Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
JAX
I ’d gotten two texts from Daisy and one from Austin, wanting to know when I’d be up to the house for dinner with Madison. After a quick shower, I walked over.
Thinking of my meeting with Madison in the barn earlier, I was reeling a bit. In my wildest dreams, I’d never imagined ginormous sweatpants and tap shoes could be hot, but Madison somehow pulled that off, making me want to rip that pizza slut sweatshirt right over her head. Again, I need to get my mind out of the gutter.
I approached the front door and paused. She wasn’t the bitchy snob I expected her to be. Everything, from her fishing boots to the apparent love of SpaghettiOs, was unexpected.
It’d been less than two weeks since Abby left, and I swore off women. Well, not forever, but for a while at least, and then this. How could I have been with that beautiful woman for a year and never felt the zip I did after an hour-long truck ride with the woman in clown overalls? I had no fucking idea. But one thing was certain; I needed to steer clear of the girl who was flying out of here at the end of the week and back to the lifestyle of the rich and famous.
I turned the knob to hear Jim’s laughter as I made my way to the table where everyone, including Austin, sat with plates full.
“It’s nice of you to join us, Jax.” Daisy kissed my cheek. “Better grab yourself some ribs before they’re all gone.”
I took the only empty seat at the table across from Madison. She was no longer in the weird-girl attire I’d become accustomed to over the past hours. Instead, she had on a deep burgundy shirt with little buttons and a dipping neckline that showed off the diamond necklace Jim had made for her.
I didn’t know if it was the color of the fabric or the lighting, but when she looked up at me, her eyes sparked as she flashed me a little grin that caused tightness in my chest.
“You look nice.”
Her cheeks grew rosy. “Thanks.”
“I have a closet full of clothes that I bought too small, thinking it would inspire me to shed a few pounds, but I just love my sticky buns too much.” Daisy shook her head. “I’m going to be a full-figured gal until my last breath.”
Jim laughed. “Thank God.”
Austin pretended to barf as Daisy slapped his shoulder.
Jim handed me a plate as I looked at Madison while she pushed her food around her plate. When she looked up at me, her cheeks flushed before she quickly looked away. Wait, am I doing that to her?
Daisy cleared her throat. “Madison, I wanted to ask you if you would be my honorary bridesmaid. I called Zoey earlier, and she said yes. It means the entire, great big world to me and your daddy.”
She was a deer in the headlights as a tense smile made its appearance.
“Oh, wow. That is, are you sure?”
Daisy giggled. “Absolutely!”
“Okay, uh, yeah. Yes, of course.” Before she finished her sentence, Daisy had hopped up, grabbed Madison, and hugged her.
“Melonie Parmett from the bridal shop in town has some stunning gowns you can choose from, and Helena and Addy, the seamstresses, will alter them real quick. We can run over there in the next day or so… I’m on cloud nine!”
Madison nodded. “Super, totally excited.” The agreement fell out of her mouth though her eyes screamed I want to grab my glow-in-the-dark-Paris-threads and run for the hills .
I took her in as she ate a few more bites. The cute little wrinkle between her brows that captured my attention earlier told me her mind was flying all over the place.
I listened while Jim told stories about the daughter who had his green eyes. From Madison telling her first-grade teacher she couldn’t do math anymore because her brain was full, to the time the camper Jim rented flew off his truck when he tried to give his girls a weekend out of the city, to how Madison called forks fucks for nearly a year.
They may have been out of each other’s lives for years, but the way they could finish each other’s sentences and her laughing to tears, made it seem like the band might be getting back together. Looking at the gleam in Jim’s eye as they chatted, my heart felt light.
As the last bite of Daisy’s chocolate lava cake was devoured, Jim unbuttoned his pants for “breathing room,” and scooted back in his chair.
Austin stood. “Jax, we’d better finish the fence on field ten.”
“Boys, can you go into town after you’re done? Fern and Ed Novotny have the glass centerpieces for the wedding, and I promised I’d get them today.” Daisy clapped her hands. “Wait, it’s such a beautiful evening. Why doesn’t Madison ride along with you both? She can see the land and get some fresh air.”
Her eyes darted from Daisy to me, and then those cheeks turned that soft pink again. “Uh, maybe I should check some emails?—"
“There’s always time for that later. Go, have fun.” Daisy laughed.
“Sure, that sounds nice.” Her uncertain smile said differently. She’s probably never stepped foot in a pasture before.
A short while later, we were in Austin’s truck, Madison, enthralled with the sights on the other side of her window.
Austin laughed. “So, Madison, what do you think of us all so far? Are we a shit-show or delightful new friends?
I could hear her smile, but her gaze remained fixated on the expansive vista. “I didn’t know what to expect, but everybody’s been very welcoming.”
“Cool. I know Jim was real happy you decided to be here.” Austin glanced over at her as she looked at him.
“I’m happy, too. It’s no secret we’ve had a rough couple of years, well more of nothing for the past years.” Her voice was quiet. “It’s just weird after not being together for so long. You know?”
“Hello?” Austin laughed. “You’re talking to two foster kids here in this truck. We wrote the definition of not being with parents.”
