~J A C K S O N~

WHEN WE GET INSIDE THE HOUSE, James greets his girlfriend with a kiss on the forehead and a warm hug. Linda smiles contently as she takes her scarf off and I do the same. This house is cozy, It's great for winter.

When James catches a glimpse of me, he glances down at his girlfriend. "You seriously brought another man home?" He questions, his voice laced with bitterness.

"Look at him, he's handsome!" Linda protests, rolling her eyes.

He strides up to me in three large steps and when he is at least a foot away from me, he looms over me, pressing his chest out to make himself seem courageous. With a snarl, he looks me up and down.

I bite back a grin.

"What are you doing with my future wife, mister?" He issues, his eyes are murky.

"Oh, you do not want to know the things I've already done, mister," I retort, scowling at him.

He shoves me back and the next thing you know, we are combatting like two teenagers battling over a girl to take to prom. "Alright, play times over boys!" I hear Linda yell and the smell of fresh hot chocolate attains my senses.

It probably does for James as well as we both stand upright, grinning like two dogs waiting for treats. Linda laughs, handing us each a mug with hot chocolate and extra baby marshmallows.

"Thank you so much!" I take a gulp, shutting my eyes with a groan. "Damn, James, give me your girlfriend. Mine can't make this amazing hot chocolate."

"I'm just here you know," I hear Austin yell from the hallway just when I hear the toilet flush.

Linda and I both glance at James, awaiting an answer. "What? He said he needed a new game partner, I was available!" James protests, shrugging.

I dramatically gasp, holding a hand over my heart. "You're cheating on me, A? After seven years of marriage, you're cheating on me?"

"I thought you just said I was your girlfriend and not your wife?" He hoists a brow, stepping closer to us.

"Awe, you remember!" I squeal, holding back a laugh.

Austin growls, rolling his eyes. "You're fucked up, man!"

"Language!" Linda exclaims, the place going entirely quiet.

"Sorry," Austin murmurs, smiling sheepishly.

With a sigh, she smiles. "Good! Now, how about a nice cup of hot chocolate and binge eat my Christmas cookies!"

✎✎✎

The next day, Austin is touching all kinds of things in my car as I navigate to the bookstore. He said something about today being his day off which I found weird because aren't all lawyers presumed to be at their office literally twenty-four-seven?

Well, except if your client cannot make it and you have the day off? No, when you don't go to work, you go over the case thing that has been set up. Try to find out what the person is guilty of or whatever lawyers do, right?

Law and judges have never been my powerful suit. I never liked being in court trying to save another's life from being sentenced to prison for possibly an eternity. I know nothing about these kinds of stuff.

"Stop touching TJ!" I yell at Austin as he flees his hand from touching anything else.

"I thought I told you to stop calling your car that," he grumbles.

I raise my brow, peeking at him for a mere second before returning my gaze to the road. "You actually thought I would give attention to you, Austin?"

I hold back my laughter as Austin's face retorts into a snarl. "You seriously need some help, Jack. You have been diagnosed with never fucking listening syndrome."

I couldn't help but burst out laughing. I attempt to muster up the best Texan accent and batter my eyelashes, "oh, A, darling, you do not need to worry about me, sugar. I can look after myself. You know, I like how worried you can get when you see me acting out of place."

"Seriously, bro you play too much," Austin complains and I just can't hold my laughter at bay.

When we arrive at the bookstore, Austin is first to get out. I hurry after him, locking my car and walking into the store. I continue laughing as Austin denounces under his breath with something along the lines of "I'm not your fucking sugar."

I just can't, it's too much.

Linda strolls over to us with a smile on her face. She greets us with a side hug and a peck on the cheek. "What has you laughing like this, Jack?"

I force my laughter to die down as I clarify to Linda. "Well, A doesn't love me anymore. Can you believe he wants me to stop calling him sugar, I mean is he cheating on me or something?"

"Gee, what is wrong with you?!" Austin cries, now getting nuts.

A low laugh rumbles from under my breath and I stroll over to Austin. As fast as I can, I bring his head down and buckle him in a headlock, rubbing my knuckles against his head. He tries to get out of my hold but I hold a good grip.

