2. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Jax
“Okay, Gary. You’re a month post-op, which means we can start to gently work the ACL. How’s the level of pain?” Jax asked. The young man was twenty-one and a Junior at Indiana State on a full ride for track and field.
Gary was a cross-country runner and had a mishap at the last meet of the year before summer break. The kid was pushed by another runner and fell over a log at The Ohio State University. The other runner was disqualified for poor sportsmanship and expelled from the school for ethics violations.
Jax had come up against jealous athletes over the years, and he believed Gary was fortunate because the guy could have done much more damage, based on the course as it was described to Jax. Unfortunately, the injury also had Gary in the maybe column for the qualifying meet to join the National Team. The kid wanted it, badly, but Jax didn’t want the boy to maim himself for life.
“I’ve been talking to the team therapists who say it’s time for me to get back out there, but I’m worried they’re too aggressive. They want me running again right now, and from what I’ve read, I shouldn’t even start jogging until at least three months out from surgery. It’s only been six weeks, but there’s a meet in September I was told to participate in. Hell, I don’t want to do any lasting damage, Cajun. The young man’s face showed worry, which was prudent.
“It’s way too soon for you to start running again, Gary. Tell me who these fuckers are who are trying to get you to run, and I’ll call ‘em. That’s just ridiculous. You’re still using ice to keep the swelling down in the evenings after being on it all day, right?” Jax’s voice carried a bite, though he wasn’t angry with the kid.
“Sure,” the boy replied, wringing his hands. Jax chuckled and reached out to still them.
“I’m sorry if I sounded pissed. I deplore when coaches push athletes too quickly after an injury. Are you still on pain meds?” Jax hoped he wasn’t. The twinge of pain would keep the young man from overdoing it.
“No. I only took them for the first week after surgery, then I switched to ibuprofen. I can’t have drugs in my system to stay in the NCAA. I didn’t like the feeling of being on the pills anyway. It’s a wonder I didn’t hurt myself because I thought I could do anything. Thank God, Colby was home,” the QB’s younger brother stated.
Jax chuckled, remembering his own turn with the pain pills after his broken leg. Yeah, they made him feel like he could fly, as well. Thank goodness, he had Cade and Ford to keep him safe. They didn’t let him brood, and they pushed him to get better when he needed the shove the most. He would always credit them with his recovery. They gave him the love and support he’d needed to succeed in everything.
Jax and Gary sat together for another half hour, plotting out a game plan to follow so the young man could achieve a complete recovery. It was the beginning of June, and they had about three months to work through the rehab before Gary went back to school. With a plan, the young man should be ready for the fall racing season.
“Let’s go get you set up with Megan. She’s the best post-op PT I’ve ever met. I’m glad you came to see us, Gary,” Jax told him as he led the young man to the tall brunette who was standing at the front desk, perusing the calendar.
“Megan Landing, this is Gary Napier. Here’s his file. I turn him over to your more than capable hands,” he told her with a smile.
The woman gave him a confident one in return and put a hand on Gary’s shoulder, leading him over to the therapy room. Megan was twenty-five and had been a member of the U.S. Volleyball Team, headed to the Olympics before she separated her shoulder in a climbing accident at Acadia National Park.
Megan missed the qualifying round for the Olympics due to her rehab, and with her injury, it was doubtful she’d be able to play to her full potential in the future. During her own rehab, she “found her calling,” as she’d told Jax when he’d interviewed her right after she’d graduated from UI-Carbondale. Jax hired her on the spot and was happy to have her as part of his team.
After he was sure the two of them were comfortable with each other, Jax went to his office and sat down behind his desk. With misty eyes, he scanned the top-notch facility he’d created, taking it all in once again. He knew without Cade and Ford that he’d never have been able to get it together.
“This space is perfect, Jackson. There is potential here, and I think with minimal effort, you’ll be able to make it into the facility of your dreams,” Ford told him.
It was two months after their honeymoon in Puglia, and Jax was still riding the high from the time the three of them had spent together, not even thinking about his next step other than the fact he wasn’t going to coach or coordinate anything in the NFL. His husbands were far too important to him, and he refused to do anything to discredit their importance in his life—such as hiding them. That was unacceptable.
“It’s big,” Jax responded as he looked at the abandoned discount store property in Bedford Park. It was about thirty minutes from the Greystone, but it was a perfect size for his dream facility.
