“It’s nothing; I’m fine.” I grabbed a handful of cheese—so stinking good. “There was horrible turbulence, and the bathroom door got jammed. I was stuck there for a bit, and the water went a little berserk.” I smiled as I took a few crackers and focused on not inhaling the only food I’d had other than Tuna Breath’s Goldfish crackers.
My father leaned up in his chair. “The sink turned on and blew water in your hair?”
“Well, uh, it wasn’t the sink. It was the other water source.” I swallowed, completely aware of the smart-ass grin that snuck across Jax’s lips.
“So, you got stuck in the shitter, and the toilet shot water all over you?” This time he didn’t even try to conceal his laughter.
“It was the turbulence. It didn’t just shoot all over
me—"
Within a few seconds, the room was roaring with laughter.
“Oh honey, you must’ve been bouncing around like a ping pong ball! My little old tummy muscles are screaming!”
“It’s not a big deal.”
They all disagreed and laughed for another solid minute. I was quickly running out of reasons not to haul ass out the front door, hop on a horse, and ride off into the damn sunset.
“Oh gosh, you’re so funny, Madison! Jax, will you help me check on the ribs?” Daisy stood up.
“I’ve got it.” My dad started to stand.
“Don’t be silly. You visit with Madison.” She kissed him on the cheek and walked out of the room.
Was Daisy evernotsmiling? She seemed to glow happiness.
Jax stood up and started towards the door. I didn’t want to look, but I did. He had the best ass I’d ever seen. Was it the way his jeans fit? The way he worked out? Who knows, but now I had the vision of Jax lifting weights shirtless in a forest. I wasn’t sure what was up with my sex in the forest fixation. Probably something I should discuss with my therapist. True, it made no sense, but he looked so damn good.
While I was busy checking out his tushy, I suddenly realized he was looking over his shoulder, looking at me, looking at his hiney.
“Don’t look at me,” I blurted out.
“Well, then, don’t look at me,” he volleyed.
My dad’s gaze swiveled between the two of us, making me blush.
When the room cleared, my dad and I sat quietly for a moment and I looked at him this time. Reallylookedat him. So much the same as the face in my memory, with the lines a little deeper. But his eyes had a calmness to them. A lightness I wasn’t familiar with. “I couldn’t be happier that you’re here, Madison.”
I could feel he meant it. I was here to start anew with him, but I couldn’t figure out what to do with the small bit of sadness that was simmering below the surface. The sadness I’d known for far too long when it came to my father.
“I’m hoping we can start something new here.” Caution was in his voice. “I can’t change the past, but maybe we could just focus on the future.”
I could feel his nervousness.
“I want that too.” It came out in a whisper. A knot grew in my throat, and I blinked back a tear.
“Tell me, Madison. I want to hear what you’re thinking.” He scooted up in his chair.
“No, I want to start fresh.”
He pulled a tissue from the box on the end table and passed it to me.
“So do I, but I know there’s hurt, and I know it’s my fault. While I’d love to jump up and hug it out like a movie, I realize it’s not that easy.”
I nodded, unable to think of a word to say that wouldn’t open the floodgates.
“Let me start.” He cleared his throat. “I loved your mom so much. At the time I said the wrong thing to the right girl, and a part of me will always love her. But we were too different. I was a red-neck, and she was a world-traveling socialite. We both tried and the longer we did, the worse it seemed to get. It was like, uh?—”
