Jaybird

by M. A. Foster

  “You’re not taking this seriously,” Alex accuses.

  “What are you talking about? I performed that song the same way I always have,” Jay argues. “I think I know how to perform the music I wrote, Alex, or I wouldn’t be going on tour. Remember, I’m the one who chose you to be a part of it.”

  “Marcus chose me.”

  Oh, shit.

  I leap forward and curl my arm around Jay’s waist just as she lunges for Alex.

  “I chose you!” she yells again. “It was my decision. Had I known you were gonna be an asshole, I would’ve picked someone else.”

  “How am I being an asshole? All I said was that you need to stop daydreaming about your boyfriend for five minutes and focus on what’s important.”

  “Maybe he’s what’s important. Maybe I’m sick of having my life dictated for me. Maybe I don’t want to do this shit anymore.” She jerks out of my hold, snatches up her bag, and turns back to Alex. “You’re not my father, Alex,” she snaps out before she storms out of the room.

  Cole and I look over at Alex with raised brows.

  Alex shakes his head before he rounds his desk, drops down in his chair, and blows out a breath. “Go after her Zach.” He waves me off. “I don’t want her driving home when she’s upset.”

  I look over at Cole. “Follow me so you can bring me back to get my Jeep.”

  “HOW DARE HE say that me!” she yells from the passenger seat. “I’ve been singing and writing songs for a lot longer than he has. I could sing every song on Jaybird backwards and forwards. I wrote that fucking album.” She turns in her seat to face me and stabs her finger into her chest. “I’m the one who chose him.”

  “Why did he say Marcus did?” I ask and cringe, expecting a fist to the temple. Because she’s that mad. In all the years I’ve known Jay, I never knew she had a temper.

  Not gonna lie… it’s hot.

  “Because he was my dad’s choice, but my dad left the decision to me.” She huffs out a humorless laugh. “Funny, considering I don’t have say in anything else.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like all of it.” She throws her hands up. “Why can’t everyone just back the fuck off and let me have a normal life?”

  “Jay, if you don’t want to do it, then don’t.”

  She turns her head to look out the passenger window and in a low voice she says, “I have to.”

  BEFORE I CAN put the Range Rover in Park, Jay is out of the car and stomping through the front door. Grabbing her bag from the back seat, I slowly make my way to the front door where Bass is waiting.

  Bass quirks an eyebrow.

  “It wasn’t me,” I say holding up my free hand in surrender, handing over her bag.

  “It was Alex,” Cole says coming up behind me. “They got into an argument and Uncle Marcus’s name came up.” He shakes his head.

  “She’s pretty pissed,” I add.

  “I kinda picked up on that when she came storming through here.” He chuckles. “What’s the matter, Romeo? You didn’t know Princess had a temper?” He throws his head back and laughs. “Oh, this is gonna be fun.” He turns on his heels and heads down the hall with Jay’s bag thrown over his shoulder.

  I look over at Cole and he smirks. “Don’t look at me. She’s your girlfriend.”

  “HEY.” I PAUSE, my fingers hovering over the piano keys, and look up to see Alex slowly moving toward me. His hands are shoved in his front pockets, shoulders slumped.

  “Hey,” I reply, softly.

  “I’m sorry, Jay. I shouldn’t have said what I did. I’m honored that you chose me and that I was your only choice. And I’m not trying to take your dad’s place. I know he was tough on you at times and that wasn’t my intention. It’s just lately, you just don’t seem as devoted to your music and that concerns me. Especially with the tour next year.”

  I shrug. “That’s not true. It’s just that for the first time in my life… I actually have a life. I get to be a normal teenager. I have a boyfriend and friends. And I’m happy.”

  “And I want that for you. But I also don’t want to see you let your talent go to waste. You have a gift many people would kill for. Don’t take it for granted.”

  “I know. I’m sorry, too. I overreacted. And just for the record, I wasn’t daydreaming about my boyfriend. I was actually thinking about what it’s going to be like with the two of us up on stage next year.” I smirk.

