“I like him, your boy. Didn’t think I would, what with how many times I’ve seen him pass you in the last few kilometres, or those bloody interviews he gave about you, but he’s a good egg.”
“Yeah, he’s amazing,” Jackson replied. “I really love him, Dad.”
“Does he know that?”
“Yes.”
“Good. You make sure you keep reminding him. Love is what matters most, Jackson. I appreciate that now more than ever.”
Jackson took a sip of his tea, determined not to cry at the casual mention of his da’s mortality.
"Know what I was thinking about? When I woke up in the hospital all covered in tubes and wires?"
"The fact that you hadn't finished the damn shed?" Jackson ribbed.
"Hilarious," his dad replied, then fell silent, staring down at his cup. "No, it wasn't that. It wasn't anything I've done or haven't done. Just you, yer sisters, yer Ma. Hoped you all knew how much I loved you. Hoped I'd told you enough times."
"You did, Dad. You always did." Jackson slid out of the booth, moving in next to his dad to pull him into a hug. He stayed like that, letting his tea go cold and letting the strength of his dad's presence calm him.
When they got back to the house that evening, they found Elliot in the kitchen, surrounded by Jennings women, smiling and covered in flour. Before Jackson could get to him, his dad pulled Elliot into a massive hug and whispered something to him that Jackson didn’t quite catch, but Elliot laughed and nodded his head, so he knew they were going to be ok.
The next morning, the house was still filled with the kind of quiet that had permeated it since his dad’s hospital stay, but it felt lighter now with him back home. Jackson’s mum had gone out early to pick up prescriptions his dad was sprawled out on the sofa, reading. Elliot seemed to have commandeered the dining table, laptop open, phone on speaker, muttering to himself as he scrolled through tabs.
Jackson smiled.
Elliot’s phone buzzed next to him, and he answered on speaker, continuing a conversation he’d obviously already been over multiple times.
“Yeah, three p.m. tomorrow. That leaves time to check in and a day to acclimatise before the race,” Elliot said. "Yes, of course I'm sure."
"Anders?" Jackson asked when he’d hung up.
Elliot shrugged, noncommittal.
Jackson pulled him close. "You didn’t have to do this."
Elliot hummed, then turned and kissed him. “Yes, I did. You belong on that start line, Jackson Jennings, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to get you there.”
“Will you come to the airport with me?”
A smirk split Elliot’s face. “I’ll do you one better. I’ll get on the plane with you.”
“But you hate flying.”
“Yeah, but I love you,” Elliot replied. “Besides, someone will need to keep your parents out of trouble while you're getting ready, and Beth can’t be trusted with that.”
Beth made her presence known with an indignant snort.
“What do you mean?” Jackson asked.
Elliot smiled at him. “We’re all coming. Well, the four of us."
“And we’re flying on a private jet,” Beth interjected, excitement pouring off her in waves. “I can’t believe you’ve been friends with Hewitt for this long, and it took Elliot showing up to get me a ride on a private jet.”
Jackson looked at Elliot. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes shining, a slight hesitance in his expression, as though he was looking for Jackson’s approval.
Jackson pulled him close and kissed the top of his head. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Chapter 29
