Page 45 of Fierce-Jax (Fierce Matchmaking #18)

S ix Months Later

“Gianna seemed good today,” Jax said to Dillion when they were walking into the building for work.

They drove in together since he’d spent the night. She’d like him to move in and was trying to figure out the best way to broach it.

“She was,” she said. “Up earlier than I expected. I worried it had to do with meeting her grandmother for the first time on the video call last night, but you saw what I did when I put her to bed and even this morning.”

For the past several months, she’d been sending pictures and updates to Martha a few times a month. Setting time once a month to call and answer questions about Gianna and keep them informed. A twenty-minute call max.

It was going to be a slow process until she was comfortable enough with moving forward.

She forgave Alec for what he did to her, what he did to himself. She wouldn’t allow it to taint her view of her daughter’s father.

She only hoped that Alec was finally at peace. She wanted to believe he was and that he was watching out for the daughter he’d never get to know.

She owed it to him and herself for Gianna to know Alec’s mother.

Six months in, she felt Martha had her heart in the right place and was always so excited to get pictures and updates.

She hadn’t talked to Luke once. He didn’t seem as if he was trying, but it was about Martha and it wasn’t as if she was letting Gianna meet them in person any time soon.

Baby steps.

“Martha was very emotional to talk to Gianna last night, but Gianna didn’t seem interested after five minutes,” he said.

“I felt a little bad, but she’s five. She doesn’t care all that much about talking on the computer or phone. She wants to run around and play.”

“She lost interest fast, but Martha was good about it.”

Counseling had helped her explain and Gianna to understand and talk about her father that she never knew, and when it came down to it, her daughter was thinking of Jax as the father in her life.

When Gianna was older and wanted to know more about Alec, she’d tell her what felt right, but it had to be organic.

“As long as Martha continues to understand, and I think she does,” she said.

They got into the building that was filling up with more people every day.

Long gone were their quiet mornings with only the two of them in the elevator.

This time when the doors opened though, she was stunned to see Carolyn and Diane Fierce inside.

“Get in fast,” Carolyn said, holding the door. “No one else.”

Jax rolled his eyes and nudged her in.

The doors shut and Carolyn hit a button stopping them from going up or getting out.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“We aren’t stuck,” Carolyn said. “Royce showed me what to do.”

Dillion wasn’t too worried about being stuck in the elevator, it hadn’t even moved.

She turned to Jax and he was smiling at her.

“Remember our elevator conversations a year ago?”

She laughed. “I do. I was just thinking they are long gone with so many people in the building now.”

“Just ignore us,” Diane said.

“Kind of hard to do that,” she said, grinning.

“I asked them to be here,” Jax said. “We started talking before they set us up. They should know that.”

“I knew it,” Carolyn said. “But you’d never admit it.”

“Jax was too nervous to ask me out,” she said.

“And Dillion was too old fashioned and felt she shouldn’t have to make the first move.”

“But when we wanted to set you up, then you both knew the other would say yes?” Carolyn asked, frowning.

“Yes,” Jax and Dillion said at the same time.

Carolyn stomped her foot. “Well, darn it. I was so proud of myself thinking it was my idea.”

“You should be,” Dillion said. “Because you gave us the push we needed.”

“That’s right,” Jax said. “But now I can do it on my own. It only seemed fitting, even if it’s kind of corny to do this in here.”

“To do what?” Dillion asked.

She watched Jax get down on his knee in the elevator and pull a ring box out of his jacket pocket. How the hell hadn’t she realized that was in there?

“Ask you to marry me,” he said. “No fancy words or pitches. Just that I love you and want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she said, her lip trembling, tears in her eyes, and her hand shaking as she put it out. “I want to be your wife.”

Jax slid the ring on her finger and stood up to pull her into his arms.

Carolyn nudged him out of the way and hit the button again.

When the doors opened, her parents, her daughter, Jax’s parents, Roni and Trent were standing there.

Gianna charged her but ran past right to Jax. “Can I call you Daddy now?”

Dillion looked at Jax and saw his eyes fill and his head nod. Guess her daughter was up early for another reason and she was stunned Gianna hadn’t given it away.

“Yes,” he said. “You can!”

To be continued for Matt Kelly (Ben Kelly’s brother)

Can the past really be forgotten?

The last person Matt Kelly expects to see at his brother’s wedding is Anya Emerson. His sister’s childhood best friend. His secret crush. But there she is... on some other guy’s arm. Not for long, if he has anything to say about it.

Anya knew she’d run into Matt Kelly at his brother’s wedding. It was a risk she was willing to take when she accepted the invitation. She hoped he matured from the jerk he was when they were kids. Too bad she’s wrong.

When she needs help with a personal family matter and doesn’t know where else to turn, she finds herself in Matt’s office seeking legal advice. He’s more than willing to help, but it might come at a price to her heart.