Page 57 of Sheltered By Love

After a pleasant evening spent talking with Jax, I wake to another wet and miserable day.

I can’t think of anything worse than facing Zane right now, thankfully I didn’t hear him get home, and the evening with Jax was so nice, I slept like a log.

I stretch out and stare up at a water stain on the ceiling as I recap the conversation we had.

Over just a few hours, I’ve learned Jax is an intelligent, well-read, kind, and gentle human being.

He loves animals, so much so that he doesn’t eat meat and consumes a minimal amount of seafood even though it’s in plentiful supply.

He’s also incredibly loyal.

When I mentioned Zane’s rudeness, he neither condemned Zane’s behavior nor dismissed my feelings.

He listened.

He barely spoke. But the one time he did, I was stunned both by his words and the sincere way he delivered them.

He simply leaned forward, placed a giant hand on my shoulder, and squeezed gently. “Zane’s angry. It’s not personal. You’re a lot like his mom and you’re living here. That’s all.”

Even now, lying in bed, tangled in my sheets, I’m wondering if it’s true.

Do I remind Zane of what he’s lost? That can’t be why he’s so antagonistic toward me.

If that was the case, why don’t Levi and Garrett treat me the same way?

I give up trying to understand, take it as a compliment and throw off the covers so I can use the bathroom.

As I enter, I pause, still sleepy brain trying to figure out what’s changed in here.

I blink. Once. Twice. And see that sometime while I slept, someone put the new curtain up.

It’s a nice gesture, whoever was responsible for it. I didn’t mention it to Jaxson while he was here, and because he’s such a gentleman, he used the downstairs bathroom, so it’s highly unlikely it was him.

I head back into my bedroom, and in case Zane or anyone else is in my kitchen, I pull on a robe, and head downstairs ready to make my breakfast and bring it back to bed with me.

With the weather so bad, it’s a perfect day for lounging in bed and reading.

With Zane probably skulking around in the house that’s exactly what I intend to do.

I walk into the kitchen, stomach full of butterflies, but find it blissfully absent of Reid men.

There is, however, a bottle of Jack Daniels sitting on the bench that wasn’t there when I went to bed.

Obviously not for me, probably another gift for Zane he’s decided to bring here.

Still yawning, I greet Roger and give him a snuggle. “What shall we have for breakfast? A piece of—”

I stop mid-sentence when I note the half-eaten lettuce already in his pen. I didn’t feed him last night.

But after talking to Jax, is it possible he did?

I leave Roger to his lettuce and open the refrigerator to find it filled to the brim with vegetables, fruit, milk, eggs, butter, more casserole dishes, and two pies.

I’m not sure how I feel about benefiting from thank-you gifts meant solely for Zane or how permanent this makes our arrangement feel.

But as I look closer it’s apparent that these groceries are very specific. Either Zane and I like the same milk and butter, or he’s the one who purchased them.

I’m still mentally scratching my head when I open my cupboard and find a new packet of cereal to replace the one Levi finished.

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