Falling For You - January Cove Book 3 (14 page)

“
I knew you were just trying to impress my mom.
”

Jackson wasn
’
t sure why, but he almost took offense to that statement, but he held his anger back.
“
What makes you say that?
”

“
Oh, c
’
mon. It
’
s so obvious you like my mom. What
’
s even worse is that she likes you too, but you both are being all shy and shit. It
’
s so silly. She probably thinks she
’
s like betraying my dad or something. I mean the guy
’
s been six feet under for years now. You can
’
t hurt a pile of ash.
”

Jackson caught the ball and stopped for a moment. There was that anger again, creeping up on this boy from a place inside he didn
’
t even know existed.
“
First of all, I
’
m pretty sure your mother wouldn
’
t want you to use that kind of language. I get that it sounds cool right now, but really it just sounds unintelligent.
”
Jackson watched Leo cross his arms and try to shut himself off.
“
Look, your mother loved your father a lot, more than either of us understand since we haven
’
t ever felt that way about someone before. You weren
’
t old enough to know him when he passed, and he was stolen from you. I can see how all of it can seem confusing and make you angry. You feel a hole for something you don
’
t understand because you never had it in the first place. Did you know my father died?
”

Leo uncrossed his arms and shook his head.
“
No. I didn
’
t. What happened to him?
”

“
He was in a car crash, and my mother was devastated. The thing is, she never let us see how much it hurt her because she knew we all hurt too, and we needed her to be strong for us. My siblings were lucky. I was old enough to step up and help out, but you didn
’
t have that. Your mother is trying to be two parents to you, and it
’
s an impossible thing to do. So, could you do me a favor, and cut her some slack? She
’
s hurt already from losing her husband, she would be heart broken to lose you too.
”

Leo stopped for a moment and ran his fingers through his hair. For the first time, Jackson thought he might have seen a chink in the boy
’
s armor.
“
I know. I just sometimes feel like everyone knows more about my father than me. It just isn
’
t fair. Now my mom takes me across the country, and now I know even less about him. No one knows him here. I know how that might be better for her, and I don
’
t know why I
’
m so angry. I just wish I had someone who understood more things about me. Like, my mom
’
s only half. She doesn
’
t really date, either, so I don
’
t really have any guy to talk to at all. There was one guy once, but it didn
’
t last very long. And this might shock you, but I think you
’
d be good for her, Jackson, but not if you
’
re just gonna run off. So, please, don
’
t get in too deep if that
’
s what you
’
re gonna do.
”

"I thought you didn't like me," Jackson said with a rueful smile.

"That's up to you," Leo responded, not smiling at all.

Jackson felt a weight on his shoulders just then, and decided to throw the football to Leo again. He nodded to acknowledge that he understood what Leo was saying. Clearly, he had some things to think about, but here on the beach with this beautiful woman and her child probably wasn
’
t the place to do it.

All of a sudden they both heard laughing in the distance and realized they were no longer alone on the island. They both headed toward the sound to find Rebecca standing with Kyle and Jenna. He could see that Jenna was wiping her eyes, and Kyle was beaming. Jackson had a feeling that he
’
d missed something big.

Kyle ran up to him, breaching the distance between them and grabbed him in a bear hug. Jackson realized that his elation must
’
ve meant he
’
d proposed to Jenna and she
’
d said yes. Jackson hugged Kyle back as Kyle sniffled, clearly trying to keep from tearing up.
“
She said yes, brother!
”

“
That
’
s so great, Kyle. Congratulations!
”
Jackson meant every word of it. He was so happy for his brother, but he couldn
’
t help but feel a pang in his chest as he thought about the fact that he didn
’
t even technically have a girlfriend. It made him feel instantly lonelier, and his eyes glanced over to Rebecca for a moment wondering whether or not he should try and move things along with her.

“
Oh, I
’
m sorry, buddy. We didn
’
t mean to interrupt your date. Is this your first date? It
’
s just that I couldn
’
t stand the nerves and the planning anymore so I brought her to the island and just did it. I had to pay Clay fifty bucks to get him to turn around and come back, but I thought that it was as special as I could get, you know. But hey, you brought Rebecca here on your first date, so she must be pretty important.
”
Kyle winked at Jackson.

Jackson shook his head and was about to protest about being on a date, but who was he trying to fool? He was lecturing this woman
’
s son, he couldn
’
t stop thinking about being alone with her, and he
’
d brought wine to an island picnic.
“
Nah, don
’
t worry about it. I wouldn
’
t miss my little brother getting engaged for the world.
”
Jackson put Kyle in a headlock and gave him a quick noogie as they made their way over to the girls.

