Undeniable (A Country Roads Novel) (27 page)

Jax was quiet next to her. Her hand was in his again and he’d picked up the rubbing motion across her knuckles. When they reached the wet sand they turned and started to make their way down the beach, the water lapping up around their feet as it rolled in and out. She knew him well enough to know he was trying to figure out where to start. So she patiently waited and gave him his time.

“I screwed up,” Jax said after they’d walked for a couple of minutes. He stopped short and she turned to him. She settled her hands on his chest as he put his hands on her waist and pulled her into his body. “For so long I thought I only
wanted
you. I’ve never really gotten anything that I’ve wanted, so I never thought I’d get you. And then when I finally did, it didn’t seem real,” he said, shaking his head.

“You were the dream, not the reality, and it was just a matter of time before I woke up and you were gone. But when that happened, when you left, when I let you walk away…forced you to walk away,” he said, closing his eyes and shaking his head. When he opened them again a moment later they were filled with so much pain that Grace’s heart hurt. “I was in a nightmare without you. I was wrong when I thought I only wanted you. I
need
you. You’re the most important person in my life. I love you, Grace King.”

Finally
.

Grace threw her arms up around Jax’s neck and pulled herself up so she could bury her face in his throat.

“I love you, too,” she whispered. “So much.”

He took a deep breath and held her to him.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, kissing her temple. “I wish I could go back to the first time you’d told me, that I could’ve appreciated it fully, that I’d told you I love you, too. Because I did, I loved you then.”

“It’s okay, Jax,” she said, pulling back so she could look up into his face.

“I’ll never take you for granted again. I swear.”

“Jax?”

“Yes.”

“Kiss me,” she pleaded.

And he did just that.

Jax brought Grace back to his house, where they made love. It was different that time. So much more than all the other times they’d been together. And it was all because of those three little words. Except those words really weren’t so little; they were monumental and they changed everything.

He loved her.

And he proceeded to tell her that over and over again as he touched her, and kissed her, and moved inside of her. He hadn’t been the only one saying it, either. Every time she said she loved him he thought his heart was going to burst. It was the most wonderful feeling to hear those words coming across her perfect lips.

For Jax, finally admitting that he loved Grace, letting her love him, was undeniably the most life-changing experience he’d ever had, and he never ever wanted to go back.

Something was ringing over and over again. When it finally stopped it was replaced by a heavy pounding that got louder and louder.

Then the ringing was back.

Ringing. Hammering. Ringing. Hammering.

“Jax,” Grace moaned into his chest. “What’s going on?”

“Hmm?” he said, turning into her.

“What’s that noise?”

“Someone’s at the door,” he groaned as he pulled away from her and got out of bed.

“Tell them to go away,” she said, and she grabbed a pillow to hold on to since she couldn’t hold on to Jax anymore.

A drawer opened and shut and the sound of Jax walking down the hallway was drowned out by the incessant noise coming from the front of the house. It stopped a moment later and voices echoed down the hallway.

“Grace,” Brendan bellowed. “I’d like to talk to you.”

Grace bolted up suddenly wide awake.

Fantastic
. Brendan sounded pissed.

Grace got out of bed and grabbed one of Jax’s T-shirts and a pair of shorts from the drawer that still held some of her clothes. She walked down the hallway, passing the trail of clothes that she and Jax had left behind as they made their way to the shower when they walked in the door that morning. They’d stayed under the warm spray for a good while before Jax turned off the water and carried her, dripping wet, to his bed. She never even had a chance to get cold before he covered her body with his and made love to her. Twice.

“What’s different this time?” Brendan asked a tad bit aggressively.

“I’m in love with her. I realized I always have been.”

Grace paused just before she rounded the corner. Jax had told her he loved her more times than she could count within the last few hours. But every time he said it, her heart fluttered. And the fact that he was telling Brendan was a big deal.

“So you finally figured it out?” Brendan asked, sounding slightly mollified.

“Yeah. I screwed up pretty big. And not just with her. I’m sorry, man.”

“I’ve had my head up my ass before,” Brendan said. “We’re good.”

Grace rounded the corner just as they slapped hands and came in for a quick man hug.

