Page 100 of Even Beneath the Stars

Her gaze lands on Seb, brightening. "And of course I know the handsome Sebastian. How are you, honey? Still playing football and breaking hearts?"

Seb's eyes dart to Xavier, then back to Jacee. He gives a single nod. "Still playing football, yeah." He clears his throat. "How're you doing, Mrs. Rockwell?"

Jacee's head tips back, releasing a laugh that echoes off the Solarium's glass walls. "Oh, please don't call me Mrs. Rockwell… It makes me sound ancient." She places one manicured hand on her hip, striking a pose. "I don't look ancient, do I?"

The question hangs in the air like cloying perfume—too sweet and too much. She's fully aware she doesn't look ancient. Truly, she looks like she could be in her twenties, which makes this whole scene even more uncomfortable.

Mason and Nick exchange panicked glances, clearly unsure how to respond to a friend's mother fishing for compliments while wearing what amounts to dental floss and sequins. Seb's still staring intently at the tropical plants like they're his offensive line, praying they'll buy him enough time to escape this impending sack of embarrassment.

Xavier stands suddenly, jaw clenched, eyes staring straight ahead. "You guys want to head to Seb's now? Shoot some hoops for a bit?"

Water cascades down his chest, tracing paths along the defined grooves of his abs, following the cut of muscles disappearing beneath the waistband of his green swim trunks. The bruises from the fight have faded to smudges of yellow and green across his ribs, but somehow, they only emphasize the lean strength of his body.

I snap my eyes away, face burning. This is not the time to be checking him out. Not with his mother right there being inappropriate enough for all of us.

"Yeah, man. Let's do it." Seb practically leaps out of the hot tub, water splashing everywhere.

Xavier snags a couple of towels from the shelf, tossing one to Seb, who's already moving toward the door.

"Nice seeing you again, Mrs…. Ah, Jacee," Seb calls.

Mason and Nick follow suit, though they seem to have trouble tearing their eyes away from Jacee. Nick actually stumbles as he climbs out.

Xavier tosses them each a towel as he wraps his own around his hips. His jaw is still clenched, a tension running through him that makes me want to reach out, offer some kind of comfort. But I don't. I can't. Not here, not now, with his mother watching us all like we're characters in some reality show she's producing.

"See?" Jacee practically pouts. "I just got here… and you’re leaving."

"Already told some guys we'd meet them at Seb's." Xavier says as a way of explanation. "You want to come Finny?" he asks, his expression a little pinched as he looks down at his brother, like he already knows what his answer will be, and it's not the one he wants.

"I'm gonna stay with mommy, okay?" Finn bounces a few times on his toes. "I want to show her the card I made when she was gone for the special mom celebration at school."

Xavier nods. "Sure… Yeah." He glances over at his mother, his lashes seemingly darker and longer from the water, and just says, "I'll see you later." Then turns and follows his friends to the door.

I wish I could follow them, too.

As Xavier nears the glass door, I exhale a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

Tonight can’t come fast enough.

Despite everything, we’re keeping our date plans.

When Xave texted earlier to confirm, I could tell—without him even saying it—that he was bracing himself for his mother’s arrival. I figured sticking to our plans would be the best thing for him. Something normal. Something to pull his focus away from the inevitable tension that come with Jacee. And if there’s anyone who deserves a break from that, it’s him.

Besides, it sounds like he put a lot of thought into this date.

"Xavier, honey?" Jacee calls out, just as he's about to push through the door to the atrium. "You're coming to lunch with your father, Finn and I at the Club at one, right?" Jacee's voice sounds the most like a mother since she strode in on her mile-high stilettos. "That's non-negotiable, baby. You're not getting out of important time together as a family."

Oh, GoodGod,the irony…

"Sure thing," Xavier answers, not even bothering to look over at her as he pushes the door open with his shoulder and disappears into the atrium.

"And you'll be joining us, too, Mackie, alright? To help with this little man," she says, her hand hovering just above Finn's curls. "He can be a handful when we go out to eat."

Because, of course, family time with the Rockwells includes the nanny. Why would I have even assumed I'd be off the hook? That I'd get to finish my shift a couple of hours early, with extra time to get ready for my date with Xavier?

No, lucky me, I will be joining the Rockwells for their quarterly family meal.

Should be interesting.

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