Chapter Twenty-One Jaxson

A nger courses through me like a river of fire as I see Madison with that man. Every part of me wants to find where they’re going just to beat the shit out of that toothy-smiled prick. She may have missed the way he looked at her, how his eyes roamed over her body as she spoke to me. Or even how he gave me a subtle smirk to taunt me for how she was acting.

But I don’t.

I don’t know why it bothers me so much seeing her with him, but it does. Just thinking about her gorgeous curvy body wrapped in that tight red dress, toned legs accentuated by her heels, makes my cock throb within my jeans.

But more so, it sets my body on fire thinking about him touching her. About him tasting her lips, running his hands over the soft curves of her hips and thighs until she’s moaning for more .

“Fuck!” I bellow out in my car, my hand hitting the steering wheel as I stare at the vacant parking spot where that prick’s truck had once been. The thought of her climbing up into his truck as she laughed at whatever stupid shit he said to her makes me even angrier.

She deserves better. More than him, and yet she’s lowering herself to dealing with douchebags.

Why do I care, though ?

She was right in what she said. It isn’t my place to tell her what to do or who to be with. We aren’t dating or anything else for that matter. And honestly, right now, I worry about the friendship I have with her. I know I fucked up by not reaching out to her, but thinking back… I don’t think I’ve ever seen Madison this upset with me.

Glancing down at my phone, I dial Knox’s number and let the call come over the car speakers.

“This is Knox.”

“Hey,” I say, letting out a heavy breath. “It’s Jaxson. Are you busy?”

“Oh, Jaxson…” he chuckles, the sound of movement through the line causing static for a moment before it comes clear again. “Sorry about that, I have you on Bluetooth so didn’t see it was you calling. I’m not busy right now, just finishing up a project at Mrs. Kendall’s. I was going to meet Callum for dinner and maybe have a few drinks.”

Hearing that he has plans with Callum, I feel slightly guilty for calling. I keep forgetting that both my friends have moved on with their lives and are set within their own relationships, while I’m over here trying to figure out what I want.

“Oh right. No worries.”

“No, no.” Knox laughs, “you can join us if you want. It’s nothing serious, just dinner.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, of course," he replies. “We’re just going over to the bar and grill for wings and beer.”

Wings and beer. Hell, if I think about it, it’s been at least a year since I’ve had something as simple as wings and beer. Most of the food I’ve been consuming was on the more extravagant side. Usually because I made extra while working and decided to enjoy it.

“That’d be great. I’ll see you there.”

** *

By the time I arrive at Pop's Bar and Grill, I’m starving in a way I never really noticed before. As if I haven’t eaten anything all day and now my stomach, tight with knots, growls at me, demanding to be fed.

I’m starving, but the last thing I want to do is eat right now. But then again, maybe it will help ease the tension I’m feeling… or possibly bloat me. Then I’ll be pissed off and bloated.

“Jaxson!” Knox’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts of food as I enter the bar and grill. His familiar face is seated at a high-top table in the dark wooden bar area off the main dining floor. Sports news is playing on the televisions above, as he turns towards a dirty blonde-haired man sitting next to him.

“Hey Knox,” I reply, taking a seat across from him while extending my hand.

“Hey, about time you made it.” He shakes my hand quickly and then turns to the man at his side. “I don’t think you two have been properly introduced. This is Callum.”

I’ve heard about Callum from everyone in our group, but unlike the others, I haven’t had the pleasure of actually meeting the man who stole my best friend's heart. With a smile, I extend my hand to him. Taking in his deep blue eyes that seem to calculate everything around him while also being a man of few words.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say to him, his smile spreading across his face in an almost excited manner.

“You as well. It’s about time I get to meet the famous Jaxson Rivers.”

“So, what brings you here?” Knox asks me, his eyes shifting from the TV overhead towards me. “You sounded… off on the phone. What’s wrong?”

Jesus, am I that obvious?

Taking a moment, I try to collect my thoughts. “Madison is mad at me. ”

Knox and Callum both glance at each other, smiling before the laughter begins to flow from the two of them. “Jaxson… if Madi’s upset with you, I don’t know what you expect me to do.”