“Does that mean I’m off the hook, too?” Grace asked.

Brendan pulled back from Jax and looked down at his little sister. The pissed-off look was back in full force for only a moment before it crumpled and was replaced with a look of worry, followed by relief. He crossed over to her and pulled her into a breath-stealing hug.

“Why didn’t you call me?” he asked, holding on to her.

“It was the middle of the night,” she said, and wrapped her arms around him.

“I don’t care.” He pulled back and held her shoulders in his hands. “You’ve had everybody freaking out. Grams called me on the verge of a nervous breakdown because Mindy Trist came into the café this morning talking about the shooting.”

“Shit.” Grace winced.

“Yeah, Grams thought that maybe you’d just stayed out late with Harper and Mel, and that’s why you weren’t in, but when you didn’t answer your phone, she started to panic. I think Pops is on the verge of a coronary. So unless you want to kill our grandparents, please call them.”

“All right, all right, I get it. Next time someone shoots at me, I’ll call you.”

“That isn’t funny,” Jax and Brendan said at the same time.

“Brendan, I’m fine.”

“It could’ve just as easily been you that had gotten shot,” Jax said from behind them.

Grace turned and looked at him, his face dark and foreboding.

“What happened?” Brendan asked.

“Why don’t I fill you in while Grace calls your grandparents?” Jax took a step back toward the kitchen. “You want some coffee?”

“Sure,” Brendan said, giving Grace a quick peck on the forehead before he let her go and followed Jax.

It took Grace a good twenty minutes to reassure her grandparents. She called in and checked on Harper, then Mel, who was awake and doing pretty good for someone who’d just been shot. Grace promised to stop by the hospital later that day. When Grace hung up she went to the kitchen to join Jax and Brendan.

“Mel’s doing good,” she said as Jax fixed her a cup of coffee. She looked up at the display above the stove. It was almost one, so she and Jax had gotten about four hours of sleep before Brendan showed up.

“You going to see her?” Jax asked as he handed her the mug.

“Yeah, and Grams said they had to leave some stuff at the funeral home last night.” She settled into his side. “So I’m going over there to pick it up.”

“I need to go down to the station. See what’s going on,” Jax said as he slid an arm around her.

“I hope they lock those two assholes up and throw away the key,” Brendan said.

“Got to catch them first. And those two are as slimy as they come,” Jax said, his grip on Grace tightening as he kissed the top of her head.

Jax dropped Grace off at the funeral home at three to get her car, but she didn’t go inside to grab the stuff from the café. She was too anxious to see Mel. Besides, the funeral home was on the way back from the hospital so she was just going to swing by and grab everything before she went back to Jax’s.

Mel was sitting up in bed watching TV when Grace walked into the room. Her arm was in a sling and her curly hair was piled on top of her head. Grace dropped her purse on the chair and hugged Mel as tight as she could without hurting her.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” Grace sniffled as more than a few tears slid down her nose. “I was so scared.”

“Me, too,” Mel said, holding on with her one good arm.

They stayed that way for a little while before Grace pulled back, running her fingers underneath her eyes.

“No more crying,” Mel said as she wiped at her own.

“I’ll try.” Grace sat down in the chair next to Mel’s bed.

“So you and Jax are back together.” Mel grinned.

“How did you know?”

“Harper.”

“Of course.”

“And,”
Mel pressed, waving her good hand in the air. “What happened?”

“He told me he loves me,” Grace said, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Oh, Grace, that’s wonderful. But what’s with the nervous lip biting?” Mel frowned.

“While you were off getting shot I was getting back together with my boyfriend.”

“Okay,” Mel said, shaking her head. “Enough with that. I’m going to be fine, and life goes on. I couldn’t be happier for you.”

“I’m really glad you’re okay.” Grace was unable to stop her eyes from welling up again.

“What did I tell you about crying?” Mel asked sternly as her eyes started to water.

The two women finally composed themselves after another couple of tear-filled minutes.

“Apparently word travels fast,” Grace said, eyeing Mel’s goodie pile as she threw a tissue in the trash. On the table next to Mel’s bed sat a teddy bear, four different flower arrangements, multiple boxes of chocolates, and a bouquet of balloons reaching for the ceiling, drifting back and forth in the current from the AC.

