9. Chapter 9
JAX
“No Apocalypse Now ?” Mae squinted at her screen as Jax spun, showing off his outfit.
“It’s a date, Mae.” He fixed the collar of his black turtleneck. “Not a rave.”
“Well, you look like a hacker trying to take down the government,” she declared, the room swirling behind her as she spun in her desk chair.
“That’s exactly what I was going for.” Brushing lint off his shiny, black jeans, he stared at his reflection, nodding with approval
“Are you sure you don’t want to bring him to the place we went to last month?” She crooned into the phone. “They’re doing a fake Yuma room complete with disco shark.”
Jax laughed, thinking about Tristan in the club around a bunch of people rolling their faces off. “I mean, it would definitely be a unique first date.”
“Jaxon, listen, you have to spill the tea. How is it living with your brother and the Olleelicious?” Batting her eyelashes, she lounged back in her chair.
“Really good, actually.” Ollie and Finn couldn’t have been more welcoming, never making Jax feel like the townhouse wasn’t his home or that he was a third wheel.
In fact, Ollie had helped him with a little makeup earlier, so Jax’s skin glowed and his eyes popped.
He needed to learn his future brother-in-law’s magic.
“Good.” She glanced down at her manicure. “I’m not going to ask you again to introduce us because obviously you don’t want to.”
Jax tried not to sigh, wishing he’d called her so he wouldn’t have to hide his emotions. “I promise, I will ask him next week.”
“Sure, sure.” She clicked her nails at him. “Anyway, I am going to the Yuma room, have a great time on your date .” She enunciated the last word as if she were making fun of him and cut the call.
He needed to buckle down and either tell her no or speak with Ollie, but he didn’t want to risk their friendship or Ollie’s health. And he didn’t have to think about that right now, because he had to find his jacket.
Heading to the front closet, he stopped as he got into the living room, where Finn and Ollie sat on the couch. While Finn seemed sterner than usual, Ollie was rolling his eyes so hard that he could probably see the inside of his skull.
“Are you heading out on your date?” Finn asked, trying to make his voice casual and failing as Ollie sighed hard.
“Not yet.” Jax furrowed his dark eyebrows, frowning. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” Ollie flung his hands in the air. “Except that Finn is in big-brother mode right now.”
This time, Jax’s eyebrows went up. “What?”
“Sunshine…” Finn glanced at Ollie before focusing on Jax. “I know you’re going out with Rain’s stepdad. But there are a lot of years between you.”
“Really?” Ollie barked out a laugh. “The call is coming from inside the house.”
Maybe Jax was maturing because he found Finn’s concern heartwarming. It was nice that he cared, but it was none of his business.
“Finn, I appreciate you looking out for me, but this isn’t up for debate.
I like him and we’re both adults.” Grabbing his jacket from the closet, he faced them.
“Do you think that Rain will mind?” Jax hadn’t spoken to Rain much before he left The Pointe and didn’t want to upset him.
Did he even know that Jax had been interested in his stepfather?
“Rain? Well, he did send me a text this morning about you two needing to bang,” Ollie snickered as Jax almost dropped his jacket, leaning against the wall. “I guess you don’t have to worry about it. Soooo…” he grinned dangerously. “Will Rain be your stepson, too?”
Finn tried to cover Ollie’s mouth, but Ollie was ready, blocking Finn with fake martial arts, complete with wind sounds.
“And if you two get married, then will Rain be my nephew-in-law?”
“Finn, I’m gonna shut him up if you don’t,” Jax threatened with a smile on his face. “And we’re not getting married, you idiot.”
“Not yet,” Ollie coughed. “Anyway, I think it’s good that Tristan found someone else because his ex is the worst.”
“The one who stopped by The Pointe on Valentine’s Day?” Jax asked, and Ollie and Finn froze, shock rippling across their faces.
“What?” Finn asked hoarsely. “Eve was at The Pointe again? When?”
Again? That wasn’t the first time she’d been there?
“The night Marci got married. I went outside to get some air instead of strangling one of the prep cooks for leaving the walk-in open, and I saw her on the hood of a car. I was confused because I thought it was Rain in a dress. She’s been there before? Is she a stalker?”
“Yes, but she stalks Rain, not Tristan.” Ollie lost focus, putting a hand on his forehead and murmuring to himself. “That’s right, Tristan doesn’t know.”
“Ollie, what are you talkin’ about?” Confused and frustrated, Jax’s accent slipped out, and Ollie’s gaze snapped to him.
“When I’m done explaining? I want to hear why you just sounded like you were on The Jersey Shore .
” Ollie pointed his finger at Jax, circling it a couple of times.