  “Oh? Well, that’s more like it.” He leans forward, resting his arms on top of the piano. “Why didn’t you just say that?”

  “Because you pissed me off.”

  A smile pulls up one side of his mouth. “You’ve got quite the temper.”

  “Only when you piss me off.”

  “I think you scared Zach.”

  “Maybe he’ll think twice before pissing me off,” I snicker.

  Jaybird,

  Your mother tells me Homecoming is an important dance. Not as formal as prom but just as important. I don’t understand the difference, but you have my vote for Homecoming Queen. I wish I could be there to see my baby girl all dressed up for her first dance, but I know you’ll look beautiful as always. Have fun tonight but not too much fun, and remember to make lots of memories.

  I love you always.

  Love,

  Daddy

  P.S. Tell your date to keep his hands to himself.

  “YOU OKAY?” HARPER asks from my doorway.

  I nod. “Yeah,” I say, swiping away the tears before carefully sliding the note back into the envelope and tossing it inside the top drawer of my nightstand with the others. Harper has been staying with me now for nearly a month. She still won’t talk about her ‘baggage’ and I’m keeping my promise of no questions asked. Even though I’m dying to know her story, I respect her privacy.

  On a side note, she knows about my dad and I’m hoping maybe when she realizes I trust her with my shit, she’ll trust me with hers.

  Standing from the bed, I sniffle but smile, grabbing my purse and moving toward the door. “I have an appointment with Xavier. What time is yours?” Harper is going to Homecoming with Cole.

  Ashton is pissed.

  “Not until one. Do you want me to go with you?”

  “Nah. I need to clear my head.” I reach out and hug her. “Thanks.”

  “Of course, Jay. I know what you’re going through. It’s been over four years since my mom died, but I still miss her so much. But losing my sister and my niece is something I’m not sure I’ll ever get over.” This is the first time she’s mentioned a niece and I wonder if she realizes she just let that bit of info slip. I’m tempted to ask her about it, but I’m sticking to my promise of no questions asked.

  Nodding, I say, “I’m sorry. I guess sometimes I get so lost in my own misery that I forget I’m not the only one who’s going through this.”

  “It’s okay. It’s called grief. You lost a parent. It’s only been eight months. Your heart is still healing. If you ever need to cry, I’ve got two shoulders. If you need a hug, I’ve got two arms. If you need someone to just listen, I’ve got two ears. And if you ever just need space… well, I’ve got two feet that can carry me to the next room.” We both laugh. “Sometimes life just sucks and we wonder ‘why me?’ But trust me, the day will come when you wake up and it doesn’t hurt so much.”

  CAM IS SITTING at the breakfast bar, sipping coffee and reading on his iPad when I walk into the kitchen.

  “Hey,” I say, heading straight for the refrigerator and pulling out the orange juice. I’m not a coffee drinker unless it’s one of those sweet girly drinks Jay gets for me. Which, by the way, taste nothing like coffee.

  “Hey, I was just about to wake you.”

  “Why?” I ask, glancing over my shoulder as I pull a glass from the cabinet.

  “I just got off the phone with Em. She said Jay was pretty upset this morning when she left for her appointment.”

  “Why? Did Emerson finally admit to Jay that she has a secret boyfrie
nd?” I smirk.

  “No,” he says, eyeing me over the rim of his coffee mug before taking a sip and setting it down. “Jay gets a little sad when she reads one of Marcus’s notes. Em thought it would be nice if you took her out to lunch or something, after her appointment.”

  I shake my head irritated. “Of course, those notes are going to upset her. I get that Emerson is protective, but maybe she should back off a little and give Jay some space to work it out. It’s okay for her to be sad.”

  Cam huffs out a laugh. “Believe me, I agree. But then again, I don’t have any children, so I don’t get an opinion. Em’s right to worry, though. Jay took Marcus’s death pretty hard.”

  “I’ve heard.”

  “Really?” He raises his brows. “She told you about the hospital?”

  “Hospital?” I frown. What the hell is he talking about?

  Cam closes his eyes and exhales slowly through his nose. “What have you heard?”

  “Just what I said. What happened at the hospital?”

