Becca’s shoulders droop. “I know this is difficult to digest, but it’s the truth. I was the one who told Raegan to go along with your brother’s idea. I thought it’d be the best way to get your ring back to you without any drama. But now she’s heartbroken and I feel like it’s my fault.”
“You’re her best friend. Why would I believe anything you’re telling me right now?”
“Because if Raegan was lying, I wouldn’t be in here corroborating her story.” She stands and smooths her blouse. “I know you have no reason to trust me, and I get it. But you fell in love with her for a reason. Trust your gut. Listen to your heart. It won’t steer you wrong.”
I sit in my office for a long time after Becca excuses herself, lost in thought.
I wouldn’t put it past Josh to steal the ring. He’d be a likely suspect in this case. But my father? Why would he protect Josh? Why would he lie to me? And why would Raegan go along with it?
Any way I slice it, someone’s lying to me.
But I need the truth. I need answers.
It’s time I go get some.
“Jaxon, what a pleasant surprise.”
I pull my mother into my arms and hug her tight. “I’m sorry I’ve been ignoring your calls.”
She touches her hand to my cheek. “I understand.”
“Are Dad and Josh home? I think it’s time we had a talk.”
“They’re here. I’ll go get them. Would you like something to drink?”
“I’ll take a glass of Dad’s scotch.”
Mom eyes me warily. “Maybe a cup of coffee? It’s not even five o’clock, Jax.”
“It’s five o’clock somewhere.” Josh waltzes into the living room wearing a smirk. “At least that’s my motto.”
I slide my jacket off and hang it on the coat rack. “Have a seat, Josh. I’m here to talk to you and Dad about something.”
His lips twitch. He falls onto the couch cushion and places his hands behind his head, propping his feet on the coffee table.
“Mom hates it when you do that,” I say.
“Always a momma’s boy.”
My jaw clenches. I take a seat on the loveseat on the other side of the coffee table. Dad enters the living room with Mom in tow.
“Jaxon, is everything okay?” He sits beside Josh, while Mom takes the spot next to me. A faceoff, how fitting.
My leg bounces as I draw in a breath. “I know the truth.”
Josh sits up ramrod straight.
Dad remains calm. “The truth about what?”
“I know Josh was the one who stole Nana’s ring from my apartment.”
Mom gasps. I didn’t expect her to be in on this, and I’m glad I have her on my side.
My brother is silent, a rare occurrence for him.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dad says.
“No? Do you know anything about cornering Raegan in the hallway the night of Grandpa’s wake?”
“Honey, what is he talking about?” Mom asks.
Dad shakes his head. “The girl is trying to mess with your head. She’s a liar. That’s what she does.”
“Raegan didn’t tell me anything.”
“Then how do you know?” Josh asks.
My eyebrows shoot up. “So you admit it then?”
“I … uh … I didn’t say that.”
“Josh, shut your damn mouth,” Dad hisses.
My jaw goes slack and I sit back against the couch. The image of Raegan’s face that night in the hallway pops into my head. Her eyes were wide as she stood beside my father. She’d said she wasn’t feeling well. She’d refused to see me for days after that, blaming it on a stomach virus. If Dad forced her to take the ring, that would explain everything.
Becca was telling the truth.
Mom’s voice rises. “Joshua Stephen Waters, I need you to start talking, and you’d better tell the truth. What did you do?”
Josh scrubs his hand over his face. “I took the ring, okay? I used Mom and Dad’s spare key and I let myself into your apartment while you were out celebrating your promotion.”
A volcano erupts in the pit of my stomach. My hands start to shake. “Why the fuck would you do that?”
“Because I wanted you to know what it feels like to screw up! For once in your life, I wanted you to be the one Dad was disappointed in.”
“The only reason Dad’s disappointed in you is because you do shit like this!” I rise off the couch and lunge toward Josh, gripping the collar of his shirt in my hands. “You are fucking pathetic.”
“Jaxon! Please, stop this,” Mom cries.
Dad separates us, shoving me backward. “Enough.”
“And you,” I snarl, facing my father. “You’re always cleaning up Josh’s mess. Maybe you should let him fall on his ass so he’ll learn his lesson.”
“I’m sorry, Jaxon. I saw an opportunity to end the ring fiasco without anybody getting hurt, and I took it.”
“Well your plan backfired. I saw Raegan with that ring and do you know what she did? She took the fall. You’re the one who betrayed me, yet she accepted the blame for it. So I hope you’re fucking happy, Dad. I’ll never step foot in this house again.”
I storm to the door, yanking my coat off the hook.
“Jaxon, wait.” Mom tugs my elbow, a tear rolling down her cheek.
“I can’t stay here with them for one more second.”
“I know. I understand how betrayed you feel.”
She knows because she feels the same way. I lift my hand and wipe Mom’s tears. “I’m sorry about all of this.”
She shakes her head and grips onto my shoulders. “You have nothing to be sorry about. Go talk to Raegan. She’ll understand and everything will be okay.”
I swallow the boulder in my throat and nod.
I really hope she’s right.
Raegan
“The snow’s really coming down.”