We hear the bell on top of the door jingle as someone enters the bookstore, but I'm too occupied with getting Austin to confess we are a couple, even though we really aren't.

"What are we, Austin?" I interrogate, my breath coming out as puffs while Austin makes it hard for me to keep him still.

"You're my best friend, I'm your best friend, we are nothing more than just that, Jackson. Stop being a dick!" He growls.

"Austin, what the hell are we?" I urge, tightening my hold around his neck but vague enough for him to breathe. I mean, I do not want to kill my best friend.

He chokes on his saliva as he throws a punch at my stomach. I groan, still not letting go of his head though. "Damnit, fine! You're my boyfriend, I'm your girlfriend."

He says, giving up. With a low laugh, I let him go and watch as he overhauls his hair. "You should have been a little more persistent, I enjoyed keeping you in a headlock. Maybe I should try out for WWE."

I can't help but flex my muscles.

"And come home with no belt and a mashed-up face. No thank you, I have had enough nightmares for these past nights!" He laughs at or I think he does.

"Alright boys, we are going to start getting customers so please, put your toys away and get to business. Lily will help me with the setting." We hear Linda announce and my heart starts beating twice as fast.

When I look at Linda, Lily is standing next to her while looking at her clipboard. I get to admire her profile and I'm liking it. Loving how she puts a strand of her hair behind her ear when she's concentrated. Her lips curling up into a smile when she hears one of Linda's lame jokes.

Her eyes twinkling like the LED lights in my bedroom. Linda and Lily walk past Austin and me when I catch how Lily looks at me from the corner of her eyes, a huge smile explodes on her face once she notices that I have been staring at her, drool presumably subsiding from my mouth.

"Dude, close your mouth. Dragonflies are going to make it their addiction to enter." Austin tries to make a joke but I don't laugh, he laughs at his own joke.

"That was a terrible joke and you know it."

Walking to my office, Austin follows after me telling me all sorts of really wearying jokes. Jokes I've heard before. I knew I shouldn't have offered to bring him here but I can't do anything about it now, can I?

While walking past, I catch a glimpse of Lily. What gets my breath caught up in my throat, is the fact that she is voluntarily staring at me, just like I was doing her. I try to think of it as slow-motion because that would be fricking cool. Her eyes twinkle as she smiles at me. Soon, my world stops, and I try my best not to scream like a high school girl who just got asked to the dance by her crush.

Smiling right back, I nod at her in a professional cowboy manner but also a way to make myself seem flirtatious. It's been too long since I flirted or had any romance and I think I'm ready to swoon my way into Lily's love life.

I make my way to my office and I catch Austin winking at Lily; my blood boils. I grab ahold of his green jersey, pulling him into my office and shutting the door.

A little too hard but have you seen the way he just winked at her? It's like he wants her in his bed. I shudder at the thought of Lily enjoying Austin's company. Oh, the pain it will come with if I ever see them together.

"What was that for?" Austin groans, caressing his arm which I did no apparent damage to, thank you very much.

"Do you remember that girl?" I ask, pointing to the door while knowing it is probably pointing directly to Lily.

"Yes, of course, I do. It's Lily Wilson, your high school crush." He confirms, rolling his eyes as he sits on my desk.

"Still my crush!" I have to make sure we are at the same level here. I move to sit on the chair opposite my dad's throne. "Can you believe she came here for a job and she didn't even know my dad has passed?" I try to ignore the pang in my chest as I stare at Austin.

"Did you guys make out on this very desk?" He grins, looking like Ben from Baby Daddy when he tries to act cool.

"She didn't even recognize me!" I protest, flailing my arms in the air like a bird trying to fly for the first time.

After a while of silence, Austin starts laughing. He brings his hand to his chest, tugging at his Christmas jersey as he continues to laugh. "Okay, laugh all you want but just know that her best friend wouldn't recognize you as well!"

Lily had a best friend and her name was Alexis. Austin always said he actually had a thing for her but we all know he never changed since high school. He still breaths on girls but right now he doesn't care because of his career. If Alexis were to walk in right now, Austin would make it his mission to get to her.