“I don’t need you to do anything…” I reply, “I just don’t know how to make her not mad at me.”

Knox stares at me for a moment, as if considering what I’m asking him. I’ve never been the type of person to put my problems on other people, but since I don’t really know the new her very well, it only makes sense to go to the person who does.

The waitress comes over, bringing a round of beer and a huge platter of wings, placing it in front of us. The variation from plain, to barbeque, to hot is a welcoming sight. My stomach agrees with me as I lift my drink to my lips.

“What did you do to her, Jaxson?”

My shoulders sag slightly in defeat as I clear my throat. “Well, I made her a promise for one… got busy and broke that. And then I tried to go and see her tonight, to make things right. But…”

The thought of how she looked drives a knife into my stomach. She was so fucking gorgeous, and the thought of her with that man pisses me off once again.

“But what?” Callum asks, my eyes darting towards him.

“She was meeting with some dickhead.”

Both Knox and Callum’s eyes go wide as Callum lifts his beer to his lips and quickly glances away as if to say that Knox can take over the rest of our conversation.

“Alright then… and I take it you didn’t like that she was meeting with this guy?”

Fuck no .

“She deserves better,” I reply, trying to hold in my anger. The last thing I want is for her to be with some guy that looks like he’s in for a quick fuck. Granted, I didn’t really talk to the man, but it doesn’t matter. She deserves better than that piece of shit.

Knox nods his head, and reaches into his pocket before handing a few twenties to Callum, who begins laughing as he shakes his head. My eyes narrow in confusion as Callum seems to notice, pocketing the money. “Sorry, I bet Knox that you were into Madi. He lost. ”

The fuck?

“I’m not into Madi…”

“Yes, you are,” they both say in unison.

I want to continue denying it, but I can’t. Because as much as I want to, it would be a lie. Ever since I came back to this place, I’ve found myself more and more drawn to her. Every part of me wishes to be closer to her, but my mind is unwilling to move on from the burn left by Caitlin. No matter how much every other part of me wants to.

“You want to know something funny?” Knox asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

“What’s that?”

He lifts his drink to his lips with a smile. “She had a crush on you all through high school and you never noticed it. My how the tables have turned.”

Is he being serious? There’s no way… she didn’t like me. I would have seen it… wouldn’t I ?

If what Knox is saying is true, then I was more of an idiot than I originally thought. To be so blind that I didn’t notice the most perfect woman in the world stood before me, wanting me.

Just thinking about the past, everything begins to make more sense than it ever did before…

The party is alive as always when Asher and I attend. Jake, the kid whose house it is, is having the time of his life. With his parents out of town, he decided to make a name for himself by throwing the most epic party of the year. Or so that’s what he called it.

With a drink in my hand, girls flock to Asher and me. Sam and Asher have had another fight, and I finally hooked up with the blonde hottie from the volleyball team. Just thinking of her perky ass in those tight volleyball shorts excites me.

The stomping of feet on the stairs draws my attention to Madi, who comes down them rather quickly with tears in her eyes. My brows narrow in concern, as I step forward, catching her by her arm to stop her in her tracks. “Madi, what’s wrong?”

She shakes her head. “Forget it, it’s dumb.”

“Are you sure?”

She nods, “yeah. I’m sure. But hey… I heard you asked Alexa to prom. ”

“Yeah,” I reply with a smile. My eyes drift around the room to land on Alexa, her blonde hair swinging from her ponytail behind her back as she chats with her friends. “Do you have someone you want to go with? I can help talk to them for you.”

She laughs, shaking her head. “Gosh, you have no idea… do you?”

I open my mouth slowly, but nothing comes out. My eyes stare at her with confusion as I try to understand what she means. What am I supposed to know?

“Never mind…” she mutters, “it doesn’t matter. I’m going home. I’ll see you Monday.”

“Okay…” I mumble, still trying to understand what’s going on. Madison’s figure leaves through the crowd of people as I try to understand what had happened. And who the fuck made her cry.

I was a complete idiot. She had cared for me for years and I overlooked her at every turn.

The stupidity of my actions weighs heavily on me. With only one thing clear.

There’s no way in hell I’ll make that mistake again.