28. Jax
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
JAX
The month of March sees me on the road more than I’m home, and I feel like time is slipping by with less than two months left of the regular season.
We’re at the top of our division, and if we can just hold on for a couple more weeks, we’ll clinch a playoff spot.
Add Chloe having musical theater rehearsals after school almost every day and a two-week spring break coming up at the end of the month for her and Kiley, and I’m really feeling the crunch of time.
Things with Kiley are steady, even though it sometimes feels like we’re two ships passing through the night with my crazy schedule.
If I’m not playing a game, then I’m at the rink practicing, training or watching tape.
Whatever little free time I have left is reserved for Chloe.
When I’m on the road, I call Kiley when the kids are asleep or right before a game, but it’s the moments when we physically come together as one that I feel the closest to her.
Since our talk a couple of weeks ago, I feel she’s a bit distant.
She gives me her body at night, but she’s guarded outside of that and I hate it.
I know she’s protecting herself, and I can’t say I blame her for doing that.
I want all of her, but I have no right to ask that if I’m not willing to do the same.
In a normal relationship, this would be talked about, but there’s nothing normal about us.
We’re dancing around the topic of what happens once the season is over.
I mentally make up excuses to avoid the conversation, telling myself that I can’t have this kind of distraction on my mind right now.
I owe it to my team to be distraction-free, so I decided to compartmentalize it and put everything away in a mental little box and only re-open it after the season is done.
It’s the week before our seven-day road trip, and I’m trying to spend as much time with Chloe as I can.
She’ll be leaving to go home to Canada for spring break the day I get back.
I hate that she has to fly alone, but she’s been doing it since she was a little girl.
My parents can’t always escort her back and forth like they did when she was younger.
I’m sitting in the car rider line when Kiley calls. I won’t be seeing her tonight since it’s a day off, and this time of day is very unexpected to hear from her because she’s usually still inside the school working.
“Hey, is everything okay?” I ask when I answer her call.
“Hi, yes and no,” she sighs. “I have a huge favor to ask of you. Are you by any chance in the car rider line right now?”
I smile. “I sure am, Ms. O’Shea.”
She laughs at my cheekiness. “Keegan is sick and needs me at the bar tonight. If you and Chloe don’t have plans, can Zander hang out with you? Feel free to tell me no. I can drop him off at my parents’ house if you two have plans.”
“Of course we can hang out with little man, but I hate that you have to work tonight.” Since it’s a Friday night, the bar is going to be packed, which means she won’t get home until closer to two in the morning.
“Are you sure? I know you leave in a week and your time with Chloe is limited. It doesn’t hurt my feelings if you prefer an alone night with her.”
“Kiley, stop. We’ll take him and have a great time. Do I need to come inside to sign him out?”
“No, I can have one of the teacher assistants watch my class while I run him to your car.”
“I can see the middle school kids have been dismissed. I’ll pull into the teacher’s parking lot for you to hand him off.”
“Thank you so much! I owe you for this.”
“I know exactly how you can repay me,” I tease in a husky voice.
“I can only imagine what that may be,” she responds in amusement.
I chuckle. “I’ll give you a clue: it involves the number 6 and the number 9.” My dick twitches, and I have to remind myself that there are children outside in order for the mental images of Kiley on top of my face to go away.
“I think that can be arranged, Mr. Morrow,” she responds in a low voice, and the sensuous tone takes my hardness up a notch.
I let out a shaky breath. “We should not have had this conversation right now.” Her laugh sounds mischievous, and I grin. “I see Chloe walking out. We’ll see you in a few minutes.”
We hang up and I quickly adjust myself before Chloe gets into the car.
“Hey, kiddo. How was school?” I inquire as soon as she gets in.
“It was good, but I’m tired.”
The traffic starts to move, so I put the car into drive and slowly accelerate. “You’ve had a busy week with rehearsals and all the tests you’ve had to study for.”
“Can we order pizza and have a low-key night in?”
“Sounds great considering we’re babysitting Zander tonight.”
She sags in her seat and sighs. “Why? He’s going to want to play, and I’m not in the mood for that.”
“Imagine how poor Kiley feels working two jobs and watching you two little cherubs,” I chuckle. “Kiley’s brother is sick, so she is needed at the pub.”
“Oh, that sucks. Poor Kiley,” Chloe sympathizes. “I wish she had a boyfriend to help take care of Zander for her.”
I scowl at that idea. “She has us and her parents. That’s plenty.” I pull into the teacher’s lot and park in a handicap spot since Kiley will be out any minute.
“Yeah, but we aren’t here all the time. I just wish she had someone nice and handsome who would treat her like the queen that she is.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from growling.
I’m saved when we see Kiley and Zander coming out.
He’s practically pulling his mother across the car rider lanes in his excitement to see us.
He immediately brightens my mood, and I refuse to give Chloe’s wish for Kiley any more thought. I get out of the car to greet them.