“Okay, a few hours before The Pointe’s fire, Rain’s mom - Eve - showed up with her disgusting boyfriend and made a huge scene looking for Rain because he went no contact. ”
“She even slapped him,” Finn added with disgust.
Jax’s hackles rose, and fury began to unfurl in his bloodstream for Rain and Tristan.
If Eve treated her own son like that, then she had probably been awful to Tristan.
When Jax had watched them from the shadows that night, he’d thought it had been a typical spat with the ex, but she’d turned out to be more unhinged than he’d thought.
“Marci was so mad that she dragged them out herself.” Ollie folded his arms.
“Now that I know Marci, I believe it.” Jax could feel his forehead creasing.
“And they’re banned from The Pointe.” Finn made a face. “But Eve doesn’t seem to know that.”
“My turn,” Jax stated. “Why do I not know this?”
“The fire distracted everyone, and most of the staff is new,” Finn replied.
“And Tristan has no idea that Eve stopped by that day. Rain never told him because it would upset him, and since Tristan is close with everyone now, we’ve all been sworn to secrecy.
” Blowing a curl away from his eyes, Ollie leaned against Finn.
“Tristan doesn’t even know that Rain almost died in the fire. ”
“Wait, what ?” Jax didn’t need his nightly cup of tea because he was getting an entire pot right here.
“After Eve’s visit, he hid in John’s office, and we thought he left the building.” Finn cringed. “He ignored the fire alarms and had to jump out of the second-floor window.”
Jax had no words; he just exhaled in shock, still leaning against the wall.
“And since Tristan doesn’t know that Eve is banned, he wouldn’t think to tell anyone about her,” Ollie stated, as if he were thinking out loud.
“I’ll mention it to Opie.” Jax still wasn’t used to Finn calling Owen by his initials, but the two men had known each other for over fifteen years. “And I’ll also tell Marci when she gets back, but I’ll ask them to keep it hush-hush, to look out for her if she shows up again.”
“If she does? Tell me right away.” Jax growled. Finn and Ollie paused, looking at each other.
“Getting possessive?” Ollie’s grin was back. “Didn’t you already tell off some rando for bothering Tristan too much?”
“Sunshine…” Finn tried again, shaking his head.
“Just Finn…” Ollie shot back in the same tone.
“I promise, I will only match energy if she shows up.” Jax crossed his heart.
“Uh-oh,” Ollie laughed. “By the way, everything we just discussed? Top secret.”
“Don’t worry,” Jax mimicked locking his lips shut.
“I won’t say anything to him, not if Rain hasn’t.
It’s not my story to tell.” But Jax was insanely curious.
He needed to know more, needed to see Eve up close.
Did she want more than Rain? Was she still in love with Tristan?
And finally, how had someone as nice and sweet as Tristan ended up with her ?
She’d probably taken advantage of his kindness.
But Jax was here now.
To be honest, this added more red to Tristan’s green flag, but Jax couldn’t walk away, not from Tristan.
“I always knew you were a good one, Jaxaphone.” Ollie crossed his legs, folding his hands over his knee. “And since that’s out of the way, explain the accent.”
When Tristan had asked if Jax had any preferences for the date, Jax had chosen to finish their walk. Their small hike after the bar had soothed his soul, along with the kiss, and he’d rested up, wanting a repeat.
Instead of going back to the park across from Bar None, Tristan had sent him an address, and Jax pulled into the dirt lot of a nature reserve, parking next to Tristan.
He was immune to how loud his radio was, but the bass must’ve been thumping, because Tristan’s eyes widened.
With a laugh, Jax turned the volume down and stopped the car, getting out.
Aside from birdsong, it was wonderfully quiet.
“This is amazing. I didn’t even know this was here.” The weather was cooperative for once, with early-spring temperatures and a wind that carried some warmth. Jax wouldn’t need his jacket.
“I’ve been to all the green spaces in a fifty-mile radius, and this is one of my favorite places.
” Tristan approached, looking adorable in his beige pants and turquoise hiking shirt.
“You can see the mountain range to the north, and the trail is even. You already did the elevation on the drive here, now it’s just a short walk to the view. ”
“Sounds good.” Before he could stop himself, Jax stood on his toes and placed a kiss on Tristan’s cheek, over his beard. “Hi. You look cute.”
“H-Hello.” Tristan cleared his throat, pink blooming along his cheekbones. “And you look…” His eyes shone.
“Like I’m a hacker that’s trying to infiltrate a corporation?” Jax posed, arms out .
“What?” Laughing, Tristan gestured toward the main trail, and they started off at a leisurely pace.
“That’s what my best friend Mae said when I showed her the outfit.”