As a Major League player, he could have his pick of women, which was what made this one unique. Yes, she’d slept with him, but in a very real way, he still had to work for it. And he was very much up for the challenge.Chapter SevenMacy, Hannah, and Jaxon sat in the kitchen, a small room with a table that seated four, light wood cabinets, and matching stone tile. Two pizza boxes were open on the counter, and Macy had had Hannah help her set the table and put ice in their glasses before they’d all gathered to eat. The house reminded Jaxon of the one he’d grown up in with his siblings, but the boys had shared rooms. Bri, of course, had her own domain.
While Macy ate a piece of plain and Jaxon took his second slice of pepperoni, Hannah sat with an empty plate, and Macy seemed content to ignore her and not stir up a fight in front of him.
“Are you sure I can’t get you something to eat?” Jaxon asked the teen, whose pout hadn’t changed throughout his attempts at conversation.
“I don’t like pepperoni,” Hannah said, crossing her arms across her chest.
“Then take a slice of plain.” Macy’s jaw clenched as she held on to her anger. “Tell us about your house,” she said to Jaxon, changing the subject.
He got the hint. This was his chance to sell Hannah on the move. “It’s way too big for one person, so it’s going to be great having you both there. And Hannah, you can have your pick of rooms,” he said to the girl who’d been ignoring him all night. “You can redecorate any way you want. Make the room yours.”
For the first time all evening, the teenager’s eyes showed a glimmer of interest. “I guess that’s cool. Until Mom wins custody.”
Hurt flashed across Macy’s face, and Jaxon couldn’t stand by and let Hannah get away with her smart mouth. She had no idea how fortunate she was to have someone who cared and wanted the responsibility of taking care of her. His own life was strange, a father who’d willingly gone through sperm donation by another man to have kids but gone on to treat them with anger and resentment.
“Do you know how lucky you are to have a sister who’s been there for you after your mother disappeared?” he asked.
Hannah shook her head, the pink strand whipping across her face. “Mom had to find herself, but she’s back now and she wants me.”
Ignoring that statement, he cleared his throat and continued to talk to Hannah, not wanting to see the pain in Macy’s eyes. “I get what it’s like to have a disinterested parent. My dad wasn’t my real father, something I didn’t discover until last year. And he treated me badly because I didn’t want to play football. Baseball wasn’t good enough for him, you know? So he treated me like shit,” he said honestly. “But I always had my brothers and my sister just like you’ve always had Macy.”
Hannah’s eyes opened wide at his revelation. “What about your mom?” she asked. “Where was she?”
“Hannah–” Macy shook her head, obviously not wanting to put him on the spot.
Of course, she didn’t know all that much about his past. Yet. He had a feeling they’d be sharing more things as time went on.
“It’s fine. I love my mother. She was and is a great parent, but she never really stepped in and stopped my father’s verbal abuse about how I wasn’t a man if I didn’t play football.” He shook his head at the ugly memories. “I guess she did the best she could.” Short of her leaving Jesse, Jaxon believed that. “All I’m saying is cut your sister some slack and see how much she loves you.”
Typical teenager, Hannah didn’t say anything in response.
Shocking him, Macy reached across the table and put her hand over his, the gesture hitting him in the heart.
“I’m not hungry.” Hannah pushed back her chair, the legs squeaking against the floor.
“Ask if you can be excused, please,” Macy reminded her.
With a roll of her eyes, the teen parroted, “Can I be excused?”
Macy nodded. “Put your clean plate back in the cabinet and the silverware away.”
With an annoyed groan, Hannah did as she was told, Macy watching her the entire time.
Only when they were alone did she turn to Jaxon. “Now’s the time to change your mind.” She looked grim, as if she fully expected him to walk away just because her little sister had been a brat.
“I can handle her.” Realizing he still held Macy’s hand, he squeezed tight. “We’re a team now.” He truly felt like they could do this and make this crazy short-term marriage work.
For both of them.
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and released it. “You stood up for me,” she said in obvious awe, making him realize how alone she’d been until now.