I pull the blanket closer to my chin. Good. I’m looking for any excuse to remain a hermit in my house for another few days before going back to school. Before I have to face Jaxon.
Let’s go, Mother Nature. Show me what you got.
“Have you decided on a movie?” Mom asks.
I stare at the television. I’ve scoured the guide for the past half-hour, making sure to skip quickly over any romantic-looking movies. It’s now between Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Chucky. I hate scary movies, but I’d rather have the shit scared out of me than cry into my bowl of popcorn while Cameron Diaz gets the guy in the end.
“Let’s watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That Chucky doll creeps me out.”
Mom stifles a groan. “Isn’t there anything else you’d like to watch?”
“It’s blood and terror, or I’m going back to my room.”
“Fine.” Mom flops down onto the couch beside me and reaches into the mammoth-sized bowl of popcorn.
It’s Skinny Pop. I’m not going to gain back all the weight I worked so hard to lose just because my heart is broken.
Mom and I use a blanket to shield our eyes throughout the movie.
“How do people enjoy this?” she whispers.
“I don’t know. This was a terrible choice.”
“You can sleep in my bed tonight.”
“I was planning on it.”
We’re watching a scene where the dumb, scantily-clad blond creeps around a shed. The high-pitched violins signal that it’s time to pull up the blanket again. Just as the maniac with the chainsaw bursts onto the screen, the doorbell rings.
Mom and I shriek as popcorn flies everywhere.
“Jesus Christmas,” Mom gasps. “Who’s ringing our bell in the middle of a snow storm?”
“Don’t open it! What if it’s a man with a chainsaw?”
Mom rolls her eyes as she stands and unlocks the door. She peeks through the crack before swinging it wide open.
Jaxon.
It might as well be the guy with the chainsaw. My heart’s hacked up all the same.
Still in his work suit with a black North Face over it, his hands are red from the cold. Flakes of snow sprinkle his dark hair, with a few caught in his eyelashes. He looks like he’s freezing, as if he’s been outside longer than his walk from the car to my porch.
“Are you guys all right in here?” he asks, stomping the snow off his boots. “I heard screaming.”
Mom laughs. “We’re watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The doorbell scared us.”
Jaxon’s eyes meet mine, and there’s so much emotion behind them that I’m unable to move. Why is he here?
Mom clears her throat. “Well, I’m going to take a nice, long, bubble bath.” She backs away and slinks up the stairs.
“Can I come in?” Jaxon asks.
“Sure.” I look around at all the popcorn everywhere. I don’t know what to say, what to do, what to think. My hands are shaking so I begin brushing the popcorn pieces off the cushion next to me.
Jaxon chuckles as he walks over and sits. “Scared you guys pretty good, huh?”
“Look, if you’re here to fire me, just get it over with. I can take it.” I sit up straight and brace myself.
His eyebrows collapse. “Why would I come to your house to fire you?”
“Why else would you be here?”
Jaxon reaches out for me, caressing my cheek with the back of his hand. “God, I’ve missed you.”
My breath hitches. “So you’re not going to fire me?”
“No. Becca told me everything.”
“Everything?”
“She told me the truth about the ring. What you tried to do for my family. I came here straight from my parents’ house.”
“Your parents? Oh, no. Jaxon, what happened?”
He shakes his head, a smile tugging at his lips. “After what we’ve put you through, you’re still worried about me and my family.”
I shrug. “It’s a genetic flaw.”
He laughs and puts his hands around my waist, sliding me across the couch and onto his lap. “You are anything but flawed, Ms. Donahue.”
I close my eyes and touch my forehead to his. “So what does this mean? You’re here, the truth’s out in the open …”
“This means that I’m here to get you back. I’ll do anything I can to make you say yes.”
Butterflies swarm my stomach. “Well, if you recall, I’m partial to begging.”
Jaxon pushes me off his lap. He lowers himself onto the floor, crunching popcorn under his knees, all the while wearing that delicious smirk on his face.
I bite my bottom lip to keep from smiling.
He takes my hands in his and looks into my eyes. “Please forgive me and my family for all the pain we’ve caused you. Please, Raegan. Say you’ll be with me again. Say you still love me as much as I love you.”
A laugh escapes me and I throw my arms around his neck. “That was good, Waters. I could get used to that.”
Jaxon presses his lips to mine for a chaste kiss. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes to all of the above.”
He dives on top of me, the rest of the popcorn spilling out of the bowl. Gripping my face, he kisses me, long and hard.
“I love you so much, Raegan.”
“I love you too.”
Days Left Until Summer Break: 68
Jaxon
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
Raegan squeezes my hand. “Yes. I haven’t changed my mind in the last seven seconds since you last asked me.”
“I just want you to know that you don’t have to do this for me.”
“I’m doing this for us. They’re your family, and we need to sort this out sooner or later. Your poor mother needs some peace.”
I blow out a stream of air through my lips. “Okay. But the second you feel angry, or you want to leave, tell me.”
“I won’t get angry. I’m cool as a cucumber.”
I lift my hand and turn the knob, stepping into my parents’ house.
Mom greets us immediately. She flings her arms around Raegan. “Thank you so much for coming. It means the world to me. I’m so happy you two were able to work things out.”
