Page 54 of Forever Home

My hope is to meet Tate outside in the parking lot, but as luck would have it a knock at the door to the bakery announces his arrival. His tall large frame fills the doorway as he pushes the door open and his blue eyes meet mine. He’s gorgeous, in a rugged mountain man kind of way.

Tate’s eyes drift between Jaxson and I, watching as Jaxson stands his ground, refusing to move out of my way as the two men eye each other like an old-fashioned shoot off. “Tate, I’m sorry it’s taking me so long. Are you ready to go?”

When his eyes shift back towards me, he smiles. “You’re gorgeous… I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“Oh,” I gasp, looking at Jaxson with a small laugh. “No, no. This is Jaxson, he’s an old childhood friend. He’ll be using the bakery for his next project. He just stopped by to say hello.”

Tate nods, glancing towards Jaxson who takes a step forward. “You’re not from around here are you?”

“No, I’m not,” Tate replies flatly.

“So, why are you taking her out then? If you’re not from around here.”

Hearing Jaxson talk makes me cringe. Who the hell does he honestly think he is acting like this to my date, in my fucking bakery. “Enough, Jaxson. Tate, let’s go please.”

“No,” Jaxson replies, grabbing my upper arm. “He could be a fucking serial killer for all you know. A complete wack job, and you’re fucking going out with him. And dressed like that?”

What the fuck?

Ripping my arm from his grasp, I narrow my gaze at him. The anger boils inside me as I try to keep myself in check. “Tate, will you excuse us for a moment? I’ll meet you outside.”

Tate doesn’t bother to argue. He simply nods and steps back outside to wait for me as I turn my focus on Jaxson, who has crossed the line for the last time. There are so many things I want to say, but gathering my thoughts together to be cohesive is an entirely different situation.

“I don’t know why you’re acting like this, but you need to stop. You have no right to be gone for as long as you have only to come back acting like this. Especially after blowing me off for months. We aren’t dating or anything of that nature Jaxson. If I want to go out with someone, I have the right to. Now please leave, I need to close up.”

Hesitating, he stares at me in silence before turning towards the door. My heart sinks into my stomach as I watch him go. It doesn’t make sense for him to be acting the way he is, but something about it not only irritates me—but part of it thrills me.

To know that he cares in some sort of way. Though I’d never voice that.

“Goodnight, Madison. Don’t do anything stupid.”

Never mind… he’s infuriating.

Chapter Twenty-One: Jaxson

Anger courses through me like a river of fire as I see Madison with that man. Every part of me wants to find where they’re going just to beat the shit out of that toothy-smiled prick. She may have missed the way he looked at her, how his eyes roamed over her body as she spoke to me. Or even how he gave me a subtle smirk to taunt me for how she was acting.

But I don’t.

I don’t know why it bothers me so much seeing her with him, but it does. Just thinking about her gorgeous curvy body wrapped in that tight red dress, toned legs accentuated by her heels, makes my cock throb within my jeans.

But more so, it sets my body on fire thinking about him touching her. About him tasting her lips, running his hands over the soft curves of her hips and thighs until she’s moaning for more.

“Fuck!” I bellow out in my car, my hand hitting the steering wheel as I stare at the vacant parking spot where that prick’s truck had once been. The thought of her climbing up into his truck as she laughed at whatever stupid shit he said to her makes me even angrier.

She deserves better. More than him, and yet she’s lowering herself to dealing with douchebags.

Why do I care, though?

She was right in what she said. It isn’t my place to tell her what to do or who to be with. We aren’t dating or anything else for that matter. And honestly, right now, I worry about the friendship I have with her. I know I fucked up by not reaching out to her, but thinking back… I don’t think I’ve ever seen Madison this upset with me.

Glancing down at my phone, I dial Knox’s number and let the call come over the car speakers.

“This is Knox.”

“Hey,” I say, letting out a heavy breath. “It’s Jaxson. Are you busy?”

“Oh, Jaxson…” he chuckles, the sound of movement through the line causing static for a moment before it comes clear again. “Sorry about that, I have you on Bluetooth so didn’t see it was you calling. I’m not busy right now, just finishing up a project at Mrs. Kendall’s. I was going to meet Callum for dinner and maybe have a few drinks.”

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