Page 68 of Count On Me

“Look.” She grabs her phone and scrolls for a bit and then brings up a picture of us dressed as Red and the wolf. I’m leaning up toward him and he’s leaning down, we’re almost kissing. The looks on both of our faces screaming love. I brush away the tears falling down my cheeks. “He loves you just as much as you love him. Remember that.” I nod at her and she gives my arm a little squeeze and walks back into the living room area of the suite.

I slump onto the bed and bring my phone to life, hovering over his name, wanting to hit the call button desperately but still holding off. I just can’t bring myself to make that first step.

43

JAXSON

“I’m de-yetified. My face is as smooth as a newborn baby’s ass because you had a hissy fit. Now what do I do?” I ask him as he baulks at my words.

“I didn’t throw a hissy fit, you fucking numpty. I just don’t get the whole beard look. If you’re a lumberjack, yeah, but you’re not.”

“It’s okay, I know beards are a sore subject for you, seeing as you can’t grow one.”

He raises his brow at me, refusing to take the bait. A grin tips his lips and he chuckles as he speaks. “I can grow a fucking beard. I choose not to because I don’t like looking like a grizzly bear.”

“A grizzly bear? I thought I was a yeti?” I snicker back.

“Boys, enough.” I jump and spin around to face Lockheart’s giant tv screen on his wall and I’m shocked to see Jameson, Jenson, and Penny’s faces.

“What the fuck? Shoot, is Mama there?” I wince and then exhale in relief when Jameson shakes his head with a smirk on his face.

“Lockheart, we know none of you motherfuckers can grow a beard as impressive as mine, we’re all brothers in here. You can be honest.” Jenson laughs as Lockheart flips him the bird and I urge the tears in my eyes away.

“Jaxson, your beard game is strong. A couple more weeks and you could’ve competed with me. I’ve taught you well.” Jenson leans back in his chair and places his hands behind his head.

“Quit it, douche. We aren’t here for this. We’re here to brainstorm.” Penny gets straight to the point and I smile back at her.

“Hey sis.”

“You’re a douche, but I miss you.” She winks at me and I smile in return. I miss her too. All of them.

Lockheart clears his throat, uncomfortable with the emotions on display, and takes the conversation back to where it started. “How do we show Red that our boy over here is done being a dickhead?” He smugly folds his arms over his chest and raises a challenging eyebrow at me. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

He isn’t fucking wrong, that’s the annoying thing. “I got nothing. Jameson, you’re good with these things.”

“Why? Because I’m gay? What a stereotypical thing to say. I expected better from you, Jaxson.”

“Shut the fuck up. I don’t give a shit whether you like dicks or not.” I follow it up with an eye-roll. “You’re the only one of us in a long term relationship. That’s why I asked you. How did you woo Jonathan?”

“Oh, my bad.” He smirks at me, but I’m not fully convinced he wasn’t giving me shit just because he could.

“I don’t remember a lot of wooing.” Jenson pipes up, never one to pass up the opportunity to give our brother shit right back. “Sneaking out? Yeah.”

“And don’t forget the agonised conversations of ‘does he love me, or not?’” Penny chimes in, not one to let Jameson off the hook if she can help it.

“Please tell me he was picking petals from a flower when he was asking that,” Lockheart snickers and Jameson sits back in his chair smiling smugly.

“Go ahead and joke all you want. Just remember which of us is getting head on the regular.”

“Shit, you mic dropped them,” I choke out through my laughter, but he just rolls his eyes at me.

“Of course I did. I am the most intelligent Brady after all.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Jenson scoffs, trying to hide a smirk.

“Okay, I think I need to take control here. These dicks will keep going on and on about who the best Brady is and who the strongest is and which one has the biggest balls, and we all know it’s me. I’m the best, the strongest, and my balls are beautiful, so let’s just get on with what we’re here for. Agreed?” Penny smiles and none of us bother to question her because we know she’s right. She may not be related to us by blood, but she’s definitely the best Brady. And for sure has the biggest balls too. Besides Mama, that is.

“You really think TikTok is the way?” There’s no way to hide the hesitancy in my voice, and the group nods in unison. Well, Jenson smirks and bounces in his chair like a bunny on speed. “Even though she hates it and gives me shit for having so many followers, and thirsty women, on there?”

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