CEDAR CREEK SERIES

JAX 

“I gotta head back up and take care of my dog before I head out darlin,” I said looking down to the girl I had taken home last night. She was a quick fuck and I was grateful but I was ready for her to leave hours ago. We were standing in the parking lot and she was doing everything in her power to stall.

“Maybe I can come back by tonight?” She wrapped her arms around my neck looking so hopeful.

“Sorry darlin, I’m gonna be too busy tonight,” I said honestly, I leant down and kissed her chastly and walked accross the parking lot and back up to my apartment. I started getting ready for Sunday dinner when my front door flew open and Tommy was standing there grinnig like an idiot.

“Look at this ad of Dylan.” Tommy said, throwing a magazine at me snapping out of my lost thoughts. Fuck, she was in a bitty bikini next to some of the other people in her TV show. She was enchanting. I got a semi from a fucking picture.

“Yeah Tom she looks good,” I threw it back avoiding eye contact and trying to adjust my jeans.

“She looks hot. I think I’m gonna ask if I can come see her soon.” Tommy was obsessed with Dylan, he would work her into any conversation but he’d never pull his head out of his ass to be a decent person. I loved my brother but since he dropped out of college and only focused on his band he was a loser. His band would actually be good if he put minimal effort into it. If it wasn’t for Cam and Blake I think he’d be down a way worse path. 

“Yeah. Because that went so well last time.” I mumbled. “Let’s go.” We headed into my truck and I blasted the radio so I wouldn’t hear about Dylan any more. He didn’t know how I felt about her, nobody did but it pissed me off when he would talk about her body or how bad he wanted to fuck her. No shit the whole world wanted to fuck her. 

Sunday dinner was a requirement in the Evans family. No exceptions. My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and whoever else my mom would talk into coming would be around our table. I gave Cam a nod and a high five when I came in before he and Tommy headed to the back yard. 

“Hey everyone!” I called out.

“Tommy?” My mom asked and he waslked by her caught up in his conversation with Cam.

“Jackson! Welcome home!” My mom came out of the kitchen with flour smeared across her face. She was all of 5’2” and the cutest lady you’d ever meet, Tom and I were both over 6’ so it made family pictures hilarious. I gave her a kiss on the cheek before following her into the kitchen. 

“What’s for dinner?” I grabbed some vegetables off the tray to avoid saying more. They didn’t need to hear me bitch about my brother and I didn’t need to hear them defend his rudeness. 

“Fried chicken and fixins.” My grandmother told me as I bent down to kiss her head.

“Tommy, did you bring the ice I asked for?” My mom called. 

“Shit mom I forgot.” he shrugged laughing.

“Then you better go get some dumbass.” I yelled louder than necessary, throwing him my keys. He rolled his eyes before he and Cam headed out the side gate. I was usually annoyed by my brothers’ incompetence. I loved him but he couldn’t even get ice for my mom. Dropped out of college and spent his days partying and getting fired from every job he’d ever had. They’d never tell me, and really it wasn’t my business, but I was sure my parents were still supporting him. 

“Jax, language.” My grandmother scolded.

“I’m sorry but Jesus, how hard is it to get some ice? It’s not like he’s working. I drove him here for god’s sake he just had to tell me and we would’ve stopped.”

“I don’t know. You know your brother.” My mother threw her hands up and continued helping my grandma with dinner.  They were the sweetest ladies in the south who made the best food. They couldn’t wait for Tommy and I to get married so they would have some daughters to cook with and grandchildren to chase. I could wait another 10 or more years before that happened, if it ever did for me.

I wandered out of the kitchen and into the den and found my dad and grandpa watching baseball in the other room.

“Hey son!” my dad came and gave me the biggest hug, my dad always acted like he hadn’t seen you in ten years even if he saw you yesterday.

“Hey dad, hey pops.” I grabbed a beer out of the mini fridge and plopped on the couch. “Who’s winning?”

“The Angels.” My dad said. “Hey which one gave Tommy that shiner a few months ago pops and I couldn’t remember.”

“That would have been Carter Mason, second baseman.” I said smiling remembering when Tommy told me about what happened in LA when he and Cam visited Dylan. “Tommy deserved it though.”

“No, I didn’t, that guy is a douche.” Tommy said plopping next to me. I could smell the weed coming off of him and was instantly annoyed. It’s not like I’d never done it but it’s all my brother did these days. He also had a giant hickey forming on his neck and I wanted to throttle him. 

“Yes. You did. You totally got wasted and made an ass of yourself because Dylan wouldn’t sleep with you.” Cam said sitting next to him.

  “She’s clearly moved on from your little middle school fling. You should too.” I said through my clenched jaw. I took a swig of my beer to avoid saying any more about Dylan; it was a sore subject for both of us. I could never share that she was the star of all of my fantasies with anyone. 

“She’s not even dating that dude, it was a misunderstanding. She’s going to come visit Cam this summer and we’re going to work it out.” He insisted. We all rolled our eyes and ignored him.  After the game ended it cut to a video of Dylan having a meltdown and we all sat there in silence.

“If you’re just tuning in we’re showing the video that has gone viral on TikTok of actress Dylan Daniels going postal on paparazzi outside of her apartment building this evening. Boyfriend Carter Mason ushers her back inside but this actress has clearly lost it. Speculation of a mental breakdown and drug abuse are being questioned. Watch.” Dylan is crying and screaming at the cameras, throwing her water bottle at one guy who grabbed at her. 

“LEAVE ME ALONE!!! I smile for your pretty pictures, I wear the stupid clothes I don’t give a fuck when you show more interest in my boyfriend than me! I just want to go on a run!!! GO AWAY! GO THE FUCK AWAY!!! Don’t ask what I’m wearing, who I’m fucking, what the hell I’m eating it’s not your business! GO AWAY!!! Stop fucking touching me!! I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m fine” Then she seems to collapse into Carter’s arms and they go inside with the building’s security. 

“In case you have been living under a rock, Dylan Daniels is a former southern belle turned party girl known for several blockbuster hits, her show Flawless that was recently canceled and her on again off again relationship with baseball star Carter Mason.” One announcer said to the other.

“I just wonder what she has to be so angry about Susan. She’s got a charmed life, so some people want to take her picture.” A douche bag in a bow tie was judging Dylan when they didn’t even know her. “She can smile for a few pictures,  it takes what? 20 seconds out of her day?”

“She’s just another Hollywood Diva. In other news…”

Cam immediately shot up calling her phone but it went straight to voicemail. He hit repeat three times while we all just stared at him as it kept going to voicemail.

“Cam?” My dad asked. “Cameron. Calm down.” 

“I gotta now if she’s okay, fuck,” he growled. He followed my dad outside as my dad kept trying to calm him. I realized my fist was clenched and I was breathing hard. What happened to her and was she okay? What caused such a melt down? 

“What’s your problem?” Tommy asked unfazed by what he just saw. I turned and my grandfather had fallen asleep. I just glared at Tommy before heading to the kitchen. I grabbed a water bottle for Cam and went outside to sit by him as he called his sister over and over. 

“She’s okay,” I told him, not sure if I was trying to calm him or myself but I was going to sit here until she answered because I needed to know if she was actually okay.