I blink up at the ceiling, mentally taking stock of my emotions now that I’m not in shock. I'm definitely not sad, like I might be after a normal breakup. I might be a little hungover, though, a little frustrated, still, but no worse for wear after breaking up with a long-term, live-in boyfriend. I actually feel...lighter.
A hesitant smile spreads across my face. I know I still have a lot to figure out when it comes to Steve and the breakup, but I decide I want to spend it guilt-free with the people I miss most in my life. Starting with Jax.
I jump out of bed and notice the only thing I'm wearing is an oversized T-shirt. And just like that, the memory of me stripping in front of Jax comes flooding back, and a flush spreads across my skin. I don't remember him seeing anything, but it's still more of me than he's ever seen; and now I'm wearing his shirt.
Sighing, I brush off the embarrassment my head wants me to feel because I don't want anything to ruin thislightnessflowing through me, at least for the day. I'll deal with everything else later.
I open the door and follow the sound of Jax's voice down the stairs. Before I've even reached the bottom, I see my sister and Tristan standing together in the entryway, staring at a shell-shocked Jax.
"Why is Jax screaming at 8:00 in the morning?” I ask with a sleepy smile. I stop on the last step and lean on the banister, waiting expectantly.
They all just look at each other, waiting for someone else to speak, until Tristan clears his throat and replies, "I got a fight in the UFC."
At first, I can only blink at him in surprise. Then...
"HOLY SHIT!" I scream. "Are youserious?!That's insane, congratulations!"
"Thanks," Tristan says with a grin. Then he turns to Remy with a skeptical look. "You know, I'm starting to feel a little hurt that my own girlfriend didn't react by screaming. Everyone else seems to think it's screech-worthy news."
Remy just glares at him and swats his arm, at the same time that I gasp, "Girlfriend?What the hell happened last night?"
Remy looks up at me with a hesitant gaze. "I think I need to ask you the same thing," she responds softly. I swallow nervously but nod in answer. She turns back to the boys. "So... gym? I'll stay here with Hailey. And you should call Coach."
Her words snap the boys into action. Tristan squeezes past me so he can get upstairs, but Jax stops next to me on the first step. He looks thoughtful for a moment, as if he wants to say something, but in the end, he settles on kissing my temple. "I'll be back later, don't go anywhere," he says quietly.
I look up at him with wide eyes, remembering how it felt to have him carry me out of my apartment and spend the night taking care of me here. I remember that he listened, and how good his proximity felt. Even now, with him standing so close to me, I just want to hug him even closer.
I give him a small nod, letting him know I'll stay here today. Some tension seems to ease from his body at that.
When I look back at Remy, she mutters, "It sounds like we have a lot to talk about." I let out a nervous laugh.
By the time the guys have gotten ready and left the house, I've already made myself at home in the kitchen and made breakfast for Remy and I.
"So... you and Tristan, huh?" I eventually ask with a grin. Even though Remy and Tristan have been at each other's throats for years, a few of us have suspected that they were secretly compatible. They were recently forced to live together in Jax's house, and to no one's surprise, they fell in love with each other. Still, they were too stubborn to admit their feelings, and because of some miscommunication, had been dancing around each other for weeks. I knew it was only a matter of time before they swallowed their pride and fixed things, so it makes me happy to see that's finally happened.
Remy starts picking at the omelet on her plate. "We're not talking about me," she says with a blush. "Stop trying to distract me. What happened with Steve last night? You broke up with him?"
The smile slips from my face. I push my plate away from me so I can cross my arms and lean on the granite countertop.
"I just... lost it last night," I start quietly. "It was like all of a sudden I could see him for everything that he really is." I aim a mock-glare at her. "Why didn't anyone tell me Steve was a piece of shit?"
My teasing tone falls flat as she winces. "That's not an easy thing to tell your sister. We—" She winces again and glances away. "We all knew it, but you were so happy at first, and we didn't want to hurt you. Then later, we tried to tell you, but I don't think you wanted to hear it. Especially from me, since I have a track record of running at the first sign of trouble."
I sigh and nod in understanding. "I know. There's probably nothing you could've said that I would've believed. I had to figure it out on my own. Which you knew." I lift an eyebrow in question, and she nods once, confirming what I subconsciously suspected weeks ago.
"So what happened last night?" she asks again with a subtle nudge.
I take a deep breath, not wanting to rehash the whole thing but knowing I need to give her an answer. "He said some things that opened my eyes. It wasn't even anything notable, it was just enough to finally cross the line. Because for the past few weeks, I feel like things have been shifting, and I've been noticing more and more about him, about the way he treats me and talks to me. And he's been pushing the line more and more each day. Until finally..." I mime an explosion with my hands. "...kaboom."
The tension visibly leaves Remy's shoulders. I never really thought about how my relationship might affect my friends and family, but looking at her now, I realize both she and Jax have been genuinely worried about me. Even now, I can remember the look of relief on Jax's face after he picked me up from my apartment.
"Well, I'm glad you're finally out of there," she says on a breath. But then something must occur to her because she shoots me a hesitant look and asks, "Do you regret breaking it off? Do you think you'd ever go back to him?"
I snort in a way that's so unlike me lately that it makes Remy's eyebrows rise in surprise.
I blame the newfound freedom for my restored personality.
"Fuck no. I will never go back to that man. Porters don't second-guess relationships, you know that."