Chapter 15
Ma and I took Birdie to the Autumn Farmer’s Market for some meat and produce to last us the week. I tried to give her some money to help out, but she refused. She was so damn stubborn. It was no secret where I got it from.
“Put it in your savings, I’m fine.” She woke up every Sunday, as early as she could to get the best pickings.
“Mama, look. It’s hay for horsies.” Birdie pointed to the alfalfa, reaching for the straw-like herb. I grabbed a few straws and handed them to her. Birdie clapped her hands.“Gracias, Mama.” Birdie waved the alfalfa in the air.
How the smallest of things brighten up a child’s day.
I wished I could be more like her; more appreciative and in the moment.
Sometimes children really were the best teachers.
You just had to be present, and pay attention.
Those moments were swift. Until now, Birdie was a city kid, not used to the small town wonders.
Everything was new and interesting. It was a world of new wonder.
“You gonna pay for that, ma’am?” A low voice asked.
I sighed, immediately recognizing that deep, raspy tone.
Of course he would be here. Why wouldn’t he be?
Mostly everything in this Farmer’s Market came from the Grimwood farm.
How could I be so absent-minded? I couldn’t get away from this cowboy.
This daunting, egotistical, fucking man.
I wanted to choke him, kiss him, and slap him.
I’m not sure which reaction would play out first.
This man was everywhere I was, constantly.
Were these coincidences, or was this puto making sure to run into me?
For some reason that thought made me smirk, and then I was immediately pissed off that this man was getting these types of reactions out of me.
His woodsy scent filled my senses. Bastard.
I turned to see Jax in his Levi jeans, snapback, work boots, and that stupid rugged handsome face. His short sleeve tee hugged his muscular tattooed biceps. I tried not to pay attention while he was baling alfalfa out of his pick-up truck.
“What do I owe you?” I asked, rummaging through my small second-hand purse.
“It’s on the house, I was just giving you a hard time.” Jax smirked as he grabbed a straw of alfalfa and tapped the tip of my nose. “She can keep it.” Jaxon winked at me.
“Yay!” Birdie shouted from the cart in complete bliss.
“Thanks, but you don’t have to do that, really.” I offered money to him from my thin leather wallet.
“Calm down, Faye, it’s just a few straws, it’s not gonna break me or nothin’.” Jax handed the extra few straws to Birdie, tucking them in her hair by her ear.
Yup, I’m going to melt right here in this damn Farmer’s Market, and I’ll never live it down.
“So, she’s yours?” Jaxon asked.
I swallowed hard, realizing how awkward this was. “Yes, this is Birdie, my daughter,” I stammered, the moment becoming still between us. My mouth had become dry again.
“Hey, I’m Jax, little lady.” He took his hand out for a handshake.
Birdie looked at him, dismissing the handshake, and waved. “Hi!” Birdie was thrilled with her alfalfa. “My name is Birdie!” she replied, cheesy and silly.
“That is a very nice name, Birdie. You know you look like your mama when she was a kid?”
Birdie covered her cheeky smile. “I do?” Birdie was shocked by the news, genetics not making sense to her just yet.
“Yup, I met your mama when we were eight years old. A little bit older than you. We used to go to school together. She was my best friend.” Jaxon gazed intently at me as he spoke to Birdie, but instead it was like he was talking to me directly with our eyes having another conversation entirely.
Birdie chuckled shyly.
I gulped my thundering heartbeat into my throat, my eyes beginning to sting. I tried to blink the burning sensation away. This bastard knew what he was doing and he was doing it well. Fuck my life.
We stood there just staring at each other, feeling that tether pull on my heart string—the last one standing. Ma came from around the corner in due time to break the silence that had fallen between us.
“Hi mijo, you got any goodies for me this morning?” Ma asked, looking around for the best pick.
I looked at her, surprised. It seemed like they were almost friends? For some reason it bothered me, and it didn’t. I couldn’t pinpoint what I was feeling at that moment. I just knew I was feeling a lot.
“Yup, give me a sec,” Jax told Ma, as he headed to the freezer they had set out, and came back with ten pounds of meat.
“Mijo, this is more than I buy, and I can’t afford this—” Ma stammered shocked.
Jax cut Ma off, “Looks like you got more mouths to feed.” He glanced at Birdie and I with a gentle smile. “I’m not charging you full price, Ma. Regular price like always.” Jaxon double-wrapped the meat for us in brown paper.
Ma? Jax is calling her Ma? What the actual hell has she not told me? And what have I missed? She didn’t argue and nodded at him, hugging him.
“Thank you, mijo.”
Hugging him. She was hugging this man. Ma didn’t hug. What the fuck was this?
“Just make sure to bring over some of that birria you make and we’re even.” Jaxon gave her a smug smile.
Since when was he good with kids, and since when did he make nice with my mother?
I guess the last time I saw Jax we were kids ourselves.
Who was this man standing before me? I had so many questions scurrying through my head.
I didn’t know where some of them stopped and began, all of it becoming overwhelming.
I felt like I was being wrapped up by a tornado.
“She has your eyes,” Jaxon called out to me as we began heading out to the dirt parking lot. Standing in place, I paused and turned around. All I could do was smile and nod.
“Thanks,” I replied, without even thinking.
Fuck.
“Dark, but with specs of green just in the corner. In the sun you can see it the most. Especially your right eye, it’s lighter than the left.” Jax called back out to me.
I stood there, astonished and bewildered. I couldn’t find words, my stomach twisted, leading up to my chest. There it was, another tug on that stupid fucking heart string of mine.
“I’ll see you around, Robles. Bye, Birdie.
” Jax waved goodbye to her as he turned back to his freezer for more meat for another customer, not even giving me a second glance.
As if he didn’t just rip me open at the seams and detach me from my thick skin in a glimpse of a moment, his words warmed my frost-bitten heart.
“Bye!” Birdie shouted back to him from her cart.
I stood there frozen in time, speechless.
“Close your mouth, mija,” Ma whispered, chuckling in my ear as we left.