  Cam curses under his breath. “Nothing happened at the hospital. A couple of weeks after Marcus died, Jay was hospitalized for severe depression and dehydration. She was practically starving herself.”

  “What?” I breathe out. “On purpose? She would never—” The words are stuck in my throat.

  “She claimed she wasn’t trying to hurt herself on purpose. She was sad and hadn’t realized what she was doing.”

  “Does Emerson believe her?”

  “She does, mostly. At least she wants to, but that’s why she’s so far up her ass.” He shrugs. “Jay’s all Em has left of Marcus.”

  “I believe her. Jay would never hurt herself intentionally. She cares about way too many people to hurt them, let alone leave them.”

  “How long have you two been sneaking over here to have sex?” I smirk at his not so subtle change in subject. With only a ten-year age difference, Cam has always been more like an older brother to me than my uncle. We’ve exchanged our fair share of stories about our hookups in the past. Mostly his. But now that I’m with Jay and he’s apparently banging her mom, there will be no more sharing from now on—or ever.

  “Are you asking as my awesome Uncle Cam or Emerson’s boyfriend?”

  “Neither.” He pauses to run a hand down his face, “I’m asking as Cam, who’s known Jayla since she was a kid. I love and adore that girl. Liam loves and adores that girl. And he’ll kick your ass if you hurt her. Hell, I’ll kick your ass if you hurt her.”

  “I love her. I’m not gonna hurt her or get her pregnant. We’re both covered. What do you think Liam will do when he finds out his best friend is banging his sister?” I ask, quirking a curious brow.

  “He’s not going to find out until we’re ready to tell him. Unfortunately, Em and I put you in a difficult position last night but you absolutely cannot tell Jay. I mean it, Zach.”

  “What are you doing, Cam?” I cross my arms over my chest. “Do you have any idea how many people are going to get dragged into this if things don’t work out?”

  Cam presses his index finger to his lips, then leans his head back to look down the hall toward the guest rooms before looking at me. “Logan is here,” he says quietly. “All I need is for word to get back to your mom or mine.”

  “He wouldn’t say anything to Mom. But he’d definitely call you out for being a cougar-fucker.”

  “She’s not a cougar,” he defends. “She’s not even forty. And she’s sexy as fuck.”

  Okay, I’ll give him that. Emerson is hot… for a mom. But still, it’s weird. And when Jay finds out—because she will—shit is gonna hit the fan.

  “When did Logan get here?”

  “Early this morning. He’ll probably sleep most of the day.”

  Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I talked to my brother. We’ve texted a few times, but he’s been busy with law school and I’ve been busy with football and Jay. Logan doesn’t even know that we’re together. Unless my parents told him. Which is likely.

  “So, what exactly is going on with you and Emerson? Are you guys just fucking or are you in love?” I tease.

  His expression is blank as he rubs his hand over the short scruff on his jaw. “I’m in love with her.”

  My eyebrows skyrocket up to my hairline. “Seriously? Does Emerson know how you feel?”

  He nods slowly. “She does.”

  “Does she feel the same?”

  He blows out a breath. “It’s complicated.”

  “Well, at least now you can update your Facebook status,” I say with a laugh.

  Cam chuckles. “Asshole. I know she loves me, but she’s afraid it’s too soon after losing Marcus to admit it. I think she’s worried what people will think of her—what Jay will think of her. That she didn’t love Marcus enough if she’s able to move on so quickly. Right now, I’m just giving her the space she needs.”

  “I hope you guys figure it out before Jay does.”

  “Emerson and I are friends. Jay is used to seeing us together. When Em is ready to be with me permanently, then we’ll talk to Jay.”

  “What do you mean permanently? Like married?”

  He shrugs. “I’d marry Em in a heartbeat. I know you think it’s weird, but I love her, Zach. I have for longer than I care to admit. She’s an incredible woman. An incredibly stubborn woman, but that’s one of the things I love about her. You see her as Jayla’s mom, but I see her for the beautiful, strong woman she is. Everyone thinks Jayla gets her caring heart from Marcus, but she gets it from Emerson, too. They’re a lot more alike than you think.”

