Page 99 of Game Changer
“It’s dark out,” Mark says.
“Really?”she says sarcastically.“Who would have thought it gets dark at night?”She heads to the door.
Mark rolls his eyes.
I bite my lip, packing up the game into its box.“Well.Who needs more wine?”
“I do,” Mrs.Thompson says eagerly.
“I need another beer.”Mark stands and picks up our glasses.“I’ll get you more wine, ladies.”
Mrs.Thompson gives him a small smile that suggests to me she doesn’t really hate him.
Mr.Thompson, on the other, glares balefully at Mark’s back as he walks to the kitchen.
I meet Jax’s eyes and he makes a face.
“We saw the Northern Lights,” I tell Mr.and Mrs.Thompson.“One of the first nights we were here.It was amazing.”
My change of subject works, and things feel somewhat easier when Mark returns and hands me and Mrs.Thompson a glass of wine.Mark keeps glancing at the door, though, as if watching for Tori.
Eventually he stands and says, “I’ll just go make sure Tori’s okay.”
“It’s pretty safe here, Dad,” Jax says quietly.
“Except for the bears,” I add.Then I clap my hand to my mouth and widen my eyes.
“Jesus,” Mark growls, striding out.
“We saw a bear one night,” I tell Jax’s grandparents.
“Yes, they do come into town occasionally,” Mrs.Thompson agrees calmly.
Mark and Tori still haven’t come back by the time I finish my wine.“Well, I think it’s bedtime for me,” I announce.
“Should I go look for Mom and Dad?”Jax asks.
Mrs.Thompson rises.“I’m sure they’re fine.I think I’ll head to bed, too.”
I help her gather up the glasses and set them in the dishwasher in the kitchen.
We hear voices outside and I peer out a window.Tori and Mark are sitting on the deck in the dark.“They’re outside,” I tell Jax, jerking my head.
“Ah.Okay.”
“Good night, everyone, “I say.“This was so fun.”
“Itwasfun.Good night, Molly.”Mrs.Thompson smiles at me, a warm, genuine smile that makes me feel at ease.
I use the bathroom and then shut myself in my bedroom.Sitting on the side of the bed, I pout.Jax and I have been sleeping together every might for a couple of weeks now.I don’t want to sleep alone.But with his family here, and us telling them we’re “just friends,” I guess we don’t have much choice.
I change into my nightshirt, keeping my socks on because it does get cool here at night and my feet are always cold, and crawl into bed.I turn on my Kindle to read for a while.
But I can’t focus on the story I’m reading.I keep thinking about Jax.I keep thinking about how kind he is, how he’s been my rock and my knight in shining armor.I could have saved myself.I mean, Ididsave myself.But he helped.I’ll always be grateful to him for that.
I like him so much.Oh God.This feeling…this swelling, warm feeling in my chest when I think about him.Not to mention the fact that I want to jump him every time I see him.This feels like more than liking him…it feels like love.
I’ve been in love before.And not that long ago.I was crazy about Steve.And yet…there’s something about this that’s different.I feel like Jax and I fit together.
