Fourteen

I t only took the short drive home for Jaxson to take back everything he’d told Genesis about being discreet. After parking the truck, he went inside and pulled several condoms out of the box beside his bed. He took a quick shower and changed into a light, loose pair of shorts and a cotton tee. He donned a pair of heavy sandals, then went to the garage to retrieve a ten-speed bike that hadn’t been ridden in months. Butch ran up and reminded Jaxson he hadn’t been fed. After filling the dog’s food and water bowls, and with moonlight the only guide needed, he made his way back to the place he hadn’t wanted to leave.

Just before he reached the driveway, Nipsey ran up to greet him.

“Shh, no barking,” he said, giving him a friendly pat and rubbing his fur. Then he remembered the motion sensors. He pulled out his phone to send a quick text and prayed that Genesis hadn’t turned hers off.

Gen, you there?

???

He’d just left her at the house. Guess his text did seem a bit suspicious.

Go to the fuse box and turn security lights off.

Why?

I’ll explain in a sec.

Where’s the fuse box?

In the closet by the kitchen. Let me know when you’re there.

OK.

The waiting felt like forever. In actuality less than a minute went by.

Found it.

Good. There are three switches on the bottom right side marked SECURITY. Flip those to the other side.

Why am I turning the lights off? What’s going on?

Jaxson knew he could show her better than he could tell her. There was one final message.

I’m outside. Unlock the screen door.

He pulled his bike around to the back of the shed that faced away from both the road and the McCormicks’ eagle eyes. He continued walking on that side of the house, reached the porch and took the stairs two at a time. He opened the screen door. Genesis stood by the door in a silky-looking camisole top with matching ruffled short shorts, her beauty backlit by a lone hallway light.

He stepped inside.

“You came back,” she said.

“Yes, I did.”

For the next forty-five minutes, those were the only words spoken.

The next morning, Jaxson woke up first. He eased out of bed, checked his texts and emails, then went into the kitchen in hopes there was some coffee around. As he stood watching the black liquid puddle into the carafe, a pair of arms snaked around his waist.

“Good morning.”

He turned for a proper hug. “Good morning, beautiful. Did I wake you?”

“I smelled the coffee. I see I didn’t need to tell you to make yourself at home.”

“You already did.”

“When?”

“Last night. Several times.”

“Touché.” She yawned, leaned against the counter.

“How are you feeling?”

“What do you mean?”

“Us. This. Any second thoughts? Questions? Regrets?” Jaxson reached into the cabinet for two coffee mugs.

“Maybe.”

He set down the mugs and turned around. He’d honestly not expected that answer.

“What is it?”

“Let’s sit.”

Each silently dressed their coffees, then sat at the dining room table.

Genesis took a couple of sips, then set down her mug. “There’s a couple things you probably need to know about.”

“Okay.”

“My cousins aren’t happy about me being here. I’m almost certain they’re seeking legal counsel on how to fight the will.”

“Have you spoken with Cyrus’s attorney about it?”

She shook her head. “Maybe I should.”

“Has the deed been transferred into your name?”

“Yes.”

“Then let them spend their money and spin their wheels. You have nothing to worry about.”

“The other matter...is about Hank. I think you’re telling the truth about what happened.”

Jaxson released a relieved breath. In that moment it felt like ten years’ worth of heaviness fell away.

He reached for her hands. “Thank you, baby. What happened to change your mind?”

“An honest conversation, well, sorta kinda. Hank basically admitted he lied about that night. It wasn’t what he said but what he didn’t that convinced me.

“I went through hell for being with Hank’s rival. You were the enemy, and even though I didn’t even know who you were at the time, it was like I’d betrayed an unwritten, unspoken oath. It caused a lot of problems. I held you responsible. It didn’t help to later hear it had all been part of a dare, that you’d slept with me just because I was his sister.”

“That’s a lie.”

“I believe that, too. But when you hear a lie so long, the truth becomes unbelievable.”

“Thank you for sharing that with me, for believing me.”

“You’re welcome.”

Genesis’s smile reached across the table and wrapped around his heart.

“Okay, it’s my turn. There are a couple things I want to talk to you about.”

Genesis looked skeptical. “Do I want to hear what they are?”

“Doesn’t matter because I’m going to tell you anyway. First off, and I know it’s early and I don’t want to scare you, but I could get used to having coffee with you first thing in the morning.”

She leaned over and kissed him. “You’re right. It is early.”

“No risk, no reward.”

She didn’t respond but Jaxson could tell when a woman was happy. He was no one’s psychiatrist, but it seemed a lot of Genesis’s life had been one lacking emotional security. He wanted to change that. Starting now.

“What’s the second thing?”

Jaxson waved a hand around the room. “It’s this house that Cyrus loved so much. Since you’ve decided to live here, we need to make it safe.”

“I don’t have any money for major repairs.”

