Until Lilly (Until, #3)(22)

“Cash?”

“Yeah?” He leans forward, kissing me lightly.

“What did she say to you before she left?”

“That she was going to try and get custody of Jax.”

“No,” I gasp as I run my hand over Jax’s head at my waist.

“Don’t worry; this isn’t the first time she’s tried. She won’t take him from me. He doesn’t even really know her. Yes, he knows she’s his mom, but that’s all. They don’t have a relationship.”

“That’s really sad.” I look down at Ashlyn. I can’t imagine not having her.

“She’s not like normal moms, babe. Even when Jax was a baby, she would get mad if he cried or if he needed attention. My mom has been more of a mom to him than she has.”

“Maybe she needs help.”

“I don’t know; I tried to help her. I also tried to talk her into seeing someone after Jax was born, but she wouldn’t. The last straw for me was when Jax was learning to walk and he stumbled into her. She was holding a glass of juice, and when he bumped her, the juice went all over her outfit. She pushed Jax back, and then started yelling about her ruined clothes. After that, I kicked her out of the house and told her I was getting a lawyer and filing for full custody.”

“Poor Jax,” I whisper, closing my eyes.

“She’s not around often, and if she is, the visitations are supervised.” Just then, I feel movement at my left and look down to see Jax opening his eyes.

“Hey, dude, did you have a good nap?” Cash asks him, and Jax climbs over me onto Cash’s chest, kicking Ashlyn accidently in the process, waking her up.

“Hey, love bug.”

“Are we going to the zoo?” She smiles sleepily up at me, then Cash.

“Tomorrow,” I tell her as she cuddles into me. Cash pulls me over so my head is on his chest with Ashlyn between us, and Jax laying on top of him. We all lay there, the warmth of the sun beating down on us. Cash’s fingers run up and down my arm. I feel loved, safe, and whole for the first time in years.  I know it’s too soon, but it feels so right that I don’t care.


Chapter 4





Cash



“Hey, man, are you okay?” Asher asks. I look around the now-quiet jobsite realizing I must have been daydreaming. It’s been two months since the bar-b-que at Asher’s house—two months of getting to know my daughter, and two months of reconnecting with Lilly. All of it has been perfect, except I want more. I want Ashlyn and Lilly in my house with Jax and me. I want to be able to kiss them both before bed at night, and wake up and see them and my son every morning. I hate when I have to say goodbye to them, and I know Jax doesn’t like it much either.

“Yeah.” I smile as Asher sits, opening a bottle of water.

“How are things with you and Lilly?”

“Really good.” I look at Asher, who seems to want to say something. “What is it?”  I sigh. I know everyone likes Lilly. My mom loves her, but there are times I can see them waiting for her to flip out like Jules would.

“Why doesn’t she live with you?”

“What? That’s what you want to say?”

“Yeah, I mean, I can’t imagine not having my girls there when I get up in the morning.”

“I don’t like it, if that’s what you’re thinking. But I have been trying to take things slow. I f*cked up big time with her, so right now, I'm just trying to prove to her that I'm in for the long haul.”

“Can you prove it by this weekend?”

“What?” I feel my eyebrows draw together in confusion.

“You know, this weekend. Can you have her move in with you by this weekend?”

“Were you listening to what I just said?” I mean, I want her to live with me; shit, there are a lot of things I want, but taking it slow includes waiting on moving in and sleeping together. Since that time in the shower at Asher’s house, I haven’t had my mouth on anything but her mouth. Just thinking about the way she looked—the way she f*cking tasted—makes me hard.

“Come on, I can help you move her in,” Asher says, dragging me out of my dirty thoughts.

“Dude, don’t you think that if it was that easy, I would have had her moved in already?” I shake my head and go to stand.

“I know, but maybe you need to try harder.”

“What the hell is going on?” I cross my arms over my chest, narrowing my eyes.

“Nothing, just looking out for you,” he says looking away, and I know he’s up to something.

“What the f*ck is going on?” I repeat.

“Nothing,” he mumbles before standing and walking off. I shake my head and look around the jobsite before gathering my stuff and heading over to where I was working before my break. Once I get there, Trevor comes around the corner.

“Hey, man, how’s it going?” he asks, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Good, what’s up?” I look at him for a second before using the nail gun to tack up another piece of drywall.

“Good, good.” He looks around before taking a step towards me. “I just wanted to see how things are going with you and Lilly.”

“Things are good,” I say through my teeth. “Why the f*ck are you and Asher so interested all a sudden?”