Jackson nodded. “And are you seeing anyone right now?”
Olivia’s blush darkened to a reddish hue. “Um,” she said. “Well, no. Not really. I mean, it’s complicated, I…” She trailed off, suddenly intently focused on staring at Max as he squirmed around in the chair. “I was engaged,” she said, looking down at her left hand. “And it ended, but it was only a couple of months ago. I’m not really ready to date right now.” She swallowed. “I need to focus on being a good mom, and taking care of Max.”
Jackson nodded. For once, there wasn’t a single trace of amusement on his handsome face. “I see,” he said slowly. “I’m sorry I’ve asked, if it’s made you uncomfortable.”
Olivia licked her lips. “Not exactly,” she said. “It was just…well, it was ugly, and a lot of people here knew him.” She coughed. “I mean, he’s here, too. He’s one of the groomsmen.” She craned her neck and looked around the room for Derek’s close-cropped dark hair. “But I don’t see him anywhere,” she added. “Maybe that’s a good thing.”
Jackson nodded. He winked at her. “Well, I certainly don’t mind,” he said in a jokey tone that made Olivia laugh. “I’m more than happy to have you all to myself.”
Olivia smiled. Her fleeting discomfort melted away and she realized just how much she enjoyed being around Jackson. “Do you live around here?” Olivia waved her hand in the air. “Or did you have to fly in?”
Jackson nodded. “I live just outside of town,” he said, stretching. “I’m a mover,” he added, flexing his arms. “If you couldn’t tell.” He winked at Olivia and she blushed again.
“I work at dental office,” Olivia said suddenly. “I mean, I’m just a receptionist. But my boss wants me to train to be a dental hygienist.”
“You should do that,” Jackson said. He nodded. “I wish that I’d done better in school, but truth be told, I’m one of those guys who just does better outdoors.” He yawned. “I always had a hard time being around too many people.”
Olivia laughed. “I go crazy if I have to be alone,” she said. “That’s one of the reasons Lisa and I live together. I think I’d be so lonely without a roommate.”
Jackson laughed. “Even with this little guy?” He reached over and ruffled Max’s hair. Olivia waited on the edge of her seat to see if her son would start screaming, but to her surprise and immense relief, he grinned right back at Jackson like they were old friends.
“He’s a loud roommate, all right,” Olivia said. She rolled her eyes. “He won’t stop throwing these parties, and I have to pick up after him all the time,…” She started giggling at her own joke, reaching forward for a flute of champagne on the table. “I love him,” she added. “He’s the best part of my life.”
“I bet it was hard for your fiancé to leave,” Jackson said.
Olivia shifted in her chair. “Right,” she replied. “I’m sure it was.” She tried hard to keep her voice as neutral as possible. “Maybe he should have thought of that before he started stepping out.”
Jackson’s jaw dropped. “He cheated on you?”
Olivia gave a brief, terse nod of her head. “Yes,” she said after a pause, feeling some of the pain worm its way back into her heart. “He made that decision, though, and far be it from me to keep him from being happy with other women.” She realized how bitter she sounded, but it was impossible to stop. “I’m sure that a college girl is a lot more fun than a fiancée and a baby.”
“He’s a complete idiot,” Jackson said smoothly. Olivia was relieved to hear that he hadn’t seem to pick up on her bitter tone. “Biggest fool on the planet. I’m sure he regrets that decision every day.”
Olivia shrugged. She was already starting to feel better. “I don’t care if he does,” she said nonchalantly. “Max and I are much happier on our own, aren’t we?”
Max beamed up at her. “Mom!” He cried loudly. “Where’s Lisa?”
Olivia frowned. “That’s a good question, honey,” she said. “I haven’t seen her in quite a while.”
“Want me to look for her?” Jackson motioned to get up from his seat. “I don’t mind, you know.”
Olivia shook her head, sending her brown curls flying everywhere. “No worries,” she said. “Lisa’s an adult. I’m sure she can take care of herself.”
The rest of the reception was magical. Kate’s mom loved Max so much that she took him for a few songs. To Olivia’s shock and amusement, Jackson asked her to dance three times in a row. On the dance floor, he was surprisingly graceful: his long, muscular limbs swept Olivia around and made her feel weightless. She couldn’t believe how much fun she was having with Jackson. Olivia couldn’t help but think deep down that she’d never had this much fun in her life, not even with Derek.
When the evening came to a close, Olivia was surprised at how disappointed she was to say goodbye to Jackson. They hugged and Jackson wrapped an arm around her waist, sending warm chills and flutters through her whole body.
“Can I walk you to your car?” Jackson’s voice was husky and deep and Olivia received a purely sexual thrill from listening to him speak.
“I wish,” she said, sounding slightly dazed. “But Max and I came with Lisa, and I can’t find her anywhere. We have to leave soon,” she said, eyeing her son. “He’s getting really cranky. He needs a snack and then bed.”
