Chapter 23

“This is ridiculous,” Carson mumbled as leaned closer to her.  “Why couldn’t we take Dad’s SUV?”

Spencer turned in the seat in front of him, but couldn’t make it far sandwiched in between Logan and Asher.  “Because they needed it later.”  Spencer pushed Asher, being careful not to hit Logan as he steered them towards the doctor’s office.  “At least you have room back there.  Why in the hell don’t any of us have a bigger vehicle?”

“I thought Logan’s truck was big,” Amy said, causing them all to stare at her with a glare.  With a large smile, she dug her elbow into Carson’s side.  “Plus, if you would have let me sit in the middle, you’d have more room.”

Carson’s look said that she was insane, and in case she couldn’t read his expression, he glanced down at her clothing and raised an eyebrow.  “I thought we had a talk about you shopping in the children’s section.”

“Spencer picked it out.”

“Ouch! What was that for?” Spencer shouted as he rubbed the back of his head where Carson smacked him moments earlier.

“For being an idiot.”

“Kids,” Asher interrupted, glancing at each one of the briefly before bringing his attention back to the phone in his hands.  “If you don’t quit fighting, I’ll make you walk the rest of the way.”

Laughter came from the right corner of the truck, and this time, it was Jaxon who was on the receiving end of their glares.  “What?” he asked with another chuckle.

Amy smiled at the sound, making Carson snort.  “Just because I like you, Jaxon, that doesn’t give you free rein to ogle my sister.”

“Wait,” Spencer said, once more trying to turn in his seat.  “We like him now?”

“Nope,” Logan and Asher said together, while Carson just shrugged.  “He’s not so bad.  He passed the first test.”

She froze in her seat, staring at Carson as if he had just sprouted horns.  “You have got to be kidding me!”  He jumped before turning to look at her with slightly widened eyes.  “You promised you were through with that.”

“No,” Asher said, still not glancing up from his phone.  “We promised that we’d stop putting random people through the tests when we hadn’t gotten to know them for more than twenty-four hours.  Seeing as we stayed under the same roof as Jaxon, I can safely say that we’ve known him for a longer duration of time.”

“Bad move,” Spencer whispered with a chuckle, and Asher finally glanced up from his phone with a wince.

“Sorry, Amy,” he mumbled as he attempted to push his phone in his pocket.  When he couldn’t perform the action, he sighed before tossing it into the glove box.

She stared at him with a frown.  “Why are you apologizing?  For the lawyer talk?  We all know that you get like that when one of your cases is bothering you.  You go from sounding like our older brother to sounding like a lawyer in about two seconds.  So, which case is it this time?”

“I don’t do that,” he grumbled in protest, but when they all sent him a disbelieving look, he sighed, rubbed his hands over his eyes, and nodded.  “Okay, maybe I do, but we all know that I can’t talk about it.”

Logan chuckled.  “I thought the military kept things confidential, but we have nothing on lawyers and doctors.”

The words sent Amy back to reality, sent her thoughts from amusement to dread.  Soon, they’d be at her ex’s place of work, soon, she’d have to look him in the eyes and pretend that she didn’t still hurt.  She just hoped she could do it.  She hoped that she could smile through the sadness, the disappointment that echoed through her.

“Hey,” Carson whispered beside her as he curled his hand into hers and squeezed.  “You don’t have to go in there alone.”

Laughter died down, and Amy knew that even though the second to oldest had whispered his words, everyone had heard them.  Eyes stared at her, putting her on the spot, waiting for her answer.  Luckily for her, she didn’t have to provide one as Jaxon leaned forward to look passed Carson.  With a smile that was a little more intimate than it should have been in a car full of her brothers, Jaxon nodded.  “She isn’t going in alone; I’m going in with her.”

“Not a good idea,” Logan said in a firm tone.  “If any of them recognize you, it won’t be just the bad guys that you’re running from.  We can keep you away from the cops as long as there isn’t a bounty out on your head, but we won’t aid and abed a fugitive.”

