Chapter 28
SOPH
Currently playing: Can’t Help Falling in Love by Haley Reinhart
The loud knocking on the front door makes me pause the Love Is Blind season three, episode five.
I take hesitant steps toward the door since I’m all alone and don’t know who’s here.
Glancing through the peephole, I realize it’s Jax.
It’s been almost a week since we last saw each other, and I admit I have missed him.
But I have no idea what he’s doing here.
“Soph, darling, I know you’re home. Haisley told me you’re here. Please, let me in. Let’s talk. I’m done with waiting.”
I look down at my old ratty pajamas and shrug—he’s seen me worse than this.
Before opening the door, I check the time on the vintage analog clock on our hallway wall.
It’s only four in the afternoon, but I have lost track of time, spending the last few days sleeping and binge-watching all the seasons of my favorite mind-numbing reality show for the umpteenth time.
As soon as I open the door, Jax hugs me, and I feel how his entire body relaxes. “Fuck, I missed you so damn much. Let’s never go more than a day without talking again.”
His words warm my heart, but I have things I need to get off my chest before we can go as close to normal as possible. Are things never going back to the way they were exactly? Or do we just create a new normal?
“Jax, you’re squeezing a bit too hard.”
“Shit, sorry,” he says and takes a step back. “I’ll explain everything, including the money, tonight, but first, I want to know you’re okay.”
“I’ve been better.” I rest my right hand on my hip before continuing. “Honestly, it’s been a lot to process. But I think it’s about time we talk and move forward.”
The ghost of a smile touches his lips when he processes my words. “Okay, let’s do that.”
The nerves fluttering in my stomach, I lead us to the living room. Sitting down, I leave space for him next to me. “You promised to explain why you paid all those bills, so start talking.”
He hesitates for a moment, but does as I asked, turning to look at me sheepishly.
“Trust me when I tell you that I never wanted to disrespect you. After talking with the guys and Rose, I realized that what seemed like an act of caring to me might have been something different to you. And I’m sorry. ”
I see sincerity in his eyes, and it softens me instantly. “But how can I be sure you’ll never do something similar again?”
“I can’t promise you that I won’t screw up somehow. You need to know that I would never do anything to hurt you purposefully. And I truly am sorry that I did.”
“And I admit that I overreacted, but I’ve given up a lot to take care of my parents, so it was a shock to have someone else doing it instead. The money—”
“If you want, you could always pay me back with no interest.”
I study his face, feature by feature, and know he means it. “Are you sure? It’ll take me years.”
He smiles hesitantly. “Yes.” I nod and he laughs low in his throat. “Well, that was easier than I thought. I prepared this whole speech, but maybe it’s better that I don’t say everything I had planned.”
“But what about—” I stop as Jax shakes his head.
“We can discuss it all more later. Now, I want to hold you in my arms and not go anywhere.”
I open my arms. “Come here, my favorite jackass.”
I feel at home when my arms wrap around him, and I smell his crisp aftershave. Jax rests his head on my shoulder and sighs like a weight has dropped off his shoulders.
“A penny for your thoughts.”
He chuckles quietly against me. “You can have them for a dollar.”
“Deal,” I whisper.
“This will take some time, but hear me out,” Jax explains.
“When I thought you wouldn’t forgive me, I completely lost it.
I couldn’t even imagine life without you in it.
We’ve had such a rollercoaster of a start to our relationship, so no wonder our feelings got overwhelming.
But I don’t regret my decision to help your family. You should know that.”
“Well, if every decision, stupid or not, led us here, then I have to say this; I don't regret a single thing either.”
“You aren’t alone. So, I’m asking you to forgive me despite all your memories.
Let me show you that we can make better memories together—I want to share every single one of my future memories with you.
I want to wake up next to you every morning and share my days with you.
And that’s because I love you. I love you so fucking much. ”
He loves me. Jackson “Jackass” Bennett loves me. The guy who I wouldn’t say I liked only months ago. Those three not-so-little words have never sounded better. I’ve wanted to say the same for a few weeks now, but I was waiting for him to catch up. The waiting is over.
“You love me?”
“If I die tomorrow, I would hate that I never got a chance to say any of this—the thing is that I love you so much that it scares me. I have never loved anyone like I love you. I know you want more than my words, but these are the ones I need to tell you right now.”
My eyes fill with tears as I stare into the beautiful eyes of the only man with whom I can imagine the rest of my life. “Are you sure you’re ready for this, Jax?”
“My life without you has been so empty these past few days. I need you to fill those gaps you left.”
“I love you, too, Jax.”
Jax’s eyes fill with tears. I’ve only seen him this emotional twice before—the day we traveled to Omaha for his uncle’s funeral and when Jordan found Jax’s father. It’s new but such a beautiful sight. And I get to enjoy this side of him because he’s mine.
