Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Lauren
There’s no feeling better than waking up in Jax’s arms. His strong yet gentle touch melts me like an ice cream cone in the Texas heat. His husky morning voice mumbling “Good morning” sends chills down my spine, and the smile slipping onto his face brings a smile to my own.
Everything about this moment is perfect.
For the briefest moment, I forget about the festival.
I forget about everything that needs to be done and all the ways I felt inadequate last night because how could I feel less than when Jax is looking at me like that?
It almost makes me want to say three little words that just feel too soon to say.
Is it even fair to tell him I love him when I’m not ready to tell the world about us, when we live in this little bubble that isn’t quite real life?
Worst of all, being wrapped in Jax’s loving arms makes me forget that my brother is right next door, and when he knocks on my door, calling out, “Happy Festival Day!” I have no choice but to leap out of bed and block him from my room.
He frowns at my abrasive approach, lowering the plate of eggs and toast in his hands. “What are you doing?”
“I just figured we should eat at the table. I’m not going to eat in bed.” I take the plate, slipping past him toward the kitchen. “Why’d you do this?”
The look of hurt in his eyes tells me I said the wrong thing.
All of this secrecy is getting out of hand.
Maybe it’s time to forget my reservations and tell everyone about Jax and me, but it’s far from the right time to tell Charlie when his best friend is lying in my bed.
I’d like to think Charlie will be okay with all of this, but he might not like that part.
Slipping onto a barstool at the kitchen counter, I say, “Thank you for doing this. It was really thoughtful.” I scoop a bite of eggs. “Sorry for being weird. I’ve gotten used to living alone.”
“I wanted to apologize for being so nosey last night.” He grabs a plate from the cabinet. “Plus, I knew you were anxious about running the booth today, and I feel responsible. I know it should’ve been me.”
“You always do this.” I set my fork down while he dishes up a plate for himself. “It’s okay that you left. I get stressed about handling all the ranch stuff, but I only worry because I care. I like the work I do, and I know you like the work you do, so you shouldn’t feel guilty.”
“Right.” He shoves a heaping pile of eggs into his mouth.
We finish our food in silence, and then I pull my laptop out, opening up the document with the prices for our milk, beef, and tallow.
“I have some things to take care of this morning. Can you and Jax set up the booth for me?”
“Of course. I might have to drag Jax kicking and screaming based on his reaction yesterday, but I’ll definitely be there.”
I bite my lip as I ignore the urge to tell him he’s wrong. “Okay, great. Thanks. I’m going to get dressed real quick.”
I wrap my arms around Charlie’s neck, giving him a quick hug, and then bolt into my room, closing the door behind me.
Jax scowls at me as he emerges from his hiding spot in my closet. “That’s twice in less than twelve hours that I’ve had to hide here.”
“I’m sorry! I just don’t want Charlie to find out like this. I like you alive.”
His eyes go round. “Do you really think he’d be that upset?”
“Not about us dating, but he might not like seeing you in my bed.”
“Fair enough.”
I tug him onto the mattress next to me, crawling into his lap. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.” I press a kiss to his cheek. “But just a heads-up, Charlie is going to call you soon to ask for help with the booth.”
As if on cue, Jax’s phone blasts out, a picture of Charlie making a stupid face lighting up his screen. Jax’s eyes go wide as he scrambles toward my window. “That’s his custom ringtone. He set it in high school, and I never changed it.”
He slides the button on his phone to answer as he shoves my window open in a frenzy. He pauses in the window, leaning forward to give me a quick kiss before bolting, but I don’t miss him saying, “You thought you heard my ringtone in Lauren’s house? What’re you on, man?”
As soon as I’m dressed, I open my door to find Charlie pressed up against it, listening.
“What are you doing? You’re being weird.”
“I’m being weird? I don’t think so.” Charlie barges into my room. “Where is he?”
My heart stops. “Who?”
“Jax. I heard my ringtone when I called him.” He swings my closet door open to find nothing but clothing. “It was coming from your room.” Charlie surges to the far side of my bed, looking underneath it.
“What on earth are you talking about? Your ringtone?”
“I called Jax, and I heard the song I set on his phone whenever I call. Why would Jax be in your room?”
“That’s a great question. Why would he be in my room?”
His shoulders sag. “I don’t know. Things have felt off with you two lately.”
Well, that makes me feel guilty as heck. I may not have directly lied to Charlie, but I may as well have. A lie by omission is just as bad, isn’t it?
“I’m sorry I’ve made you feel that way.” I place my hands on both his arms. “I want to talk about this more, but I need to get going. I’ll come find you as soon as I’m done with my trip to the general store.”
