Shady Bay (12 page)

Mercy showered quickly and exited the bathroom in a tiny tank-top and pair of those shorty-short things she called boy-shorts. No way a boy would wear those, but I wasn’t gonna argue. They were red, fit her ass like a glove, and the word “Juicy” was scrawled across them in white glitter. Mercy and her damned panties.

I showered and climbed into bed, settling in behind her, molding my legs with hers. She didn’t even protest. She was mostly asleep and barely stirred. I wish the same could be said for lil
’ Jax because being in this position with Mercy was most definitely an awakening experience for him. I was sure that Celeste’s psychic powers were rubbing off on me. I could envision a hell of a lot of cold showers in my future.

I woke up
in Jaxon’s bed alone. Downstairs, the deep timbre of his voice echoed. “I know we don’t offer health insurance for part time employees.”

Silence.

“Then let’s make her a full-time administrative.”

More silence.

“Park, she doesn’t have time for that shit.”

Another pause.

“She’s too proud to apply.”

I threw off the covers.

“What if I add her to my plan, how long would that take? When would her coverage take effect?”

I padded to the door.

“Pretend we are. How long?”

My feet carried me down the steps.

“Three days. Great. Fax the paperwork to me now.” Pause. “I’ll have everything for you in a few hours. Just fax it, Parker. Damn it!”

His eyes met mine as I stepped into the room. “I know exactly what I’m doing.” He hung up on his brother and walked over to me.

“Go get a sundress on and do your hair and make-up. There’s something we need to handle.”

Well, sir, yes, sir. I rolled my eyes and trudged down his porch steps, up mine and into my place. An hour, layers of make-up and several spiral curls later, I pulled a light yellow sundress over my head and checked the mirror. Satisfied with what I’d accomplished, I texted Jax that I was ready. My doorbell rang a minute later and when I opened the door, I was met with a different Jax. He was relaxed, in a light blue denim button down shirt, the cuffs rolled up onto his forearms. His bottom half was clad in some dark
khaki cargos that matched the material on his manly flip-flops.

“You look beautiful, Mercy.”

“Thanks. You clean up well, too. Where are we going? I need to go to the shop soon.” I’d just checked the time. It was seven thirty in the morning.

“Nope. Celeste gave you the day off. You’re all mine today.”

I raised my brows. “Is that so?”

“Yep.”
He held his hand out for me and I accepted it and stepped outside with one extremely hot looking Jaxon Hot-dimple Harrison.

We drove down Ocean Boulevard, better known as ‘the strip’ and stopped at a local floral shop. “Pick out a bouquet, something chicks like.”

“Who are the flowers for, Jax?” My heart almost hit my feet. I damn near tripped over it.

He grinned. “You’ll see. Pick out something
you
like, Mercy.”

I lit up like the fourth of July. How did he know? Probably the employment records, duh! Today, the twenty-second of May, was my twenty-second birthday!

I picked out a bouquet of orange and yellow lilies, purple lavender and hot pink roses. It was beautiful and the mixture of floral notes was divine.

“Thank you, Jax!” I kissed his cheek when we approached the car again.

He just grinned and muttered, “Don’t thank me yet.”

What was that supposed to mean?

Jax: You there
yet?

Brody: Everything’s ready.

Jax: On the way.

Brody: Does she have a clue yet?

Jax: Nope.

Brody: Oh, shit.

Jax: Yep.

I
pulled the car back into my driveway and ran around to the passenger side. The ring box was bulky but easily concealed in the side pocket of these cargos. At least, I sure hoped so. I glanced down to be sure. Looked good.

“Thanks for the flowers! I didn’t think anyone remembered.”

“Remembered?”

“Yeah. My birthday.”

“Today’s your birthday?”

“Yeah. Isn’t that what the flowers are for?”

I grabbed the bouquet from her hand and started stripping off the cheap plastic vase thing. “Um, not exactly. They could be. I mean, I want this day to be very special for you.”

“Okay,” she drawled out.

“Let’s go to the beach for a minute.”

“Okay.” I handed the bouquet back to her and watched as the salty breeze lifted the hair off her shoulders. Grabbing her hand, we made our way to the sand.

Celeste, Brody, June, and Summer waited on the sand with the officiant. I’d scoured the internet in the early morning hours and he’d been the only one to answer his phone.

On the beach
waiting for us were Brody and June, Celeste, Summer, and some older guy that Celeste was blatantly ogling.

“What are you guys doing here?” I giggled. This was a weird, early-morning, beachy birthday gathering.

June stepped over to me and started combing her fingers through my hair. “Get your phone ready,” she instructed Brody, who fished his iPhone out of his pocket and complied.

