Page 63 of Needing You

I didn’t bother to stop the eye roll. “That I am, and if I need to prove it to you”—I dipped my head and nipped at her jaw, then kissed my way to her ear—“we’ll need a little privacy. Unless you want to tie me up right here on the couch before Jackson comes out—”

“You are not allowed to turn me on right now,” she said, pushing me off her with a chuckle.

“Fine. But in my own defense, I did lose my shit a little with Eric. Maybe I got it out of my system then.” I gave her a quick but thorough recap while we waited on Jackson. But the mess with her, and now this issue with Jackson… none of it made me feel that bubbling, uncontrolled anger I’d felt so often as a teen and even through my years in New York.

As if I didn’t know Granite Springs was where I belonged, even my freaking blood pressure and coping skills were in better shape here.

A few minutes later, Jackson graced us with his presence, looking freshly showered and a little sullen. This time, he wore baggy gray sweats from his head, including the hood, to his ankles. He slumped into the chair to my right and waited.

Kate had said I could take the lead on all of this if I wanted, and we’d decided it made sense if I did, especially with the way he’d felt she was in the wrong.

“First, we want you to know that we love you and think you’re an amazing kid.” No change in his expression, so I pressed on. I hadn’t given many dad talks, but I had a fucking amazing one for a lot of years, and he’d had to talk to me a lot since I was such a little shit. I channeled him and kept going. “Your mom said you were really excited about the Denver school, and I get that. You love football, and that seems like a good thing. I’m sorry we aren’t going to move for that reason, but your life, your mom’s life, and my family’s lives—our family—is here. And I don’t know about you, but there’s a big part of me that feels like I’m unbelievably lucky or blessed or whatever the hell you want to call it to have such a good one.”

Kate squeezed my hand but stayed quiet.

Jackson’s mask had cracked a little. “Yeah. So far, so good there.”

I laughed. “Fair enough. The other thing we’ve gotta talk about is you and your mom. It’s up to you when you can forgive her for the choices she made in the past, but I want to be very clear: I forgave her a long time ago. I’m not saying the past doesn’t matter, because it does. But I’m suggesting we move forward.”

His shoulders slumped a little. “I can try.”

“Good. Please do. It’s not easy to forgive, and it’s not easy to adjust to something new. I know me being around is mostly good because, let’s be honest, I’m fucking incredible—”

Kate elbowed me, and as planned, Jackson laughed and rolled his eyes.

“But I get that it’s all new. And I don’t want you to feel like I’m storming in here taking charge. We’re a team. At least, that’s what I want. I want you and me and your mom to be a team, always having each other’s backs.”

“That sounds good.” The hope and the little perk in his posture told me he meant it.

In the kitchen, Kate’s phone rang. “Oh shoot, I bet that’s Ellie checking on me. Give me a sec.” She bustled into the other room, and we heard her answer.

For this next part, which I hadn’t realized I’d have the chance to do tonight, I lowered my voice to just above a whisper. “As a fellow team member, I have to ask you something.”

His smile cracked like he already knew, but he nodded.

“I want to make the team official. I want to marry your mom. You can keep your name or change it to Walker or whatever—all up to you and no expectation—”

“Yes. Do it. And soon.”

Shocked at his eager approval but definitely pleased, I made an exaggerated fist pump motion. He rolled his eyes again, but that grin couldn’t be tamed.

“You won’t mind moving out of here and in with me?”

His eyes widened. “We’d move in with Grandma?”

Ouch.But yeah, of course he’d think that. “No, no. We’ll have our own place. For the three of us. And Grandma can visit, but she cannot boss me around in my own kitchen like she can in hers.”

“What’s this about Grandma?” Kate asked as she returned.

“Uh, it was just—”

“Nothing, Mom. I’m going to go call her. She was worried when we left, and I figure you two need to…” He made a disgusted face. “Kiss and make up or something.”

But before he left the room, he veered toward her and wrapped his long arms around her. She was facing me so I saw the tears hit immediately as he spoke softly, but not soft enough that I couldn’t hear.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been so mad, but I know you did your best. I’m working on not being angry. But I love you, and I’m going to stop being such an asshole to you.”

She shook her head. “Don’t sayasshole, honey. But thank you. Thank you.”

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