Reckless (Mason Family 3)

Why does it feel like this is the right trajectory? Why does talking about Jaxi like this with my brothers feel completely natural?

Shit.

Wade looks at me like he’s exhausted by my life. “I think you need to have some conversations with Jaxi before you go buying a dog or any other harebrained idea that might be rolling around inside your head.”

“Handsome head,” I say, just wanting something nice worked in there.

“Whatever.” Wade turns to the door. “You do you, Boone.”

“I plan on it.”

Wade stops at the doorway. Anjelica appears beside him.

“I am not working for you today,” I tell her.

Her bright red lips break apart into a wide smile. “I’m not here to see you.”

“Good.”

She narrows her eyes briefly before settling them on Oliver. “I came to see you. I have a little problem that I need your help with.”

Oliver stands up. “I’ll see you guys around. No dog, Boone.”

“Oh, I disagree,” Anjelica says, pointing a finger at me. “I love dogs. Get a dog, Boone.”

“He doesn’t want it for him,” Oliver says. “He wants it for Jaxi.”

Anjelica grins. “I heard about her. What does she do?”

Holt stands and joins Wade at the door. “I need to get to my office. That Greyshell report should be in this morning from legal. See ya later.”

Wade waves as they move out of sight.

Oliver waves too. “I’ll be in my office, Anjelica. See ya, Boone.”

“Later,” I call after him.

“So,” Anjelica says, gripping the back of a chair, “tell me all the things.”

I lift my cup of coffee and take a long, steady drink. Anjelica notices my delay tactic and gives me a look. She slowly walks around the chair and sits in it, crossing one leg over the other.

“Don’t get comfortable,” I tell her.

She laughs. “Jaxi. Spill it.”

I don’t know what to spill. Nothing I can say quickly and succinctly can sum her up the right way.

“Does she work? Go to school? What?” Anjelica asks.

“She’s in-between jobs right now. She was going to work as a nanny but that kind of fell apart when she got custody of Rosie.”

Anjelica nods. “Coy told me about that. She seems really nice.”

“She is.”

“Is she staying with you indefinitely? Or finding a place of her own?” Anjelica asks. “I have some contacts in residential real estate on that level. I know you guys do a lot of it commercially, but a friend of mine sells and rents out apartments and houses—stuff like that. He’s been a realtor around here for thirty years. Knows everything. He actually hooked me up with the place I’m staying in now.”

A whisper of an idea floats through my mind.

Even if things don’t work out between me and Jaxi, if she had something to build on, that would be great. And now that I’m acting like a grown-up, maybe it’s time I invest some of my own money too.

“You know,” I say, thinking it through. “Jaxi said she was interested in being a realtor and housing and things like that. Maybe she could reach out to your friend if she had questions about getting started.”

Anjelica nods. “I’m sure he would. He’s the nicest guy on the face of the planet.”

“Except for me, you mean.”

She grins. “Very funny.”

“Maybe I could talk to him too. I’ve been thinking about getting into some property on my own.”

“It’s a great buyer’s market. I’ll give him your number.”

“Great. Thank you. I appreciate it.”

She stands on her insanely tall heels and winks. “See? We can get along.”

“I’m still scared of you.”

She laughs all the way out the door.

I sit back in my seat and swirl my mug. The coffee goes around and around, creating a little tunnel in the middle. It happens so fast. It goes from a placid environment to a dynamic one with the flick of a wrist.

I watch the coffee and let my mind drift.

If it was just Jaxi and me, I know this thing between us would’ve already exploded wide open. Jaxi’s putting up a front because it’s the responsible thing to do with Rosie in the picture. I’m staying back because it’s the right thing to do too. But my brothers aren’t wrong. I truly like my house feeling like more than a place that I crash. Sitting down at a table in the evening and having a conversation. Having another person as a teammate. Having someone look at me like I’m not just handsome but also respectable.

Having Jaxi think I’m worthy of being in her and Rosie’s life.

But aren’t we keeping our distance romantically because of that little girl who deserves the chance to live in the environment I think—I know—that Jaxi and I could create together? Isn’t that counterproductive?

What’s the worst thing that could happen? It not work out?

I take a drink.

I’d still be there for her. She’s a great person. And I adore that little girl.