Page 76 of Fierce-Jax

They walked up the front sidewalk and her mother opened the door, Gianna running out in a blue dress with pink and red socks on her feet.

They were matching but just didn’t match the dress.

No shoes either, but it didn’t stop her daughter from running into her arms like she always did.

“Mommy,” Gianna said. “I missed you.”

Normally her daughter didn’t say that when she spent the night because she had so much fun with her grandparents. Was it getting old now?

Was she pushing it by wanting that night with her boyfriend?

Now that they knew each other, she could try to ease into having Jax spend the night with Gianna there.

“I always miss you,” she said, hugging her daughter.

Gianna turned to reach for Jax. “Can I have a hug too? I missed you too, Jax.”

Dillion blinked her eyes when tears were gathering as Jax reached for her daughter and held her, then carried her into the house.

“I missed you too,” he said. “Did you teach your parrot any new sayings?”

“It’s got four new ones. So when I press the belly it can be any of them.”

“And they all have the name Jax in them,” her mother said. “Please come in. I’m Leigh Patrick. My husband is on the deck checking the smoker.”

“I heard Grandpa is trying to impress Jax with ribs,” Gianna said. “I like ribs too.”

“Shhh, Gianna,” her mother said. “Big ears in this house.”

It made her feel better her daughter let that slip.

Maybe she was working herself up for nothing.

“Let’s go meet my father,” she said. “And get it over with.”

“There is no reason to be nervous,” her mother whispered to her. “Your father is going to be fine.”

“I hope so,” she said.

They went to the back of the house, Jax carrying Gianna the whole time.

“Grandpa,” Gianna yelled. “Jax is taller than you.”

“Oh my God,” Dillion said to her mother.

The last thing she needed was for her father to think he had to compete with her boyfriend.

“Not by much,” Jax said. “I’d say we're about the same height.”

“Nah uh,” Gianna said. “I can’t reach the light in Grandpa’s arms. Look.”

Her daughter reached up and almost touched the sconce on the wall they’d just passed.

“Not quite,” her father said, moving forward.

Dillion took Gianna out of Jax’s arms. “Dad, this is Jax Hollister. Jax, my father, Dylan Patrick.”

“The OG,” her father said firmly, shaking her boyfriend’s hand.