“No one will recognize me,” Jaxon replied as he waved the statement off.  “I’d never been to this office.  I never had contact with these people, and if they recognize me, they’re not clean enough to call the cops.”

Carson nodded slightly.  “That’s true, but there’s another problem that we’re not thinking about.”

“How are the main doctor and the jerk going to react when we pull up?” Asher guessed.  “A lawyer, a fed, a surfer, and a consultant; sounds like the start of a bad joke, but with our last name, and how much pull Dad has in this town, there is no way that we’ll be able to all go in there without causing suspicion.  Amy could, with her ex as a cover, but if we all went in?  I don’t know how it would turn out.”

“That’s why I’m the only one going in with her,” Jaxon said with a happy smile.  “See, everything is settled.”

Logan pulled into a random parking lot, making Amy frown in confusion.  “The doctor’s office is a couple of miles ahead.”

“Two miles,” Logan confirmed before nodding towards the doors.  “Everyone out.  I have a plan.”

They spilled from the truck, and by the happy sighs and stretches her brothers were doing, they were more than relieved to be out in the open.  “What’s the plan?”

Logan didn’t answer as he walked to the back of his truck, popped open his tool box and began pulling out random gadgets.  With assessing eyes, he stared at Jaxon, nodded, and put something back before grabbing something else.   “I’d go with the button cam again, but we don’t know who may be onto it.  So, we’re doing this the old fashioned way, I’m bugging you.”

“You don’t think we’re going a little far with this?” Amy asked.

Her brothers shook their head, and when she stared at Spencer for help, he shrugged.  “This is your safety, Amy.  You know how we get when we don’t know whether you’re going to be safe or not.  You’re just lucky he’s not making you wear spy glasses.”

“I didn’t pack them,” Logan mumbled.  They stared at him, not knowing whether the serious man was joking or if he truly had a pair of spy glasses.  “Lift the shirt,” he continued, motioning towards Jaxon.

Jaxon cautiously lifted his shirt, looking unsure of the action, and when Logan immediately began tapping things to the man’s chest, Amy let a frown of her own form on her face.  “Won’t they see it?”

“Take this,” Spencer said as he began unbuttoning his shirt.  “It’ll cover it up enough, and we’re about the same size.”

Catching the button up shirt Spencer threw at him, Jaxon shook his head.  “I feel like we’re in a bad crime flick.  What happens when I’m found out?  What’s my secret word for all of you to come running in and save us?”

“How about, ‘I’m an idiot and they found me out?’”

Amy punched Carson in the arm, making him wince slightly.  She knew it was just an act, that she hadn’t hit her brother hard enough to actually hurt him.  He was just doing as he always did, humoring her when her nerves were skittering too close to the edge.  With a smile in his direction, she began talking.  “How about yellow is the word.  We’ll say something is yellow, and that means that we need an out.”

“We’re staying here, two miles away,” Logan began, “to keep them from seeing us.  We won’t be close enough to come to the rescue.  So, if something goes wrong, only say yellow if it’s a 911 emergency.  Say purple for something more minor, and orange if you feel spooked.”

“If I feel spooked?” Jaxon repeated with a frown.

Carson nodded.  “You know.  If you see someone that recognizes you, if you feel like something is off, say orange.  We’ll know that we need to get you out of there fast, but that it’s too dramatic to bust down the door.”

“Busting down doors is strictly for purple and yellow,” Spencer finished.

“Do this a lot?” Jaxon grumbled as Logan finally took a step back.  His shirt fell back into place before Amy could see the multiple things taped to his chest, and as soon as he slipped the second shirt on, any signs that there was anything under the slightly baggy shirt were now gone.

“More often than we should,” Asher admitted with a nod.  “We’ll all stay here, with Logan’s equipment.”  He paused, glancing around them.  “Actually, we’ll be across the street in that coffee shop.  You can take Logan’s truck, and when the two of you find out what you need, meet back here.”

Amy caught the keys Logan tossed her way.  “Will they wonder why I took your truck?”

“For flowers if they ask, but don’t offer the information.  When you offer information without being asked, you look suspicious,” Carson answered before pulling her into a quick hug.  “Be careful out there.”