I pull my purse from the shelf in my closet. “Let’s hang out just the two of us again tonight, okay?” I grab his hand, meeting his eyes. “You’re important to me.”
“I’d like that.”
The Girls
Me
Y’all I need help
Callie
We’ve got you babe! What do you need?
Olivia
Is everything ok?
Charlie is getting suspicious but I want to be with Jax during the Christmas tree lighting
Also I need some time to give him a gift I made
Olivia
Awww we’ll come up with something
Callie
You two are so cute I want to barf
Gee thanks
Callie
I’d love to help but you have to promise not to leave me alone with your brother… things were a little weird at the bake-off
I’m sorry Cal!!
Callie
It’s not your fault. It’s just hard to act like the past didn’t happen
Olivia
I’ll cover for you!
Callie
And I’ll help her practice her serious face
Olivia
Hey!!
Callie
You know I love you Ol
Callie
Also we need a better name for our chat. The Girls is so unoriginal
Is it scary to be in your brain? You just ping pong around from one thing to the next
Callie
I’m ignoring that
Olivia
Ohhh what are the people called who follow Voldemort?
What?
Callie changed the chat name to The Deatheaters
Olivia
YES!!!
What’s happening?
Callie
We’re showing our support for you and Jax
Callie
AKA Voldemort
Idk why I’m friends with you two
Olivia
Because we are going to help you be with your man today
Oh that’s right… love youuuuuu
Callie
That’s what I thought…
“How are things going over here with my favorite sibling duo?” Olivia asks, leaning against the booth.
Charlie smirks, turning to me. “Have I told you she’s my favorite of your friends?”
Olivia swats at Charlie in fake humility.
“We’re doing great,” I say. “We’ve already sold a couple half cows for the spring, and a whole lot of tallow. People have been going crazy for that stuff lately.”
“That’s amazing!”
“How are things going with Carol at the Resilient Paws table? Are the ornaments working out how you expected?”
“Rhett is watching the booth right now, and they’ve been working like a charm.
People love ornaments with their pet’s faces on them.
” Olivia pulls her phone from her pocket, showing me a photo of a little boy with a puppy in his lap.
“I also think I’ve locked in an adoption for one of the puppy yoga dogs. ”
“That’s great!”
“That’s why I do what I do.” She beams, pulling her elbows from the booth and standing tall. “Anyway, I came over because the tree lighting is in about ten minutes, and I thought the biggest Christmas lover known to man should take a break to see it.”
“Agreed,” Charlie butts in. “We should all watch it together. The booth can manage without us for a few minutes. The whole town will be at the lighting anyway.”
I glance at Olivia with wide eyes. I have no arguments to make with Charlie’s logic.
“Sure!” I guess she and Callie didn’t prepare for Charlie to go off-script.
When I give her my best what are you doing look, she tilts her head down at me to indicate I should follow her lead. I don’t trust Olivia to be good at this kind of thing, but I don’t know what other choice I have.
“Let me just text Rhett so he can meet us,” Olivia announces loudly.
Within seconds, my phone vibrates.
The Deatheaters
Olivia
Callie, get Voldemort ready
Olivia
Lo, get lost in the crowd. I’ll stick with Charlie. We’ll tell him you found Callie and are watching with her
Maybe this is planned better than I thought. As we weave in and out of people to get closer to the giant tree in the square, I slowly drift back. Once I can no longer see the two of them winding through the crowd, an arm wraps around my waist.
I squeal as that arm tugs me from the crowd and behind a giant inflatable decoration.
“Shhhh!” Jax presses a finger to his lips. “We’re trying to be incognito.”
“Then don’t scare me like that.” I give his shoulder a shove. “I thought I was being kidnapped!”
“Come on, Freckles. We’re in Roots. There aren’t any kidnappers here. The sheriff said it himself. You were the most exciting thing to happen to him in a while.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s not exactly what he said.”
“You know what I mean.” He swats his hand then pulls me in for a kiss, taking advantage of the privacy provided by the giant inflatable Santa and his eight reindeer.
When he pulls away, I ramble on about how excited I am for the tree lighting. “We used to go as a whole family. I’m not the only one who likes Christmas.” I laugh, but Jax doesn’t even smile. He’s zoned out, watching the crowd as Callie helps us recirculate into it.
“Jax, are you okay?”
When he turns to me, he looks like an alien dropped onto this planet. “What?”
“You seem distracted.”
He plasters on a smile that mirrors one the Joker would wear. “I’m sorry. It’s nothing.”
I inspect him once more, alarm bells going off in the back of my mind, as the three of us settle into the back of the crowd. It certainly doesn’t feel like nothing.