“Damn, darling, you’re something else. With those five words, you make me want to dance on the streets.”
I laugh as tears fall down my cheeks. “Well, why don’t we dance then?”
“Or maybe I should take you back to my place and show how much I missed you…”
“That sounds like a plan, my love.”
“Anything for you, firecracker.”
If I’m a firecracker, he’s dynamite. And us two together create the explosions they feel across the river.
“Do you trust me?” Jax asks as we sit in the backseat of a taxi on our way to his place two hours later—we enjoyed a round of sweet lovemaking and a shared shower before leaving my place as we couldn’t wait until his.
“Always.”
And I mean it. Even though he has been testing me lately, I trust the guy next to me.
“I have another surprise for you,” he tells me, holding my hand, circling my palm with his thumb.
I laugh nervously and he winces. “Is it too soon?”
“No, it isn’t that. My love language is physical touch and quality time, so your acts of service are new to me.”
He looks at me skeptically. “I have no idea what that means.”
“Just know that the ways we show our love are different. And that’s completely normal. We have to discuss these things to understand each other. Okay?”
“Okay.”
It takes the cab around ten minutes before it stops in front of a new Asian Fusion restaurant I have wanted to try.
Jax helps me out of the car, and I admire him in the light orange haze that blankets the city as the sun sets.
Even though I love who this guy is inside and how pure his heart is under the facade he has built around it, I will admit, his looks are what get me hot and bothered.
I’m about to say something naughty when I spot someone I wasn’t expecting to see next to the restaurant entrance. I do a double take because I know Jax’s cousin Angel lives in LA, but he’s currently walking towards us with a big grin.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I greet him with a tight hug. His muscular body envelops my entire body, and I feel cherished.
“Well, Jax asked me to have dinner with you two, and I couldn’t say no. Should we go inside, it’s freezing out here! I don’t understand how people live where it gets this cold during the winter.”
Jax raises his brow. “You grew up in Omaha.”
“The last ten-plus years in LA have made me a fan of much warmer weather.”
We laugh and walk inside. Angel goes first and talks to the host. I’m still a bit lost about why we are here with him.
“I can see the wheels turning in that pretty head of yours. Trust me, it’ll be okay,” Jax whispers as we stand there.
I turn so that my mouth is closer to his ear. “What the heck have you done, Jax?”
“Wait a moment, and you’ll see.” He winks and follows the host, who leads us to our table in a secluded area of the restaurant. It feels weird to be treated like a celebrity because I’m just a regular girl from Brooklyn.
Sitting down, Angel nods to the chair opposite him, next to Jax. “Please, sit down. There’s a lot to talk about, and we don’t have much time.”
I sit down and look at the guys with an expectant look. It’s Angel who speaks first. “Okay, Soph, look, the thing is that I want to offer you a record deal.”
You can hear a pin drop in the silence around us.
I don’t know what to say. He notices my hesitation.
“I know I should have warmed you up before stating that, but I like to go straight to the business. The fact is that a wider audience needs to hear your voice. My executive team agreed when I introduced you to them this weekend. So, what do you think, would you be interested in discussing what a record deal with Wing Records would entail?”
“A record deal?” I ask quietly as I look around for a hidden camera and Ashton Kutcher. It’s a classic Punk’d moment if there ever was one. With my hands shaking and my palms sweating, I pour myself some wine from the bottle that was already on our table and take a long gulp to calm my nerves.
“Yes, we would like to offer you a deal for one album first and then see how it goes before doing anything else. But if you’re anything like the videos showed, you can expect to have a multi-record deal in no time,” Angel explains.
“What videos?”
Jax speaks for the first time since we sat down. “I sent Angel the videos of you singing at the bar and King Tattoo’s birthday party, and he liked what he saw.”
My eyes start filling with tears. This is what I have dreamed of since I was a little kid. A freaking record deal. “I—I don’t know what to say.”
“Oh, darling, I hope those are happy tears. Come here,” Jax says and opens his arms. I hug him tightly, letting a few tears fall before getting myself back together.
I wipe under my eyes with the napkin and chuckle, a little embarrassed. “I bet you weren’t expecting that.”
Angel smiles. “You aren’t the first or last to cry after hearing the news. So, are you ready to talk business?”
I nod and carefully listen to what he’s saying.
When Angel mentions an advanced payment that would cover what I owe Jax for the bills and also my da’s medication for at least a year and a half, I almost start crying again.
Jax reaches for my hand under the table, and I smile because it’s at that moment I know this is his way of showing how much I mean to him.
There are no words, just actions. He’s saying sorry by making my dreams come true.