“Come on,” she mumbled against his chest.  “I’m just going to talk to an old friend.  What’s the worst that could happen?”

Asher pulled her away from Carson and delivered a hug of his own.  “Don’t jinx yourself.”

“And we all know what would be the worst.  You’ll come back, forgiving the jerk, and become friends with him again,” Spencer said with a snort as he wrapped his arms around her and eased her away from Asher.

“Don’t do it,” Logan said, but whereas her other brothers gave her a hug and told her to be careful in their own way, Logan looked unsure if the gesture would be welcomed.  Amy frowned at him, still angry for what he had done, but while she hadn’t completely forgiven him, she couldn’t leave him standing there looking unsure of himself.  If something did go wrong, how would she feel, knowing she left him with that lost look on his face.

With a sigh, she stepped out of Spencer’s arms and gripped Logan in a tight hug.  “No promises.  I forgive too easily.”

“I don’t know whether that’s your best quality or your worse.”  He chuckled, tightening his grip on her before letting her go.  “Just don’t expect us to forgive him, even if you do.”

“Nothing is going to happen,” she said in confidence as she looked each of her brothers in the eye.  “So stop worrying.”

Jaxon stepped beside her, grabbing her hand in his.  “I don’t think they’ll stop worrying until this thing is over with.”

She passed Logan’s keys to him, ignoring her brother’s frown.  “Then let’s end this right now.”

With one last smile towards her brothers, Amy let Jaxon lead her towards Logan’s truck.  He opened the passenger’s door for her, waiting for her to enter before closing it and running around to the driver’s side.  She smiled at the action, happy to know that her brother’s weren’t the last decent men left in the world.

He settled in beside her and immediately started up the truck.  Sending her a sheepish grin, he motioned around them.  “I’m not completely familiar with the area, and you’ve never told me your ex’s name.”

“Go straight and take a left at the next stop light.  The office he works at is in a line of buildings.  It’s hard to miss.”

Pulling out of the parking lot, he sent her a glance from the corner of his eyes.  “So, you think they’re listening to us now?”

A laugh fell from her lips.  “No doubt in my mind.”

“That’s what I thought,” he mumbled as he pressed a hand to his chest and rubbed.  “That should work for a little while.”  He glanced at her again.  “You said that you wanted to end this thing today, but Amy, you know this isn’t the end, right?  This is only the beginning.”

“It’s the end too.  It’s what Marshall needs to put away the person who helped his sister OD.  It’s what I need to move on with my life.  It may be the beginning for a lot of things, but this is also the end for a few.”

He stopped rubbing his chest, and she knew that he no longer cared which brother was listening in on their conversation.  “Are you sure you want to do this?  What if he just turns you away and makes you leave?”

“He won’t, and I’m positive.  To be honest, I probably should have done this a whole lot sooner.”

They stopped at the red light, and before long, Amy was pointing out the office that her ex worked at.  As they parked in the busy parking lot, she took a deep breath before letting it out.  “You’ll be okay?”

“Yeah,” she answered with an unsure smile.  “I’m sure everything will be fine.”

“Practicing your lying face?” he guessed as he cut the engine and turned towards her.  “Remember that I’m here for you.  If one thing goes wrong, if he even looks at you in a way that you don’t like, we’ll leave.  I don’t care how much Marshall wants answers about his sister; I’m looking out for you first.”

His words made her breath falter, but not because of nerves.  No, at that moment, she couldn’t help but care a little more deeply for Jaxon.  “Thanks.”

Leaning forward, he pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear.  “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” she agreed with a more genuine smile as he nodded, jumped from the truck, and walked around to open her door. 

His hand came into view, helping her from the truck, and once she was on her feet, he didn’t relinquish his grip.  If anything, his hand held onto hers a little tighter as they walked into the doctor’s office.  The doors swung open in front of her, the quiet of the lobby settled around her, and when dread tried to pool at the bit of her stomach, Jaxon’s hand in hers kept it at bay.

