Page 63 of Don't Hurt Us
“Surprise?”Sydney offers weakly.
“You didn’t tell him?”I whisper, but Peck is so close to me there’s no way he can’t hear me.
“I wanted to tell him and Wyatt at the same time.I guess I should’ve told you that.”She winces.“I'm sorry, Pecky.”
“When?How?Why?”
“You forgot who, what, and where.”A man steps up behind Wes.He’s grinning from ear to ear and he looks like he could be a lot of trouble.Just like Sophia does.
“Jax!”Bree squeals.She sprints to close the distance between them and launches herself into his arms.He crouches down in just enough time to catch her.
“What’s going on, pretty girl?”He stands to his full height, easily holding her on his hip like she’s a toddler and not six years old.
“I missed you and Cody!”She lays her head against his chest and stares up at him like he’s the most amazing man in the world.
“But you missed me the most, right?”He whispers like they’re sharing a secret.
“Don’t tell Cody.”She giggles.
“Ahem!I have questions that need answering.”Peck folds his arms over his chest and glares at us.
“When?The day we went to court to get the restraining order against Rob.How?The judge did a quick thing at the courthouse.Why?Because we wanted to get married and we figured why wait?Plus, we thought it might ease the kids’ anxieties if they knew I wasn’t going to leave.Where?We covered that, the courthouse.Who?Sydney and myself.What?We got married.Any other questions?”
“I like him.”Wes smirks.
“Of course you do.”Peck rolls his eyes.“You like anyone who gets straight to the point and doesn’t waste time.”
“I think I like Wes too.”I chuckle, making Peck huff and stomp away.
“I'm going to try and calm him down.”Sydney presses a soft kiss to my cheek before following after her brother.
“Hey, I'm Jax, Sophia’s brother.”Jax shakes my hand, never putting Bree down.I have a feeling she’ll stay with him as long as he allows it.
“Maverick.I see you have a little fan.You play for the Pythons, right?”
“Yeah, do you like hockey?”
“I do, but I have to admit, baseball is more my speed.”I rub the back of my neck.I don’t want to offend him, but I'm not going to act like I'm a super fan when I'm not.
“It’s ok, I get it.Everyone has one sport they like more than others.Did you play baseball?”Jax is surprisingly calm, especially with how Sophia has described him.
“He played in high school and college.He was so good!He could’ve gone pro but he didn’t want to,” Danny cuts in before I can open my mouth.
“Uncle Lincoln and Uncle Blake were the same way.I'm not sure Dad was ever that good, but he was still good.”Jax motions to Wes.
“Eh, I never cared enough about the game to go pro.Nothing like Wyatt or Leo.”Wes waves him off.
“Speak of the devil!”Jax calls, his smile pointed at something over my shoulder.
I glance behind me to find Wyatt Everson walking our way with a woman who looks like she could be Sophia’s twin with a baby in her arms.It’s kind of creepy how much Wyatt looks like Peck, I don’t know how I didn’t notice it before.
“Hey, I'm Wyatt and this is my wife, Charlie and our daughter, Carter.”Wyatt glances down at the sleeping baby before holding his hand out to me.
“I'm Maverick.”
“He’s my daddy,” Bree says proudly from Jax’s arms.
“Oh, really?I didn’t know you got a new daddy.Shouldn’t I know this?”Wyatt arches a brow in my direction.
