Jax
The bachelorette finishes fairly early as we all pile out of the bar, most of the women staggering
unsteadily as they laugh together. They’re a really good group and I feel stupid for being so worried about
this.
I wave them off, thanking Lola for inviting me, as I head to the bus stop, and I’m amazed when each
one of them insist on buying me a Uber home.
They don’t take no for an answer, and I end up getting an Uber back to my house for the first time
ever. I feel like a queen and I’m reminded yet again of the luxuries that come with money.
I’m rummaging in my bag, trying to find my keys, when I glance up to see three dark figures
approaching me along the sidewalk.
It’s not all that late, but it’s late enough to be on my guard, especially in this neighborhood.
My fingers scrabble in the bottom of my bag, sure that I had thrown my keys in there when I left the
house. The figures ke ep coming; the streetlight outside our building burned out months ago and still
hasn’t been r eplaced. It’s three huge men, their faces hidden in shadow.
I’m about to run up the st eps away from them when one of them speaks.
“Somebody chasin’ you, Jax? Geez.” I turn, letting out a breath when I see that it’s Seb, Ben, and
Scott. They’re all walking with thick coats on and hoods over their heads, and anyone approaching them
could be forgiven for assuming they’re a gang of thugs.
“Could you look more terrifying?” I snap back, st epping back down to ground level as Scott pushes
his hood back. “Where have you all been together anyway?”
Seb is holding something behind his back, as is Ben, and I clench my teeth, walking over to them and
holding out my hand.
“What the fuck have you got there? Give it to me. I swear to god.”
“Jax, can we just go inside?” Scott says urgently, and I glare at him.
“Not a fucking chance.” “Jax,” Ben mutters, his eyes darting to the top of the street and back. “Would
you chill?”
I stay motionless, my hand outstretched as all three of my brothers exchange a glance.
Finally, Seb st eps to the side, looks wearily at Scott, and brings his hand around from behind his back.
He’s holding a bunch of flowers. I stare at them as Ben shows me four cupcakes in a plastic box and
holds them out.
“Way to fuck up your birthday surprise, bonehead,” Scott grumbles, and I look around at them all in
amazement.
“What the hell?” I ask. “You never do stuff like this.” “Fuck you. It was Flynn’s idea, ‘cause he’s tied
up at the new club, and apparently it’s ‘not cool’ to forget the birthday of two of your siblings at once,”
Ben says, bopping Scott on the head as he pushes past me.
I glance at my twin brother. Technically, it isn’t our birthday until tomorrow, but I’m touched that
they all went out and bought me gifts. Usually, the only person who remembers is Scott, and as it’s his
birthday too, that’s hardly impressive.
As we walk into the living room, I find them all opening the cupcakes without me.
“Hey! Save one for me,” I protest, going into the kitchen and grabbing paper towels. When I come
back, Ben has lit a candle on two of the cupcakes and holds one up to me with a lopsided grin.
“Happy birthday, bitch!” he says happily, and I snort, coming to sit beside Seb, kneeling on the floor
as I hand out the paper towels.
Scott and I blow out our respective candles as we all dig into a cupcake each and sit in contented
silence. I still can’t believe they’ve
done this, and my heart is full as I lean against Seb and he puts his arm around my shoulder.
“So... who’s this new guy you’re seein’?” Ben asks, and Scott nudges him hard with his elbow.
“What? We all know there’s someone.”
I frown at them all. “Excuse me?” “It’s pretty obvious, Jax. You’re gone, like all day, and you came
downstairs in designer duds. What’s goin’ on, you got a hot old millionaire you’re screwing or
somethin’?” Ben presses.
“Gross, Ben.” “But you are dating someone.” He grins, cake stuck between his teeth, and I roll my
eyes. “You’re an asshole.”
“Give us a name, or I’m giving the rest of your cupcake to Scott,” Seb says. “Is he treating you well,
because otherwise I’ll kick his ass.”
“He’s not doing anything—” “Aha! So there is someone. You owe me twenty bucks,” Scott says to
Ben, and I glare at him as he cowers back. “Just a joke, Jax, I swear.”
“Name,” Seb insists. “Ugh. You’re infuriating, all of you. It’s Gray.” They all make high-pitched
cooing noises, and I throw my blown-out candle at Scott’s head.
“So who is he?” Scott asks, but I mime a zip over my lips. “I’m not telling you anything else. Since
when do you care who I’m dating, anyway?”
“As long as it isn’t Parker again,” Seb says as Ben groans. “Oh my god, that guy was so stupid. He
thought Africa was in Russia.”
“Okay, okay,” I say, laughing as they finish up their cupcakes. My phone, which I placed on the
coffee table, lights up with a call. Thankfully, I haven’t put Gray’s full name into my phone, just “G”.
There’s another long chorus of high-pitched whistling from my brothers, so I batter Seb over the head
with a cushion until he shuts up, grab my phone, and stomp upstairs.
But I can’t fight the smile as I head into my bedroom. It was sweet of them to buy me a cake, even if it
was Flynn’s idea.
“Hi,” I say as I swipe the call.
“How was it?” Gray’s voice echoes as if he’s in a tunnel, and I frown.
“Are you in the car?” “The bath.” “The huge jacuzzi?” I ask enviously. “That’s the one. Next time
you’re in my apartment, you’re coming in here with me.”
I chuckle, hopping on one leg as I pull off my shoes. “Why are you calling me?”
“I wanted to ask how the bachelorette went. Lola says you were a ‘doll,’ which I think means she likes
you.”
“It was good,” I say. “Your sisters are nice. They think the world of you.”
“They’re pains in my ass, is what they are. Where are you now? You home safe?”
My fingers clench around the phone as I pull on a thick wool cardigan that belonged to my mom and
curl up on the bed.
“Yeah. Just got back. My brothers scared the living shit out of me in the street, but otherwise I’m
home safe.”
“Why did they do that?” “Ugh, they were trying to surpr— Uh. Never mind. They just were acting
crazy.”
“Surprise you?” he asks, as I bite my lip, annoyed for revealing that. “About what?”
I stare at the clock on my wall as it ticks around to one minute past midnight.
“Uh, today’s my birthday,” I say quietly. There’s a pause on the other end of the phone, and then the
sound of splashing water.
“Your birthday is today?” “Uh-huh.” “You should have told me. I would have helped you celebrate
on my office floor.”
I smile, lying back in bed, soothed by the sound of his voice. “It’s not a big deal.”
“I’m going to be appalled at the age you’re turning, aren’t I?” “Twenty-five.” He groans. “Oh, god,
you’re so young.” “Shut up. I feel like an old lady.”
“Well, your body’s hot as fuck if that helps.” I don’t say anything, fighting the smile that seems to be
permanently stuck on my face right now.
“Happy birthday, Jax,” he murmurs after a little while, and a pulse of happiness moves through me,
from my toes all the way up to the top of my head.
“Thanks, Gray,” I whisper. I stare at the clock, wishing I could talk to him all night, and then I suck in
a sharp breath, my insides shriveling as I take the phone away from my ear and end the call without
another word.
Gray Jones is not my boyfriend, Gray Jones is not my boyfriend, Gray Jones is not my boyfriend.
Lying there in the dim light of my room, with the first minutes of my twenty-sixth year around the sun
ticking by, I have an overwhelming sense of fear engulf me for a moment.
I can’t afford to get attached to this man, and yet, try as I might, I can’t shake the feeling that the most
special birthday greeting came from him.