guts to do it, but life had taught her that standing up for

  herself took courage. Maybe she’d have a relationship with

  her father, and perhaps she wouldn’t, but she’d earned the

  right to decide for herself. They’d had power over her

  emotions for too long. Now she had that power back, and

  life would never be the same. It would be even better.

  “You okay, my love?” Margot asked.

  “I wasn’t for a long time, but I think I am now. Thank you,

  and that was the nicest fuck-you I’ve ever heard. You’re a

  poet, my love.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The diner was mostly empty in the late afternoon. Jaxon had

  taken Margot for a ride and pointed out all the highlights of

  her hometown. That hadn’t taken long, so they’d spent the

  rest of the time on the banks of the bayou at the back of

  Birdie’s property. They’d avoided the subject of her father’s

  visit, and for that Jaxon was grateful. It was a lot to process.

  Birdie and Eugenia were cooking dinner, so they’d opted

  for the diner to split a burger as a late lunch, so they

  wouldn’t be totally full. The young woman who came to their

  table seemed to be vibrating with what Jaxon assumed to be

  excitement when she stared at Margot. She was pretty sure

  this was Sean’s girlfriend, but she hadn’t gotten a good look

  at her the first time she’d been in here.

  “Make sure you tell them to hold the onion and tomato

  on that, please,” Margot said as she handed the menus

  back. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine,” the girl said in a voice pitched so high that Jaxon

  took her hand off her water glass in case it shattered.

  “Are you Sean’s girlfriend?” she asked, trying to break

  the spell Margot had cast over this kid.

  “Yeah,” the girl said, her eyes still on Margot.

  “If you call her, I promise I’ll take a picture of you and Ms.

  Drake.”

  The girl nodded. “I already did that,” she said, taking a

  deep breath. “Are you two, like, together?”

  “What’s your name? And it’s a total love connection,”

  Margot said and winked. “But I hear you got the younger

  model. I’d like to meet Sean if she’s coming by, and I’d also

  like that burger before I pass out.”

  “I’m Adeline, and I’ll be right back.”

  Jaxon chuckled when the kid tripped on her feet and

  almost took a header into the kitchen. “I didn’t realize you

  spoke teenager that well.”

  “Please, I graduated after taking your class. My

  vocabulary has gotten much better,” Margot said, throwing

  a sugar packet at her.

  Margot had asked to meet Sean, and this was the easiest

  way she could think to arrange it without involving Iris. “Do

  you think this is a good idea? Maybe I should’ve checked

  with Daniel and Iris first to make sure everyone is on the

  same page.”

  “One of the best dates you ever took me on was to see

  Shakespeare in the Park, the night they did Romeo and

  Juliet. That play stuck with me because the ending could’ve

  been so much better if only they’d had someone on their

  side.” Margot got up and sat next to her in the booth. “I

  realize the play’s a tragedy, before you start slipping into

  professor mode, but think of all the kids who find

  themselves in the same situation now, only it’s Romeo and

  Romeo, or Juliet and Juliet. I don’t want a kid who could grow

  up to be as awesome as you to fall through the cracks

  because they had no one to talk to.”

  “I love you more than life, Margot. I realize I don’t say

  that often enough, but I do. I’m a lucky bastard that you

  love me back.” She kissed the tip of Margot’s nose and took

  her hand.

  “I met your father this morning, babe. You’re not the

  bastard in the family.” Margot shook her head and laughed.

  “Sorry, that was mean, and the guy did apologize. It

  might’ve been the most awkward apology in the history of

  man, but A for effort.” Margot pulled her down by the collar

  of her shirt and kissed her on the lips. “And I do love you.”

  “Hey,” Sean said, standing by the table but looking like

  she wanted to run. “You want me to come back?”

  “No, honey,” Margot said. “Every so often I have to

  declare my undying love or break into song. Since I can’t

  sing to save Jaxon’s life, I stick to the sappy declarations.”

  Margot kissed her again before pointing to the other side of

  the booth. “Can we buy you and Adeline a burger?”

  “Thanks,” Sean said, dropping into the booth like

  someone had tackled her.

  “Thank you for coming. I should’ve gotten your number,

  and I thought this might be the best bet before we leave

  town.” She watched Sean nod in a constant steady motion.

  Margot put her hand in Jaxon’s pocket and retrieved her

  phone. “I talked to your parents and told them I’ll be happy

  to help out when it comes to your future academic plans.”

  “You only want to talk to me about school?” Sean

  stopped nodding, and she appeared dejected.

  “I’ll be happy to talk to you about anything you want,”

  she said, trying not to grimace at the pinch Margot was

  delivering to her leg. “You have my number, and if you put

  yours in there, I’ll call you every so often—if you don’t

  mind.”

  “That’d be great,” Sean said, moving her fingers over the

  screen faster than seemed humanly possible. “Adeline told

  me not to sweat it, and she was right.”