"Pssh, as if. Alexis will remember me before I remember her." He smirks, folding his arms over his chest.

I chuckle, "when are you going to stop living in that fantasy world?"

"Never!" Austin laughs.

After some time, we decide to help out and serve customers. I stand behind the counter, reading a personal favorite, All In by Emma Scott. Austin is talking to two guys, probably persuading them to buy the books.

Austin has his ways of persuading without making things seem awkward or weird or making himself seem intimidating. He is like a genius who just doesn't know how to use their brain sometimes.

"Hey," came the pleasingly sweet mellifluous voice of Lily from behind me and I turn around, facing her. She has a small smile on her face and a stack of books in her hand. "This customer wants to buy all these books."

I nod, taking them from her and putting them on the counter. She bends and I raise my brow as she picks up a new stack of books. She places them on the counter and my eyes widen.

"All these books? Damn, this person must be a world champion book worm." I scan the books before telling them the price.

"And he's only seventeen," Lily says, her face etched with surprise and delight.

"I wonder how long it'll take for him to read all these." There are probably twenty-something books stacked up on the counter.

"To read all of them, probably a month. He doesn't look like a nerd, in fact, he looks like he plays football but I'm not one to judge." Lily shrugs with a laugh.

"But you just did!" I laugh.

"I wasn't judging, I was just telling you how he looks," Lily confirms.

"While still assuming he is a nerd."

"Fair enough," she grins before laughing.

I chuckle, feeling completely overwhelmed that we are having our very first actual conversation ever. I have this urge to ask where she was yesterday but I hold myself onto my leash, the last thing I want is her thinking I'm trying to invade her privacy.

When all the books are scanned and packed into a huge box for the guy, he strolls over to us with his card in his hand. I take it from him and watch from under my lashes as he tries to flirt with Lily. He is a few years younger than her! When done, he smiles at Lily when I give him his card before leaving the bookstore. I watch as Lily squirms and then shivers.

She leans over, whispers to me, "he gives me the creeps."

I chuckle. "Why?"

"Did you not see the way he looks at me? It's weird." She says.

I don't say anything and just laugh. This girl. She never recognized me the first time but now, here we are having a civil conversation. Maybe she thinks I'm not that self-centered jerk from years ago.

Oh geez, maybe.

I find myself staring at Lily as I focus on her beautiful profile. The way her cheekbones lift when she smiles is something to marvel at. The way her eyes light up when customers greet her when they walk past. She's absolutely beautiful.

And the kind of beauty you don't see often, because of something called make-up. I love how she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and after some time, she would grab it and cover her face again. I notice how she does that a lot.

"What?" I didn't even know I've been staring for too long and I smile, animatedly shaking my head.

"Nothing, you're just, so pretty. . ." I watch as her cheeks light up into a marvelous pink color, one that looks like a blush girls use when putting on make-up.

"Thank you," she whispers wide-eyed, gazing around to see who heard me while still smiling shyly. Honestly, I want the entire world to know that I think-no I know, Lily is beautiful.

I don't know how to act around her anymore. Maybe I shouldn't have reminded her that it was me she was talking to me. Damn it, I totally should have kept quiet.

The day goes by really slowly but I love every second of it. Lily is talking my ear off and I couldn't ask for a better day. I love how she would talk so much without realizing it. We get caught up in a few things but it isn't enough to get me closer to her.

I noticed that Lily still somewhat has doubts because every time I bring high school into the picture, she would change the subject almost immediately knowing I wanted to talk about how bad I was in high school and how I've changed up until today.

The day goes on with Lily and I animatedly chatting on and on about anything that comes to mind. The spark that glows between us, or the spark that I feel when Lily is close to me, feels like a miracle. Especially when Lily is speaking my ear off. I grin and stare at Lily, my heart thundering in my chest.

"We should hang out sometime and catch up. I don't think I have ever seen someone glow up the way you did."

✘✘✘

the chapter is longer than the other two but I got carried away, haha. please vote, comment and if this is so far enjoyable, share! <3