11. Chapter 11
JAX
“You have to stop sending me pictures. I was in line at the post office when I opened the last one,” Tristan hissed in a low voice as he caught up to Jax in The Pointe’s kitchen.
“Did the people behind you get an eyeful?” Jax winked, giving Winter a grin as they passed by, giggling.
After Dylan’s chocolate bar had left Jax languid, he’d managed to get into his car and have Finn drive him home.
He’d woken up still high as hell the next day and had sat back to enjoy it, allowing his body to rest and trying not to feel too mortified about what had happened.
On the first night, Tristan had sent pastries from Vice and Virtue, along with a get-well balloon, and they’d texted and even video-chatted the following two nights, which had Jax practically vibrating with happiness.
While Tristan had taken up space in Jax’s brain since physical therapy, he’d recently gained a lot more territory.
Now, Jax constantly wondered what Tristan was doing, how he was feeling, and if the guests were treating him well.
They’d even gotten to the point of texting quick good mornings, good nights, and work gossip, including an ongoing analysis of Marci’s scary abilities.
Plus, Jax sent many more suggestive photos. This morning, he’d let his hair fall flat, angling his body in a patch of sunlight and taking a few artistic nudes, which he’d quickly sent to Tristan.
“No, because I almost dropped my phone.” Apparently, Tristan hadn’t learned to check texts from Jax in private.
Jax wanted to kiss Tristan’s frowning lips, but he held back. Even though everyone knew about them, the news was still fresh, and he didn’t want to fan the flames. He just needed to hold out until something else caught their attention.
“I’m sorry,” Jax grinned, knowing that he didn’t sound sorry at all. “By the way? I need to thank you for the lift. How about I cash in on that second date and cook dinner for you at your place?”
Jax knew that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, and he wanted to make a banging meal that would end in banging. Technically, he was taking it slow because he’d wanted to climb Tristan from the moment he’d seen him in the doctor’s office, and that was months ago.
But he couldn’t wait any longer. He felt drawn to Tristan in ways he couldn’t explain, because there weren’t words for how his pulse raced every time those sandy-brown eyes looked his way, how Tristan’s calm radiated into him, and how being beside Tristan felt like home.
Tristan’s frown vanished, replaced by a charming smile. “You don’t have to thank me, but I’d like that very much.”
“Do you have any allergies or foods you hate?” Jax had a menu in mind but Tristan’s answer could change it.
“Nope.” Tristan’s smile shifted to self-deprecating. “During my thru, I used to eat instant noodles straight out of the package, no water. I’m sure I’ll love whatever you make.”
Jax made a face. “Wasn’t that gross?”
“Very.” Tristan chuckled in that endearing way, and Jax quickly looked around, stood on his toes, and kissed him on the cheek.
“What was that for?” Tristan asked, putting his hand over the spot as if it were precious.
“No reason,” Jax smirked as Angelo came over, giving them a friendly nod.
“Hello, guys! Jax, I have some news for you. There was a scheduling issue, and Carson’s time off and mine overlap next month. That usually doesn’t happen, but his wife is due the same day that my sister is getting her PhD.”
“Tell your sister I said congratulations. Who will be running things while you’re away?” He had a sneaking suspicion what Angelo’s answer would be, and his heart began to pound .
“You, of course.” Angelo’s grin was infectious, and Jax found himself mirroring it even though he was sweating.
“I’ve been watching, and you weren’t kidding, you know how to keep a kitchen running, smoothing the road before it gets bumpy.
That’s not something that can be taught, and you’ve honed it like one of your knives. ”
“Thank you.” Jax tried to sound confident and professional even though his stomach was in knots; however, some of that was excitement. Angelo had been impressed, and his chronic pain hadn’t affected his trajectory in this kitchen at all; in fact, he’d been given an incredible opportunity.
He just hoped that his body held up.
“I’ll be gone for three days, Friday to Sunday, and there’s a full house each day.” Angelo gave him the same kind of stare from the gallery interview, the one that told Jax he was being assessed. “You ready for that?”
Jax quickly glanced at Tristan, whose mouth sat open, his gaze full of proud surprise, and it bolstered Jax’s confidence.
“I was born ready.” Jax allowed himself to lean on the excitement, showing it in his smile. “I appreciate this, Angelo. I won’t let you down.”
“Good, good.” He reached out, and they warmly shook hands. “We’ll talk more about it as we get closer.” With a nod, he headed to the back of the kitchen, and Jax looked at Tristan with wide, shocked eyes.
