Part of Cash had hoped that if his father saw how Cash was moving on with his life, maybe he’d want to do the same.
All of that was shot to hell, and Cash was going to have to pick up the pieces and attempt to regroup.
“I don’t want to talk about this,” Cash growled.
“Too damn bad.” Jax fisted his rag and turned around. “What the hell, man? What were you thinking with Jade?”
Cash slammed his tool to the wood subfloor, the thunk echoing through the near empty room. “What was I thinking? I was thinking that we’re adults and we didn’t need to ask anyone’s permission.”
The frustration and agony threatened to overcome him. Cash ran a hand over the back of his neck and glanced down to his dust-covered work boots.
“I was thinking that we wouldn’t get caught up in everything,” he murmured as he looked back up.
Silence crowded the room, and Cash missed the booming radio. At least he could attempt to drown out the angst . . . not so much when Jax stared at him with sympathy in his eyes.
“You fell for her,” Jax accused.
Cash shrugged. “It’s irrelevant now.”
“Says who?”
“I do.” Damn it. “You heard her, Jax. She admitted it was a mistake. I’m not begging. She made her choice this morning, when her mother showed up unannounced and then Livie stopped in.”
“What happened?”
As much as he’d like to ignore this entire conversation, Cash knew he wasn’t getting out of it so easily. He took a step and sat on the secure lid of the five-gallon bucket. Resting his elbows on his knees, Cash laced his fingers together and started at the beginning. Jax never interrupted, but that didn’t make rehashing all of it any easier.
“Surely you’re not that blind,” Jax finally said once Cash was finished.
“What?”
Jax shook his head and leaned against the wall. “She’s scared. Even I can see that. She’s never had a real relationship, other than with Livie and Melanie. Her grandmother is close, but she’s not in her daily life. Jade didn’t know how to handle this morning and freaked out. Hell, I don’t blame her. Love is scary.”
“Like I don’t know that?” Cash shouted. “I’ve never been so damn scared, but I’m also not naïve. Jade and I are too opposite to make anything work, and I was just a secret to her, nothing more.”
“Why do you say that?” Jax countered. “Did Jade ever act like she was better than you?”
“No.”
Jax merely raised his brows. “I’d say you overreacted.”
Maybe, but pride was a dangerous personality trait, and he had enough of it for five people.
“She’s at my house if you want to go talk to her.”
Cash shook his head. He wasn’t ready to talk to Jade. His emotions were too raw. Besides, as long as her mother was in town, there was no way he could go to Jade’s house.
Perhaps this break was best. Maybe they both needed to think about what happened, where they stood with each other. Cash wasn’t sorry she knew his feelings. If anything, he was sorry he’d lost all control and allowed himself to be hurt again.
“Can we talk about the fact that you’re going to be a dad again?” Cash asked as he came to his feet.
Jax stared for a second and then smiled and nodded his head. “Yeah. I’m done grilling you for now.”
Jax may be done, but Tanner hadn’t even started. Cash also had a sinking feeling he’d be hearing from Livie and Melanie before all was said and done.
Chapter Seventeen