Page 36

CHAPTER 36

DODGING THE… brIDGET

THEODORE

“B ridget, something happened.” I refuse to let her think this was a mistake with Jax, so for once, when it comes to Bridget, I hold my ground. Bridget’s eyes are darting back and forth between Jax and me. Her eyes move from our wedding bands, then to our faces, and back to our bands. A look of pure panic is covering her face now, so I add, “Why don’t we sit down so we can talk.”

She’s shaking her head back and forth like a toddler on the verge of a tantrum.

And when I realize it isn’t sorrow or despair that has taken over her face, rather fury and disgust, I realize that me getting out of this marriage, albeit not in the kindest fashion, might just be one of the best things I could have done. Because she’s not upset she’s lost me, she’s upset she’s lost a fiancé. A husband.

Keeping that in mind, I sit down on the couch and pull Jax down right beside me, lacing our fingers together and placing them on my leg. Hopefully, that will keep my leg from bouncing.

Bridget takes a seat in the accent chair that’s across the living room, still eyeing me up and down. Silently judging every fiber of my being, just as she has the entirety of our… relationship .

I’ve never so much as willingly given that woman a kiss, but in that same breath, she’s also never given me one. Some days, I truly wonder how in the hell we’ve even kept up with this charade as long as we have.

Breaking me out of my thoughts, she finally speaks. “You’ll go and get it annulled. Now .”

? * I level her with a firm stare. “That’s not going to happen, Bridget. Jackson and I are staying married, and our wedding”—I point between her and I—“is clearly not happening. I’m going to call my parents and let them know now, and you’re going to do the same. You can also let them know all of your things will be shipped back to their house, since it’s been evident since the first moment you got here that you would quite literally rather be any place else.” I pause, catching my breath and feel the weight of the world being lifted off my shoulders. And for good measure, I add, “I have booked you a room at the hotel on the other side of campus and bought you a ticket for a flight home.”

When my eyes move to the plane ticket sitting on the coffee table she lets out a humourless laugh. Likely realizing I’m not joking in the slightest. “Theo, we can’t call the wedding off.”

“Actually…” I look over to Jax who offers me a soft smile before I look back at her. “I can.”

As a last-ditch effort, she threatens, “My father is not going to be happy about this.”

“This is my life, Bridget. You and your family do not own me, no matter how much you may think you do. Your father can be upset as long as he wants to be; I’ll be happy, and that’s all that matters.” I look down at my leg where Jax’s thumb is running along the back of my hand in a calming motion. “I want you to be happy too, Bridget. And I know for a fact you were just as miserable as I was in this relationship. Don’t you want to be with someone who actually makes you happy? To be in a relationship that’s filled with love and laughter and… passion .”

We didn’t talk about sex often, but when I would bring it up it’s like Bridget was a trying anything in her power not to have to think about fucking me. And it’s not just the sex; unless we were arguing, we never really talked about… well, anything.

The truth of the matter is, neither of us should have been put in this situation, but deep down, I know she was doing it for the same reason I was.

Our parents.

I see it on her face. She knows I’m right. She knows there’s more to this life than the lie the two of us have been living. I may not know her soul, but I know her as a person. And if there’s one thing I know about Bridget, it’s that every thought running through her head plays across her face.

Standing from her chair, she stomps over to me, and I prepare to take, at minimum, a slap from her, but all she does is stick her hand out.

Wait, is she trying to shake my hand.

Slowly, I reach out to take her hand in mine. It lasts only a mere moment, and before I know it, she’s heading into the master bedroom to pack up her stuff, which, thankfully, isn’t a lot due to traveling and never really fully unpacking. We can hear her talking, but I think it’s just her best friend. I’m sure the next person she’ll call will be her parents, so I do the same.

I hit the video call option under my mom’s contact information, and she picks up after a few rings. I smile at her sipping her wine on the couch with her book. “Theo! What a treat! I never get video calls from you. Oh baby, you look so happy, what’s happened? Is it Bri?—”

“I got married, Mom.” I let that sink in a moment before I add, “To Jax. Jackson Baker.” I raise our linked left hands up into the view of the camera and smile.

Jax awkwardly waves with his free hand. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Young.”

“Hi… Wait, Theo… Is this some kind of prank? You know I’m too old to be pulling tricks on.”

“It’s not a prank, Mom. I really am married.”

