Cocky Secrets (Cocker Brothers #29)

60. Jett

SIXTY

Jett

F rom where I’m lying on Jaxson’s couch, napping under the waning sunlight drifting in through the windows, I hear his phone ring, and him rise from where he was reading.

“Hey Mom, what’s up?” He pauses a while then says under his breath, “No shit.” There’s a long silence that feels like it’s something serious. Opening my eyes, I twist around to be able to see his expression. He’s staring at me. “I think I have to tell him.” Another silence.

“Tell me what?” Throwing bare feet onto his rug I rise up and go for the phone with my hand out. “Give me that.”

He steps back and holds his hand out as a shield. “He’ll want to know, Ma. Sorry.” He hangs up.

“What the fuck! Who’s hurt?”

“There’s some girl named Luna at the house, Jett. Mom thinks you guys are together or something.”

“Holy shit,” I rasp, my eyes widening to dinner plates. “Fuck! No way!”

Spinning around, I start to pace, totally forgetting in my stupor that I told Jax her name was Sunshine, and he wouldn’t know this is the same girl.

“Jesus, Jett, is this some chick you knocked up or something? She tracked you down?”

Frowning over my shoulder, I growl, “What? No! It’s the girl! It’s her!”

His head shakes like he’s been punched. “You said her name was Sunshine!”

“I call her Sunshine. Because she’s…fuck it. IT’S HER.” Back to pacing, I snarl under my breath, “What the fuck is she doing at our parents’ house? What’d Mom say?”

“Uh…I’m just wrapping my head around this. Let me think. She said the girl is here to be with you. They went shopping.”

We stare at each other until I explode, “I’m napping on your fuckin’ couch and Luna is shopping with my mom?!! WHAT THE FUCK?!”

Angry strides take me to the coat rack where I swipe my jacket down and struggle to get my arms in, missing the first time. “I can’t believe it.”

“Jett, put some shoes on.”

“FUCK! Where’d I put ‘em?”

He points to the end of the couch where they wait with the socks tucked inside.

Yanking them on has never been so hard. My hands are shaking. I have to try a couple times to shove my foot in. Off to my side I hear Jaxson grab his keys.

“I’m going with you. I have to meet her.”

“Jax...” I growl.

He looks over from where he’s putting on his brown, farming work-boots. We lock eyes. His eyebrows are raised, face somber. “I know. It’ll be dinnertime when we get there.”

“Yup.” I head for the door. “How ya doin’ Dad? Time to face your favorite boy.”

With Jaxson’s Jeep Wrangler following my Harley, we ride the hour back to Atlanta. He’d asked me before he climbed in if I wanted to call and warn them.

“No fuckin’ way.”

She didn’t warn me she was comin.’

What the hell is this sneaky bitch up to?

At my parents’ house?!

I’d noticed – oh, I noticed – that the credit card transactions stopped a few days back. How’d she get the money to ride that bike here? Where’d she stay when she was on the road, and who with?

I roar into the warm wind, “WHAT’S SHE DOIN’ AT MY FUCKIN’ PARENTS’ HOUSE?!”

I’m wound tight as the Harley rumbles up the multi-car driveway. Jaxson and I drive right on up. I jump off, unstrapping my helmet to throw it on the grass. My brother’s footsteps are right behind me. We share a look.

“You ready?”

“Shit,” he mutters, but nods. “Yup.”

I raise my hand.

“You’re knocking?” he asks under his breath.

Banging on the door with my fist, I wait. “Gotta be polite,” I say on a wink filled with the devil.

The door opens wide and Dad is standing there.

Seeing him is like being punched in the gut.

From the look on his face, he didn’t expect me. Ever.

He came to the door, protectively. Hearing the violent knock made him tell Mom, Luna and whoever else might be inside, to wait there while he checked it out.

He looks between us, trying to handle his own reaction at seeing his second son for the first time in four years. “Jerald. Jaxson.” His eyes narrow. “Do you have to make a scene?”

“Guess so,” I grate. “Good to see you, too, Dad.”

His lips go tight and he exhales through his nose. Looking at this man is like looking in a mirror from the future. Me when I’m his age. I’m the one who looks the most like Congressman Michael Cocker, and I’m the least one like him.

I’d never wear those boring-ass fuckin’ tan slacks and white button-up, for example.

And I wouldn’t shun my own son for goin’ his own way.

“Who is it, Michael?” I hear Mom ask from a distance, her delicate footsteps growing louder. She sees me and screams, “JETT!!!” and throws her arms open. Dad steps out of the way and I give Mom a big hug, locking eyes with him over her shoulder.

“Good to see you, Mom. You look good.”

“Oh Jett, I didn’t think I’d see you until…oh, you’re here because of…” She pulls away and looks at Jaxson. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

With a frank, coldness Dad answers for Jax. “Because I would have told them not to.”

“That’s right!” I grin with anger behind my eyes. “Can’t say I went against your wishes because we didn’t give you a chance to voice ‘em! See that? Sneaky fucker, that’s your boy!”

“Jett,” Jaxson mutters to rein me in.

“Mom, I love you, and I will take you out for lunch before I leave town, but right now I’m here for Luna. Where the fuck is she?”

