“You have a beautiful home,” I say, getting out the little gift I wrapped for her.
From my minimal research on Gray’s mother, I struck gold on her Facebook page. I found out she loves wind chimes, andthankfully, so did my mom. We have them all over our yard, along with dream catchers on most of the walls in our home.
With a little polish to remove the cobwebs, it looks good as new. The one I’ve brought is small but pretty, with crystals glittering beneath each chime.
Donna takes it carefully, glancing at her son before unwrapping it. All four of his sisters are completely silent as she pulls it out, and it makes a little pleasing melody that instantly reminds me of my mom.
“It was my mom’s,” I say, aware that it’ll sound more impressive than it is. There are fifty identical ones in our backyard. “I hope you like it.”
Donna stares at the chime for several seconds and then hands it to Gray. I’m not sure what that means until she points above her head, and he hangs it on a little hook in the center of the kitchen door.
“Doesn’t it go nicely with the paint?” Donna asks him, without looking at or thanking me, and then goes into the kitchen.
Gray blows out a breath, turning to me, his eyes unreadable as he gives me a look I can’t decipher. And then suddenly I’m surrounded by a gaggle of women.
“You can sit by me at lunch,” one of them says. “This one’s got balls,” she murmurs to her brother, and I find myself enveloped in a hug before I can pull away.
When I do pull back, they all drag me into another room, and I look helplessly at Gray, only to see him standing beneath the wind chime, looking up at it as if he’s never seen one before.
He reaches up, touching the crystals almost reverently, before lowering his hand again and meeting my eyes, the same crease between his brows.
Chapter 24
Gray
Imay have made a major mistake. My intention in bringing Jax here was to get my mother off my back. What I appear to have done is add another sister to my already enormous family. My siblings are all fawning over her as if she’s the most interesting person they’ve ever met.
They’re not wrong.
Jax told me she was bad at small talk, which I now realize was a total lie. She’s asked them all a continuous but polite stream of questions, getting information from Lola about the wedding that even I didn’t know.
Carrie keeps looking at me meaningfully, and Erica appears to have found her new best friend.
Goddamn it. What have I done?
The one person who has barely spoken throughout the meal is my mother. That isn’t a good sign.
I thought maybe she’d warm to Jax with the whole windchime thing, but I know Donna Jones. She’s biding her time, choosing her moment.
She doesn’t like Jax. That much is obvious.
And why is that pissing me off so much? It shouldn’t matter what my mother thinks; it’s not like we’re actually dating.
“So what is it you do, Jax?” Maddy asks, and I stiffen, not having thought through that they might ask her that. If she tells them she’s my EA, we are cooked. My mother is going to have a field day with that one.
“I manage a nightclub,” she answers immediately.
I’m sorry… what?
“Oh, really? Which one?”
“Jensons?” she says with obvious pride in her voice. I’ve heard of it. It’s got a good thing going, but it’s pretty small compared to some of mine.
Jax manages it? Since when?
“That’s so cool, do you own it?” Maddy asks.
Jax shakes her head, placing her water glass gently back on the table.