Jax could see the possibilities, and with Cade’s organizational skills and continuing push for Jax to make decisions regarding the renovations, it was now exactly what he wanted it to be.
They’d added a lap pool, sauna, large fitness center, rooms for yoga and courts for handball, racquetball, or even basketball games, along with space for other specialized classes for the benefit of the members.
On the other side of the large building was a first-rate rehab facility, equipped with the necessities for the physical therapists to work out their clients and nurse them back to health. It was everything Jax had ever dreamed it could be, and with Ford and Cade’s support, he’d achieved one of his goals spectacularly.
His cell was in the charger on his desk, so he checked it to see a message from Cade, which always brought a smile to his face.
Sela’s back home so we’re having dinner together before she takes Carlie home. Is six too early? Luv u. C
Jax laughed. Since Ford’s sister and niece had moved to Chicago, there was a new light in their lives, and her name was Carlotta. The girl had quickly grown to be their world.
Carlie made every day more incredible than Jax had ever imagined it could be, and the three of them had spoiled the child so much, her mother wanted to brain them on a good day. Fortunately, Sela loved the three of them and even though they might make the girl precocious in the future, Sela didn’t keep the child from visiting.
Jax sent a response, knowing the brunet was working at the club with Branford.
I’ll be home at four to swim with Carlie one last time before she goes home. How’s our husband today? He seems to be a little listless, don’t you think? Is he still taking meds? Lucky
He returned his phone to the charger, worried about his husband. Well, one of his husbands. Ford just hadn’t been himself of late, and Jax was ready to storm the gates and ask what the fuck was wrong, but he was trying to be patient.
Ford had said he was taking meds, “… some fucking vitamin deficiency. Give me a break, okay? I’ve had this fucking virus,” he’d complained.
Of course, the immediate concern was a worst-case scenario, but they’d been to the doctor together, the three of them, and they were all negative so it couldn’t be HIV. Ford would tell them if it was something so serious, not that they’d love him any less.
Jackson kept his mouth closed and stewed on things when he was alone, but he also paid close attention to Branford. The man had been showering alone, which wasn’t the norm.
They all started their days at the same time, so they usually showered together in the huge stall of their ensuite bathroom. They were conserving water, or so they told themselves, but the fun was amazing. As he thought about it, Jax remembered the last time he’d tried to start anything sexual between Ford and him.
Jax had tried to initiate a blow job one night when Cade was working at the club. He assumed it was Cade’s way of giving the two of them time alone, so he walked into the home office and moved over to the desk, pulling Ford’s chair away from it.
Jax knelt in front of him and kissed the man gently as he reached for the zipper of his trousers. Much to his surprise, Ford grabbed his hand and smiled. “Sorry, love, but I have some accounting issues to deal with before tomorrow. How about a rain check?”
Jax nodded and left the office, feeling a little embarrassed by his advances and the stinging rejection. As he thought about it, he remembered Ford had never cashed in.
The knock on the door brought him from his thoughts. “Yeah,” he called as he turned to see Janelle Crow walk into his office. She was the fitness center’s lead personal trainer, and she was on his scent for certain.
It didn’t matter that he was married. She didn’t seem to believe men were totally gay, and she thought she could “cure” him of his evil curse based on the beliefs of her indigenous heritage. He’d have fired her, but she was really fucking good as a trainer, and she brought a hefty book of clients with her.
“So, you feel like sparring a little and then going for dinner?” the woman suggested, her voice sexy and low.
Jax chuckled. “It just kills you to consider I’d rather fuck two men than you, doesn’t it?” he stated with a smirk.
Janelle laughed. “If it takes two men to fill the shoes of one good woman, I’d say you’ve made bad choices, Jackson.” She crossed her long, tan legs.
Why she couldn’t understand he was a six out of six on the Kinsey scale was a worry, but she seemed as if she wasn’t one to give up when she had a target in mind.
Jax stood from his desk and closed the lid of his laptop. “Janelle, dear, I’m very sure you can put straight men on their heads if you offer them your attention. I, however, enjoy cock. We’re more alike than you’d guess, huh?” he told her as he grabbed his duffel to head home.
“You’ll come crawling back to me, Jackson,” she called after him. No, he wouldn’t, but if she needed to believe it to do her job, then he wouldn’t contradict her.