“I’m here, Jett,” comes a voice behind my parents. It’s surreal to hear that deep, sensual sound I’ve missed so fuckin’ much, right here in the place where I grew up.

Mom steps back, warily eyeing me because she can see I’m in a real bad mood.

And there stands Sunshine, barefoot in a light blue summer dress, her hair brushed and clean, parted over the side with the shorter part concealed.

Her cheeks are flushed.

She looks absolutely beautiful.

I was going to yell at her.

I was going to yell at Dad.

But I can’t even breathe.

Everyone is silent as she walks to me. “Jett,” she whispers like she wants to touch me, but is afraid to.

“What are you doin’ here?” I rasp.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispers.

“We were just having dinner,” Dad interrupts. The way he said it wasn’t an invitation for me to join.

“I don’t give a shit,” I growl, turning to lock eyes with my father. “It’s just food.”

“Jerald, don’t talk to me like that in my own home!”

“YOU MEAN HOW YOU TALK TO ME?!”

Holding back his temper, he grates, “I do not swear in front of women.”

Luna whispers, “Mr. Cocker?—”

Mom cuts her off. “—This isn’t about us, Luna.”

Dad’s voice is high and mighty like he’s talking from a podium. “Yes it is. It is improper and indecent to use that kind of ignorant, sub-human language when ladies are present.”

Jaxson’s deep voice rises in protest, “Dad! Come on!”

I’m so pissed I can’t even see straight. “Did you just call me stupid?”

“Low class people use ignorant language and you weren’t raised low class.”

“Oh fuck,” I snarl. “You are such a fuckin’ hypocrite. Yes, I used the word again right there…twice!! What was it you said to me when you saw this?!!” I point at my Ciphers jacket. “You said — and I quote — Get out of my FUCKIN’ HOUSE!”

“I never said that word.”

“YES YOU DID!”

“NO, I DID NOT!” He gets in my face, the same height as I am. “But I will say it again, the way I said it the first time. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE.”

“FUCKIN’ HOUSE.”

“JERALD!”

“It’s JETT! MY NAME IS JETT!”

I feel feminine hands pull at me. It’s a good thing Mom came in before I was about to punch him. I love the bastard, but I hate him. It would have been a bad day if we’d come to blows. I don’t know how I would have recovered.

But it’s not Mom.

It’s Luna’s voice I hear behind me. “Mr. Cocker, I’m sorry to have to say this after you’ve been so nice to me, but Jett is the best man I’ve ever met in my life, so you’re being a fucking asshole right now.”

Dad’s eyes go really wide and Mom makes a small gasp off to my right. I turn to see Sunshine staring at my Dad with defiance and pride. Her beautiful brown eyes snap to me and she says, “Let’s go, baby.”

Since Jaxson has always had his head firmly on his shoulders, he remembers to ask Mom, “Does she have any of her things we need to take with us?”

“Yes. I’ll be right back.”

Sunshine offers, “I’ll go with you, Mrs. Cocker.”

“No, thank you. I’ll be right back.” Mom looks stunned as she heads for the stairs. I could tell she liked Luna before…but she doesn’t know what to think now.

I’m sure she’s torn by the disrespect that was just shown to her husband, who she loves very much and always will, to the loyalty just shown to her son.

I grab Luna’s hand and turn to take her out of there, throwing a glowering look at my father.

From the staircase, Mom stops me. “Jett!”

Over my shoulder, I meet her eyes. “Yeah, Ma?”

“Please come to the wedding.”

“He’s no longer invited!”

“YES, HE IS,” she shouts to Dad. “He is coming to Jake’s wedding. He’s his brother. He’s your son. This is just awful!” Bursting into tears, Mom rushes upstairs, wishing our family was a better one.

Jaxson waits inside while I take Luna out to the front lawn. My fingers are strangling hers and I’m staring at the freshly cut grass. Looking over I meet her steady gaze and she touches my face. I nod once and close my eyes as she presses her warm palm into my skin.

Pulling her to me I hug her and kiss the top of her head. We separate as Jaxson comes out. Heading for his jeep, he says, “You can ride with me, Luna, since you’re in a dress.”

“Fuck that,” she mutters, low enough that her voice doesn’t travel.

Jaxson nods and hauls a small suitcase into the back, hanging up a garment bag on a hook inside by the backseat. “You guys staying with me?”

“That okay?” I ask him.

“Of course. I want you to be there.” He holds my eyes to let me know he’s my brother and wants me around. Right now, that hits home in a way I can’t describe. Thankfully, he’d never need me to try.

I climb on the Harley and exhale as Luna wraps her hand around my arm to help her rise up and throw her leg over. She hikes up her dress and presses up against my backside, tucking the fabric so that it stays modest. I clamp a hand on her bare knee before I start the engine.

I hear Mom call out, “Wait!”

She runs over with Luna’s boots. “You left these in the bathroom. You can’t ride a motorcycle in bare feet.”

Jaxson helps put them on so we can leave as quickly as possible, while Mom stands by, staring at me like she’s just crushed by all of this. Her arms are crossed and she’s nervously fingering the pendant on her gold necklace.

Sunshine tells her, “Mrs. Cocker, thank you for being so wonderful to me.”

“Just be wonderful to my son,” my mom whispers back.

We take off.