  “I can see that. I’m not judging you, Cam. I’m happy for you. I’m just worried. I know you think it’s about you and Em, but there are a lot of people who will be affected if things don’t work out. What about Mom?”

  “What about her? It’s none of her business.”

  “I agree. But if things progress between you and Emerson, maybe you should try to get her and Mom in a room together to talk things out. I still don’t understand how those went from being best friends for eighteen years to suddenly hating each other.”

  “I have no idea. I asked Em about it once and she shut me down.”

  I move over to the sink and rinse out my glass before putting it in the dishwasher. “I’m gonna hop in the shower. Will you drop me off at the salon?”

  “Sure.”

  AN HOUR AND a half later, I’m feeling very relaxed. Probably from the two mimosas Xavier fed me. Xavier is brushing on the last coat of polish on my nails when there’s a soft knock on the door.

  “Come in,” Xavier calls out. The door swings open and the hottest guy I’ve ever laid eyes on walks in. “Damn,” Xavier mumbles under his breath.

  I smile. “Hi, Z. Whatcha doing here?” I ask, eyeing him up and down. He looks fine as hell with his jeans sitting low on his narrow waist and the light blue T-shirt stretched across his broad, muscled chest. But it’s the backwards baseball cap that awakens the butterflies in my stomach and has all my lady parts perking up. He’s so damn hot and he’s all mine.

  “I came to see if you wanted to have lunch,” he replies, standing in the doorway, with his hands shoved in his front pockets, looking uncomfortable under the heat of Xavier’s stare.

  “Sure, I’d love that.” I shoot him a flirty wink. “I’ll be done in ten.”

  “Okay. I’ll wait for you up front,” he says, before quickly closing the door.

  “Damn, girl, that man is fine. Does he by any chance have a gay twin brother.”

  “He is, isn’t he?” I snort. “He has an older brother, but he’s straight.”

  He huffs. “Figures.”

  “You’re hot. Why hasn’t some gorgeous man snatched you up yet?”

  “Because I’m a picky bitch.” He smiles and suddenly the gorgeous face of Brice Manning pops in my head, but I’ll have to play matchmaker another day. I have a lunch date with my hot boyfriend. “Okay. You’re all set.” Xavier stands up and moves over to t
he door. “Have fun tonight and send me lots of pics.” He opens the door and kisses me on the cheek.

  I snake my arms around his waist and give him a squeeze. “Thank you for taking care of me today.” I press a kiss to his cheek.

  “My pleasure, girl.” He smiles as he edges me out the door. “Now go get that fine-ass man of yours out of here before one of these cougars sinks her claws in him.”

  “I’M READY, Z,” Jay says, holding out her hands. Tossing the magazine on the coffee table, I reach for her hands and she pulls me from the sofa and out the door. “Where did you park?” she asks once we’re outside.

  “Cam dropped me off. Give me your keys. I’ll drive.”

  Letting go of my hand because she needs both of hers to dig through her large purse, she pulls out her keys.

  Surprisingly, the weather has cooled down, so we sit outside on the patio under one of the umbrella-covered tables. “You okay?” I ask cautiously.

  She furrows her brows. “Yeah, why?”

  Shrugging, I lean back in my chair. “Just asking.”

  “I got a note from my dad this morning. His notes always make me a little sad, but not like before.”

  “Before what?” I realize my mistake and so does Jay.

  She narrows her eyes and studies me for a moment. “Who told you?”

  “Does it matter?” I pause. “Why didn’t you tell me? I thought there weren’t supposed to be any secrets between us.”

  “Tell you what? That I got so sad that I made myself sick and ended up in the hospital? That my family probably thinks I did it on purpose?”

  “No one thinks that.” Reaching across the table, I take her hand, urging her to stand and guiding her around the table until she’s sitting in my lap. I curl my arms around her waist and press a kiss below her ear. “Hey.” I take her chin between my fingers and turn her face to me. “I know my girl would never intentionally hurt herself. I get it. You were sad. I can’t imagine what you went through.”