7. Jax
JAX
I ’m grinning like a fool as I watch Candice move around my studio. In all honestly, I never thought I’d have her here. I’m so glad I was wrong.
“Do you have any dinner plans?” I ask.
I’m going to drag out my time with her as long as I can.
We have so much to catch up on. I have no idea what her life’s been like since I left Canberra.
It’s something that’s weighed heavily on my mind.
I want to know how she ended up here, and what she’s been up to.
Has there been anyone else since me? Does she have a boyfriend?
Okay, maybe I don’t want to know the answers to the last two questions, but on the other hand, I need to.
She smiles. “No. Not really. I was going to go home and eat with Sophia and Maddie. Do you want to come with me?”
I would’ve liked to take her out somewhere nice, but it’s been years since I’ve had a home-cooked meal, and I’ve missed Sophia’s food. Hanging with Candice, at her house, was something I always loved doing.
“Sounds great.”
Ten minutes later we’re heading to my terrace house to pick up my car. We haven’t stopped talking the whole time. I love how we’ve instantly reverted to the way things used to be between us. There’s no awkward silence or forced conversation. I’m so comfortable around her.
“This is where you live?” she asks when I unlock the front door.
“Yep. It’s not much, but it’s home.”
“It’s really nice,” she says after I give her a quick tour. “I’m glad things eventually worked out for you. Are you happy, Jax?”
“Define happy.”
“You know, with the way your life panned out?”
I shrug. “I have a few regrets. The biggest one is how I left things with you, but yes, overall, I’m happy.”
“I guess running into each other today was fate. Our second chance.” She smiles as she runs her hand down my arm. The feeling goes straight to my cock. “I’ve missed our friendship, Jax.”
“I’ve missed it too.”
Fuck how I’ve missed it.
I’m smiling to myself as I lock the front door and head down the path on my way to work. It was close to midnight when I got home last night. Dinner with Candice and Sophia was just like old times— amazing . Being around them lifted me in ways I hadn’t realised I needed.
It forced me to see how I’ve been existing for the last few years, going through the motions of life alone, and not really living.
I’ve had nobody to share my successes, or my daily highs and lows with.
The feeling was bittersweet. But Candice and Sophia were sure to rectify that throughout the night.
They both seemed interested in me, my life, and my shop; the questions never stopped coming.
It was nice. I got to share all my accomplishments with them and there are no words for how that felt.
Just to know they’re proud of me meant the world.
And then there’s Maddison—Maddie. My little Peanut. I’ve never been around small children before and never felt the least bit interested in being so, either, but that kid is a gem. There’s something about her. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but she’s so damn entertaining.
After we’d eaten, Sophia took Maddie upstairs for a bath and to get her ready for bed. She looked so sweet when she came back down in her pink PJs, sucking a dummy and carrying her Snoopy under her arm. I’m learning fast—that toy goes with her everywhere.
“Nye-nye, Sissy,” she mumbled around her dummy as she climbed onto Candice’s lap for a kiss.
“Goodnight, baby girl,” Candice replied before hugging Maddie tightly and placing a lingering kiss on her cheek. “I love you.” Hearing her say those words so freely made me smile. I’ve only ever said them once. That was the day I walked away from her, and she wasn’t even awake to hear them.
The way she doted over her baby sister at dinner showed me what a great mother she’ll make one day.
Although it was nice to see, it felt like a knife was being plunged into my chest as I watched them together.
One day Candice will probably meet the man of her dreams, settle down and have kids of her own. Where will that leave us?
Once Candice put Maddie down, she headed straight for me. I was taken aback, but helped her up as she attempted to climb onto my lap. “Nye-nye, Jax,” she said as she slid her chubby arms around my neck to hug me. She smelt so sweet, like baby powder or some shit like that.
I wrapped my arms around her middle and held her tiny body against mine. I was surprised by the lump that formed in my throat. Settling down, and becoming a father, is not something I’ve ever wanted, but in that moment I realised that maybe one day I’d like to have a child of my own.
“Night, Peanut,” I whispered.
When she finally released me, she pulled her dummy out of her mouth and placed a wet, sloppy kiss on my lips. I’m not ashamed to say it melted my heart. That was until she shoved Snoopy in my face.
“Tiss Puppy,” she said.
I can’t believe I kissed a stuffed toy. When my eyes moved to Candice, I was expecting her to make a smart remark, or laugh. But instead, I was surprised to find her teary-eyed.
“You’re very sweet with her,” she said, smiling. “She’s not usually good with strangers, but I can tell she likes you.”
“She has good taste,” was my only reply. What else could I say?
Stopping at the bakery, I order a blueberry muffin and a coffee.
I can’t rely on Moody Mandy to bring me breakfast anymore.
While I wait, my gaze moves down the street towards Candice’s work.
I know it’s early and her shift doesn’t start for another forty-five minutes, but it still doesn’t stop me from hoping that I might catch a glance of her.
I’ve arranged to have lunch with her today. I’ll need to shift a few of my appointments around when I get to work, but I’ll make it happen. I’m not going to miss the opportunity to spend time with her.
As I approach my shop, I see Beau, the homeless man from yesterday, hobbling out of the park across the street. He’s carrying a large striped bag that I presume holds all his worldly possessions. Poor guy. That must be where he sleeps. Checking both ways for traffic, I quickly cross the road.
“Morning, Beau,” I say when I approach him.
“Good morning, young man,” he replies with a smile. How can he smile so freely when his life is so shitty?
“Here,” I say, holding my muffin and coffee out to him. He needs it a hell of a lot more than I do.