“Most of that’s from my students.”

“Nice,” Grace said, pulling a pint of cookie dough ice cream from her purse.

“Ice cream? You’re officially my second favorite.”

“Who’s number one?” Grace asked, feigning offense.

“Well, I really like the teddy bear.”

“Who got you that?” Grace asked as she dug around for the two spoons.

“Bennett,” Mel said softly.

Grace stopped digging in her purse and looked up at Mel. “He came back?”

“He didn’t leave the hospital until about eleven this morning.”

“What?”
Grace asked. “What’s going on between the two of you? Have you been holding out on me?”

“No,” Mel said, shaking her head. “I haven’t been holding out because nothing is going on. I mean the man is gorgeous, there’s no doubt, but really what chance do I have?”

“You’re gorgeous, too. Have you looked in the mirror lately? Well, I mean not today,” Grace said, letting her mouth twitch.

“Oh, thank you. You’re making me feel so much better.”

“Seriously, Mel, you’re beautiful. What makes you think you couldn’t get him?”

“It’s nothing, Grace. We’re just friends. I find him attractive. End of story.”

Oh, Grace was fairly sure this wasn’t the end of the story. It was just the beginning.

“Really? So your voice gets all warm and dreamy when you talk about all your friends?”

“It did not,” Mel protested.

“It so did, ‘
Bennett’
” Grace simpered.

“Shut up and find the stupid spoons,” Mel snapped.

“Well, no need to get crabby or anything,” Grace grinned as she went back to her digging.

Huh, Mel and Bennett. That wouldn’t be a bad thing at all.

Not. At. All.

Jax stopped by King’s Auto after he dropped Grace off. He was more than slightly nervous as he got out of his truck and walked into the shop, but really it was now or never.

“Didn’t I just see you?” Brendan asked as he came out from behind a car.

“Yeah, you got a minute?” Jax asked, nodding toward the office.

“Yup.” Brendan pulled his gloves off.

“Well, if it isn’t the man of the hour,” Oliver said as he stood up and rounded his desk. He pulled Jax into a hug and slapped him affectionately on the back.

“I didn’t do anything,” Jax said, shaking his head as Oliver pulled back.

“Nonsense,” Oliver said, waving off Jax’s words. “Brendan told me that as soon as you found out what was going on you drove like a mad man to get to my granddaughter.”

“Did Bennett tell you that?” Jax asked, looking over at Brendan.

“Yup, he said he was scared for his life.”

Oh, Jax was sure that Bennett was scared, but he was pretty sure it had nothing to do with Jax’s driving.

“I was scared for mine, too. I had to get to Grace. As it turns out, I’ve always been trying to get to her. I know that now,” Jax said, looking at both men.

Brendan’s eyes narrowed, but a slight smile curved the side of his mouth. Oliver just looked at Jax, his expression neutral except for the twinkle in his eye. Jax took a deep breath before he continued.

“I messed up with her before. Messed up when I let her doubt for a second how I felt about her.”

“And how’s that?” Oliver asked.

“She’s it for me. I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. And I’m hoping the two of you will be okay with that.”

“Uh, I’m sorry, son,” Oliver said. “I’m not
okay
with that.”

Jax’s stomach promptly fell down somewhere to the region of his feet.

“Me, either,” Brendan said, and shook his head.

“Thrilled would be a better word,” Oliver said, looking at Brendan.

“Or elated,” Brendan offered as his mouth split into a huge grin.

“Ecstatic.” Oliver nodded and smiled. “Jax, you’ve always been part of our family. You falling in love with Grace is a gift.”

Jax breathed a sigh of relief and shook his head. Falling in love with Grace sure as hell was a gift, and Jax was going to treasure it.

Grace stopped by the funeral home just after six that evening. She’d wound up staying with Mel longer than she’d expected to, so when she pulled up in front of the funeral home it was empty, everyone having gone home for the night. But Grace had a key so she could let herself in. She really wouldn’t have bothered stopping by, but she was going to have to go into the café early the next morning to make up for the day she’d missed, and some of the stuff she needed had been left behind.