by Tigris Eden
“What? I am. All of that and your dorky personality is what stole my heart. I want to grow old with you, Annabelle Macon, watch you grow with my babies, and sit on the porch with you surrounded by our grandkids telling stories about how their parents were knuckleheads.”
My eyes fill with tears again when he says the last part. He wants to grow old with me.
Annabelle Storme. It had a distinct ring to it, and best of all, it fit.
“We’re going out tonight.”
“We are?” I ask Jackson. I’m standing in front of the bathroom mirror pulling my hair into a ponytail. I’m formally meeting his daughter Ava today. Which had taken some planning on Jackson’s part. There’d been an issue in the beginning. Jackson’s ex was trying to make a stand where I was concerned. I’d caught most of the conversation, but had quietly taken my leave when he’d started to put her in her place. When he’d come into the kitchen this morning, he’d wrapped his arms around me telling me everything was under control. It had been three days since the sofa-bed incident. Three whole days. Since then, we’d fooled around a little here and there, but he’d been busy with work, and I’d been busy putting together my dark room. I also made a quick turn-around trip back to New York. I formally put in my notice. India was due to show up at any minute. We were meeting with the Realtor today about the space in town.
“It’s step night at Harry’s.”
“And when did you become a stepper?” Jackson’s body is gorgeous. He’s standing with a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair is wet from the shower. And the stubble. God, the stubble. I love it.
“Don’t worry about when or even how. Make sure you’re in fuck-me pumps, and a dress.”
I stick my tongue at him through the mirror, and he laughs. I turn, throwing my arms around his neck and rising on my toes so I can plant a huge wet kiss on him. It quickly turns into something else. The towel comes off. My dress is lifted and my panties are shoved to the side, and Jackson is sliding home. It’s quick and hot. We’re both panting when it’s over, and I need another shower. I rest my head against his chest, trying to catch my breath.
“I’ll dress up tonight. What time are we picking up Ava?”
“After your appointment with the Realtor. I have some stuff I need to do around the house while you’re out. Just be back here by eleven. I get her at noon.”
“Eleven it is.”
I turn back to the mirror and re-fix my hair, and Jackson stands to the side of me to grab his shirt off the towel rack. I watch as he dresses, love how his body moves, and his muscles bunch.
“What are you staring at?”
“You?”
“Such a nut.”
“Like you don’t watch me.”
He grins.
“I do, but I’m supposed to.”
“Says who?”
He tries to tug me into his arms, but I back away. I can already see it in his face. He wants round two. He’s a sex machine. I place my hands out in front of me to ward him off and back out of the bathroom. Jackson stalks forward.
“No. No. No. This is what I was trying to avoid.”
“What? Me? I’m harmless.”
“Liar.”
The look on his face tells me he’s tabulating his odds.
“I’m just catching up for lost time.”
“We didn’t lose anything.” I tell him, still moving away.
“Honey, we almost lost everything. I’m making sure that doesn’t happen again.”
“By over sexing me?”
He stalks closer. A predator on the prowl.
“You’re not oversexed, Anna. Under sexed by my last count. You left me and went to New York. I was in agony without you.”
I was only gone for twelve hours. Two-hour flight there, spent another six hours sorting out my apartment, putting in my notice, and then heading straight back to JFK. He wasn’t able to make that trip, I had to do it alone.
“Aww, poor baby.” I croon.
“Yeah, poor me.”
His reaches out his hand, snagging me around the waist. I didn’t realize he’d gotten so close. Jackson picks me up, puts me over his shoulder, walking towards the bed where I’m tossed. His towel falls to the floor, and he follows me down, his large body covering my smaller one. He drags his hands down my face. His fingers dance along my jaw as his eyes roam over my face.
“I love you, Annabelle. Plan on showing you for the rest of your life.”
“Looking forward to it.”
I lift my head and kiss him slowly.
This time when we make love, it’s slow. An easy build up that has us coming together.
The visit to the Realtor pays off. India and I will be signing the loan documents in a few days, and closing in a month. We both squeal with glee. We we’re doing it. Living our dream. She wanted an event planning business, and I wanted a studio. India would have the highest traffic, and I decided the space for my studio would be on the second floor. I do my best not to make Jackson late picking up Ava, so India and I promise we’d celebrate tonight at Harry’s. I make it in record time to the house. Jackson is just closing the door when I pull up.
“Glad to see you could be here on time.”
“Don’t be a smart ass. The meeting obviously ran over.”
He links our fingers together and walks us over to the truck.
“I know, sorry. Didn’t mean to come off as a jerk. Vivian is trying to make my life hell.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t marry her. You’d be in constant hot water if you had.”
Jackson opens my door for me. As I hop up in the truck, he smacks my ass.
“Yeah, well you’re your own kind of hell. But it’s the kind I like.”
I wasn’t nervous about spending the day with Jackson’s daughter until we pulled up in front of his mother’s home. A small part of me wants to mention my dislike about Vivian staying at his mother’s. Or, it could be that I am too enmeshed in Northern practices. But really, who lets their baby momma stay at their mom’s place?