Tristan reached for Jax’s hands, and Jax latched onto them.
“That’s incredible, Jax! I’m so thrilled for you,” he said in hushed excitement. “And if you need a top-notch ma?tre d’ to help, I’m at your service.”
“I’m going to take you up on that,” Jax said with a grin, because he could use all the help that he could get.
A few minutes later, Tristan returned to the main room, and Jax started prepping for the day when he froze, shock flying through his system, knocking aside the excitement and replacing it with rage.
One of his knives was missing.
“So, you’re gonna be the head chef of a wedding hall?” His mother’s voice wrapped around him like a familiar blanket, instantly soothing him. It had been almost a week, and he was still a mess of excitement and nerves, so he’d called her in an attempt to calm down before his date.
“Just for three days.” But he’d hold that title for the first time in his life. So, he couldn’t fuck it up.
“Doesn’t matter. The big guy himself picked my son!” she raved, her support bolstering him in a different way than Tristan’s did, but it worked all the same.
“Thanks, Ma.”
“You sound different.” She went quiet for a few heartbeats. “You got someone you wanna tell me about?”
“Me?” Jax deflected. “What about the deli guy giving you the salami?”
“Jaxon Gianni Fiorelli!” Her voice was all threat. “Don’t think I won’t drive the hour to hit you with my slipper.”
“I know you will,” Jax laughed, staying on the phone with her until he had to start packing ingredients to bring to Tristan’s. Heading to the kitchen, he found Ollie sitting at the table in full glam, blinking away tears.
“What’s the matter?” Putting his cooler on the floor, Jax went over to him, grabbing a tissue on the way so Ollie could blot his eyes.
“I-It’s stupid.” Dabbing at his makeup, he looked at Jax with a sharp yet watery gaze. “Don’t tell Finn I was crying? Please?”
“I see nothing,” Jax assured him. “But my ears work, and I bet it’s not stupid.”
Ollie let out a long sigh.
“I’ve gained a lot of weight and don’t get me wrong, I’m happy about it.” He sniffled. “But sometimes…I don’t like my reflection. See, it’s stupid. I shouldn’t care at all-”
“No, I get it,” Jax interrupted. “It’s valid. You had an image of yourself, and even though you can’t attain it anymore, because that’s harmful, you can’t let it go.”
Those pale-blue eyes widened. “Wow, that’s scarily accurate.”
“And you’re not alone. I can’t let go of things either.
” Jax wished he could sit beside Ollie instead of standing to his right, grasping the top of the chair next to him.
“I used to go to festivals and dance for three days, and I miss it a lot. I know our situations are different, but it comes down to the fact that we can’t be those people anymore, because we’ll end up hurting ourselves.
And missing that is natural, but it shouldn’t get in the way of your healing. ”
Of course, Jax rarely listened to himself. It was easier to solve other people’s problems than his own.
“Jaxaphone, I had no idea you were so wise. You and Liam are helping me out so much. Thank you.” Ollie’s tears had dried, and the tissue sat crumpled in his hand, his attention on Jax. “I didn’t know you were a raver party animal.”
“Yeah, I’ve been in a lot of DJ booths,” Playing with one of his helix piercings, he grinned. “My friend Mae has never met a stranger. The first night my favorite DJ was in town, we went to her set, and twelve hours later, Mae sent me a picture of them hanging out together.”
“What? Oh my god, I bet she has aura . I’d love to meet her!” Ollie declared.
“She actually wants to meet you too.” Jax tried not to smile at Ollie’s shocked expression.
“She’s the follower who went into treatment because of you.
” This is where Jax wondered if he was crossing a line, but Ollie had handed him the chance to ask.
“She got a little better, but she’s backsliding because she doesn’t take recovery as seriously as you do, and I was hoping you could talk some sense into her.
We don’t do feelings, so it’s not like I can talk to her about it. But I think she’ll listen to you.”
Ollie’s eyebrows almost touched his hairline. “Jax…”
“But I don’t want to trigger you or put any pressure on your recovery.” Jax held up his hands, but Ollie just gave him a lopsided grin.
“That’s very sweet of you to be concerned about me, but I’m strong enough to handle helping someone who doesn’t want to help themself.” He put a hand over Jax’s, where it rested on the back of the chair. “I’ll give it my best shot.”
“You’re fucking amazing, thank you.” Jax hugged Ollie once he stood, relieved. Mae had a strong will, but now that Jax had gotten to know Ollie better, he could say that their stubbornness was about equal, and it helped that she worshipped him. “I’ll text her.”