Jackson nodded. “Want me to help you look for her?”
Olivia pursed her lips, thinking about it. After a few seconds, she nodded. “Yeah,” she said softly. “Thanks.” After leaving Max with Kate’s mom, they tracked down the other two bridesmaids and began scouting the barn for Lisa. Couples had wandered outside to kiss beneath the stars, and Olivia ducked her head out of the barn, calling Lisa’s name loudly.
“I can’t find her anywhere,” Olivia complained to Jackson. “I mean, I don’t know where she possibly could have gone. This isn’t a huge barn,” she added.
“God, and there’s a huge line for the bathroom,” one of the other bridesmaids, Megan, said. “I really have to pee!”
Olivia’s heart sank. “God, I hope Lisa’s not inside,” she muttered. When Jackson shot her a worried look, she rolled her eyes. “She has a problem of drinking too much at these things,” Olivia explained. “Last time we went to a wedding I had to carry her out of the venue.”
Jackson laughed. “If I had to be a bridesmaid, I’d probably do the same thing,” he admitted. “I don’t even like wearing the same shirt as anyone else.”
Olivia laughed. “These dresses are pretty, at leas-“
“Oh my god, Olivia!” Megan grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her away. “You have to come here!” Olivia threw a glance over her shoulder at Jackson and was relieved to see him smiling. She almost tripped over her feet as Megan dragged her to the corner of the room.
“What is it?” Olivia narrowed her eyes.
“Lisa’s in the bathroom, with a guy,” Megan said. Her eyes were wide. “We can hear them.”
Olivia swallowed hard and listened. Sure enough, there were grunts, moans, and slapping sounds coming from the bathroom. She felt sick. “I don’t know, Megan,” she said. “Maybe we should just get a ride with someone else. I’m sure Lisa’s just having fun.”
Suddenly, the door to the bathroom burst open and a tumble of naked limbs and pink tulle came splashing out. Lisa was naked to the waist, the top of her dress bunched around her middle. She was blushing bright red and as she leapt to her feet and tried to pull her dress up, Olivia glimpsed the man sprawled underneath of her.
It was Derek.
Chapter Two
“Oh my god,” Olivia breathed. She covered her mouth with her hand as tears came to her eyes. Whirling around, she smacked right into Jackson.
“Hey,” Jackson said. He reached down and took Olivia’s arms, steadying her on her feet. “We really need to get you out of those shoes.” When he saw Olivia’s face, concern appeared in his creased forehead. “What happened? What’s wrong?”
“Derek,” Olivia spat.
A single tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away. “They were….ugh, they were having sex in there!” She stamped her foot in frustration and took a deep breath. “My best friend, my roommate…she hooked up with him!”
“Sh, it’s okay,” Jackson said. He put his arm around Olivia’s shoulders and guided her away. “Would you and Max like to stay with me tonight?”
Olivia sighed. She bit her lip. “I really hate to impose,” she said honestly. “Are you sure about this?”
Jackson nodded. “Of course,” he said. “I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it.”
Olivia swallowed hard and looked over her shoulder. Lisa was hanging off to one side of the room, fidgeting with her dress. Part of her wanted to go confront her roommate, but she wasn’t sure that she’d be able to keep her calm.
“Okay,” Olivia said. She tried to plaster a smile on her face. “Let me go get Max.”
The ride to Jackson’s house took almost an hour, and Olivia stared out the window at the treetops and the dark sky filled with stars. She wasn’t surprised to find that he lived completely outside of town, but she was shocked at the size of his house.
“This is beautiful,” Olivia said.
Jackson raised an eyebrow as he pulled into the driveway. “You say that like you’re surprised,” he replied. “What, you thought I lived in a shack?”
“No!” Olivia said, blushing and fighting back a wave of giggles. The bad scene at the wedding already seemed like something from a bad dream. “Just most single guys, you know…they’re kind of slobs.”
Jackson laughed politely. “I had my days as a slob,” he said. “Just ask my college roommates. I’m pretty sure our room was so fucked up you couldn’t even see the floor.”
Olivia nodded sagely. “Yup,” she said. “And I bet you all ate takeout every night, and thought the vacuum was just another piece of furniture.”
Jackson gave her a faux-wounded expression. “You’re hurting my fragile masculine ego,” he teased. “Better give it up for the night.”
Olivia rolled her eyes as she climbed out of the passenger seat and reached in the back to grab Max from his car seat. He’d fallen asleep in the car and he was making little snoring sounds. Olivia’s heart melted and she hugged her sleeping son.
“He’s so cute when he sleeps,” she whispered loudly to Jackson. “You have no idea what a holy terror he can be during the day, but this is always just adorable.”
Jackson laughed quietly. “He seems like a perfect kid,” he said. “Come on in, this way.”
