Chapter2
1196 Words
Abby's POV
I couldn’t believe my eyes right now. Jaxon Lockwood, in all his glory, is in my home.
Could the rumors be true?
Even now, as he sits down with his hood drawn up, something in my belly trembles. He's even more attractive up close.
I can count a number of girls that would faint if they stood in my place, but for me, curiosity and shock wins.
I clear my throat and force my thoughts into obedience. He may be hot, but I won't allow myself to go crazy over a guy like Kayla and her minions.
Dad gets up from his seat, “Abby, Caleb, please, have your seats so we can talk about this.”
My eyes go from him to Jaxon, then back again. I take a seat closer to Dad, but unfortunately it puts me in front of the very person I'm trying to avoid.
The handsome lines of his face are as hard as stone today. He doesn't have that self-assured smirk he usually wears.
Caleb remains standing, eyes narrowed. “No Dad, I'm not sitting anywhere until you explain what the hell is going on.”
“Mind your language around me young man,” Dad says sternly in his Coach voice. “I taught you better than this.”
Caleb remains silent, but still doesn't take a seat. With a sigh, Dad explains: “Look, as you already know, this is Jaxon Lockwood. Jaxon, these are my children, Abby and Caleb.”
Jaxon eyes trail without emotion from me to Caleb, but there's a hint of ice in his blue eyes when he faces the latter. He barely gives a nod of acknowledgment.
“Jaxon will be staying with us for a while,” Dad continues. “He needs a legal guardian for the time being, as he…unfortunately lost his parents a few weeks back.” His shoulders sag with pain.
“What does that have to do with us?” Caleb asks in a low tone.
Dad's eyes send a clear warning to Caleb. “His uncle was once a close friend. He called in the favour because Jaxon needs a legal guardian for the time being. I can't turn my back on him. Jaxon has no family here in the States anymore.”
I suck in a quick breath at the devastating news and the gravity of the situation. I turn to Jaxon again, but he sits so quietly and refuses to look anyone in the eyes. It's almost like he's in a world of his own.
I feel bad for him. It’s possible that he lost his parents that day of the final championship game. That's probably why he had to leave so suddenly.
“All I ask of the both of you, is to be respectful and hospitable. Especially you, Caleb,” Dad faces his son directly communicating many more things with his silence.
No talk of rivalry. No fighting. No competition.
Caleb's jaw is so tight that I fear it'll break. He looks so upset.
“Am I clear?” Dad asks, his question heavy in the air.
He's not looking at me so I don't bother nodding my head.
“Crystal,” Caleb grinds out before storming down the hallway.
“Caleb! s**t—” Dad looks at Jaxon and I apologetically. “I'll go talk to him,” he says a little awkwardly before going after him.
This leaves just Jaxon and I at the table. He stares off angrily to the side, folding his arms across his chest.
Despite this, I try to offer my sympathies.
“I'm sorry about your—”
He doesn't even allow me to finish before he gets up from his seat and walks away.
—
The weekend passes with everyone trying to get accustomed to this new addition to our lives.
Caleb took it harder, but he was barely home during the weekend so I didn't get a chance to talk to him.
Jaxon? He is practically a ghost.
That is, until I see him stepping into the hockey rink while I'm at Monday practice.
He's wearing our Falcon black uniform, and because of how dark his hair is he just reminds me of a big raven.
The cheer squad pauses from their light banter to stare at him in bewilderment, just as I had expected.
I didn't expect him to show up so soon at school, even though Dad said something about him starting this week.
Kayla rushes into the rink soon after, late to practice as usual. I honestly don't know why she insists that we practice on the rink. It's impractical, but anything to get noticed by the jocks, I guess.
Her eyes catch on my form like a hawk's and she struts over to me. “Is it true, Dalton?”
Everyone's eyes leave Jaxon and fall on me.
“Is what true, Kayla?” I ask with a sigh, lacing my skates.
“Is it true that Jaxon's living with your family?” She folds her arms.
How news travels fast. “Yes, but it's only for a short while.”
Her eyes reduce into slits. “Well, just so you know, just because he's living with you, doesn't mean that he's yours. So you better not be getting any ideas. I was respectful with Caleb because he's your brother, but with Jaxon,” she leans in, “I sure as hell won't be.”
Yeah, because talking about my brother like he's a piece of meat whenever she sees him is ‘respectful’.
I hold back a sigh. I don't know why everything is always a competition with her. “He's all yours,” I say with a wide smile, rising to my feet and skiing away
—
“Geez!” I exclaim the following morning when I wake up and see the time. I have less than an hour left to prepare because I overslept.
After ripping off my clothes in a panicked whirlwind, I enter the bathroom and turn on the shower. “Come on, come on.”
But it only chokes and gurgles. A trickle of water spurts out right onto my face, then stops.
“Oh no no no!” Why today of all days? This is the second time this is happening this week.
I hop out of the bathroom, hastily wrapping a towel around my body and rushing to the guest bathroom.
I'm in so much of a hurry that I don't even bother knocking to check if anyone is inside.
I'm already two steps inside the bathroom before my brain catches up to my eyes.
Right there… in the shower stood Jaxon completely naked. His hair is slicked down by the water, his toned back facing me. He leaned forward to lower the shower pressure and the way his muscles flexed left me in awe. My eyes drop lower—
A small scream bursts out of my throat at the sight.
He turns around, giving me yet another blessed view of his chest and abdomen. His eyes are wide as they connect with mine.
“What the—!”
- Writer
