Blossom Beach: Perfectly Wrong

Chapter 31

Hailey

The next couple of weeks, I work long hours to make up for taking off two days in a row. Kalia finally broke up with that asshole she called boyfriend and already seems to be a lot happier. Whenever I see her around the kitchen or working the tables, a brilliant smile decorates her face. I love to see her this happy especially when I've been feeling indescribably good. Jax has come to pick me up every night for the past few weeks. We usually cook dinner and watch a movie after my shift. Well, we try to but often we end up exploring each other until late in the night. No part of me minds the simplicity of staying at home, watching a movie, and then getting hot and sweaty. Jax is really good at sex.

After my shift, Hunter walks up to me with a silly grin on his face. He looks like a man on a mission, which brings a smile to my face.

"Hello, gorgeous," he says when he is close enough for me to hear. "I need to ask you for a favor." I put my tray down and give him my complete attention. "It's Jax's birthday tomorrow, and I want you to take the day off and spend it with him so we can get the surprise party ready." My eyes go wide and my heart stops beating. How could Jax not tell me his birthday is tomorrow? I asked him a few weeks ago but he took my mind off it by kissing me senseless.

"No problem," I assure Hunter, and he smiles at me.

"Thank you! Just be back at the restaurant at around five o'clock." He squeezes my arm and walks past me into the kitchen. I know what I'm going to get Jax but I need time

to actually get it ready. My phone buzzes, letting me know I received a text.

Jax: Hi, love. I'm taking care of Lily and Jace tonight. I'll see you tomorrow.

Hailey: Okay. No problem. See you tomorrow, baby.

I put my phone back in my pocket and sigh in relief. Jax being unavailable tonight uncomplicated the situation. I rush home and make myself some much-needed coffee. I've worked on something for a while, something I know is meant for Jax, but I've never had the time to finish it. It's the perfect gift, so I will spend the whole night working on it if I have to. Another present idea lingers in my mind, and I debate whether or not I will get it for him.

I work the whole night on his presents until eventually, I fall asleep on my couch.

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"Halo? Are you okay?" My uncle's voice drowns into my dreams, and I snap my eyes open immediately. I sit up too quickly and put my hands against my head when everything begins to spin and my vision goes blurry.

"What... yeah I'm fine. What time is it?" I'm completely disoriented.

"It's quarter past eight, sleepyhead," Harvey says, as he walks out of my kitchen. "Good morning." The grin on his face is impossible to miss. I grimace at him, and he sticks out his tongue.

"You haven't slept here in a while," my uncle interrupts with a sad expression on his face. Instantly, guilt washes over me. Except for my training sessions with Harvey every other morning, I really haven't spent much time with either of them. I've been so busy with work and Jax, I haven't been treating them in the way they deserve.

"I know. I'm so sorry. I want to spend more time with the both of you. How about dinner the day after tomorrow? I'm cooking." Uncle Ben's sad expression disappears and a much happier one takes its place.

"So where have you been all these nights?" Harvey asks, and I turn around to face him.

"None of your business," I reply with a joking tone, knowing Harvey would never approve of me dating Jax. There is too much bad blood between the two of them. He runs his hand through his black, curly hair and stares at me with his baby blue eyes. He frowns and puts down the coffee cup.

"You know this town is very small, right? If I want to find out with whom you have been spending your time, I could. Easily." My eyes go wide at the thought. I don't want Harvey to find out from someone else. It's already bad enough I'm dating the guy he dislikes most.

"Okay, fine, but you have to promise me you will not judge me and you will be supportive." He nods and sits down next to me. "It's Jaxon Hickley." Different emotions wash over Harvey's face in an instant- disapproval, anger, sadness. It's frightening to see him fighting with himself.

"Are. You. Kidding. ME?" His voice is very quiet and slow, but at the same time aggressive. "You know what? I know I promised I would be supportive but no, Hailey. I'm sorry. Anyone who would date a dickhead like Jaxon Hickley is a fool." He shakes his head before he turns to face me completely. "Have you completely lost it? He is a cheater! He is the biggest asshole on the planet! He fucks his way around the whole town!" His words cut through me like a sharp knife. Tears fill my eyes while my uncle's hand wraps around mine.

"That's enough," he barks at my cousin. "The girl was happy for the first time in months, and your foul ego just destroyed all of that!" The tears roll down but not because I'm sad. They are tears of anger.

"You have no right, Harvey. You don't know who he is. What happened between you two was years ago. You don't even know him, so how can you make assumptions about him? Huh? You have made mistakes in the past just like I have. Just like everyone has. Jax takes care of me and he makes me happy. He is a different person now." The need to defend the man I'm in love with takes over my body. Harvey needs to back off, otherwise, I will use what he taught me.

"Oh, is he? All right, if he actually is. I'm sure you didn't rush into having sex with him, and I'm sure he wasn't the one who made the first move." I go silent from his words. "That's what I thought. Jax likes to sleep with women and then drop them like hot coal." Harvey is screaming, and I can feel Uncle Ben tensing next to me.

"Well, he hasn't dropped me yet, and we have been dating for almost three months. Harvey, you are my family. Please don't make this harder for me than it already is. Do you know how it feels to be in love with someone when everyone is against you?" His face grows angrier, and I realize I just confessed my feelings for Jaxon Hickley. He takes a few deep breaths and sits down next to me again.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to make your life harder." He kisses my temple and looks at me with a small smile. "So... you're in love with him?" His mood swings make my head dizzy but I'm glad he's supportive now. I don't want to fight with him.

"Yeah, I guess I am." My lips curl up into a smile, and my cheeks turn red. Uncle Ben is smiling at me, and I know exactly what he's thinking. He's happy for me.

"Why don't you bring him to dinner? This way, your cousin can get to know him and stop being such a dick about what happened in the past. And I can take a good look at the man myself. I want to know if he's even slightly good enough for you." I laugh at my uncle's word choice. He hardly ever curses, but when he does, he means business.

"That sounds good," I reply and a quiet laugh escapes me.

I welcome back the feeling of happiness which left me for a few seconds when Harvey was yelling at me. This happiness is a different kind from what I experienced before everything happened with Jess. It feels warm and cold at the same time. Warm because I feel safe and surrounded by love. Cold because I don't know how long it will last.