“Wh-what about Bridget? Theo, I didn’t even get to see my baby get married.” Her eyes start to well with tears. But as much as I hate to be the cause of her sadness, I realize my lack of speaking up has been the cause of my own sadness for years.

“You know as much as I do that what Bridget and I had wasn’t a marriage made to last, Mom. There was nothing there… I couldn’t do it anymore.”

Unexpectedly, my dad’s voice breaks through the speakers. “Why didn’t you tell us? We could have put a stop to this, Son.” The sadness in his voice almost makes me crack.

Looking anywhere but at the camera, I murmur, “I-I didn’t want to disappoint you and Mom.”

My dad’s voice cracks with emotion, which just about breaks my facade. “I hate thinking that you’ve been so miserable for years only because you thought we would be disappointed in you. I’m more disappointed in myself that I didn’t see the signs. And even more so, that you didn’t feel comfortable enough to come to us.”

“Don’t blame yourselves. I’m an adult and should have said something.” And that’s the truth. Ultimately, this is no one’s fault but my own. Jax is the first person who has put my happiness first, and I hope I can do the same for him.

As hesitant and confused as she looks, Mom reassures me, “Well, you definitely are an adult. Which means you can make your own decisions, so”—she looks at Dad then back at me—“if you’re happy, we’re happy, for the both of you.” My dad nods in agreement, and she shifts her focus to Jax. Her face softens as she looks at him. “Jax, we can’t wait to meet you, honey.”

“I can’t wait to meet you either, Mrs. Young.”

“Oh, call me Carol, no more of the ‘Mrs. Young.’ We are family now.”

He talks back and forth with my mom and dad like he’s known them his whole life, and I truly envy him for his ease with conversations. Before I know it, my mom is saying bye to both of us, and Jax has his phone out and is calling who I’m assuming are his parents

We might as well get the most important people out of the way first, right?

The phone literally barely rings before his mom picks up and Jax is yelling, “Surprise! I’m married!”

Jax pans the video to our linked hands with our rings and then over to my face.

“WHAT!” Jax’s mom screeches through the phone. “Oh my god, is that Theo?!” She’s fully jumping up and down, and I can hear his dad yelling, asking if she’s okay. “I knew it! Is he why you were all mopey over the summer? I knew it was over a special someone, I just knew it!”

“What’s going on?” a deep voice booms.

“Jackson is married!” His mom yells loud enough that I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole of Montana heard.

“Jackson got married?” he asks his wife before popping his face into the screen. “Son, you got married? Weren’t you just in Vegas?”

His mom smacks Jax’s dad’s chest and whines, “Dawson, I wanted to get married by Elvis!”

“Yeah, Dad. Didn’t you know Mom wanted to get married by Elvis?” Jax jokes, and my heart warms at the happiness his family so easily pours out onto one another.

“Now where the hell was I supposed to find an Elvis that could marry us in the middle of Montana?”

“Okay!” She waves her hands in the air. “We’re way off track here. Jackson? Theo? Are you two happy?”

Jax and I answer at the same time, “Yes.” They look at one another and smile. The resounding “aww” coming through the speaker has all of us laughing.

“Then that’s all that matters. Now, we’re going to let you two have some alone time. But I do expect to see pictures of my baby and my new son-in-law with Elvis!” The smirk on Catherine’s face matches the one Jackson wears when he is truly and wholly happy.

Like the one he’s got right now.

We hear a throat clear, and fuck, I forgot Bridget was still here…

Jax hurriedly tries to get his family off the phone as I head to the door where Bridget is standing. Behind me, Jax murmurs, “Okay, love you all. I’ll call you later!”

Bridget has a couple of bags and suitcases but is looking at me with a sincere expression. “I’m sorry, Theo.”

Despite everything, I want to comfort her. So, I wrap her in my arms and whisper, “I’m sorry, too.”

Without another word, she opens the door, walks through it, and closes it behind her. Just like that, it’s done. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought it would have been Bridget apologizing to me after all the horrible shit I’ve done this past year. But you don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, or whatever that saying is. Her leaving without a fight will finally give Jax and I the alone time I’ve been begging for.

Denying myself of Jackson Baker has been the hardest thing I’ve done to this day, but when I turn around and he presses his body into mine, pushing my body into the front door with a thud, I send my thanks up to whoever the hell is listening.

* ? All Mine - Brent Faiyaz