Chapter Seventeen

Ash

" H urry up, get in here," Jax hustles.

Getting into his red Ferrari the first time he picked me up in this car, I nearly swallowed my tongue. Talk about rich vs poor. While working at Jim's car lot, I witnessed a few pricey vehicles, but none as extravagant as the one in front of me.

"What's the rush?" I say, putting my seatbelt on as he roars out of the parking lot of the grocery store.

"No rush, I just wanna drop in to see the guys. They might need our help, that's all."

I can't help but cast a skeptical glance at him as I turn in my seat. Jax is dressed in a light cream jacket with a pastel-yellow shirt and dark-wash jeans. I glance down at my drab clothes, noticing my faded black jeans and the small rip on my old band tee from when I caught it in the storeroom last week. Like I said, rich vs poor. I make a mental note to explore Goodwill for some new pieces.

"Alright," Jax smiles. "You got me. I just want to make sure everything is perfect for tomorrow. I'm excited, so give a guy a break."

Laughing, I nudged his shoulder. "Why didn't you just say that?"

"Max told me to stay home because I'm fussing too much, but I just want everything to go smoothly for Gage, you know?"

"You don't need to explain yourself to me. I think it's great that he has both of you. He keeps saying how much he appreciates you stepping in and helping him out."

"Now he's got you too." He taps my knee before putting his hand back on the wheel.

Yeah, I guess he's right. Each night, we go on our little tour, and he tells me about his day. It's not important to anyone else, but it gives me purpose and makes me feel like I'm part of something. On top of that, I enjoy being around him.

"Have you given any more thought to our conversation the other day?" he asks.

All I've done is think about it. After more research and more thinking, I've concluded that I'm bisexual. Although, as far as I can tell, no other guys except Gage hold any interest for me.

"I'm still wrapping my head around it, but yeah, I'm bi." It actually feels good to say it out loud.

"Seriously?" Jax's happy face glances over. "I'm glad you could figure some things out," he exclaims, his voice filled with genuine happiness. "And you know I'm here if there's anything else you'd like to ask."

"It's all still new," I confess. "And a bit weird, ya know? You spend your whole life believing one thing about yourself, and then suddenly, everything changes with this big revelation. My mind is a landfill right now," I chuckle. "But I have tons of questions; don't you worry about that."

"Yeah, like what? Hit me with some."

"Like, is dating a guy the same as dating a girl? What are the rules?"

"Oh, my sweet baby bi, there are no rules to anything. Dating is dating, yes, and the mechanics of things are different, but everything else is the same. Have you thought about how you're gonna tell Gage?"

"Not really. I mean, I ended up here just going on instinct, so I think for now I'll stick to that. I'm sure I'll know in the moment if something feels right. I don't even know if he likes me like that." I'm kinda hoping for the ‘ light bulb ' moment that Jax spoke about; when things just fall into place and instinct takes over.

"Yeah, that's a good plan. Always trust your gut. But also trust me; if he likes you, you'll know." Giving me a wink, he says, "What's your game plan?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, for instance, it's both of your birthdays. Maybe you could start with a sneaky birthday kiss," he says, waggling his eyebrows. "Maybe ask him for a slow dance in a dark corner. Oooh, you could ask him if you can blow out his candles," he laughs, then stops abruptly. "Oh God, I just realized I sound exactly like Gage!"

My cheeks grow warm at the mere idea of being on my knees, with Gage's crotch at eye level, as he slowly feeds me a slice of birthday cake. I roll down the window in Jax's car. The cool breeze rushes in, providing momentary relief from the scorching heat that's coursing through me at a hundred miles an hour.

"I'm only just coming to terms with the fact that I like him. I don't think me kissing his face off and grinding up against him is something I'll be doing anytime soon."

"I'm only kidding. I'm just excited about this next stage in your life. You're gonna be twenty-fucking-one, Ash, and you just took a big step in your sexuality. We need a drink to celebrate these milestones."

I keep forgetting that as of midnight tonight, I'll finally be of legal drinking age. I'm not much of a drinker. I always needed to keep my wits about me because of Mom and Rich. But now I can relax and enjoy myself. My thoughts drift to her. I wonder if she'll remember it's my birthday? I won't hold my breath, considering she hasn't remembered the last ten or so.

"Have you heard from your friend? Will he be coming?" he asks eagerly.

Jace is another thing playing on my mind. His calls have been short and sometimes abrupt. I'm still no closer to figuring out what's up with him. His voice sounded distant and strained the last time we spoke. I was planning on telling him about being bi, but there never seems a right time to tell him.

