Page 6 of Jaxon

Chapter Three

The afternoon sun wasbeginning to dip behind the horizon as Harper parked outside Mia’s school, the familiar bell chiming the end of the day.

She leaned against the car, watching the stream of children pouring out the doors, searching for the familiar bounce of dark curls.There she was.Mia spotted her mother, her face lighting up as she waved enthusiastically.Harper couldn’t help but smile, the sight of her daughter always managing to lift her spirits, no matter how stressful the day had been.

As Mia ran toward her, Harper opened her arms wide, catching her in a warm embrace.

“Hi, Mommy!”Mia chirped, holding up a drawing she’d done that day.

“Hey, sweetheart.What do we have here?”Harper asked.

“It’s you and me!”Mia explained proudly, pointing out the figures with a small crayon rainbow arched above them.

Harper’s heart swelled with love.“It’s perfect.Let’s get home and put this on the fridge, okay?”

Mia nodded, skipping toward the car as Harper opened the door for her.Fifteen minutes later, the engine sputtered and coughed, refusing to start.Harper tried again, her heart sinking as the car gave out entirely.

“Not again,” she muttered under her breath, glancing at Mia in the back seat, who was busy with her backpack and oblivious to the problem.

She took a deep breath, pulling out her phone to call for a tow truck.But as she scrolled through her contacts, her thumb hesitated over the familiar name: Jaxon.

She bit her lip, contemplating.The last time her car had broken down, Jaxon had been there to help.She could call the tow service, but something made her linger over his number.

Her mind raced with excuses.He might be busy.He might not want to be her go-to for car trouble.But the memory of his steady presence, the way he’d looked at her and Mia like they were the most important people in the world, pushed her to make the call.

Taking a deep breath, Harper pressed his name and held the phone to her ear.It rang twice before his voice came through, rough and familiar.

“Harper?”

“Hey, Jaxon,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.“I’m sorry to bother you, but ...my car’s broken down again.I was wondering if you could help?”

There was a pause on the other end, and for a moment, Harper thought she’d made a mistake.But then, he spoke, his tone warm and reassuring.

“Where are you?”

“I’m near Mia’s school,” she replied, then gave him the directions.

“I’ll be there in ten,” he said without hesitation.

“Thank you,” she said softly, her heart fluttering at his quick response.

She hung up, glancing at Mia through the rearview mirror, who was now humming a song to herself, blissfully unaware of the small moment of turmoil.

True to his word, Jaxon arrived within ten minutes, the rumble of his bike signaling his arrival before she even saw him.He pulled up beside her car, dismounting with the easy grace that always seemed to take Harper’s breath away.

Jaxon approached the driver’s side, his concerned gaze meeting hers.“What happened?”

“It just won’t start,” Harper explained, stepping out of the car as he leaned over the engine.“I was about to call for a tow, but...”

“I’m glad you called me instead,” he said, a small smile playing on his lips.His words sent a warmth through her that she hadn’t felt in a long time.

As he inspected the engine, Harper watched him, her heart thudding in her chest.There was something comforting about his presence, a solidness that made her feel safe.She realized, as she stood there, just how much she had missed having him around.

Jaxon straightened, wiping his hands on a rag.“Looks like the battery’s dead.I can give you a jump to get you home, but you’ll need a new one soon.”

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