“Hellooo,” Walker’s voice rings out through my car’s speakers.
“Dubs?” I say in greeting.
“What’s up, Jax?”
“Can you do something for me?”
“Depends.”
“Sorry, can you do something for Tae?” I amend my previous questions.
“Absolutely. What does she need?”
“Real nice . . . If I weren’t so desperate for your help I’d probably point out the fact that you’re a little shit sometimes.”
“Ah, but you see, you just said that out loud. You’re lucky I love your wife so much, or I wouldn’t even consider helping you with how you treat me sometimes.”
“Right. Anyway, as you know, it’s Tae’s birthday today, and I was wondering if you’d be able to help me make it a great day for her.”
“Obviously I’d do anything to help make her day special. What’d you have in mind?”
“I need your help picking up her last two birthday presents. I got her ten gifts, one for each year we were apart, but I’ve only given her eight so far.”
“Oh my gosh! That’s so cute!” Walker squeals. “Who knew I had two big brothers who were such simps? The apple fell the farthest it could from the tree.”
Fuck yeah it did.
“Listen. One of the presents is just picking up her favorite cake from the bakery that’ll be on your way to my house when you come over for book club. The other one will be a little trickier for you to hide until I get home from practice.”
“How tricky are we talking?”
“A puppy.”
“What?!”
“Well, more of an adolescent dog. It’s a rescue and he’s about six months old.”
“Shut up. Are you for real right now?”
Instead of answering her squeals of shock, I continue on. “He’s so fucking cute. Tae said she wanted a cat for a pet while I was gone, so I went to the rescue center looking to see if they had any hypoallergenic ones, but they didn’t. As I was walking out, the cutest corgi was playing in a pen out front. The little guy just stole my heart.”
“Oh, it’s a he? What’s his name?” Walker asks.
“Connor the Corgi. I mean, that’s what his name was at the center. If Tae wants to change it, I’m up for whatever she wants.”
“Stop! That’s so freaking perfect. How exactly do you expect me to keep my nephew a secret from her?”
“Right. Okay, so I coordinated with the owner of the center to have him dropped off at my condo in the city at noon. Think you could swing by there and then put him in the detached garage until I get home? I have the heat on and I set up a kennel in there with some food and water and toys. Hopefully by the time I get home, he’ll only have to be out there for two hours.”
“Jax, she’s gonna lose her mind.”
“Here’s hoping she loves the little guy as much as I already do.”
“She will. I’m sure of it.”
After I give her the details on how to get into my condo, I hang up and mull over whether or not I should just let Walker move in there now that she’s back in Minnesota. I’m still upset she gave up her dreams of dancing professionally to go back to school. Bennett on the other hand is ecstatic she’s choosing an education over living by herself in California. I guess I liked the idea of her being away from our father’s overbearing toxicity so she could focus on her passions and dreams free from hisinfluence. But after she assured me that going to college to get a degree was the right move for her, I had to put my own insecurities and hopes for her aside to support her.
And one of the best ways I could do that is provide her a place to live so she doesn’t need to stay under our father’s roof. I make a mental note to discuss it further with Taevin tomorrow to see what she thinks. The condo is close to Abbott University, which is where Walker is now attending classes. This could be my way of still offering her a place of independence and reprieve without being too overbearing. Besides, it’s not like my whipped ass will be needing it anymore.