Olivia followed Jackson into the darkened foyer. When he flicked on a light, she gasped. The inside of the house was even more beautiful than she’d imagined: it was all decorated in glossy hand-carved wood and dark, neutral colors.
“This is incredible,” Olivia said. She craned her neck and looked up to the high ceiling. It was done in a pattern of checkered wood, and it made her dizzy when she stared. “Did you do all of this yourself?”
Jackson nodded. “I still work with wood a lot,” he said. “It’s a hobby of mine.”
“You’re incredible,” Olivia said. “This all looks professional. Don’t you ever want to do this for a full-time job?”
Jackson shook his head. “I thought about that,” he replied. “But I thought that if I did that, it somehow wouldn’t mean as much to me. Like I’d get bitter if I only had to do it for other people,” he added.
Olivia stared at him. “Wow,” she said softly. “That’s really…really self aware.”
Jackson gestured into the living room. “Why don’t you take the bed?”
Olivia blushed. “I’m fine with the couch,” she said. “Don’t be silly. You don’t have to give me your bedroom.”
Jackson shrugged. “I like sleeping on the couch,” he said with a grin. “Makes me feel like I’m still in college. Besides, wouldn’t Max be more comfortable in the bed with you?”
Olivia melted. She couldn’t believe how considerate Jackson was, how kind. She’d never been around anyone so selfless. “I have a feeling if I said no, you’d insist anyway,” she said wryly.
“Yup,” Jackson replied. He winked at her and she felt her heart skip a beat inside of her chest. “I would.” He pointed towards the bedroom. “There’s a private bathroom in there,” he added. “Fresh towels are under the sink. Is there anything you need?”
Olivia shook her head. She was suddenly exhausted, like the energy of the day had caught up with her. She bowed her head and dipped slightly in front of Jackson, then scooped up Max and carried him into the bedroom.
Jackson’s bedroom was beautiful, too. It was decorated in pine and spruce, with a big king-sized bed covered in a fluffy white down duvet. Olivia moaned softly as she sank down into the plush, comfortable mattress. She felt like she could have slept for years.
Max stayed asleep as Olivia washed her makeup off in the bathroom. She stood in front of the bed, awkwardly thinking about what she should sleep in. The bodice of the tulle dress was gripping her sides uncomfortable and Olivia finally tugged it off and tentatively opened the top drawer of Jackson’s bureau. To her immense relief, there was a row of clean white t-shirts inside. She eagerly pulled one over her head and curled up, content and happy in the clean sheets with Max snoring beside her.
In the morning, Olivia opened her eyes. Her mouth felt dry and sticky and she had a massive headache. “Where am I?” She wondered aloud, glancing around the room. Sun was filtering in through the big bay window and the room was much cheerier than it had been the night before. The night before, Olivia thought. It was a realization that hit her like a ton of bricks, and she felt instantly ashamed and embarrassed.
“Max?” Olivia pulled the duvet back and checked the bed, but there was no sign of her son. Discontent ripped through her body and turned to panic as she tore the sheets and blankets off the bed, looking for Max. “Max?” She called again, louder this time.
“Max!” Olivia leapt out of bed and raced down the hall. She skidded to a stop in front of the living room and gasped when she heard Max’s giggling. “Max,” Olivia said again, relief evident in her voice. “What are you doing in here?” But as she crept closer, she stopped dead in her tracks. Max and Jackson were sitting on the floor, playing with small wooden cars. Olivia was astounded to watch as Jackson picked up her son with ease and set him on his lap, gently maneuvering the wooden car on the paneled floor.
“Wow,” Olivia said. She walked up, unable to hide the grin.
“You look great,” Jackson said.
Olivia immediately blushed bright red. She’d forgotten that she was only clad in one of Jackson’s t-shirts. The hem of the cotton shirt grazed her mid-thigh but she immediately tugged the shirt down and inched backwards until she was in the hallway. Turning on her heel, she ran breathlessly into Jackson’s bedroom and pulled on yesterday’s dress. Her skin ached at the scratchy tulle, but it was definitely better than being seen practically naked by an almost total stranger.
Except Jackson didn’t feel like a stranger. Not at all. When Olivia rejoined Jackson and Max in the hallway, she noticed that Max looked happy and calm. Jackson didn’t say anything about her embarrassing earlier entrance, and for a moment she was struck watching them play together. Oddly, the physical resemblance between the two was stunning. Max looked exactly like a tiny version of Jackson – they even had the same pinkish gold skin tone and perfect golden-brown eyes.
“Hi,” Olivia said shyly. She lowered herself down onto the floor with a graceful motion. “It’s crazy, but I just have to say it. Jackson kind of looks like you.”
“Think so?” Jackson said with an impish grin, but he quickly grew somber. “I didn’t know how to bring this up, but here goes…”
Jackson (BBW Secret Baby Bear Shifter Romance) (Secret Baby Bears Book 3) Page 2