Jackson places his hand on my knee as we make the turn into his mother’s drive. He cuts the car off and looks over at me. His eyes serious, but still warm.
“Baby, I know you’re probably nervous and possibly a bit standoffish towards Vivian. I get it. I do, but if you can’t control your anger around Vivian, maybe you should stay in the car.”
My face heats in embarrassment. He’s right of course, but it still doesn’t make me feel better. I want to get this right, had to. I need to be the bigger person.
“I can handle myself. I also owe Vivian an apology for my behavior.”
Jackson watches my face for long moments before nodding his head.
“You don’t have to apologize, I don’t think she even deserves one, but if it settles you, then I’m behind you all the way.”
We both step out of the car. No greeting on the lawn this time, and when we walk in, I cringe. Inara is there, cleaning the damn parquet floors. I avoid the woman and try hard not to imagine her and my man in bed together. Corrine descends the stairs in her usual flair, wearing some ridiculous getup that looks as if it belongs in a history book.
“Jackson, you’re here. Ava’s done nothing but talk about spending the day with her father.” His mother ignores me, and that’s fine. I ignore her too. Jackson’s arm is around my waist and he tugs me closer.
“Anna and I are taking Ava out today. Where is she?”
Corrine looks me up and down, finally noticing my presence. “Anna, I thought for sure you’d be back in New York by now. I’m sure your job is missing your expert eye.”
“Nope, I put in my notice the other day.”
“So you’re moving back to Beauville?”
Jackson takes the conversation from there. “Yes, mother, she is. She and I are living together.”
“Why, Jackson, you two aren’t even married. What kind of example are you setting for little Ava?”
“The good kind.”
“Mother, I’m almost thirty and I know my mind. Anna does too. Besides, what me and Anna do in the privacy of our home while Ava is with us, is none of your concern.”
“But it is my concern.”
Vivian is standing off to the side of us now. She has Ava’s hand, who has a backpack and a doll she’s carrying. The little girl is beautiful, and I can see Jackson there in her eyes.
“We’ve already talked about this, Vivian. Ava will be fine.”
“How do I know she won’t hurt my little girl? She’s violent. I don’t want her around my child.”
I step from Jackson’s side, and Vivian has the gall to act as if I plan to attack her.
“About that– I apologize for the way I acted at Joey’s house. There’s no excuse for my behavior. I accept my part in that event, and I just want to let you know that it won’t happen again. In the same token, you were also rude and out of line. I don’t expect you to apologize for your actions. As a mother, you’ve every right to be concerned with who is around your child. I assure you, Jackson wouldn’t be with me if he thought for one moment Ava was in danger.”
“I don’t care what you say. It’s not up to you. It’s up to me.”
“No, Vivian, it’s up to both of us,” Jackson interrupts.
“Why must you do this, Jackson? Fling her in front of me like this? I’m hurt. You hurt me. I get it. You slept with Inara. I get that. Can we just get past all this and be a family now?”
She was serious.
There was nothing calculating in her eyes when she said the words to Jackson. She believed I was just a phase.
“That’s not going to happen, Vivian. I’m with Anna now and it's permanent. She’s nothing like you or Inara were to me. I know that sounds shitty, but it’s true. I’m not trying purposely to hurt you. I want to get on with my life, raise our daughter, and be with the woman I was meant to be with.”
Again, this is one of those moments I don’t want to be a part of, but can’t pull myself away. But their daughter has no business hearing grown folks' conversation. This is private. Something that Jackson and Vivian need to sort out. I bend low at the waist, interrupting the flow of conversation and wave to Ava. Her big brown eyes look at me for a while before she slowly walks over and smiles.
“You’re my daddy’s good friend.”
“That’s right, sweetheart. You want to show me your baby doll?”
Ava nods her little head.
“What are you doing?” Vivian barks.
I look up at Ava’s mother and glare.
“I’m going to let Ava show me her doll while the three of you hash this thing out. She shouldn’t be hearing any of this conversation, and frankly, neither should I. It’s embarrassing.”
Jackson doesn’t say anything else. He digs in his pocket and pulls out his keys and hands them to me.
“You two go and get in the truck. I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”
I hold out my hand to Ava and she calmly takes it. We both walk outside into the bright summer day and make our way to the truck. I open the door and help her in to the back of the cab.
“Margo says you’re going to be my mom now too.”
“The two of you had better listen to what I’m about to say because this is the last time we have this conversation.”
His mother sighed dramatically and Vivian stood there with a look of pure hatred on her face. He didn’t see what the issue was. Had Anna acted out of character? Yes, she had. Only because she was pushed in a corner. Like any person, she was trying to defend herself. She may not have gone about it the right way, but he knew she wasn’t a mean person. Anna didn’t like confrontation. She wouldn’t want to draw attention to herself. The incidents with Vivian and Talia were the result of Anna being pushed past her boundaries and out of her comfort zone.