  “I’d hang on to that one. She’s smart and pretty. That’s

  an awesome combination,” Margot said as Adeline came out

  of the kitchen with a loaded tray. She delivered the food and

  sat next to Sean to eat. “So, what do you want to study

  after high school?” Margot asked before biting down on a

  fry.

  “I want to be a teacher like Miss Eugenia and you,” Sean

  said, pointing at Jax. “Adeline wants to be a nurse.”

  “Makes sense,” Margot said and smiled up at her. “Must

  be in the genes, huh?”

  That line made Sean’s face light up as Margot as much

  as admitted she was the long-lost father figure, which was

  totally ridiculous, but Jax stayed quiet on that subject. She

  guided the conversation to scholarships and the other

  interests the girls had. After a few minutes she couldn’t help

  but conclude what Iris had said was true. Sean was smart,

  driven, a lot like Jax, and a gift. Getting pregnant might not

  have been the wisest thing Iris ever did, but damn if her

  gamble hadn’t evolved into an awesome person with a

  bright future.

  They ate and talked some more before it was time to get

  back to her grandmother’s for the night. If Margot was right,

  the afternoon was the first step in showing Sean the

  possibilities of what her life could be. The kid was already

  ahead of her in several ways. Adeline seemed like the kind

  of partner who wouldn’t be afraid of fighting for what she

  wanted.

  “Study hard, and the last two years of school won’t be as

  long as you’re thinking they’re going to be,” she said when

  they stepped outside. Margot and Adeline had hung back,

  talking and taking selfies. “Right now, it seems like the

  worst time of your life because you want to be with Adeline

  all the time, but do some stuff with your mom and dad.

  Those memories will be some that all of you will

  appreciate.” She put her hand on the side of Sean’s neck

  and smiled. “Remember one thing.”

  “What?” Sean said, her eyes wide.

  “Daniel is your father, and he loves you just as much as

  your mother. Don’t throw that away because of what’s

  happened in the past. I think going forward will be a lot

  smoother as far as all that’s concerned. Give the guy a

  chance, and cut your mother some slack.” She squeezed

  before letting Sean go.

  “What about you? What are you to me?” Sean stepped

  into her personal space and asked with the earnestness of a

  kitten.

  She wasn’t sure herself yet, so she answered as best she

  could. “I want to be your friend, and with time maybe we

  can have the kind of relationship that comes with being

  family. I had no idea you were waiting, so I’m sorry I didn’t

  get here sooner.” She held her arms out to her sides, and

  Sean lunged forward and wrapped her in a bear hug. “I’m a

  call away, and I care. Okay?”

  “Thank you.” Sean sounded like she was crying against

  Jax’s shoulder. “You don’t know it, but you help me make

  sense of me. Do you know what I mean?”

  “I do, and I’ll be right here if you ever need me.” She

  hugged Sean and kissed her forehead. The thought of

  children didn’t seem quite so scary now.

  “I’ll make sure to remind her,” Margot said.

  She let Sean go and turned to Margot. Sean stood on the

  other side of Margot when Nancy came out from the back

  and took some pictures. That Iris was with Nancy didn’t

  surprise her, and it gave her a chance to say good-bye for

  now. “Thanks for all the work you did on the reunion. And

  thanks for allowing me to talk to Sean,” she said when they

  moved away from the others.

  “She’s been waiting for you for a long time, even if she

  didn’t know it. I’m glad you’re happy, Jax, and I hope you

  know that a part of me will always love you.” Iris took her

  hand and stepped closer. “I’ve missed you, and I wanted

  you to know I never betrayed you. Your relationship with Roy

  might not be as close as it once was, but he wouldn’t have

  done that to you.”

  “It shouldn’t matter, but it might’ve, a little. If it’s too

  hard to admit, don’t, but we both know Daniel isn’t

  biologically her father.”

  “Does it really matter?” Iris asked. “And you’re smart

  enough to know there’s more than one way to conceive a

  baby. Being intimate with someone should be reserved for

  someone you love. Well, in my opinion, anyway. That’s all

  the hints I’m giving.”

  “Thank you,” she said, and the explanation did erase

  some of the hurt. “It shouldn’t matter since it’s your choice,

  but that does make me feel better. She’s a good kid, and I’ll

  be happy to help her when she needs it. Take care of

  yourself, Iris, and Sean has my number. There’s a part of me

  that will always love you as well, but my heart belongs to

  Margot.” She hugged her old friend and wiped her tears.

  “We both ended up where we needed to be.”

  “Thanks, Jax, and thank you for not turning away from

  her.”

  “She was a shock, but a good one.”

