“Okay. Holler if you need me, but only if you really need me. I’m still not giving you a sponge bath.”
I laugh. “I know. Hey, maybe we can lay on the couch and watch movies all day. We haven’t had a Netflix marathon in a long time.”
“That sounds fun.”
I smile before heading for the shower. When I step out, I hear my phone ringing in the bedroom and Avery’s footsteps on the hardwood floor.
“Will you get that for me, please?”
“Sure,” she answers. By her responses, it sounds like it’s Reed. I glance down at myself, knowing I can’t talk on the phone and hold my towel. “Jax? It’s Reed.” He
r voice is close, so I know she must be standing right outside the door.
“You can come in.”
Avery pushes open the door, her eyes not hesitating before running up and down my body. Her hand is out with the phone, so I drop the towel and take it. She looks over me again, lingering for a couple of seconds, before she gives me a mean look.
I shrug and grin. “Hey, Reed. What’s up?”
She disappears, but a moment later, as Reed questions me about my injury, she comes back and throws clothes at me. Like I could grab them. So, they hit me in the chest and then fall to the floor.
“I hurt my shoulder a little bit, but it’s nothing too bad. You weren’t worried about your Uncle Jax, were you? I’m the strongest man you know.”
Avery rolls her eyes before finally leaving me in the bedroom once and for all.
“Yeah, but Mom said even strong people get hurt sometimes. I just wanted to make sure.” He pauses and I faintly hear Ashton in the background. “But, Dad, I’m still talking to him.” Another pause. “Yes, sir,” he grumbles. “Dad wants to talk to you. Bye, love you.”
“Love you too, Reed.”
As he gives the phone to Ashton, I press the speaker button and set it on the dresser.
“Hey, Jax. How are things going?”
I know he’s not asking about the injury so as I slowly dress myself, I answer him. “Better. A lot has happened since the last time I talked to you, but all that really matters is that things are better. How are things with you?”
“Oh, great. Especially when Reed opened his package and Brooke called me to fuss. Me, not you, the person who bought it, me.”
I laugh. “C’mon. The kid is learning new things. At this rate, he’ll be able to play any instrument he wants by the time he’s ten. She should be thanking you and me both.” Once my boxer-briefs are on, I give up on the lower half of my body. I don’t really want to bother with a shirt, but I do only because I don’t want the straps from the sling to rub against my skin.
“Well, she’s not.”
“She’ll survive and thank us one day. I gotta go. We’re watching movies today.”
“All right. I’m glad to hear things are better, Jax.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Avery is sitting on the couch with the laptop in her lap. She does a double take when she sees me.
“Problem?” I grin as I sit next to her.
“Nope. Feel better after your shower?” she questions, closing the laptop and reaching for the TV remote.
“Not really. My chest hurts because someone threw clothes at me and they hit me pretty hard.”
Avery giggles. “You’ll be okay.”
When she leans back into the couch, I go to get more comfortable and we both lift our feet to prop on the coffee table. I smile and reach for her hand. I’m about to lay them in my lap, but Avery shoots me another mean look before resting them in her lap instead.