Chapter 21
Jason
My phone buzzes on the bedside table like a chainsaw in my ear, wrenching me from a peaceful, deep sleep.
With a groggy groan, I snatch it up, irritated by whoever’s calling me at one in the fucking morning.
When I see Kaden’s name flashing across my screen, I let out a heavy, frustrated sigh before accepting the call.
“You do realise what time it is, Kaden?” I chide, not bothering to mask the irritation in my voice.
“I know, I’m sorry, but I have something to tell you.”
“And you couldn’t wait until the morning?”
“No, I can’t. I’m fucking shaking and I need to talk to someone right now.” The tremble in his voice makes my ears perk, worried that something serious has actually happened.
I quickly sit up and switch on the lamp. “Are you okay? What’s going on?”
“I found her, Jase! I found Skylar.”
My eyes widen like saucers, clearly taken aback by the sudden news. Leaning back against the headboard, I quickly rub the sleep from my eyes before responding. “What do you mean you found Skylar? Where?”
“Turns out my sneaky little wife has been leading a whole new life here in Brightly Bay for the past several months. And get this, she’s managed to find herself a brand-new man. Can you believe that?!”
It takes a lot to truly shock me. Not even my discovering Elena’s affairs had surprised me all that much. But hearing that Skylar has built a whole new life for herself in another city right after walking out on her marriage—well, damn, that shit is next level.
When Kaden told me he’d be away in Melbourne for a few weeks on work, I thought it might do him some good. He’d be far from his insufferable girlfriend, free to breathe and focus without her suffocating presence hanging over him.
He’s been a miserable bastard since Skylar up and left him over several months ago.
Not even his relationship with his mistress has helped improve his mood. In fact, since Kaden moved in with Lucia, things have only gotten worse for him.
“Wait. Back up for a minute,” I tell him, my mind still spinning from the news. “How did you end up finding her?”
“I was dining with some colleagues at this restaurant, you know, for some team bonding, when all of a sudden the lights dimmed and these people started singing Happy Birthday to one of the customers. I didn’t see who it was, but I waited until the singing ended before I could get up and go to the bar.
On the way there, I heard a laugh—one I knew all too well.
So being the curious little fucker I am, I followed the sound.
And there she was, my fucking wife… sitting in front of a birthday cake, wrapped in the arms of another man. ”
I blow out a heavy breath. “Fuck, brother. I don’t even know what to say. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah, well, so am I. But you know what’s crazy?”
“What?”
“She’s even more beautiful than I remembered. She looks happy, just... perfect.”
There’s something in his voice as he says those words that bring a smile to my face.
It’s that unmistakable tone, the one people use when speaking about someone who means the world to them. Someone they’ve missed deeply. Kaden might’ve destroyed his marriage, but it’s clear he’s still very much in love with his wife.
“I’m afraid to ask, but what are you going to do now?”
He’s quiet for a brief moment, then lets out a tenacious chuckle. “What do you think, Jase? I’m going to get my wife back.”
This morning, I woke with last night’s phone conversation still echoing in my mind.
It’s strange to think that all this time, Skylar had been living in a different city, building an entirely new life for herself.
And now, she has a new man to go with it.
By all accounts, Skylar sounds happy, healthy, and seems to be thriving.
As one of my closest and dearest friends, that’s all I could ever want for her.
It’s early on a Wednesday when I pull into my dad’s driveway to drop Jake off before heading to work.
Jake’s been going on about some girl in his kindergarten class who’s been giving him grief over his newfound obsession with bread—his latest fixation after his class explored different types of bread from around the world for multicultural week.
According to my son, this Penelope girl has been calling him ‘Airy-fairy’ ever since he brought fairy bread to school for his class last week.
When I asked if it bothered him, he just shrugged and said, ‘It doesn’t bother me, Dad.
She’s just mad she missed out.’ And that was that.
No further explanation. No further argument.
Truth be told, it takes a lot to upset my boy.
He’s as tough and thick-skinned as the rest of us Hawkins’ men.
I carefully help Jake out of his booster seat, and the moment his feet touch the ground, he takes off towards the front door, where my dad is standing there waiting. Grabbing his overnight bag from the back seat, I lock the car and follow him inside.
The smell of onions and sausages instantly hit me as I step through the doorway, reminding me that it’s been fourteen hours since I’ve last eaten anything.
We walk into the kitchen, where my dad is back to flipping sausages in the pan. I drop Jake’s bag on one of the bar stools at the kitchen island and breathe in the delicious scent of sizzling meat. “Smells good. I might grab some for the road, if that’s okay?”
“Help yourself. I made plenty for everyone,” my dad says, as he begins to assemble our sausage sizzle sandwiches.
Jake hops onto one of the other bar stools, watching intently as my dad layers onions, a sausage, and tomato sauce into a bread roll. “Hey, Grandad? Is that brioche or just a plain white hotdog roll?”
My dad and I exchange a look. This kid!
“It’s Brioche, bud. Just like you requested.”
My son smiles and nods. “Good stuff, Grandad,” he sing-songs, making me shake my head with a chuckle.
Placing my hand on his shoulder, I lean down and kiss the top of his head. “Well, I gotta get to work now, kiddo. Be good, okay?”
He nods and digs straight into the sausage sizzle my dad just placed in front of him.
A couple of minutes later, my dad hands me over two rolls wrapped in aluminium foil. I thank him as I take them.
“Before you go, can I have a quick word?” he whispers to me.
Curious, I frown, but nod anyway. After telling Jake he’ll be back in a minute, I follow my dad to the front door.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Everything is okay. Although, I did bump into Chris last night at the shops and he said he’s worried about you after what went down at the restaurant a week and a half ago. Care to explain what that was all about?”
I let out a heavy sigh, not wanting to tell my old man—a retired Senior Sergeant—that I wanted to beat the living shit out of a guy I suspect is abusing the woman I have feelings for.
Instead, I tell him a different version of the truth.
“I had an altercation with a guy who I believe is putting the safety of someone close to me at risk.”
My dad crosses his arms, his expression stoic. “Hmm…” He nods slowly. “Sounds serious. I’m proud of you for sticking up for your friend and all, but, son, did you really have to cause a bloody ruckus in your own workplace, in front of your customers and staff?”
“Yeah, I didn’t really think that part through,” I admit, rubbing the back of my neck.
“I did regret not waiting until I was off premises, but I’m not sorry for putting that prick in his place.”
My dad lets out a low chuckle. “I get it. I’d probably do the same. Especially if it involved a woman I had feelings for,” he says with a slight smirk on his face.
“What did you just say?”
“Huh?” he replies nonchalantly.
“Don’t play dumb, old man. What makes you think I did this for a woman?”
“Jason.” He gives me a knowing look. “I think you forget how well I know you sometimes. There’s no way you’d cause a scene like that if it was over Kaden or Chris. You only ever react that way when it involves a woman you really like and care about.”
Dammit. I should’ve known nothing ever gets past my dad. His ability to read people is uncanny—almost freaky sometimes.
When I stay silent, he takes it as confirmation that he’s right on the mark.
He pats me on the shoulder, offering something that almost resembles a smile—a rare sight from a man like Jim Hawkins. “It’s okay, son. You’ve got that protective instinct just like your old man. But next time you want to play hero for Jake’s babysitter, try not to get yourself into any trouble.”
And with those parting words, Dad saunters back to the kitchen, whistling a tune I don’t recognise, leaving me gobsmacked and half-laughing to myself, wondering how on earth he managed to piece all that together from one brief exchange.
Of course. He’s Jim fucking Hawkins—ex-top Sergeant, that’s how.