She glanced around the room, noticing that things hadn’t changed since the last time she had been here.  There were still paintings from a local artist hanging on the walls.  Month old magazines piled in the corner on an antique side table.  People of all kinds sat in the chairs, some waiting patiently, while others tapped their foot against the floor, interrupting the silence. 

A few people glanced her way, but none of them lingered too long on her form, figuring they were here for the same reason she was, to see the doctor, and in a way, she was.  The only difference was that she wouldn’t be getting a check-up, not by her ex and certainly not by his drug dealing boss.

“Can I help you?” the lady behind a glass wall began before her eyes widened and a smile broke out on her normally expressionless face.  “Amy O’Neal, is that you, dear?”

“Hey, Mrs. Bradbury,” she whispered somewhat awkwardly as Jaxon and her walked towards the older lady.  “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“It’s been a little over a year, Amy.  That’s a more than a while.”  Her tone was scornful, but the light in her eyes kept her words from being harsh.  “Did you come here to see him?  After all of those calls, has he finally gotten through?”

Amy frowned at the woman, but before she could say a word, the door beside them opened.  The first thing she saw were his shoes, shoes that she had bought him for his birthday.  The next was a pair of perfectly pressed slacks, and a dark blue shirt hidden behind a long, white, lab coat.  His blue eyes widened when he saw her, a dazzling smile lit up his face, and she felt absolutely nothing but relief.  Relief because she no longer felt what she had thought was love, relief that the only sadness she felt was the sadness over losing a friend.  Nothing more, nothing less, and for the first time in a year, she felt herself completely relax.

An easy smile fell onto her face, one that wasn’t forced, controlled, or faked, and his smile faltered a little around the edges.  His wide eyes shrank back to their normal size before narrowing when he saw her hand wrapped around Jaxon’s.  “Amy,” he breathed, sounding shocked to hear the name leave his lips.

“Greg.”

Jaxon sent her a look with a smile, and she knew that he was thinking what she was just beginning to realize.  Greg was a jerk name, meant for the jerk who still had the same fake smile on his face from before.  “Jaxon,” Jaxon said, holding his hand out for the other man to shake.

Greg stared at the offer before completely ignoring Jaxon and turning in her direction.  “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

“It’s not a large town,” she said with a disbelieving laugh.  “I can hardly ever leave the house without seeing you.”

“Amy,” he started, taking a step towards her, before pausing.  His eyes darting around the lobby, he sighed.  “Would you like to talk in my office?”

She nodded as she pulled Jaxon closer to her.  “Lead the way.”

His smile tightened around the edges.  “Wouldn’t you like to talk in private?”

Jaxon didn’t say a word, letting her decide even though he was under strict orders from her brothers not to let her be alone.  “Sure,” she said, not letting go of Jaxon’s hand.  “The three of us can talk in private.”

Greg took a step back, but didn’t turn to lead the way.  “I meant do you really want him to hear everything that we have to say to one another?”

“He knows all the important things,” Amy said with a shrug, and by the shocked expression on Greg’s face, she knew that her ex hadn’t expected her words.  “Anything that you have to say to me can be said in front of Jaxon.  I’d wind up telling him what we talked about anyway.”

“I’m worse than her brothers when it comes to keeping her safe,” Jaxon said with a chuckle that sounded anything but humorous, “and the thought of leaving her alone with you doesn’t sit well with me.”

Her ex blinked at Jaxon as if just realizing he was there, but Amy knew it was an act.  Greg was doing anything he could to make Jaxon feel inadequate.  The biggest problem was that, next to Jaxon, the only one that was lacking was Greg.  He didn’t have the same confidence in him, didn’t have the same warm, brown eyes that Jaxon had.  And the best of all, Greg didn’t send her heart skipping, didn’t make heat flutter in her stomach.  No, all that Greg did was make her want to end this even sooner than before.  She wanted this to be over now.  So she could have her ending, and maybe, just maybe, she could start her beginning with the man beside her, the man who held her hand as if he would never let go, the man who made her feel comfortable in the most uncomfortable situation she could ever imagine, and the man who had his own ending to prepare for, one that she would hopefully be a part of.