“One day, real soon, she’s going to be my wife. The both of you need to accept that and move on.” He looked towards his mother. “You’re going to have a daughter-in-law, and if you don’t embrace that, you’re going to lose me.”
“Be reasonable, Jackson, she’s all wrong for you,” Corrine protests. “You have a daughter. Vivian is her mother, not Anna. You’re doing this because you’re hurt. Not because you’re in love.”
“I’m not like you, mother. I’m not seeking attention elsewhere because Vivian left me at the altar. I’ve been square with that long before Anna appeared. I don’t love Vivian. I love Anna.”
“You don’t mean that, Jackson,” Vivian said.
He turned to her and tried to soften his next words. “I do, Vivian. I’m not going to say that I’m sorry either. I’m glad I didn’t end up with you. You said you loved me, and when the going got tough, you took off. Why? I don’t care. I’m just glad you did. Because now, I’m with the person I’m meant to be with. We may have a child together, but that’s all we’ll have together.”
“The town will talk.”
He doubted it. They’d be the most supportive. He knew there would be some naysayers, but there always would be. The town was small, and because it was small, gossip would happen either way. Whether it was true or not.
“No, Mother, they won’t talk. Not like they talked about you.”
Corrine gasped. “How dare you throw that in my face? It wasn’t my fault. Your father was never there for me. Didn’t give me the things I needed.”
“So what you’re saying is the money wasn’t enough. The hours he put in to his work, trying to make a better life for you wasn’t what you needed. Instead, you preferred another man’s attention.”
“I don’t have to listen to this. You can’t come to my house--”
“Your house? I allow you to live here because you’re my mother. I brought you and Joey back when I could have left you. What were your living arrangements like before you came back here?”
Vivian walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked at her, then the hand. She did the right thing. She moved it.
“You don’t have to be so cruel to your mother, Jax.”
“No, and you two don’t have to treat Anna like she’s a nobody. She’s my choice, and if you don’t like it, well then that’s too fucking bad. You don’t have to like, or even deal with it. What you do have to do is respect it. If you can’t, that’s your loss, not mine.”
“You’re making a huge mistake. What’s going to happen when Ava starts school, and you or Vivian can’t drop her off. The kids will think Anna is like Margo. The nanny.”
“No, there are plenty of blended families in town. Kids aren’t ignorant unless their parents are, and if we have to cross a bridge like that, we’ll deal with it. Anna isn’t trying to take the role of mother. That’s your job, Vivian. Be her mother, be a good mother. Don’t leave her with another woman so you can go gallivanting around the world.”
“That is not what I did! You don’t know what it was like. Ava crying all the time. The constant attention she needed. I had my career. I gave up my life so I could come back here, be a family with you.”
“That’s your bad for thinking I’d want that with you. Did you really think I was waiting around like some sick puppy dog? When you left, you left. There was no coming back after that. You had to know that, Vivian.”
Jackson watched both women as they stood there in silence. He hoped they were finally getting the message. He didn’t want to cut his mother out of his life, and he didn’t want to cause Ava any stress because of his situation with Vivian.
“I made a mistake,” she whispered, “A horrible mistake.”
“Well, now you have to live with that mistake. Learn from it. Next time when someone offers you the world, don’t take it for granted. Don’t be selfish. Be selfless. Fame isn’t everything.”<
br />
She stepped toward him again, this time reaching out as if she was going to hug him. But she stopped.
“I just thought I could make the wrong right.”
“You can, by being the best mother to our daughter. And by not causing trouble for me and Anna.”
“Son, I only want what’s best for you.” His mother interrupted.
“Anna’s what best for me. Can you please go and get my grandmother’s rings?”
Corrine’s eyes widened.
“Those are mine.”
“No, they were yours when you were married to my father. You aren’t any more. That ring stays in the Storme family, and I’m giving them to Anna when I ask for her hand.”
“I will not let her wear your grandmother’s ring.”
“You have no say. Go and get them. Now.” Jackson growled, anger flaming fast through his veins. He watched as his mother turned and made her way back up the stairs. He swore he could see fumes coming off her skin. She was pissed. He didn’t care.
“Jax,” Vivian called softly.
“What?”
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing? I mean, I get it. I hurt you, but I can make you happy. I know I can.”
She was persistent. He’d give her that, but clearly, she was daft.
“Woman, have you heard anything I’ve been saying?”
“I hear you, but I don’t think you mean what you’re saying.” She smiled demurely, licking her lower lip. God the woman was crazy. Back in the day, she would pull shit like that all the time to get her way. And he let her.
“I’m not repeating myself. I’ll have Ava back before dark.” Jackson looked up to the top of the stairs, and his mother still hadn’t come down yet. It didn’t take that long to get a ring.
“Mother,” he called. “I’m waiting.”
“I love you, Jax. It will always be you.”
“Well if that were true, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, would we?”
Jackson headed for the stairs when his mother appeared. She met him the rest of the way and thrust the rings into his hands.
“Here, but when she pawns them, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” his mother sneered.