Celeste hugged me and kissed my cheek. Tears swam in her eyes when she pulled back. She hugged me again and whispered, “It’s meant to be.”

“What is?” I whispered.

A throat cleared behind me. Jaxon stepped forward and dropped to one knee in front of me. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white box.
It was the type of box to hold jewelry, and by his stance, I could guess the type of jewelry it held. I glanced at June and Celeste and then back to the hot man in front of me. “Mercy, you’ve quickly become one of the only people on this planet that I can’t live without. None of us can.” I glanced around and heads all nodded and Summer began to sniffle, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. Eww.

“Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

I laughed. “What? Ha. Ha. You’ve had your laugh. It was hilarious. Now, get up.”

He stayed put and opened the lid of the box. Two plain golden bands stared back at me. The thicker one, read “Mercy,” and the thinner, “Jaxon.”

I started shaking. “What is this?” My voice trembled. Jaxon stood up and hugged me tight. His warm breathe tickled my ear. He whispered low so that only I could hear. “Marry me. You can be put on my insurance today. Let me help you. If in the end, the lump turns out to be nothing, you can divorce me. But let me help you today. It’s the only way I can.”

“You would marry me just to give me insurance?”

He nodded. “Of course. I’d do anything for you.”

I glanced to June. She nodded. Brody must have told her. Celeste nodded, too, tears still streaking down her face, leaving black tracks in their wake. Her floral hippy skirt blew around in the breeze. Brody smiled and ticked his head toward Jax and Summer was just a hot, blubbering mess. “I love weddings,” she cried into Celeste’s shoulder. She rolled her eyes at the poor thing.

“Okay.”

Jaxon looked at me. “Okay?”

“Yeah. Okay. But,” I moved close. “I will divorce you and set you free as soon as I can, okay?”

He smiled lightly. “Maybe you won’t want to let me go.”

I turned red as he introduced the officiant, Brian Ayers. His hideous, Hawaiian-print shirt stretched over his beer belly. He was balding, badly. When the breeze gusted off the ocean, his comb-over reached for the heavens, before fluttering back down to cover his shiny, slick scalp. I couldn’t look at him. Every time I did, that damned hair-flap flew up and I nearly lost it. I couldn’t look at Jax, either. His sweetness made me want to cry. To say that I was a mess was a gross understatement. I was a hot one.

My sundress fluttered against my bare legs. “Shall we begin?” Mr. Ayers searched the faces of the small crowd with a grin on his face. He pushed his aviators up onto his nose.

Jaxon stepped forward. “We’re ready. Right, Mercy?” He squeezed my waist.

“Yep. Yes. We’re ready. I think.”

June started giggling, so Brody pinched her. “Ouch, you jerk,” she whisper-yelled, rubbing her arm.

He just grinned at her and then pointed toward the main attraction: us.

“You have the rings?” Ayers asked Jaxon.

“Yes, sir.”

“Place the ring on her finger and repeat after me.”

Jaxon removed my ring from the box and grabbed my clammy, hand. He slid the cool gold onto my fourth finger and repeated the traditional wedding vows, promising to love, honor
, and cherish me for as long as we both lived.”

It was hot out here. Sweat beaded on my upper lip and forehead. “You’re turn, baby.” Jax held the box out and I took his ring in my hand, which was visibly shaking. I slid it onto his finger. Mr. Ayers was patient as my voice shook through my vows. “You may kiss your bride, and then I need you to fill out the proper paperwork to make it all official.”

Jaxon prowled forward. There was no other way to describe it. I felt like a quaking baby bunny caught in a snare as a hungry, foaming-mouthed wolf approached, knowing it had just scored dinner. Brody whistled loudly as Jax grabbed me quick and slammed his mouth onto mine. This was no chaste, church-worthy kiss. This was hot. Soon, I had forgotten that we had an audience. Jax pulled away first, a surprised look on his face.

June, Summer
, and Celeste all stood to the side with their mouths gaping open. It was Celeste who spoke up first. “Don’t stop on our account. Please, continue. One of you go get some popcorn.” She shooed Brody away. He just crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

“Alright, lovebirds.” Ayers produced two pieces of paper, printed identically. One is your copy and one will be filed with Horry County later today.”

Jax completed and signed his half of the form without blinking. I took the pen in my hands. It was still warm from his fingertips. I paused and looked over at him. “Are you sure, Jax?”

He smiled and that damn dimple appeared again. “I don’t know if I’ve ever been more sure of anything in my entire life, Mercy. Now, sign the papers,
darling’. I’ve got big plans for my new wife.”

My eyes widened in fear as his narrowed. I pressed the pen to the paper and scrawled my name. It was official. Jaxon and I were married.