29. Jax
jax
Pressing kisses to her stomach, I wrap my hand around her hip and hold her to me.
“And I’m thankful for this.” I kiss the side of her breast, moving up her body.
“And these.” Finally, I hit her jaw and move over to her lips, looking into her gorgeous eyes and seeing the love for me in them. “And you. Always thankful for you.”
Felicity reaches up and rakes her fingernails through my hair, scratching my scalp and holding me back.
For the past week, we’ve barely left the bed except to work, and as soon as we could, we found ourselves gravitating right back into each other.
I haven’t felt this happy in years. I finally found a place to be that makes me happy, that gives me peace, and it is right here, wrapped up in this woman.
I glance around at her room, one we’ve been working on putting together since our first time back together. A mattress on the floor isn’t as comfortable as I want her to be.
Her bed frame arrived yesterday morning, right before she had to leave for the studio, and I surprised her by getting off work early and getting it all put together, with the help of Stetson and Bonnie, of course.
Bonnie made it look how…well, how a girl would make it look.
With comfortable pillows and bedding that Felicity had hidden in the hall closet.
But the look on Felicity’s face when she jumped onto it, her expression, and the words spilling from her mouth full of gratitude were worth every second of hard work.
“Jax, I don’t know if going to your family’s dinner is a great idea,” she says again, the nerves on her face already prominent.
I sigh, trying to find the right words to explain that she has nothing to worry about, that my family will be thrilled to have her there. “Baby, it’s all going to be fine. They already know we’re together.”
She levels me with a look. “Yes, but not everyone knows I’m pregnant with another man’s baby.”
I tense. We’ve already discussed the fact that her ex is being a douche about the baby, how his lawyers tried to tell her to get rid of the baby, and now he wants nothing to do with it.
I took that as my sign to step up, and frankly, taking that step, telling her I was in with her and her child, was as easy as breathing for me.
“This is not another man’s baby, and I don’t want to hear you say that again,” I demand, holding her belly, the one that was rapidly growing.
Her eyes glisten with tears, and I feel bad for putting it so bluntly, but I need her to hear me.
“This is your baby, and you’re mine. Which means that this baby growing inside of you is mine too. ”
She shakes her head in stunned amazement and runs a manicured finger under her eyes. “I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you, Jax. I just truly can’t believe it.”
I lean forward, taking her lips with my own, and say, “Well, believe it.”
The first stop on our day of Thanksgiving activities was lunch at her mom’s house.
I tried to invite them over to the ranch for lunch, where a huge group of family and extended families showed up to have dinner in the evening on Thanksgiving, but Felicity’s mom wanted to host her own family dinner since this was the first time Felicity was home in years to enjoy it.
I didn’t fight that hard, knowing that there was going to be a new normal for all of us that we needed to get used to.
I haven’t seen or spoken to Gerald since he spilled the beans, but I know he and his daughter worked through that little hiccup. Felicity was frustrated, but she’s taken on the brunt of the responsibility, knowing that she should have just told me.
Gerald was still sorry, and both of them owning up to their part made it smooth over faster than it could have.
Felicity enters the house, carrying a green bean casserole. There was another identical one that she had at home in the fridge, the one for tonight.
“It’s the only thing I know how to make,” Felicity said sheepishly the night before, reading the recipe off a box of crispy onions. I had just smiled and watched her work, not interfering, and enjoying the very mundane and normal evening at home.
“Mom! We’re here.” Felicity makes her way into the kitchen. The smell of turkey and gravy hits my nose, and my stomach growls in response.
I hang my hat on the coat rack by the door, trying to find those manners my mother instilled in me and make my way through the house, following Felicity while holding the bottle of wine I got for her mother.
“Felicity! Aw, baby, look at you!” Hannah comes forward, a turkey apron wrapped around her as she grabs Felicity’s cheeks. She quickly sets the casserole on the counter and lets her mom fuss over the very visible baby bump.
Her dad enters the kitchen, a wary expression on his face at the sight of me, but when he turns to his daughter, it softens, and he pulls her into a hug. “Happy Thanksgiving, honey.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, Dad,” Felicity says before getting to work, helping her mom with the rest of the preparations.
Gerald waves me over, a beer in each hand, and gives me one. I take it and tap it against his. “Happy Thanksgiving, sir.”
“You too,” he says, taking a swallow as we stand near their dining table, all set with Thanksgiving décor. Something I imagine my beautiful girlfriend would also do.
“I wanted to apologize, Jax,” Gerald says, his tone hushed. “Cornering you that day and telling you how I did…” He shakes his salt and pepper hair, seemingly trying to find the right words. “I’m ashamed of what I did.”
I stand there for a moment, thinking about how to reply, before saying, “It’s all right. Actually, you gave us the push we needed.”
He blinks in surprise at my words. “Oh?”
I nod, looking over my shoulder at Felicity, who’s putting rolls in a basket. “Yeah. Felicity telling me about the baby, it’s made us grow closer.”