Jackson got a glimpse of the shine of the ring on Jenna
’
s left hand and the smile on Rebecca
’
s face while looking at it. It sent a shiver down his spine as he imagined a similar scene between him and Rebecca. He felt like he needed to hit his head on a wall because he obviously wasn
’
t thinking clearly.

He walked up to Jenna and gave her a hug.
“
I
’
m so glad you finally get to be an official part of the family, Jenna. It
’
s been a long time coming.
”
Jenna smiled warmly, clearly elated and caught up in the moment. He could see streaks on her face where she
’
d been crying.

“
Oh, thanks Jackson. I feel the same way. I just love all of you so much.
”
She fanned herself, about to break down again. Kyle put his arm around her, and he could see that Leo and Rebecca were packing up the picnic basket. These two love birds needed some time to revel in their new engagement.

“
Well, we
’
re going to leave you two to it. Enjoy this moment. I
’
s once in a lifetime right?
”
As Jackson said that, Rebecca appeared at his side, smiling, but he noticed how it didn
’
t quite reach her eyes. He figured that she was probably remembering when her husband proposed to her. He couldn
’
t imagine experiencing a moment like that only to lose the person. No wonder she and her son had some problems. Not that he didn
’
t have problems of his own.

“
Oh, we will. By the way, Rebecca, Tessa volunteered to watch the shop for a bit. I
’
m sorry, but I just couldn
’
t wait any longer to do this. Today just felt right, you know?
”
Kyle said apologetically.

“
No need to apologize, Kyle. I
’
m sure Tessa is great at making coffee. Congratulations to the both of you.
”
Jackson took a deep breath and grabbed Rebecca
’
s free hand, prompting the other three in their company to raise their eyebrows at him. He ignored it and tried his best not to sweat bullets all over her palm as he led her back to the ferry, which was already waiting since Kyle had obviously brought it over with Jenna.

***

Rebecca looked down at her hand entwined with Jackson
’
s. It was weird because she saw it but couldn
’
t really feel it because she was so nervous. However, she decided not to let go this time as they climbed onto the ferry and sat down next to each other.

She looked around for Leo and saw that he was already engrossed in his cell phone. She sighed, realizing some battles couldn
’
t be won, but at least he had been willing to throw the ball around with Jackson without too much of a fuss. It made her wonder what they had talked about.

The ride back to the main land was very quiet for the both of them. She couldn
’
t tell if it was from nerves or to avoid ruining the moment. It was at least a welcome distraction from the thoughts that had been going through her head when she saw that Kyle had proposed. It made her remember her own engagement with her husband, and it made her chest ache a little to think about it.

On the other hand it also made her think about the fact that she really hadn
’
t dated a whole lot since his death, and she couldn
’
t imagine as much as he
’
d loved her that he
’
d want her miserable and alone forever. Plus, a man would be good in both their lives. Maybe it was time to seize the moment with this Jackson Parker, lest something great passes her by for good.

After the ferry pulled in, she let Leo get ahead of them and climb out before she turned to Jackson and planted a kiss right on his lips. At first he seemed surprised, but then he relaxed into it, opening his mouth slightly. His breath smelled like wine, and though his lips were chapped, they were appealing and strong. She found herself getting lost for a moment not having been able to feel like this for so long. Shocked at herself, she still wasn
’
t able to pull away quickly.

The faraway sound of her son making a retching noise brought her back to reality and made her blush. She was embarrassed, but as she looked into Jackson
’
s eyes, she realized he was just as attracted to her as she was to him. At least she hadn
’
t crossed her signals.

She smiled at him but let her hand slip out of his to catch up with her son. Clearly there was some damage control to be done. She caught up to him and put her arm around him.
“
Hey, kiddo.
”

Leo stopped walking for a moment and looked up at her.
“
Mom, please tell me we aren
’
t about to have the birds and bees talk or something.
”
Taken aback a little, Rebecca laughed.

“
Yeah, I guess it would be a little late in life for that one, Leo. I just wanted to say sorry that you had to see that. I know it
’
s not really cool to watch your mom kiss some stranger.
”

Leo stopped her.
“
Mom, I get it. You like him, he likes you. It
’
s fine. If you need to have a date or something, I can go play video games at home or at a friend
’
s house. Just don
’
t get all mushy in front of me now, okay?
”
Surprised by his words, Rebecca hugged him.