They walked into the house. As she stepped through the mudroom, into the hallway, Jax felt her world right itself. She was lucky and had a great life, but the weeks with her kids were the most special ones. They were growing up so fast and she didn’t want to miss a moment. Just knowing they were going to have their normal, weekday rhythm for the next seven days made her happy.
She set down her handbag. “What’s Dad fixing for dinner?” she asked.
Gentry shook her head. “Dad didn’t cook. Shawna did.” Her daughter glanced around, as if making sure they were still alone. “She spent the night, Mom. It was strange.”
Crap! Shawna. Jax had nearly forgotten that the engagement—however real or not real it might be—had changed the rules. And of course Harris hadn’t bothered to mention Shawna would be staying in the house this week. Something she would discuss with him later—and probably in a very shrill tone.
“I didn’t know she’d be, ah, moving in so fast,” Jax admitted. “I’m sorry. We should have talked about the changes as a family before all this happened. Let’s make sure we bring it up tonight at dinner. We’ll figure out what it all means and make sure you’re both comfortable.”
“I’m fine,” Xander told her. “Shawna made French toast this morning.”
Jax laughed. “And that’s all it takes to win you over?”
He grinned. “Kinda. I mean a man has to eat.”
“Yes, he does.”
She heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see Harris and Shawna coming downstairs. The sight of her ex was no big deal but seeing Shawna in the house was, well, startling.
Apparently the other woman felt the same way because she came to a stop, moved back a step, then squared her shoulders and smiled.
“Jax, hi.”
“Shawna. Good to see you.”
Both their tones were overly cheerful, as if they were trying to compensate for the awkwardness of the moment. Harris didn’t seem to notice as he reached the main floor.
“Hey,” he said. “So the schedule’s updated and the breakfast food and stuff for lunch is in the fridge and pantry. Homework’s done.”
“Thanks,” Jax said.
“I changed the sheets,” Shawna blurted as she joined Harris. She looked at the floor, then at Jax. “On the bed. I changed them. I also cleaned up the bathroom for you.”
Oh. My. God! Jax told herself not to react physically, but on the inside, she was screaming and dancing backward. This couldn’t be happening. It wasn’t happening and yet here they were. It was exactly like Shawna’s mother had described—the three of them sharing a bed. And a bathroom.
“My stuff!” she said, then held in a groan. “My stuff is everywhere.” She kept her skin care and cosmetics in the vanity, just like she always had, and there were plenty of her clothes hanging in the closet. She’d set up her side of both so that she only had to bring her purse and maybe a backpack when she moved in for her week. A system that had worked great until the whole Shawna debacle.
Shawna offered a faint smile. “It’s fine. You live here, too.I get it. I’m not actually moving in full-time. At least not for a while. Harris and I thought we would take things more slowly, so for now it’s just weekends mostly.”
Harris looked between them. “What’s wrong? There’s something. You both knew what was happening so no one should be mad.”
Jax told herself not to roll her eyes. “No one’s mad,” she said calmly. “This is an adjustment. It’s going to take a little time for us to figure it out, although we do need to talk about the changes at dinner.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because having your fiancée in the house is something new for our children. Let’s all discuss this at dinner and make sure everyone is fine.”
“That’s a good idea,” Shawna said quickly.
“Thanks. And I’ll figure out what to do with my stuff.” And very possibly, the bed. Because clean sheets or not, she didn’t want to sleep in the same place that Harris and Shawna did who knows what? That would bring the phraseick factorto a whole new level.
“You can’t take your things home with you,” Shawna told her. “The whole point of your arrangement was to make it easy to go back and forth. You need your things.” She offered a brave smile. “We can make it work.”
Jax was less sure. Unfortunately the house didn’t have a guest room or she would move there. If only there was—
“The junk room,” she blurted.
Shawna looked startled. “What’s that?”