Gerald doesn’t seem to know what to say to that, but it feels a little good to be able to shock him. “So you’re in this, then? This isn’t just for fun?”
“No, sir,” I reply, leveling him with a gaze. “That girl in there, I’ve loved her since I was just a boy. Now I’m ready to take care of her and our baby.”
Declaring the baby mine shocks Gerald, but before he can say a word, Felicity and her mom come into the room declaring it time to eat. I help get the table set, moving everything from the kitchen to the dining room and getting Felicity settled into her seat before taking my own.
And when it’s time to say what we’re thankful for, I know exactly what to say.
The newly annual Bottle Grounds Thanksgiving Feast was something that should be commended. The Weaver sisters put out a spread for anyone who needed food to come and enjoy on Thanksgiving Day, and everyone, minus those cooking dinner for the ranch tonight, congregated to take part in serving it.
All of my brothers were here, along with the Trevors, their partners, and the wranglers from the ranch. We all had a role to play, even Felicity.
I tried to get her to stay in the back and help, but she wasn’t afraid of being seen out in the open, belly on display or not.
I knew Dani was bursting at the seams to talk to her about pregnancy, given that she was far enough along now.
I scoop another bit of mashed potato up and place it on the plate of the person in front of me, smiling and wishing them well before turning to the next. Logan is standing next to me, in charge of the corn.
“So.” He clears his throat and looks over at Felicity. I probably should have warned my family about the impending baby, but I’ve been so wrapped up in the woman carrying it that the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. “I’m assuming that’s not yours.”
I paste a smile on my face, scooping more food onto the next person’s plate. “It is mine.”
Logan nods, clearly able to do math, but doesn’t say anything. “Right. Okay. Well, congratulations, little brother.”
I relax, realizing that without even thinking about it, I was ready to put my brother in his place. “Thanks.”
“Guess we’re gonna have some little Cash cousins running around.”
I pause mid-scoop and glance over at Logan, a smile growing across his face. His eyes are locked on something across the room, and my eyes follow his line of sight, seeing a glowing Thea chatting with Felicity, their hands clasped together.
Somehow Felicity just did that with people, connecting with them, making them feel seen, making them feel comfortable.
It made it that much easier to love her.
“Really? Well, congrats right back, big brother,” I say, smiling at the next person in line. “Does Mom know?”
He shakes his head. “Not yet. We told Lue last night,” he says, shaking his head with a laugh. “The girl’s scream nearly pierced my eardrum, and she and Thea talked baby names until midnight. We’re gonna tell the family today.”
I smile at the idea of my teenage niece being a big sister. She’ll make a good one. “Sorry if my news is stealing your thunder.”
“Nah.” Logan shrugs. “Thea probably appreciates that the attention won’t be all on her.”
A few minutes later, Felicity joins me behind the line of people and takes over the green beans when Logan asks. She does so willingly, smiling broadly at the folks in line and making sure to ask how they are. I feel bad since I didn’t really think to ask anyone anything. I just served.
She leans over to me, whispering when the line starts to die down. “Is it wrong that I’m hungry again?”
I smile, and move my arm around her waist, my thumb rubbing her side. I notice that we’ve gotten through everyone in line, and there are now full tables of happy people with satisfied bellies. “You’re eating for two, City Girl. That’s to be expected.”
I search the long table of food and grab a few options: some turkey, some potatoes, and a roll. Then I grab a drink and usher my pregnant girlfriend to a table where Dani has been sitting with her feet up.
“Oh good. Someone to join me,” Dani says, smiling at the two of us and eating her own roll. “I know we’re about to go home and feast, but I didn’t think I would make it without a snack.”
I eyeball her plate and don’t say a word about how what she is eating is much more than a snack. The belly she is sporting is nearly twice as big as Felicity’s, and her due date is Christmas Day, though I know they are both hoping for the baby to wait at least one day after.
“Is this normal?” Felicity asks, taking a seat and digging into her plate of food. “I feel like I’m starving all the time.”
Dani shrugs. “No idea. I’m an only child, and this is my first. You should ask him.” She points her fork at me, and I frown.
“How would I know?”
“You have a little brother.”
I gape at her, my eyes wide. “I was like three when he was born. I don’t know anything about pregnancies.”
“More than us,” Felicity remarks, and Dani lifts her fork for Felicity to tap.
“Only children power,” Dani declares, and I roll my eyes at their ridiculousness.
“Neither of you are only children now,” I say, looking around the room full of people. “You have a brother and sister-in-law now, not to mention you’re basically our sister.” Dani rolls her eyes right back at me. And I turn to Felicity. “And you, well, someday you’ll have lots of brothers-in-law.”
The way I say it rolls so naturally off the tongue. I hardly even have to think about the words, but the silence that follows has me turning my attention back to Felicity, who’s looking at me in shock.
Before I can question her, Dani pipes up, announcing it’s time to clean up and head to the ranch. Felicity jumps to her feet, and I want to reach out and snatch her hand back, to ask her what’s wrong. But I don’t need to make a scene for her and let her go.
For now.