“Jax!” Zander runs the rest of the way, and I pick him up as soon as he reaches me.
“What’s up, little man! You ready to eat some pizza and ice cream sundaes?” His eyes get wide and he nods while licking his lips.
“Sounds like a fun evening to me,” Kiley says as she approaches. “Let me just grab his booster seat for you.”
“Don’t bother. I bought one in case of emergencies like this.
” I put Zander down and head to my trunk.
I open it and pull out a brand-new car seat in the same brand I noticed Kiley has for him.
I shut the trunk, open the backseat door and lean down to buckle the seat in.
I straighten up and move aside for Zander. “Climb in, buddy.”
He gets up into his seat and I strap him in. When I’m done, I turn to Kiley to see her mouth is slightly ajar in surprise. I give her a sexy smirk. “Zander, tell your mommy goodbye.”
“Bye, Mommy!” He waves at her before I shut the door.
“When did you buy a car seat?” She has a strange look on her face, and I can’t tell if she’s pleased or upset.
I shrug and put my hands in my pockets to refrain from reaching for her. “A couple of months ago.”
“You really didn’t need to do that.”
Our gazes lock, and if the kids weren’t here, I would be shushing her with my lips. “When are you going to realize that I’m always going to be here for you, no matter what?”
She swallows and nods in understanding. She’s about to respond when we hear, “Hi Kiley.” I move to the side to see that Chloe has rolled down her window and is smiling.
“Hi, Chlo. Thanks for letting Zander crash your alone time with your dad tonight.”
She shrugs. “All good. Hope you have some fun at work,” and with that she rolls up her window.
“I need to get back inside.” Kiley turns to leave but stops and faces me again. “Thanks for always looking out for me and Zander, Jax. You don’t know how much it means to me.”
I nod. “See you tonight.”
“See you later.”
I walk around the front of the car, briefly glancing at her retreating back before getting in.
“All right, kids. Let’s go home!” I buckle my seatbelt and put the car into drive.
“Can we play that card game we played last time?” Zander asks.
I look over at Chloe with a quizzical look. “He’s talking about the memory game,” she responds.
I glance at him in the rearview mirror. “Sure, we can play that while we wait for dinner.”
Once we got back to my condo, we order the pizza and play the memory game, which was a perfect time killer. Zander has a crazy memory for a five-year-old, and I text Kiley a photo of his card stack versus Chloe and mine so she can see that he kicked our asses.
We turn on a movie, and when the pizza arrives, I let the kids eat their dinner on the couch. After the movie is done, we eat our ice cream sundaes. Zander has so much chocolate syrup on his face that I make him take a shower.
“Can we watch one more movie?” he asks while I help him get his pajamas on. I look at my watch to see it is past nine. Since it’s the weekend, I don’t think Kiley would mind if he stays up a little later than normal, especially under the circumstances.
“How about one episode of that car show you like?” I offer as a compromise.
“Deal!” He sticks out his hand, and I chuckle as I shake it.
Chloe doesn’t want to join us, and I tell her good night when she announces she’s going to bed. Zander and I settle on the couch with him cuddled up against my side as we watch one of his shows.
Thirty minutes later, I hear my phone vibrate against the couch cushion. I glance at it and see Killian is calling. I look down at Zander to see he’s fallen asleep against me. I pick up the phone and answer it.
“Hey, Jax,” Killian greets. “How’s Zander doing?”
“He’s great.” I look down at him and smile. “He just fell asleep. Did Kiley put you up to calling me to make sure her kid was still alive?” I tease.
He chuckles, but it sounds hollow. “No, she trusts you. I was just thinking maybe it’s best if I come get him.”
I frown, not understanding the logic behind his thinking. “With all due respect, can I ask why? I have an afternoon game tomorrow, so Kiley was going to sleep here tonight since I have to be at the rink early.”
“I just think it might be better if he’s with his family.”
I’m taken aback by his words and while I know he didn’t mean anything by them, it stings to think he doesn’t consider me good enough to watch Zander. “Is something wrong, Killian? Because I could’ve sworn you’ve told me before that I was family.”
He sighs. “Listen, I don’t know what’s going on between you and my daughter, despite it being pretty evident with how you two look at each other and that you two are playing house over there.”
Oh shit. “Killian...” I start, but he cuts me off.
“It’s not my business, Jax, and if Kiley wants to tell me, then she will.
She's an adult and makes her own decisions, even if I don’t agree with them.
But something is going down tonight at the bar that is going to change her life and Zander’s forever, and I just thought it might be best if he’s with me right now. ”
My stomach tightens with panic, and I grip the phone tighter. “Killian, what’s going on? Is Kiley okay?”
He’s silent for a moment, making me question if he’s even going to tell me. I know he’s a private person when it pertains to his family, but his silence is killing me. I hear him let out a deep breath, and his next words make my whole body freeze.
“Zander’s dad showed up at the bar tonight.”