“Thank you.” Placing his bag on the sidewalk, his shaky hands take them from me.
“I’ve gotta get to work … have a good day.”
Turning, I head to my shop, wishing I could do more for him. I wonder how he ended up on the streets. I suppose if I hadn’t had a job to go to and money in the bank when my parents disowned me that could’ve easily been me.
I’m standing behind the front counter, seeing how I can rearrange my appointments for my lunch date with Candice, when Mandy enters. “Morning,” I say.
She doesn’t speak until she’s standing beside me. “Did you have fun with that pink-haired bimbo last night?” she spits as she shoves her bag under the desk.
“Excuse me?”
“Is that the type you prefer?”
Her comment instantly gets my back up. Candice runs rings around this woman. “What do you mean by ‘type’?”
She pauses briefly. “Weirdos? What’s with the pink hair? I can’t believe you’d pass up this …” she runs her hands down her body as she speaks “for that.”
I go from reasonably calm to angry in a millisecond. I won’t have her disrespecting Candice. There’s nothing weird about her, not even her hair. It’s cool. She’s a stunner and has a room full of fucking trophies to prove it.
There is so much I’d like to say in response to Mandy’s comment, but I need to remember I’m her boss. I have to keep my head and act responsibly. So, I do the only thing I can; I storm down the hall to my studio. I need a few minutes to calm the hell down.
I slam the door and remove my cap, throwing it across the room. Pacing back and forth, I run my fingers through my hair. This narrow-minded bullshit is what I’ve fought against my entire life. You can’t judge a person on the colour of her hair. That’s fucking ludicrous.
Mandy’s got to go. I can’t work with her any longer. I’d rather have no receptionist than deal with this crap. And I don’t want her making Candice feel uncomfortable whenever she comes here.
A few minutes later, I unlock the safe and take out my chequebook.
When I head back out to reception with a cheque in hand, I hold it out to Mandy as I approach. “Here’s one month’s wages.” In my opinion, it’s more than she deserves. “I’ll no longer be needing you.”
“What?” she screeches. “You’re firing me?”
“Looks that way.”
“You can’t do that.”
I take a deep breath and pinch the bridge of my nose as I try to calm myself. “Actually, I can, and I believe I just did. Not only has your behaviour recently bordered on sexual harassment, but this is my shop and I won’t have you disrespecting me or my friends.”
I feel bad when I see her shoulders slump and tears well in her eyes, but that doesn’t last long. She takes her bag from under the desk and storms towards me, snatching the cheque from my hand. “You’re an arsehole.” Her eyes narrow as she stares me down. “You’re going to regret this.”
I don’t take well to threats. “You know where the door is,” I say as I turn and head back down the hall to my studio.
“You fired her?” Candice gasps as we sit in a booth at the café. “Why?”
“Things weren’t working out,” I reply with a shrug. I’m not going to go into detail. It will only upset her if I do.
“Are you going to look for a new receptionist?”
“Yeah, not much else I can do. It’s already been a shit fight today without her.”
“If there’s anything I can do to help, just ask.”
“Do you want a job?” I laugh like it’s a joke, but I’m deadly serious. I’d love to have her working beside me. Having her so close could get complicated, but being near her all the time certainly won’t be a hardship. She’d brighten anyone’s day with that smile of hers.
“Really? I’d love nothing more to come and work for you, but I can’t leave my job.
I don’t want to let Sophia down.” She gives me a pained look.
“Shit, I don’t want to let you down either.
” She takes hold of my hand across the table.
“I made a promise to Sophia a few years ago. If she let the whole pageant thing go, I’d attend beauty school as she’d hoped.
She paid a small fortune for my course.”
“It’s okay. I get it. I’ll find someone. I can put a sign in the window when I get back.”
“I’m sorry, Jax.”
I can see the disappointment on her face. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”
We fall into easy conversation after we order and wait for our food to arrive. Despite the chaos I’m facing back at the shop, I feel lighter than I have in years.
The chatter continues as we eat.
“Shit,” Candice cries when she looks down at her phone. “I’m late. Like really late. My boss is going to kill me.”
Glancing at my watch I see that we’ve been here for almost an hour and a half. It’s funny how it only seems like minutes. My time with her is never long enough.
Quickly gathering her things, she stands. “I’ve gotta go.”
“Okay.”
“Oh, Sophia asked if you want to come over for dinner again tonight.”
“I’d love to.”
She leans across the table and plants a soft kiss on my cheek. “Great. Can I get a lift with you again?”
“Of course.”
She smiles. “As soon as I finish work, I’ll come to the shop.”
My traitorous eyes are glued to her round peachy arse as she rushes out of the café. I’m smiling like a damn idiot as I place my hand over the spot she just kissed. I’m pathetic. It was an innocent peck, but a kiss nevertheless.
I’m only back in the shop twenty minutes when Candice comes barrelling through the door. My heart drops the second I see tears streaming down her beautiful face.
“Christ. Are you okay?” I ask as I round the counter towards her.
She falls into my arms and sobs against my chest. “My boss screamed at me in front of my client for being late back from lunch. I just lost it, Jax. She’s such a cow. I’m sick of the way she treats me, so I told her to shove her job up her arse and walked out.”
Rolling my lips to suppress my grin, I run my hand down her back to comfort her.
When the sniffles finally stop, she tilts her face up to mine. “Do you still need a receptionist?”
“Hell, yes.” This time there’s no stopping my smile from forming. I hate that Candice’s boss upset her, but things couldn’t have worked out better if I’d planned them myself.