Page 99 of Trusting Skulls

“Thank fuck,” Jackson says quietly beside me.

“Looks like your mom was right. Fuck, dude. I’ve got to get that woman some flowers or something.”

He laughs sadly. “I was thinking the same thing about Lexie. My mom hasn’t been this upbeat for weeks. I think she misses going to work.”

“I’m sorry, brother.”

Jackson waves me off. “It’s just fucking sad, you know? I think Willow is taking it harder than I am. She’s grieving for herself and our baby. The other day I heard her talking to her belly, telling our little girl about her grandma.”

“That’s rough. I’ll try and get over there tomorrow and see her.”

He shakes his head and chuckles. “I think she’ll be seeing you first. She said your tiny home was coming tomorrow.”

“It is.”

“Well, she’s planning on being there.”

“Of course she is.”

“You made that girl’s day when you asked Grandma Maggie to buy that land. It’s always been her dream to live close to you.”

“I know.”

“But you’re going to need a bigger house.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Don’t think my kids aren’t going to be staying over at Uncle Ash’s once and a while. Their momma and I are going to need some alone time.” He wags his eyebrows.

“Shut up.”

He laughs and starts his engine. “Don’t stay out here too long.”

I salute him.

After he leaves, I try to get myself to start my bike. She’s home now. I can go.

Several hours later, JD comes out of the house and walks right toward me. “You going to stay out here all night?”

“I know. I know,” I say, meeting him at the end of his driveway. “How is she?”

He shakes my hand, placing his other on my shoulder. “She’s good, Ash. You’ve got to remember, they didn’t kick her out this time. She had to find the courage to walk away.”

I kick at the rocks. “Do you think ...”

He pats my back. “Stop by tomorrow, and we’ll see how it goes.”

I look away from him. “What if she doesn’t want to see me? It feels like the universe is trying to keep us apart.”

“Do you really think she would have showed up at my house if she was writing you off? She came home, and that means she came home to all of us. Come by tomorrow and ask her on a date.”

My hands land on my hips. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. I just want to be with her so bad.”

“Life has been shifting you both exactly where you need to be. I promise you, kid. Now go home and get some sleep.”

Elizabeth steps out on the porch and waves to me.

I wave back and then shake JD’s hand one last time. “Thank you. For everything.”

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