“Then start with minor ones. As my grandfather often told me, if you never start, you’re sure to never finish.”

An unexpected out-of-town trip delayed Jaxson’s reno plans. No complaints. He’d spent time with his beloved daughter, Jazz. When Abby phoned and was actually pleasant, he knew something was up. She and her husband, Sam, wanted to take a trip with just the two of them before the new baby arrived. Jazz had one last week of preschool. Could he come to Phoenix and take care of her? Could birds fly? He’d rented an Airbnb and jumped into Daddy duties. For one unexpected and glorious week, he had another chance to be a real, full-time father. He never took visits for granted. To be the first face she saw every day and the last one at night was enough for him to die happy. During Memorial Day weekend, they flew to Los Angeles and hung out with one of Jaxson’s best friends, another former pro baller who was also a single dad. They treated the kids with amusement parks, child-friendly movies, too much sugar and a day at the beach. Back in Phoenix, father and daughter relaxed with nonstop videos, games and books. He took her shopping and bought too many clothes. They did not drive to Paradise Valley, the location of his former luxury home and where a near scandal almost cost him everything. The guilt he felt around what had happened followed him like a ghost.

The day Jaxson left Phoenix was bittersweet. He hated leaving his daughter. While he’d had no choice in the matter, Jaxson loved being a dad. He wanted to be that constant, positive influence for Jazz that his parents and grandparents had been for him, the way he watched his best friend be to his kids. On the positive side, he was returning home to the arms of a good woman, one who’d finally taken him off her enemy list. Did Genesis want children? Jaxson shook off the question. He was getting way ahead of himself.

Back in Holy Mound, Jaxson jumped back into work. He and Blake spent most of the week in Memphis. They’d won a hard-fought bidding battle and secured their most ambitious project yet—turning a neglected eight-unit apartment building into desirable two-bedroom condos. While working, he told his partner about Cyrus’s outdated farmhouse in need of repair. He stopped short of telling Blake he and Genesis were dating, but being Jaxson’s longtime friend, Blake added one plus one and got two.

Summer came early. Above-average temps hovered over the valley, bringing that much-anticipated sunshine and humidity Jaxson could do without. He’d stripped down to a simple tee, shorts and sandals for his visit to Genesis’s house, where they’d just finished an assessment of repairs needed both inside and out. With each area Blake suggested for renovation, he saw more worry lines crease Genesis’s face.

“How much are we talking?” Jaxson asked, once they’d returned to the porch and sat in chairs that looked as old as the house.

Blake stroked his chin. “On the conversative side, I’d say twenty-five to thirty. More like fifty to bring the whole place up to speed.”

“Fifty?” Genesis almost croaked. “As in thousand?”

“That’s considering the likelihood of outdated wiring and pipe systems,” Blake explained. “And addressing any foundational issues.”

Jaxson rocked back on his chair’s hind legs. “We’ll probably find some. Cyrus didn’t spend money. This place probably hasn’t been updated in twenty, thirty years.”

“At least. Which means, given how often they change, there are coding violations. Starting with the exposed wire snaking across the yard.”

“That’s on me,” Jaxson admitted. “I installed a security system and got called to watch Jazz before having a chance to hide the wires.”

“You’re doing that later today, right?”

“Yes, boss,” Jaxson jokingly replied.

Genesis ran a hand through wild, natural hair. “You guys have given me a lot to think about. I knew things looked bad but had no idea the place is basically falling down around me.”

“It could be a lot worse,” Jaxson said.

“Repairs can be done over time,” Blake offered.

“Blake’s right. You don’t have to get them done all at once.”

“Considering my limited resources, I can’t repair anything right now.”

“Have you considered a loan?” Jaxson asked.

Genesis shook her head. “Thanks to financial mismanagement, my credit score isn’t the best.”

“Owning this farm will give you leverage to counter that,” Blake said. “I’m sure there’s equity in the house and the land. You can borrow against it.”

“We could go through my bank,” Jaxson added. “I have a contact there who knows and trusts me. On my word, you could borrow what’s needed, no problem.”

He watched Genesis as this option sank in. He could almost see the wheels turning inside of her head.

“Baby, this is a viable option you should consider. Right before I left for college, my grandparents took out a loan for a new roof, driveway and storm windows. They tried to talk Cyrus into renovating back then, but, as I remember, Cyrus’s response was something like—” he adopted the old man’s tone “— I don’t want to owe nobody nothin’! ”

Genesis chuckled. “That sounds like Uncle Cyrus.”

“Sounds like you” was Jaxson’s quick retort.

“Who asked you?”

“Okay, you two,” Blake said. “If you keep on fighting like that, someone is going to mistake you for an old married couple. Jax, how much wood do we have in the shed? Did we use those planks we’d purchased for the duplex before being outbid?”

“They’re still there, and some fencing wood. Why?”

“They might work for fixing this porch and the steps.”