"He didn't pick up my last call, but I've left him messages. His dad, Jim, has confirmed he's coming, and I'm looking forward to seeing him and meeting his new partner."

I've been missing Jim and our dinners together. He was always invested in Jace and me. It'll be strange seeing him in the place I'm currently calling home.

"I'm sure he'll turn up," he reassures me. "But even if he doesn't, you've still got all of us."

We park the car behind the bar and make our way through the open kitchen door. The sounds of Gage's hearty laughter and the clinking of bottles reach our ears. It's hard to ignore the way his face lights up when we enter.

"What are you two doing here?"

Jax walks past me, straight up to Max, and kisses him. I look at Gage. "Uh, we just wanted to see how things were going. Do you need a hand?"

"What he means is Jaxon here needed to come and make sure we hadn't wrecked the place," Max says, planting a kiss on Jax's head.

"Shut up. I knew you hadn't wrecked anything, but my anxiety got the better of me. Plus, we're here now, so put us to work, boys."

I stand around like a lost puppy with my hands in my pockets, as I wait to be told what to do, all too aware of being in the same room as Gage again.

"We're actually just about done here. Go sit at that table." Gage says, pointing toward the seating area. "It's the only one set up so far. I'll bring you over a drink."

Jax pulls me over. "Let's test out these sofa seats while we ogle our men." He flops onto the seat next to me.

Gage is not my anything, but I don't bother correcting him. Gage's hands move swiftly as he pours one ingredient after another into the mixer. Meanwhile, Max meticulously places the last bottles on the shelf.

Gage looks good in his fitted T-shirt and perfectly snug jeans, the sound of his boots clicking on the hardwood floor as he moves around.

He pours the drink with the finesse of the skilled bartender he is. As I watch him effortlessly engage with Max, his relaxed body language and radiant smile awaken a neglected yearning within me.

Check out those arms. They're definitely not average, they look so strong. I'm willing to bet he has no trouble lifting the barrels of beer in the cellar. And look at the way those jeans cling to his nutcracker ass. And don't get me started on his hair. God, how I want to run my fingers through it. I bet it's as soft as a new baby.

Jax is surprisingly silent, which is strange because he always has something to say. I look over at him and he's just staring at me, mouth wide open.

"What?" I glance around to make sure I haven't missed anything.

Gradually, his mouth closes and transforms into a huge smile. Kind of like The Grinch . That was super creepy.

"What?" I say again.

"You liiiikkkkee him," he taunts.

Clearly, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed because I don't know what he's talking about.

"Strong arms, soft hair, nutcracker ass—need I go on?" he says, mimicking me.

It suddenly hits me. I spoke those words aloud. Jesus, fuck. In a fit of embarrassment, I bury my head on the table, seeking solace behind the shield of my arms.

Jaxon's laughter fills the room as footsteps approach.

"What's got you with a case of the chuckles?" Gage comments as he places a glass down.

"Oh, nothing," Jax says, trying to get himself under control.

"Head up, sweet cheeks," Gage says, as he slides a blue drink in front of me.

I don't need to look at Jaxon to know he caught Gage's endearment. So, I ignore him and look up into hazel eyes attached to the six-foot-two hunk with powerful arms. Ugh, I need to stop.

Picking up the glass, I take a sip. "What's this?" I croak pathetically.

"A midnight punch, as I like to call it. It's made by mixing blue syrup, 7UP , and a touch of pineapple juice. Don't worry, today's version is alcohol-free, but if you'd like, tomorrow I can make it with blue Cura?ao and a shot of tequila instead of syrup."

"It's delicious," Jax says, taking another sip of the punch. "I'm definitely up for some real midnight punch tomorrow night."

"What about you, Ash? Do you like it?" Gage inquires.

"Yeah, it's really nice, but I'll be performing for a crowd, so I won't drink too much."

Gage flashes me a smile as Max approaches.

"Are we done here, sunshine?" With a tender touch, he tucks a strand of Jaxon's hair behind his ear.

"Yeah, babe, I'm done," he says, chugging the rest of his drink before turning back to me. "Oh, I just remembered. I have some birthday things for you at the house. Come back with us."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Gage asks him.

"No, sweet cheeks . It's important that he has them today. We'll all have a lot on our plates tomorrow."

I give Jax a death stare, but he just ignores me. I can't believe he used the same endearment that Gage used on me.

After giving Max a kiss, he reminds him that only two people can fit in his Ferrari, and then eagerly grabs my hand, practically pulling me toward the kitchen.

"Don't worry, Daddy," he shouts confidently to Gage. "I'll make sure to have him back in a couple of hours."