Page 53 of The Quit List
“I just don’t want to drop her.”
“Don’t be crazy.” Mindy picks up Sage and practically throws her at Jax. The little girl’s arms immediately loop around his neck, and his big hand cradles her back at the same time, holding her firmly in place. “See?”
Jax doesn’t respond. He’s gazing down at Sage—who’s got her dad’s dark brown eyes and her mom’s sandy-colored hair—like she’s a strange, magical creature. “Hi, Sage,” he says softly. “I’m Jax.”
In response, Sage grabs his nose. Twists it, hard.
“Ouch,” Jax mumbles.
Mindy beams. “Wow, she really likes you.”
We follow Mindy—me happily bouncing Sawyer on my hip, Jax gingerly holding onto Sage for dear life—through the hallway and into the kitchen at the back of the house. It’s my favorite room because of the accordion doors that run the length of the room, letting in copious amounts of fresh air and natural light.
Mindy’s husband Luke is standing by the counter, emptying bags of kettle chips into bowls. He’s one of the good ones—a man who loves to laugh and isn’t above clowning around, but who is also a great husband and father, and loves my sister something fierce.
When he looks up, the corners of his eyes crinkle as he smiles. “Hey, Holly. Good to see you.”
He then catches sight of Jax, and his eyebrows practically hit his hairline. But luckily, he’s a little more subtle than his wife, and so he merely wipes his hands on a towel, then strolls over to introduce himself.
Watching Jax attempt to shake hands with my brother-in-law while holding onto Sage like she’s about to break into a million pieces at any moment is perhaps the most precious thing I’ve seen in years.
He says he’s not great with kids, but I have the feeling it’s because he has no experience with them. If he treats his future godchild with anywhere near as much reverence as he’s currently treating my niece, I’m sure he will be totally fine. More than fine.
I smile at the sight, thinking that this bartender—with all his rough edges—is nothing like the man you first think he’s going to be.
I plop Sawyer in his exersaucer and then relieve Jax of Sage so he can shake hands and chat properly. I’m sitting down with the second twin on a playmat when Mindy sidles up next to me and pokes me in the side. “Who is he? Seriously.”
“Just a new, um, hiking friend.”
“Hiking? Since when are you into hiking?”
“Since now.”
Mindy peers at me like a curious owl, all ruffled feathers. “Are you feeling a little feverish?”
“No, I feel great.” Spurred on by her surprise, I add, “We are going to the Appalachians for a three day hiking trip later this spring.”
My sister’s eyes almost bug out of her head. “You do realize that hiking in the backcountry is a different type of exercise than walking the length of the Mall of Georgia with an iced coffee?”
It’s not an entirely uncalled-for caution, given my entirely non-outdoorsy history.
“I hiked up Stone Mountain with him today. In sandals,” I tell her proudly, peeking over at Jax, who’s now deep in conversation with Luke as they pour wine into glasses.
Mindy must see something on my face because her grin practically splits her face in two. “Are you doing this stuff coz you’re into him? Is he looking for one of those real outdoorsy girls with the year-round tans and penchants for zip-off cargo pants and waterproof river shoes?”
“No!” I can’t help but laugh. “I’m doing it because I want to. I wanted a change, wanted to try something new.”
The look of admiration on my sister’s face is everything. “That’s awesome, Holly. Good for you. Sounds like a real adventure.”
She’s always encouraged me to throw caution to the wind, to be more spontaneous… but I suspect that, up until this point, she didn’t actually believe I had it in me.
She then raises a brow, glancing over her shoulder towards the two men. “But I don’t understand why you’d rather sample life in the backcountry than that hottie in our kitchen right now.”
I roll my eyes. “I don’t want to ‘sample’ anyone, as you so eloquently put it. On top of trying new hobbies, I still want to find a long term partner, and Jax, lovely as he is, is not looking for a relationship. He told me so himself.”
Mindy waves her hand airily. “That could change at any minute.”
Not always.