“I’m not getting any younger.”
“Firecracker…” Mark says softly, knowing he’s walking a fine line between battle and conversation.
“Don’tFirecrackerme. We’ll talk about it later. I just wanted to say it before I lost my nerve.”
“You were scared to tell me?” Mark asks, looking sick that she was nervous to tell him anything. He anxiously shifts his cards in his hands. Ava nods her head and takes a shuddery breath.
“You haven’t really made it a secret that you didn’t want kids yet.”
“Ava, it’s a whole different story if you’re looking me in the eye and telling me that that’s what you want. I told you a long time ago I’d happily give you babies.”
A tear runs down Ava’s cheek, and Mark reaches out to thumb it away. Damn, the man goes from rough around the edges to sweet and gooey for her in a blink. Total cinnamon roll.
“I don’t want you to resent me if it’s too early.”
Mark shakes his head.
“Come on,” Mark says, laying his cards in the middle before grabbing Ava’s hand. “Let’s go talk.”
Brynleigh and I grin at each other, knowing Ava’s going to get her wish. Mark would never deny her that. We’re so damn happy for her. Happy tears well up in Bryn’s eyes, and she takes a swallow of her water. She’s getting worse at playing all her cards close to the chest. I can read her like a book. How much longer until she gets her dream?Or yours?
I gulp down the thought and push it away. It amazes me how a room full of uteruses can go from sparkling and ready to be filled to weeping because they’re empty in two seconds. I begin to gather cards and put them back into their cases as I notice, out of the corner of my eye, Trystan nuzzling against Brynleigh’s shoulder. Now it’s just a matter of who ends up pregnant first. I need to get to bed.
“I’m really tired all of a sudden. You guys got this?” I ask, scooting a stack into the middle.
“Ye-Yeah,” Brynleigh says as I stand. I know she senses something off with me, but I’ve never made a deal of it, so she’s not sure what that something could be. Trystan eyes me with a slight tilt of his head. I make my way to the kitchen to grab a water, and it’s no surprise when I hear Jaxon mutter, “I’ll talk to her.”
No, no…nope.That’s not what I want right now either. I purposely walk around the other side of the wall to go toward the back staircase leading to my room and climb it quickly.Fuck.I hear his footsteps behind me. I can’t exactly slam the door in his face. He didn’t do anything wrong. Nobody here did. I stalk into my room quietly but leave the door cracked as I gather my things for the bathroom. A light rap at the door fills the air.
“Hey…” The door swings open, and Jaxon leans against the frame, keeping me from darting out. Smart move, actually.
“Hey,” I answer, grabbing a big T-shirt from my bag.
“Mine looks better on you.” I don’t answer. “What’s going on up there? You practically ran from the room.”
“I’d rather not talk about it right now. It’s…silly really.”
“Holly…” Jaxon mutters low, demanding my eyes without saying it.
???
Jaxon
I watch from the doorway as Holly haphazardly grabs various items to get ready for bed. My jaw clenches at the thought of her sleeping in any shirt but mine.
“Holly,” I mutter, patiently waiting for her eyes. She rolls them slowly up toward mine. Damn, they’re pretty, even when they’re sad. I need to know why. “Talk to me.”
“I said it was silly.”
“It’s not if it has you upset. Not to me.”
“You don’t need to worry about it.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I told you I’d prove that I’d put you first. Your feelings, worries, dreams? Those are all included. What’s going on?”
She closes her eyes, and I see her try to cover everything with a wave of anger. She’s fighting to be so strong all the time. It’s got to be exhausting. Now, is she going to lash out and push me away, make a joke, or open up? When she doesn’timmediately lash out, I close the door behind me and walk up to her, taking the things from her hands before pulling her onto the bed to lie sideways across it, but next to me.
I roll over onto my side and brace my head with a hand as I watch her internal argument play out through her microexpressions. Seeing the myriad of emotions flicker over her face has me on pins and needles. I know she’s nearing the point of talking when her chest begins to rise and fall more quickly. She’s gathering the nerve to open up. I wait.