“Sooner than later, Gordo.” I give a little wink.
The door is unlocked, and we enter to find everyone congregated in the living room for the most part. The smell of something delicious hangs thick in the air.
Mom turns toward Conner with her finger in the air and does a double take our way. She lets out a shriek that can wake every last soul in the town cemetery as the room explodes around us.
“What’s going on?” Conner asks as both Mom and Deb try to catch their breath, holding their chests as if they were both about to bite the big one.
“We’regoing on.” Jax wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me close. We decided on the way home that we would cut right to the quick. “Poppy and I are together—for good. And that is the truth.”
Both Mom and Deb tilt their head my way as if awaiting confirmation.
“What he said.” I lean in and plant a kiss over Jaxson’s cheek. “Yes, it started off as a gag to get you two back for all those years of terror.” I glower over at them a moment. “But something happened along the way. I realized my feelings were true.”
Jax lands a soft kiss to the top of my head. “And I did, too.”
The room breaks out into cheers with Mack’s being the loudest. Mom and Deb are too busy hyperventilating and staggering our way before collapsing over the two of us with a strangulating hug.
Mom pinches Jaxson’s cheek and gives it a wiggle. “I knew you two were destined for one another. I just knew it!”
“We never gave up on you!” Deb chimes in. “Never, never! I can’t wait to tell all of our friends. We were right about you. We’re always right about this kind of thing.”
Mom plucks at her good friend’s arm. “Let’s get a toast together.Frasier!” she shouts to my father. “Grab the good camera! We’ll need lots of pictures for the scrapbook!”
They take off into the kitchen, and Jules and Kali come over. Jules looks as if she’s just sucked on a lemon, and Jaxson ticks his head over at her before she softens.
“I’m sorry I’ve been so hard on you.” She reaches over and lands a hand on my arm. Jules looks like a female replica of Jaxson, and I’ve always found that intimidating—especially since Jax looks damn good as either gender. “I think we should do lunch. Isn’t that what they say in L.A.?”
I give a little laugh. “Yes, but I much prefer it here in Oak Grove. Let’s do it soon.”
“And I’m coming with.” Kali dives over me with a nice tight hug. “I’ve always liked you. Plus, I can talk to you about things that she doesn’t care to hear about,” she snips, and Jules rolls her eyes.
“Trust me, nobody wants to hear you obsessing over Cole.”
“Who’s obsessing?”
They argue their way into the dining room just as Mack and Conner come over.
Jax and I decided we weren’t up for confronting Conner on night one, regarding his foray into darkness all those years ago when he led us both astray. We figure we’ve waited over five years to have that conversation, so we can hold off for one more night.
Mack pulls us in for one quick group hug. “So, this is a thing? No joke? You’re not here to pull my leg?”
“Yes, Mack—this is all an elaborate scheme to fool you. I’ve quit my job and traveled halfway across the country on what I’m pretty sure is Oak Grove’s coldest night of the year just to pull your leg and watch you hobble around for a few hours.”
“You quit your job?” Her jaw thumps to the floor.
Jaxson and I share a quiet laugh. “Actually, she’s the proud owner of her own design company now.”
“It’s a long story.” I glance to my brother, and oddly, I don’t have the urge to strangle him at the moment. “So, are you okay with this?”
His brows rise, amused. “Are you really asking?”
“No,” both Jax and I answer in tandem.
Conner huffs a dry laugh and shakes his head at the two of us. Words seem to escape him at the moment. “I didn’t think so.”
Mom calls us all to the dining room where she and Deb hand out champagne filled flutes, one by one.
“To Poppy and Jaxson!” Mom cries, and Dad lets out an odd little hoot. In his defense, we don’t have champagne toasts that often at the Montgomery residence, so the owl imitation is totally excusable. “May you live the life you’ve always dreamt of—together.”