Raegan smiles. “I’m looking forward to putting all of this behind us.”
Dad emerges from the kitchen. He nods at me, and I nod back. Raegan might be able to forgive him, but I’m not ready yet.
He reaches out and squeezes Raegan’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I involved you in our family issue. I should’ve never put you in the middle like that. I hope you can forgive me.”
Raegan covers his hand with hers. “Thank you for your apology. While I don’t agree with what you did, I understand why you did it.”
“You do?”
“You were trying to keep the peace between your children. I probably would’ve done the same thing.”
Dad exhales and his shoulders drop. “Thank you for understanding. It’s been difficult between my two boys. I wish it didn’t have to be like this.”
Josh steps into the living room, hands in his pockets. We all look at him, waiting for him to offer Raegan an apology like Dad.
He shrugs. “Sorry.”
Anger courses through me. I open my mouth to say something, but Raegan’s hand pats my shoulder. “I’ve got this,” she says.
She walks toward Josh, a small smile on her sweet, innocent face. When she gets in front of him, her fist rockets toward his face. Mom gasps, and Josh rears back, pinching his nose as blood spills out of his nostrils. My jaw drops.
Raegan steps closer to him, pointing her finger in his face. “That wasn’t for me.”
“Then what the hell was that for?” he asks, backing away from her.
“That was for screwing around with Jaxon’s ex.”
I don’t try to fight the smile that’s spreading across my face. I pull Raegan to my side and plant a kiss on the top of her head. “I can’t wait to see what you do to him for stealing the ring.”
She smiles. “I’m not going to retaliate against him for the ring.”
“You’re not?” Josh and I ask at the same time.
“Everything that happened has led us to this point,” she says, looking around the room. “Jaxon and I might not be together if Josh never stole the ring. It was a crazy roller coaster ride, but we’re here. So I’d like to put all of this behind us now and start fresh. A clean slate.”
Raegan walks over to my father and extends her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Waters. You and your wife have a lovely home.”
Dad chuckles, shaking her hand. “Thank you, Raegan. It’s a pleasure to meet the girl who captured my son’s heart.”
“Let’s all have a seat at the table.” Mom ushers us into the dining room. “Dinner’s ready.”
We take our seats and dig in.
It’ll take me some time to forgive my father for conspiring against me, but I know I’ll get there. As for Josh, who’s sitting across from me with a bloody tissue shoved up his nose, I don’t think things will ever be okay between us. Maybe he’ll change. Maybe he won’t.
Either way, I’ll always have the memory of Raegan punching him.
I look at the beautiful woman beside me, who’s icing her swollen hand.
God, I love this woman.
Epilogue: Two Years Later
Jaxon
“Happy Anniversary, baby.”
Raegan clinks her glass against mine. “Happy Anniversary.”
“Can you believe we’re here? After everything we’ve been through.”
Her eyebrow arches. “You mean after everything you put me through?”
I chuckle. “To be fair, it was a crazy coincidence that Nana’s ring disappeared the same night I took you to my apartment.”
“I’ll give you that.”
“And I get points for taking care of you while you threw up all night. With a raging hard-on, might I add.”
“And they say chivalry is dead.” Her eyes roll but she’s smiling.
I slide my hand across the table and inter
lace our fingers. “I miss seeing you at work every day, like we used to.”
“Me too. I hate that you had to transfer to a different school because of me.”
“It’s not because of you. It’s because I want to be with you, for real … like out in public. We couldn’t sneak around forever.”
“I know, I know. But the sneaking around was fun those last few months.”
“Yes. Yes, it was.” My dick hardens at the memory of all the things we did in my old office at Roosevelt Elementary.
Before I get carried away, I chug the last of my water. Focus, Waters. It’s showtime. I stand and button my jacket, making sure my tie is straight.
“Where are you going?” Raegan asks.
“Oh, did I forget to tell you? I’m the guest speaker tonight.”
“Jaxon, why are you smirking like that?” She tugs on my arm. “What are you up to?”
I wink and place a kiss at the top of her head. Then I approach the stage, swiping the microphone off the stand.
“Good Evening, everyone. Thank you for coming out tonight to join me in celebration of our incredible teachers.” I pause while everyone applauds, taking this time to search for Raegan’s mother in the crowd.
She waves and gives me a thumbs-up, holding her phone above the crowd at the back of the room.
“Tonight is a special night. Every year, one teacher from each school is nominated by his or her colleagues to be the Teacher of the Year. To be nominated means that teacher has gone above and beyond the call of duty as a teacher. We have eight teachers with us tonight who’ve inspired and astounded us. Let’s give a round of applause for these incredible teachers.”
Another pause. This time, my gaze locks with Raegan’s.
What are you up to, Waters? her eyes ask.
You’re about to find out, I silently reply.
“Before we get started, I’d like to call a very special teacher up here with me. Raegan Donahue, please join me on stage.”
Raegan’s cheeks burn as friends and faculty cheer for her. Becca motions for Raegan’s mother to take her seat up in the front of the room.
I clear my throat as Raegan walks toward me, and take her hand in mine.
“What is this?” she grits through a smile.
Hating the Boss Page 17