“She’s joking, Jimmy,” Jax reassured him before shaking his head at me in mock disbelief.
Jimmy huffed out an annoyed breath and then Henri spoke, “Those flowers outside Lanton House, Helen. There are so many of them. Would you like us to move them? Seems a shame tohave to watch them all rot. How about we donate them to the care home and a couple of other places?”
“God, I would love that and I know the staff would too. It’s hard seeing them out there every day, but none of us wanted to seem ungrateful.”
“We can sort that and any more that show up. Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of them, right Jax?”
“Absolutely. I think that’s a great idea.”
For the next hour, we chatted about Thomas, people telling me stories I’d never heard, making me laugh despite how much it hurt to talk about him. Jax never let go of my hand, smoothing his thumb over my pulse point as if he was trying to calm me when the pain got too much. One by one, everyone left, and when it was just the two of us, Jax leaned in.
“You wanna go home with me?”
I nodded, heat surging between my thighs.
Jax stood, his hand still wrapped in mine, and I was so caught up in the moment that I didn’t even consider that the entire place would see me leaving, holding hands with my son’s best friend.
Jax
I woke to the sound of raised voices, so I dragged my exhausted body out of bed, not bothering to put on a t-shirt, and followed the sound down the stairs. I paused in the hall, listening, while I worked out what was going on.
“I mean, I thought people were taking the piss. I had to check if it was April Fool’s Day. You and Jax. In the diner, holding hands like two people in love.”
“Conner—”
“I mean, the fact you’re standing in your kitchen in just his hoodie should say it all.”
“Conner—”
“I mean, you wouldn’t be that stupid…”
I heard the front door open and close before Jasper’s voice was added to the mix. “What’s the emergency?”
“Ma is apparently holding hands with Jackson.”
“Jax,” Jasper corrected, sounding deflated.
“Whatever. She’s fucking him. Look, she’s standing there in his hoodie. She’s not even trying to hide it.”
I could hear the tension from here and I stepped forward to interject, but Helen spoke, her tone making me freeze, so God knows what effect she was having on Jasper and Conner.
“If you refer to me assheone more time, you will live to regret it.”
Conner hissed. “What is going on? Are you having a mid-life crisis? Having sex with someone young enough to be your son.”
“For fuck’s sake, Conner,” Jasper yelled.
“Did you know? Is that why you’re not bothered?” he yelled back at his brother.
“It’s none of my business. Ma’s made that clear and I agree. What she chooses to do is up to her. Do I love that it’s my friend? No, but do I want to show up at her house and scream at her, also no.”
“Are you really hooking up with him? Do you know how desperate that looks?”
I stormed into the room, refusing to let Helen deal with this on her own any longer. “What is going on in here?” I asked, my voice raised and my angry stare focused on Conner. He was closer than I expected and he lurched, punching me in the eye.
“Jesus Christ,” I cried, pressing my palm to my face.
Jasper was on him in seconds, dragging him away from me as Helen yelled out his name.