Page 67 of His Secret Obsession
“I’ll take it! It’ll look perfect in my guest bathroom.” The woman hands me a crumpled wad of cash, and I pocket it with a grateful smile. Hazel helps her carry the new purchase to her vehicle, and I make a mental note to cut her a percentage of my earnings today.
As soon as they are out of sight, I’m grinning ear-to-ear. Sticking a hand in my pocket, I run a finger along the edges of the bills. It’s not the first item I’ve sold since I’ve started creating again, but it still feels surreal that other people think my creations are worth shelling out their hard-earned money.
The lighthearted joy coursing through my veins is intoxicating, and I wish Jax were here to celebrate with me. I want to wrap my arms around him and thank him for believing in me.
Looking around the area that I’ve got set up, I take it all in. Most of my current pieces are a nod to the nearby Cedarwood Peak Mountains. There are solid pieces of wood with mountaintops carved within, clock frames shaped into mountains, and wooden picture frames surrounded by forest. Then there are old, worn furniture pieces that I spent hours transforming into new items. A brown dresser that is now a funky, tie-dye desk. The old, wooden chairs that I repainted into time-out chairs for mothers and teachers. The dusty, sand colored bar stools that I painted pink before dipping the ends of the legs into a gold-colored paint.
“Irene would shit her pants if she knew what you were doing right now.” Hazel snickers as she returns to our booth, a twinkle of amusement lighting up her eyes. I can’t help but laugh with her, even if a part of me is nervous that she’ll find out and be not-so-thrilled.
I nibble on my bottom lip. “It’s not like I’m competing with her business.”
Hazel shrugs. “But you could.”
I stare at her, my eyebrows creasing. “What?”
“You could open your own shop,” she replies.
“No. I could never. I mean, you don’t think…” But hadn’t Jax said something similar?
“Hey! You break it, you buy it. That thing is worth like two months of your allowance, kid!” Hazel points a manicured finger at a young boy with sticky hands, glaring at him when he drops the item back to the ground and rushes off. She turns back to me.
“Of course, I think you could do it.” She sweeps her hands out, gesturing at the people lingering around my booth. Many of them are picking up various pieces, examining the details,and smiling. I’m hit with a wave of sweet nostalgia, memories of weekends spent with my parents doing this exact thing when I was a child. “Do you see this many people at the other booths?”
As if on cue, an older man thrusts a pile of bills at me before ambling off with a clock. I grimace, deciding I probably don’t want to know why the bills are slightly damp. I pocket the cash, discreetly wiping my palms.
“Don’t suppose I get a discount.” The velvety, smooth drawl of Jax’s voice has my heart jumping as I whirl around. And there he stands, hands in his pockets with a soft smile. That warmth I always get in his presence spreads from my chest, through my belly and limbs. When I lick my lips, his eyes snag on the motion. I think I see a pained expression flash across his face, and I wonder if he wishes he could kiss me right now.
“She might be willing to let you work something out,” Hazel croons. She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively, a nearby snicker making me realize Jax isn’t alone. Paige stands next to him, both of them still in their work uniforms. Balling my hand into a fist, I slug Hazel right in the shoulder. She winces.
“Hazel!” A flush creeps across my cheeks. I haven’t told Hazel, or anyone for that matter, about my arrangement with Jax. Mary and Andrew are the only two people who know, and they only found out by accident. The fewer people who know, the less likely Luke is to find out.
When I meet Jax’s eyes, his lips are turned down. He studies me, giving me a weary look I can’t interpret. A trickle of worry worms its way into my gut. He’s been acting a little off lately. Unusually reserved and quiet, even for him.
“We’re all thinking it,” Hazel says dryly, unapologetic as usual. Paige grins.
Jax slowly ambles around my booth, his long fingers sweeping across the various pieces on display. I swallow when he picks a piece up to examine it, his intense scrutiny making me feelunusually nervous. Then he approaches the table with it, a framed wooden canvas with sprawling mountaintops. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a black wallet.
“You can have it.” I shake my head, pushing his money away.
But he pushes it back in my direction with a frown. “You’ve given me plenty already, Maddie. The sign, the business cards… I can’t keep taking shit from you.”
Paige’s eyes dart back and forth between us, silently watching the exchange with a raised eyebrow.
“I live in your house rent free,” I remind him.
“Let me pay you for your time and skills.” He grits his teeth, scowling when I stubbornly shake my head.
“I’m not taking your money,” I snap. Irritation boils in my stomach.
“Dude,” Paige bites out, rolling her eyes as she snatches the wallet from his hand. Then she grabs the fistful of cash, stuffing it back in and shoving it into his front coat pocket. Jax finally takes his hardened gaze off me, giving her an incredulous look. “When people care about you, they like to do nice things. It makes them feel good. Don’t be an ignorant asswipe.” Paige murmurs something about men and donkeys under her breath before she moves along, examining items set out at the neighboring booth.
There’s a solid three seconds of silence as Jax gawks at her, and I give Hazel a side-ways stare before we burst into giggles.
Jax snorts. “Laugh it up, ladies.” He shakes his head, relaxing as he smiles down at me. My eyes gravitate towards the amused curl of his lips, and the pulse at the base of my neck flutters. God, I am so done for. Even mundane activities feel exciting around him.
Hazel excuses herself, muttering something about the lady’s restroom and too much sweet tea. She doesn’t seem to notice thebubble around the two of us or my goofy grin as I stare into his eyes.
My smile fades when a buzzing vibration alerts me to a text message. Jax frowns as I turn my head, dread making my stomach roll. Shifting on my feet, I wonder if I should flip the phone around so he can’t see the screen. I haven’t told him that Luke has texted me a couple times within the past few days, and I’ve been mostly ignoring him. But when his entire body tenses, a crackle of jealous irritation flashing across his eyes, I know it’s too late.