He checked in with his employees before he went home, happy to be in the bosom of sanity. With Kincade and Branford, he had solace, which was everything he wanted. His life made sense.
Jackson walked into the house after parking his new SUV, having sold the Hummer. It was as big as the other vehicle, and it was loaded with extras, but it was not as easily recognizable as the Hummer had been. The new vehicle was platinum, and even Cade didn’t bitch about driving it. Ford still clung to his BMW, which made Jax smile.
“ Hello? ” he hollered as he took off his trainers in the laundry room. He didn’t hear anything, so he walked into the house to find Ford asleep on the sectional in the great room. They’d finally purchased more furniture to fill their home, but they kept the sectional in the great room for sentimental purposes.
He knelt next to the chaise and kissed his husband on the forehead. When Ford’s eyes sprang open, Jax saw fear. “Baby, did you have a bad dream? Do you still feel sick?”
“I, uh, I need to have a procedure. I’m having the surgery on Thursday. Can you take me and pick me up? You don’t have to stay. I’d rather not tell Kincade because he worries too much about shit like this.”
Jax thought it through. “A procedure? Like what? How serious is it?”
“It’s one of those non-serious things. It’s likely nothing, so there’s no need to worry about it. I’ve been with this guy for a long time, and I trust him. So? Will you take me?” Ford asked.
Of course, Jackson would do anything either of his husbands ever asked of him. “Sure. I’ll arrange for Wes to take over my training appointments.”
Wesley Martin had been Jax’s physical therapist when he was recovering from his broken leg, and he’d been the first person Jax hired when he started his business. The guy was great at his job, and Jax respected him. Jax had several clients he trained himself, and he knew they’d be in good hands with Wes.
“And, Branford, of course, I’m going to stay with you. I love you, baby,” he stated, brushing the blond hair off his husband’s brow.
When Ford broke down and started to cry, Jax collected him in his arms. “Where’s Kincade?” he whispered.
“I don’t know. I—” Ford quietly replied before he continued to sob.
Jax heard peals of laughter, likely coming from the pool, so he picked up Ford and carried him upstairs to their bed. Something was horribly wrong, and it had to be more than a non-serious procedure. He was going to get to the bottom of it. Branford knew for a fact Jax didn’t like surprises.
Jax sat on their bed, leaning against the headboard. He was trying to organize his thoughts because he knew they had to go downstairs to have dinner with Cade, Sela, and Carlotta, and according to Ford, they had to pretend everything was perfectly normal.
To say he was stunned was an understatement. A lot of things could have happened to the three of them which would have stunned him less, but this wasn’t anywhere on his list of possibilities.
He looked down to see Ford’s blond head resting on his thigh, and he gently brushed his hand through the golden locks of the man that he’d fallen in love with years ago at first sight.
As Jax’s mind strolled back to those days, he couldn’t help but smile. Ford was a true beauty; a blond-haired, blue-gray-eyed boy-next-door. He was athletically built, and he had an ass Jax couldn’t take his eyes from.
It was truly a miracle that they hadn’t given up over the years because they both found themselves to be tops, but they’d stuck together, and they’d found the perfect person to balance their lives. They’d both fallen in love with Kincade Hayes, and to even consider harm would come to either of his husbands nearly made Jax physically ill.
“Branford, there’s no way we can keep this from Kincade. He might get emotional about it, but we have to plan, babe. If you don’t tell him, he’ll think he’s not as important in our relationship, and I know for a fact that’s not the message you wanna send. After Sela takes Carlotta home, we’ll talk to him, and then we’ll work out the logistics. I’m assuming you’ll need to take some time off, so we’ll work it out,” Jax reasoned.
In his heart, Jax knew he’d need Cade’s support as much as Ford because he wasn’t ready to think about something that could disrupt the wonderful life they were building together. His mind refused to conceive of something that had the possibility to change their lives.
Ford opened his eyes and sighed. “Thank you. I just needed some time to think about this. I’m going to shower and change. What time is dinner?” Ford asked as he shuffled from the bed.
“Six, I believe. Take your time,” Jax told him, fighting with himself not to follow the man.
Jackson needed a minute to get himself together. The three of them had put off making wills because Jax couldn’t comprehend being without either of the men he loved. It was unfathomable.