“I’m fine. Thanks.” His cane clicks softly as he navigates from the living room to the bathroom.
Jackson and I weren’t on speaking terms when I had to choose a design for the new cabin. I picked the one that was closest to the layout of his old one, just a little bigger with a separate bedroom.
And a spare room on the off chance we managed to sort our shit out and I wanted to stay the night. Never used that room yet. I’ve unofficially moved in and always stay with him in his room. I guess we can use it for when we’re saddled with inevitable uncle babysitting duties.
“Let me know if you need anything,” I say, toeing off one boot, then the other.
It’s a fine line, wanting to help without overstepping and impeding his independence. And stubbornness.
So. Much. Stubbornness.
We’re making it work with lots of communication and me keeping a watchful eye over him…from a respectful distance.
“I was thinking.” Jackson sticks his head out of the bathroom and leans against the doorframe, toothbrush in hand. “Why don’t you just move in here already? Officially.”
I stop undressing. “Seriously?”
“Yeah. Why not? Bring your CPAP machine. I’d like to get a proper sleep one of these nights.”
“That the only reason you’re asking?”
He smiles. “Of course it is. Plus, we’ve said our I love yous. I think we’re ready to hear each other pee.”
I chuckle. “Yes to the moving in. No to peeing in front of each other. I draw the line there.”
“Fair enough,” he says, then starts brushing his teeth like it’s no big deal.
So there you go.
The guy who flipped me off twice when I first met him, who annoyed the living daylights out of me for months and stubbornly tried to push me away, who refused to tell me what was going on with him because he thought he’d be a burden or that I wouldn’t want to be with him, is now the guy I live with and love more than I thought it was possible to love someone.
If the past few months are any indication, I know I’m in for a wild ride with Jackson Hunter…
And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Jackson
“How do you feel about having a half brother?” Verity asks me across the table.
It’s the first family lunch since I lost my sight completely. Familiar sounds fill my ears—Sib bossing Tim around, Clancy laughing—as well as some new sounds—Evie crying, Sammy laughing when Pip does something silly, Wagner talking to Ollie, who I invited to come along when he popped into town for a surprise visit.
“I feel very conflicted,” I answer my sister. The results arrived two days ago, confirming that Ridge Duporth and I share the same blood. “For now, I’m focusing on getting used to not seeing and parking the whole Duporth thing.”
“Has he reached out again?” Clancy asks.
“I unblocked his number the day I got the results. He called that night, which I ignored. Then he texted, saying he wants to meet up.”
“What did you say?” Pip takes a break from playing with Sammy to ask.
“That I needed some time, and I’d reach out if I wanted to when I was ready. And to kindly fuck off in the meantime.”
“Jackson,” Clancy scolds.
“Hey, he saidkindly,” Mavericks stops his conversation with Ollie and Wagner to defend me.
I grab his hand under the table. A few seconds later, I feel his warm breath fanning over my face, and then his lips lock onto mine.
“Get a room, you two,” Sib teases.