Blake’s idea was almost perfect, the only problem being it wasn’t Jaxson who’d thought of it first.

“That’s a great idea, Blake. We could start that repair as early as next week.”

“Or I could finish the assessment on the apartment building, and you could start tackling this porch ASAP. The last thing we need is someone’s foot catching in those unstable boards and Gen getting sued.”

“Did she tell you it was okay to call her that?” Jaxson asked.

“It’s fine, Blake. Call me Gen.”

The thundercloud on Jaxson’s face made Genesis laugh out loud. A second later, he joined her.

The lighthearted teasing gave way to number crunching. Jaxson would start on the repairs right away. With the wood they already had on hand, he told Genesis that a hundred dollars would buy the other materials needed to reinforce the porch, replace rotting boards and build new front steps. What he didn’t tell her was that amount was all she’d pay. He’d make up the difference. But since she’d let the moon fall before that happened, he kept that minor detail to himself.

Jaxson left Genesis’s house and headed for the hardware store. The next morning, he was up with the roosters, heading to the warehouse for a truckful of extra wood. He figured it would take at least two trips to transport enough to complete the project, which was why he’d started early. There was something to be said, though, for what Susan called circadian rhythm , rising and setting with the sun, tuning your body with nature and going with its flow. Thinking of his friend made him realize he hadn’t heard from her since they’d run into each other at Holy Moly. The guy he’d seen her meet hadn’t looked like a serial killer, but neither had Ted Bundy. He pulled into Cyrus’s driveway, the cracks running across the cement like veins seeming even more prominent since noting them yesterday. He cut off the engine and sent Susan a text with a smiley face thanking her for letting him know that she’d made it through the date alive.

He got ready to text Genesis but, after looking at his watch, decided to call instead. She wouldn’t be happy about the early hour. Having an attitude with him was nothing new, even though it was mostly smoke with very little fire. No one could look at him the way she had the first day they reconnected and feel anything less than adversarial. Thank goodness, that all had changed. So much so that Blake referred to them as an old married couple, and Jaxson had spent enough time with not only his grandparents but partners like Granville and Hazel to know the comment held more than a kernel of truth.

He exited the truck with the phone in his hand and was surprised to see Genesis on the porch, looking lovely. The shorts she wore showed off a pair of sexy legs that he knew firsthand were as soft as cotton and as smooth as a Boyz II Men love song. He forced his eyes away from the vision of beauty long enough to reach into the truck bed, grab a toolbox and head her way.

“Hey, Gen! What are you doing up so early? I was just getting ready to call.”

Her brow lifted. Even with the progress they’d made, she remained cautious.

“Still acting like we’re casual, huh?”

“Aren’t we?”

“We haven’t put a definition on what we’re doing, but I’d say it’s way past that.”

“I’m surprised you’re up. Did I mention last night that I’d be by early?”

“No. Miss Hazel called to tell me that, and to suggest it would be a nice gesture if I offered breakfast. I thought she’d have two heart attacks when I told her I didn’t cook.”

“Ha! As good as she knows her way around a kitchen, I imagine she did.”

“I’m wondering how she even knew you and Blake had come by to visit.”

“On the way home last night, I stopped by their place. I’m going to need some help with this, and with Blake tied up in Memphis, I asked Granville to lend me a hand.”

“I wish you hadn’t. It’s enough to owe you for the work you’re doing. Now I have to add Hazel’s husband to the list.”

“Tear up the list. You don’t owe anyone anything. However, if you’re determined to contribute, you can grab a plank of wood.”

Jaxson got back to work stacking the wood close to the porch they were replacing. Granville joined him a short time later.

Hazel arrived midway through the rebuild, bringing a tuna casserole and fresh green beans in a hot-and-cold tote and complaining about “these newfangled women,” Genesis included.

“I don’t know what it is with young women today. Priorities are all twisted. Your whole generation is confused!”

“You’re from a different era, Miss Hazel.”

“When it comes to what matters, child, not much has changed. But it’s like young girls these days don’t know about what’s important in life. I see them on TV looking flawless. Nails done up. Every hair in place. But if anything happened and they couldn’t call delivery or reach a drive-through, their families would starve.”

The men worked outside finishing the porch and steps. Hazel left to attend a meeting at the church, go grocery shopping and run errands. It was night before she returned to pick up Granville in her Cadillac Eldorado, their “Sunday-go-to-meeting” ride.

When Genesis brought a lemonade out to where Jaxson rested on the new wooden steps, he looked tired but pleased.

“You want to come in?” she offered.

He shook his head. “I need a shower and sleep, in that order. If I come inside, that’s not going to happen.”

“The porch and steps look beautiful, like they were done by a professional.”

“Hey!”

“Just kidding.”

“I walked right into that.” He eyed her for a moment before pushing an errant hair behind her ear and offering a quick kiss on the lips. They sat in silence and watched the sun go down.

Just like an old married couple.