He laughed and his eyes smiled. “Looks like it. Whoa.” Deep sigh. “I guess I should get you home.”
“Well, can I come with you?” I could see his mind racing. “I mean unless you want to meet him alone. Maybe that would be?—”
“You should come.” He pushed a piece of hair out of my face. “I’d like that.”
I quickly buttoned my jeans and gave him a wink. “Let’s go get the little fella.”
CHAPTER14
JAX
My mind was swimming as my truck hummed down the highway. From beer chugging champion and the hot body I was just rolling around with to having my wish of taking in a foster child, all in one day, was almost too much. That’s something coming from a guy who can handle just about anything.
I looked over at Madison, and, as if she read my mind, she unbuckled and scooted close to me; no place I’d rather be. She put her hand above my knee, and I could see her smile in the dim light of the dash.
“This is kind of amazing, you know?” Her fingers tickled my leg lightly. “Have you always wanted to be a foster parent or adopt?”
“When my mom died of an overdose, I was young, but I felt I should’ve been able to save her, and it messed me up. Daisy took me in, a selfless act, and gave me a home and a real parent. I was an angry kid, and it wasn’t a walk in the park for her. I don’t know what would’ve happened to me without her. I want to be that for a kid.”
Her voice was soft. “And you just knew now was the right time, huh?”
“I think it’s always been in the back of my mind, but over the past year, I got my foster license. It was like the universe moved it smack dab in the front of my mind, even when I didn’t really want it to be. When I was with my last girlfriend?—”
“The run-away fiancée?” Her giggle was amazing.
“That’s the one. Well, I thought the timing might all line up, but I was wrong. Now I’m wondering if this is the way it’s supposed to be. When I try to force shit, it all falls apart.” I glanced over the beauty who’d flipped my world. “It’s like some other force is at work.”
She sat straight up. “It’s fate, Jax, I’m telling you. Yup, I think sometimes fate takes over, and while it seems all hell might be breaking loose, maybe it’s in the bigger plan. You know?”
She laughed. “Right?”
I took her hand from my knee, raised it to my lips, and kissed her soft skin. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Well, I’m not always right, Jax, but when I am, it’s usually all of the time. So, there you go.”
My laughter bounced around the truck. “So, you’realwaysright? Is that what my ears are hearing?”
“I don’t want to seem like IthinkI’m always right, but I am, and that’s why it comes across that way.”
“I see.”
“Hey, do we have time to stop at the gas station? I have to go potty.”
“Sure.”
While she was in the gas station, my mind went into over drive. In a blink of an eye I had Grant for who exactly knows how long, and Madison had twisted everything leaving me unable to comprehend what was happening.
A short drive later and we were walking up the stairs to Katie’s office. My nerves kicked in leaving my gut fizzier than a shaken soda which was stupid because I already knew Grant and I clicked.
I snuck a look at Madison, the world-traveling, rich, stunning hotel heiress, who, at that moment, tripped up the stairs and laugh-snorted. From the odd game of “I’m broke” to the SpaghettiO addiction, I didn’t know what to make of her. I also didn’t know how I could let her fly out of here on Sunday.
Here I was, embarking on caring for a child in the next two minutes. I was going in not knowing most of the shit I needed to know on that topic, but that didn’t scare me a lick compared to the fear of what I was going to feel like when she was gone.
We reached the reception desk which was empty at the late hour. I ran my finger over the spot on the desk I always did when Katie’s door opened. I inhaled as Madison squeezed my hand.
“You’ve got this.”
As I looked into her enthusiastic eyes, I believed I did have this, at least with her there close to me.
