The ride wasn’t nearly long enough. All it accomplished was a burning ache to push the emergency button and fuck Avery against the wall, sending her off to work with me between her legs.
When the doors opened and Avery walked out, her eyes were focused on me as she looked over her shoulder. But mine were caught on the person waiting to come up the elevator.
Standing with a tight lip and his eyes toward the ceiling was my son.
He cleared his throat, catching her attention.
“Oh, hi.” Avery waved, her cheeks tinting the same color as her swimsuit.
“You guys headed somewhere? We can reschedule if you want,” Jackson offered.
“No! I was just headed to work, and Spencer was riding down with me. You two have a good time!”
She sauntered off and Jackson took her place in the elevator. Normally, I would tell her I love her, but she ran off before any other words could be exchanged.
“So fucking weird.” Jackson laughed under his breath when he stepped inside and the doors closed.
“Pretty fucking weird is right.” I shook my head.
I had no idea when things would end up feeling normal between us three, but I knew it would get there eventually. And this was the first step—facing it. Talking about it.
When we got up to my penthouse, I headed for the kitchen.
“Thirsty?” I sifted through the fridge, my hand wrapping around an ice-cold beer, tempted to chug it in order to talk about how happily in love I was with my son’s ex-girlfriend.
“Water is fine.”
I don’t think he’d ever turned down a drink from me before.
Switching it up the last second, I traded the beer for two bottles of water instead. If Jackson wasn’t going to have a drink for this conversation, I needed to be clear-headed just the same. It was time we both talked without liquid courage anyway.
“Let’s sit out on the patio. Get some fresh air.” I tossed the bottle of water to him, and he nodded for me to lead the way.
“So, how’s everything going with you and Avery?” He jumped right into it.
“Good. Great. Everything has been good.” I gripped the back of my neck.
“We really have to get this shit figured out so it stops being weird.” Jackson chuckled, uncapping his water and taking a swig.
“What the fuck are we supposed to do in this situation?” I shook my head, matching his laughter.
“This. Right here. I ask how you two are and you answer without stuttering. I think the more we’re around each other it will get easier. Plus, she loves you way more than she ever lovedme.” He leaned back with his arms crossed, his body language telling me that he wasn’t jealous. Instead, he was just stating a fact.
“What makes you say that?” My eyes narrowed.
“She looks at you in a way she never looked at me. Like she treasures you.”
I knew exactly which look he was talking about. It was the look she gave me when I opened the door for her any place we went. The look on her face when she woke up each morning and I was the first thing she saw. The same look she gave me when I came to her rescue that day Jackson had her in the bathroom. Her eyes had a way of softening, and each worry would melt away when I was within reach.
It was a look that I’d be heartbroken if I never got to see it again.
“I … I don’t know what to say to that.” I rubbed my fingers through my scruff.
“I’m not mad about it. I’m just pointing out the obvious. Don’t fuck it up like I did.” Jackson shrugged.
“Oh, is this the one where the kid gives the parent advice now?” I chuckled sarcastically.
“Nah. You both just seem happy. It’d be nice if it could stay that way. Might as well make all this worth it.”
