Chapter 6 #2
“You’re right, Pops,” Jaxon said. “I have been working you and Huck too much. And I’m in the process of fixing that. I hired two new servers who start next week.”
“Well, I hope they’re more dependable than the last ones who quit after only a few days,” Poppy huffed.
Jaxon raised his eyebrows but didn’t mention Poppy’s fiery temper was responsible for the two women quitting. Huck wasn’t so nice.
“Because you called them incompetent idiots, Pops.”
Poppy shrugged. “It’s not my fault if people can’t take a little helpful criticism.” She flopped down on the barstool. “Now are you going to make me and Huck breakfast or not, Jax? We’re starving.”
Even though they didn’t have much in the way of groceries, Jaxon somehow found enough ingredients to make blueberry pancakes. Just like everything Jaxon made, they were delicious. It was too bad Huck wasn’t hungry. He ended up slyly feeding most of his pancakes to Wilbur.
Or not so slyly.
“I don’t think pancakes and blueberries are good for dogs,” Jaxon said.
Wilbur licked his chops as if to disagree while Huck shrugged. “Sorry. They were good, Jax. I’m just not very hungry.”
Jaxon studied him for a long moment before he picked up Huck’s plate and took it to the sink. While Huck and Poppy had been eating, he’d cleaned up the entire kitchen. He’d had plenty of practice cleaning up his siblings’ messes over the years.
“Well, thanks for breakfast, big brother.” Poppy got up.
“I’d help with dishes, but I need to take Wilbur for a walk.
I figure the bologna and blueberry pancakes will be catching up with him shortly.
And I sure don’t want to have to clean up another king-sized dump from my bedroom floor like I did yesterday when I overslept and he didn’t get his morning walk. ”
Hearing the word “walk”, Wilbur headed for the front door. Laughing, Poppy grabbed his leash off a hook and quickly followed him.
Jaxon picked up her plate. “She’s crazy about that dog. I don’t think Dawson and Magnolia are going to get him back when they return from California.”
“Oh, Dawson will get him back. He loves that dog just as much, if not more than she does.”
“You’re right. Dawg does love his dog.” Jaxon set the plate in the sink but didn’t wash it. Instead, he turned and looked at Huck. “I guess you’ve been having a tough time?”
“Like Poppy said, it’s been hard balancing working at the dancehall and keeping up with the house.”
Jaxon leaned back against the sink and crossed his arms over his chest. It was the we-need-to-have-a-talk stance that Huck knew well. “I’m not talking about the dancehall. How are you dealing with being a daddy?”
All his muscles tensed. “I’m not a daddy, Jax. A daddy is someone who’s there for his child’s birth and all the other important milestones. I was just . . . a sperm donor.”
Jaxon’s gaze narrowed. “Is that what you want to be?”
“It isn’t about what I want. It’s about what I am. I’m not daddy material and I never will be.”
“Says who?”
“You for one. Ever since I was a kid, you’ve told me that I look and act just like daddy. I might not remember much about him, but I know he sucked at being a father.”
Jaxon stared at him. “Who told you that?”
“I might’ve been too young to remember a lot about him, but I have ears, Jax. I’ve heard plenty of gossip about how he was a gambling fool who couldn’t stay home longer than a couple weeks at a time before he headed back to the poker tour, in the hopes of striking it rich with four aces.”
Jaxon sighed. “Okay, so he wasn’t the best father. But when I compared you to him, it had nothing to do with his parenting skills. It’s because you’re fun and charming and love life just like Daddy did.”
“Parenting isn’t about being fun and charming and loving life, Jax. It’s about being responsible and dependable. Are those two words you’d use to describe me?”
Jaxon hesitated a little too long. “Exactly. I’m your irresponsible little brother who comes up with stupid schemes to make money that never pan out. Who bounces from job to job and girlfriend to girlfriend. Who can’t be counted on for anything.”
Jaxon’s gaze was intense. “When it counts, you’ve always shown up for your family, Huck.”
“It always counts with a kid, Jax. No matter if it’s a kindergarten school play or a parent teacher conference, it matters to a kid if you show up.
We know that because Mama and Daddy never did show up for us.
And the odds are pretty good that I got that gene.
” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
“Hell, I couldn’t even meet Camden once without screwing it up. ”
“So what? I’m sure you were nervous as hell. Anyone would have screwed it up. And you think Cadee has never screwed up as a parent? I’m sure she’s made her fair share of mistakes.”
He didn’t know why his brother’s words pissed him off. “Are you saying she’s not a good mama? Because I can tell you from experience that Cadee is one of the most loving, caring people I’ve met in my life. So don’t be saying she’s not a good mama, Jax. She’s a great mama!”
Jaxon held up his hands. “Okay. I’m sure she is a great mama.
I’m just saying that even great mamas mess up occasionally and you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself.
So what if your first meeting with Camden didn’t go so well?
That doesn’t mean that you can’t be a good daddy.
Look at Poppy. I never thought she’d be a good pet owner, but she’s proven me wrong. ”
“Only because Wilbur is tough enough to take her rough love. But a kid isn’t a dog, Jax.”
“I know that, but my point is, you won’t know if you can be a good daddy unless you try.
” Jaxon’s eyes filled with compassion and love.
“And I think you want to try, Huck. I think that’s why you gave Cadee your share of the inheritance and why you wanted to meet Camden and why you’re so upset about screwing up that meeting. You already care about your son.”
Huck wanted to argue, but damned if he could. “And what if I’m like Daddy? What if after a couple weeks the shine of being a father wears off and I want to leave?”
Jaxon studied him. “You’ve been wanting to leave Promise Springs since you got here, but you haven’t. And you know why? Because you can’t leave your family if they need you. Camden needs you, Huck.”
“No, he doesn’t. He has Cadee and her entire family to watch out for him.”
“And you had me and Dawson and Poppy. But we all know that’s not the same as having a daddy.” Jaxon hesitated. “Did you know that the elementary school is right across the street from Tully’s and my house?”
Huck blinked at the quick subject change. “Yeah, so what does that have to do with being a good daddy?”
“The other day I was outside washing my truck, and Tully was working in her flowerbed when the buses were picking kids up to take them home. Tully pointed out Camden to me.” Jaxon paused. “He looks just like you, Huck.”
Huck swallowed down the lump in his throat. “I think he looks more like Dawson.”