Connor laughed and rolled his eyes. “For a big strong guy who runs his own business, you sure are stupid sometimes. If this isn’t a Disney movie in the making, I don’t know what is. You’re Elsa and she’s Anna, and you need to hang out with her. Don’t make her beg you to build a snowman. Just do it.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Do you often reference the movie Frozen for your pep talks?”

“It seems you knew exactly what my reference meant, so it worked. I mean, hell, Jax. Look, you have this woman, this insanely beautiful woman, who is asking to be friends with you and share her company with you, and you declined? Are you insane?”

“I offered to help with her yard.”

“What does that have to do with hanging out with her? Dude. I know I can be annoying and dramatic, but you should be her friend. You need more friends than me.”

“Since when are we friends?” I joked.

“Don’t play with my feelings, Jax. You know I’m emotional. Seriously. Just hang out with her. What was the worst that could happen?”

I shrugged. She could realize I wasn’t worthy of her friendship. I didn’t say that, though. It seemed too emo, even for me.

“Just find something she likes and hang out with her doing that stuff. Then, it can get even better than that, because do you know what’s the best thing this could happen?” Connor asked.

“What’s that?”

“Friends-with-benefits.” He started humping the air.

“And that’s the end of this conversation.”

“Ask her out, Jax.”

“No.”

“Ask her out on a friendship-date.”

“No.”

“Just ask her—”

“Okay!” I hollered, tossing my hands up in the air. “If I asked her to hang out will that get you to shut up about it?”

“Obviously. Don’t worry, you can thank me later.”

18

Jax

I dropped Connor off at his house, said hello to his mother, and checked in if they were in need of anything. She declined but thanked me for the offer. Before heading to visit my father,

I made a pitstop at Eddie and Marie’s house. As I rang the doorbell, a knot sat heavily in my stomach. When Eddie came to the door, he looked perplexed to see me standing there, but then a small smile curved his lips.