She looked thoughtful, her eyes traveling from Austin to me. “I’m sorry you both had to live through that. It makes my situation look like a walk in the park.”
“Every situation is different. But it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.” She smiled at my words.
The truck rolled to a stop, and we all climbed out. Madison leaned against the fence, watching us tie wire to fix a fence pole while cattle grazed about.
“I’m going to walk down and make sure the fence is good towards field eleven.” I nodded as Austin passed by me.
After a little bit, Madison hopped the fence and stood by some larger cows.
“He’s huge.”
“That’s what she said.” I flashed her a grin when she raised a brow in response to my cheesy joke.
“You’re disgusting.”
“You wish you thought I was disgusting.”
She turned away and slowly strolled along the fence line.
I walked back to Austin’s truck and dropped the tailgate. “Do you want to help fill the trough?”
“Yes!” She quickly pulled back her enthusiasm. “I mean, sure, that would be okay.”
She was a kick. I grabbed two buckets, and she followed me. I poured one into the trough and, when the other bucket was half empty, handed it to her. Our hands touched, and a giggle escaped her lips. What the hell? Giggling at my touch doesn’t do too much for a man’s ego. Laughing at me. Let’s see how much she likes this…
“There’s a cow rule you should know about,” I warned.
Her brow arched. “Cow rules? That sounds ridiculous.”
“Well, it’s all cool, but never make eye contact with a cow.”
“What? Why? I imagine ranching probably has its risks, but cows?”
“It’s not a big deal, just don’t look ‘em in the eye.” With a shrug, I turned and walked to the fence close by. I watched her dump her bucket into the trough as the cows slowly made their way toward her.
“I’m not making eye contact, Jax.” She sounded so proud.
“Good girl.” Her eyes were on the cows, but mine were traversing the length of her luscious body.
“I can see how great it would be to work with animals. You must love it.”
“I do.”
That’s when it happened. She turned, and froze, nearly face-to-face with a cow.
Her voice was monotone. “Jax, the cow’s looking at me.”
“Are you serious?” Without a doubt, I was going to hell for this little prank. “He’s looking you in the eye?”
“Oh, shit! He definitely is. He’s looking in my eyes. What should I do?”
“Run! Run like hell, Madison!”
She dropped the bucket, turned, and ran hard and fast; a nice sprinter she was. She bolted across the pasture, through the other cattle, reached the fence, and started to climb it. When shemade it to the top, she looked back to see me laughing my ass off.
“You’re a butt-head, Jax!” Within a few seconds, she was laughing as hard as I was. “I want to go to my happy place where there are unicorns and cotton candy everywhere, and I’m allowed to punch people in the throat!”
“Oh, I’m so scared, Madison!”
When she climbed over the top of the fence, her foot slipped, and before I knew it, she fell over, hitting the ground.
“Son of a bitch!” I sprinted and got there just as she was standing up. “Madison, I’m sorry. It was a joke,a really bad joke.
“I must give you credit; that was some funny shit right there.” She laughed, and I noticed her elbow was bleeding a little bit.
“I think you have a cut.”
“It’s tiny, no biggie.”
“Austin has some Band-Aids in his truck. I’ll get you all fixed up. Come on.”
Without thinking, I grabbed her hand. As we walked towards the truck, I was worried she might pull away, but that didn’t happen. Once there, I pointed at the tailgate. “Hop up. I’ll be right back.”
After ripping through the glove box, I found Band-Aids, bacterial wipes, and some candy that I tossed in my mouth before heading back to her.
“Okay, let’s get you fixed up, Miss Madison.”
I held up the box as she held out her elbow. She was so close I felt a little something in the vicinity of my solar plexus.
“You smell like strawberries,” she said in a whisper.
I raised my brows. “You like that, huh?”
She rolled her eyes as if she was annoyed, but I knew she wasn’t.
“I found some candy and antibacterial wipes in the glove box. Score, right?”
“You didn’t bring me any?”
“I’m afraid there wasn’t enough.”
“Rude.”
I finished opening the bandages and set them down on her lap. She looked into my eyes when my hand moved her knee slightly, so I could stand between her legs. I held her stare and felt electricity between us for a moment. Oh man, the things I’d like to do . Mind out of the gutter, damn it!
“This is going to sting a bit.” I cleaned the cut, catching a whiff of her coconut shampoo, and one glimpse down her blouse had me imagining kissing her neck and lower and lower to her perky tits. I’m a scumbag .
“There, I think that’ll do.” I ran my finger gently over the bandage and pushed a piece of hair off of her face before I even realized I was doing it. Our eyes locked, and the moment seemed to last forever. When her eyes dropped to my lips, all the oxygen was sucked from my lungs.
“What’s going on?” Austin’s voice could be heard in the distance, and I took a quick step back, the spell broken.
“I just got a little cut, and Jax found some bandages.” Her voice was higher than it should be, which put a dopey smile on my face I couldn’t seem to wipe away.
I cleared my throat. “Hey, I’m really sorry about this. I didn’t mean?—”
“I know.”
Austin yelled. “Let’s finish this up so we can get out of here. We need to get to Fern and Ed’s place.”
I extended my hand, and she hopped off of the tailgate.