Page 82 of Count On Me

He inhales a deep breath through his teeth. “Get into bed, Edie.” His voice is strained with desire. He breathes a sigh of relief when I follow his command, covering my body with the duvet. Brushing the hair from my forehead, he places a gentle kiss there and starts to sing “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis.

I close my eyes and smile. As I’m drifting off to sleep, I hear him slip out of my room, and urge tomorrow to come quickly.

49

JAXSON

I’m back to pacing in Lockheart’s living room when he saunters in and curses at me loudly.

“Mother fucker. You left me with Marcus, Shark’s boo. He spent the entire night trying to get to know me deeper. And not in the sexy way either. Apparently I can’t compete with Antony fucking Marcello and his friend Not Hemsworth. I mean he showed me a picture of him and he does look like fucking Chris Hemsworth, but I’m more ruggedly handsome, you know?” I stop pacing and watch as Lockheart’s head catches up with his mouth and realisation dawns on him. “Oh shut up, you fucking idiot. Why are you pacing again? And why do you always choose the same spot? I’m serious when I say I’m billing you for the replacement carpet there.” He plonks himself on his sofa and I grin and sit next to him.

“I’ll happily replace the carpet, bro. I like being near Gramps’s watch. It helps me remember I’ve still got time. And you’re way more handsome than Antony. If I were gay, I’d totally do you.” I pat his thigh and he grins.

“Thanks, bro. What’s up, anyway?”

“Waiting on a call. I put an offer in. An offer that was way over the asking price and warrants my broker working through the night.” I lay my head on the back of the sofa and close my eyes.

“Did you tell Edie?” His voice is low and I open one of my eyes to see he’s mirroring my position.

I shut my eye again and sigh, “No. It’s all a part of my big plan. To show her and the world what she means to me. I want her to know she can count on me. I’m hoping by doing this, all doubts will be wiped from her mind. I started to do a little wiping tonight. Declared my love for her on the red carpet. One of the female reporters asked the right question at the right time and I couldn’t help but tell the world she was mine. It felt good, freeing. Hopefully tomorrow will be even better.”

Lockheart is silent next to me, and when I open my eyes and turn my head toward him, his mouth is slightly open and he’s snoring lightly. I chuckle and nudge him in the side. “Go to bed, bro.” He frowns at me but sits up just as my phone dings, letting me know my offer was accepted.

And just like that, I’m one step closer to creating my forever with Eddie.

I’m up the next morning bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready for the rest of my life. Grabbing my phone to scan the headlines from last night’s party, a sense of satisfaction settles in when I see Edie and I are in most of the papers. I ignore the words that surround the pictures of us because I don’t care what they’ve written. What I care about is how fucking amazing we look together.

Pictures of us kissing on the red carpet whiz past on my screen as I scroll through them. I screenshot them because they will make perfect additions for my plan today and make a mental note to reach out to the editors to ask them for proper copies because I want these pictures splashed around our home.

Ourhome.

My offer was accepted and I am now the owner of the house next door to Lockheart. The broker sealed the deal late last night. The player that used to live there retired and is moving back to France. He wanted a quick sale and I wanted a quick buy. It was fate.

Once I show Edie and the world what she means to me, I’ll show her our house and ask her to design every inch of the interior. Every aspect of it is hers. She has free rein over it. My only request is that she makes it as Edie as possible. I want to see her when I walk in the door and she isn’t there. I want to feel her in the decor, the soft furnishings, everything. I want the place to scream Edie Brady, because hopefully she’ll agree to my other question too.

I haven’t told anyone about proposing to her. Not my mama, or hers, nor Angie or Lockheart. I want it to be just for us. Jaxy and Eddie.

Dropping my phone on the bedside table, I head to the bathroom to get ready. This time I look at myself in the mirror and smile. Gone are the sullen eyes and beard of sadness, both replaced with a happy, vibrant Jaxson. The Jaxson I’m ready to be for the rest of my life.

50

EDIE

I sip the cup of tea like it’s a lifeline and savour it as it hits my tastebuds. Sighing contentedly and taking another sip of the blissful liquid, I ask my favourite beverage in the whole wide world, “Why can’t I have you all day long?”

“Because you’d be peeing all day, that’s why.” Angie bursts my bubble and I frown my displeasure at her.

“Mood killer. Why are you up so early?”

“I heard you cooing to your tea and thought maybe you’d lost your damn mind, but, nope, you’re as sane as you’ll ever be.” She holds her coffee cup high and purrs, “Now this is the nectar of the gods.”

There’s no stopping my eye-roll. This is an argument as old as time and one we’ll never agree upon. She’s a coffee head and I love tea. It’s why we could never be married. She grins at me as if she’s read my rambling thoughts and I smirk back.

“What you planning today, lady?” She sits opposite me, cradling her cup like it contains the most precious liquid in the universe and it genuinely makes me smile.

“Nothing. Jaxson said one more day, so I’m hoping he’s going to call me or text or something. Does that make me asaddo waiting around for him again?” I take another sip of tea and wait for her answer, bracing myself in case she tells me what I don’t want to hear.

“Nope. He waited for you.”

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