  * * *

  The drive back to Eugenia’s was quiet, and Margot looked

  at the picture she’d taken of Sean and Jaxon. The

  resemblance was uncanny, and she had to force herself to

  shut the phone down. She wouldn’t mind staying a few more

  days, but tomorrow afternoon it was back to their lives.

  “This is really something, huh?” It was the only thing she

  could think of to break the quiet.

  “Would you mind one more stop before we head to

  Granny’s?” Jax lifted her hand and kissed her palm.

  “Sure.” It was crazy, but she was jealous of Jax’s old love

  and her kid who looked like the bastard Jax would’ve left

  behind. That was hard to compete with.

  They passed the turnoff to Birdie’s and went another two

  miles before Jax headed down a dirt road between the cane.

  It was close to sunset, and they drove another ten minutes

  before they came to a stand of ancient oaks next to a canal.

  The Spanish moss hanging from the trees and the slow-

  moving water were what she imagined this land must’ve

  looked like years before.

  “What’s this place?” She looked at Jax and smiled.

  “I used to come out here to think, study, and write.” Jax

  opened her door and motioned for her to stay put.

  “Not make out?” she asked when Jax opened her door.

  “You’re going to be the first girl I kiss out here, unless

  you’re mad at me for something.” Jax helped her on with

  her coat since the temperature had dropped some. “When I

  was a kid, my dad built me a tree house in those trees, and

  I’d sit up there and watch the guys cut cane. They used

  different equipment back then, and I’d try to capture what

  the process was in words. Eventually Eugenia tore those

  essays to shreds and taught me to refine my writing.”

  “So this was your special place?” She could imagine a

  young Jax sitting in the branches dreaming big dreams.

  “Before you this was the one spot I felt completely at

  ease. It’s the one spot in the world I claimed as my own, and

  Birdie had this put out here.” Jax walked her to the rock that

  sat almost at the center of the oak grove and pointed to the

  plaque bolted to the front: JAXON’S COVE. “This place fired

  my imagination when I was a kid.”

  “What did you dream about?” She put her arms around

  Jaxon’s waist and rested her chin on her chest.

  “I thought about all the adventures I’d have and the

  things in the world I’d see.” Jaxon helped her sit on the rock

  and knelt in front of her. “I have seen and done plenty, but

  then I met you.”

  “You make it sound like that’s a bad thing,” she said

  combing Jax’s hair back. The sky behind her was red and

  beautiful.

  “Not at all. After I met you, I thought about all the

  dreams I had, and I knew I didn’t have imagination enough

  to imagine you.” Jaxon leaned in and kissed her. “I’d been

  limping along until you found me. You are the one thing in

  my life that’s perfect.”

  “I’m far from perfect, love.” She pulled Jaxon closer and

  kissed her again. The way Jaxon treated her had always

  made her feel special, and from the day she’d committed to

  only her, she’d never once felt like this. Seeing what Jaxon

  had left behind had made her realize that perhaps she

  might not be enough. It was silly, but Sean was real and

  hard to compete with.

  “In the world there is but one perfect match for

  everyone. We weren’t each other’s first, but we are the only

  two people who match perfectly.” Jaxon reached in her

  pocket. “There isn’t a day that will come when I want to be

  anywhere but at your side.”

  “That’s beautiful, honey. I do love the way you talk to

  me.”

  “We’ve built a good life, but the rest of it starts today.

  Sometimes you have to go back and find the parts of your

  history that hold special meaning. They lay the cornerstones

  of your future.” Jax opened her fist, which held a jewelry

  box, and lifted the lid to reveal a beautiful ring. “When I

  decided to come back for all the ridiculousness of my

  reunion, Birdie decided to give me something. This is the

  ring my grandfather bought her, and she promised it to me

  when I found the right girl. She said it brought her the great

  fortune of happiness, and she wanted the same for us.”

  “It’s beautiful,” Margot whispered. And she meant it. The

  stone had to be at least two carats, and the square cut was

  gorgeous. Seeing it and Jaxon on her knees were doing

  strange things to her stomach and blink reflex. It didn’t

  seem real, and she had to concentrate on breathing, so she

  wouldn’t miss a moment of the one thing she’d really

  wanted. This was going to be her one and only proposal. Of

  that she was sure.

  “You’re beautiful, and you have the heart and soul to

  match. I promise I’ll always love and take care of you. I’ll

  always be faithful, and I’ll always be there for you. Will you

  marry me?”

  “Oh. My. God.” She watched Jaxon take the ring and

  place it at the end of her finger. Jaxon’s words made her

  start crying.

  “Is that a yes?” Jaxon asked with a smile.

  “Yes, yes, and yes.” Jaxon slid the ring on, and she looked

  at her finger for a moment before she kissed Jaxon with all

  the passion she had in her. “I love you.” She held her hand

  out and admired the ring again. “Daddy’s going to be so

  happy.”

  “I’m sure he’ll stand down after I get you down the aisle,