Make You Mine (Honey Mountain, #3)

by Laura Pavlov

“Daddy,” Paisley shouted and came bounding down the stairs. “Ash is real sick. She’s got the pukies now.” Fuck. I went charging up the stairs and found Ashlan hugging the toilet, and little Hadley was standing there in a pink T-shirt and a pair of white shorts, her hair tied up in a little knot on top of her head, and she was rubbing Ash’s back and smiling up at me. “Wuvie sick.”

There was no way in hell I was going to leave Ashlan to fend for herself after all she’d done for Paisley and Hadley over the past few days. She’d taken such good care of them, she’d gotten sick herself. I hurried back inside and poured a glass of Pedialyte for her and made my way upstairs. I knocked on the door and cracked it open. She was slumped in the corner against the cabinet, and her face was white as a ghost.

“I’m so sorry. Just give me a minute, and I’ll get myself together and get out of your hair.” “Not happening, Sunshine. My mom picked up the girls and they’ll spend the night with her. I’m not leaving you alone.”

Love a good take care of her when sick moment

“Is the pain bad?” I brushed the hair away from her face. She nodded. “Yeah. I was fine two hours ago, but it just hit me hard. I hope I didn’t scare the girls.” “Are you kidding? You took such good care of them. They love you. They’re just worried about you.” She crawled toward the toilet. “I’ve got to get sick again. Maybe you should wait outside.” “Nope. Not leaving you. Just let it out.” I rubbed her back as she heaved a dozen more times.

Charlie ~ Dilly!! STOP!! Sorry, Jace. She just always has to go there. Dilly ~ How did we share the same womb? You’re so…proper. And annoying.

Dilly ~ Ugh. He said she was fine there. Leave her alone. I’m sure Jace will take real good care of our girl. <winky face emoji> Everly ~ Stop being inappropriate. He’s her boss and a family friend. This isn’t funny.

She’d been good to my girls. Good to me. That was all this was. Maybe I’d flirted a little over texts with her the past few days, because I couldn’t fucking help myself. I thought about her all the time. I couldn’t get her out of my mind.

“Thanks for taking care of me.” “Thanks for taking care of my babies.” “Always,”

“Yeah. Sorry to wake you. I didn’t know where everyone was. The girls are with your mom?” I dropped to sit on the bed beside her and ran a hand through my hair. “Yeah. They spent the night there. How are you feeling?” “Like I vomited everything that’s ever been in my stomach. Otherwise, good.” I laughed. “That sounds about right.”

“Who’s the bossy one now?” she teased as I pushed to my feet. “Trust me, Sunshine. I’m a pretty bossy dude, especially when it comes to you.” Why the fuck was I going there? Why couldn’t I just shake this off with her? Desire flooded every inch of me, and I’d never had to use the restraint I’d been using lately when I was around this girl.

“It’s the least I could do. You took such good care of the girls while they were sick, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.” “I didn’t mind at all. I love them.” The corners of her lips turned up. “I didn’t mind at all either,” I said. Leaving the second part off, but my feelings for Ashlan Thomas were stronger than I wanted to admit. “You have the patience of a saint when you’re with them. Paisley told me that Hadley has three new words.”

“It means a lot. The way you’re working with her. The confidence you’re giving both my girls, just by being you.” She studied me for a long moment and bit down on her lip. “It’s not as selfless as you think, Jace. I love being with them. It’s weird, I went to school for four years, and I had this constant feeling of panic that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. What I wanted to be. My sisters all had a plan. I never did. And I’m thrilled to be working on my book, and it feels good and right and all those things. But being with Paisley and Hadley, I don’t know. It’s the most content I’ve felt since I lost my mom.” My chest tightened at her words. “You were young when you lost her. That had to be really tough.” “Ten years old. And trust me when I tell you, my sisters all stepped up. My dad is the most loving man, and everyone did the best they could. But being here, it’s filling something that I didn’t even know was missing. So, I’m the lucky one.”

“It’s not selfless. Because I’m filling something for them, and they’re filling something for me.” She shrugged. “It probably doesn’t make sense.” “Well, I’m sure if I’d been a psych major, I’d guess that it has something to do with you losing your mama and them losing theirs. Even though your mom had no choice, it still doesn’t make it easy. Loss is loss. Maybe you see something you can give them that you always wanted.”

feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be, and I can’t say I’ve ever felt that before.”

She smiled. “I guess we’re lucky to spend our days doing what we love.”

So what’s up with the hockey player?” I changed the subject because I wanted to know. Needed to know. I was a jealous bastard who had no claim to this girl, yet I wanted to claim her. Wanted to make her mine.

“I’ve told him. I’m not interested in more.” Her eyes burned into mine, searching and seeking for answers I just couldn’t give her. “Why’s that?” “I guess I like someone else. I’ve always been a one-man woman. I’ve never liked dating much, only really had two boyfriends. Apparently, I know what I want, and I don’t settle for less.”

Jesus. There was nothing about this girl that I didn’t like. I respected her. I admired her. I adored her. And I fucking wanted her something fierce.

It’s good to know what you want. But you’ve also got to be realistic. You can’t always have what you want.” “If you want it bad enough… if you’re patient, I think you can.” She smirked and I laughed. Damn, she was cute. “What if that something isn’t good for you? I think it takes a selfless person to walk away when they know they aren’t good for the other.” “Or he’s just a stupid man who’s afraid of what he’s feeling,” she said. That struck a nerve. “Or he’s older and wiser. He’s been kicked in the teeth enough times to know.” I raised a brow. “That doesn’t mean that you’re always going to get...

“No, Sunshine. I’m not afraid of you hurting me. You’ve got it all wrong. I’ve just got nothing to offer. Nothing that would be good for you. A shit-ton of baggage, for starters. But if I were ten years younger, you wouldn’t be walking out of this bedroom without me touching you. Tasting you. Doing all the things I wish I could. But I’m not going to. We’re in different places. So, you’ve got to trust me on this—” I let out a long breath. “Well, I disagree. And now you’ve got me all flustered thinking about what you want to do to me.”

“We can be friends. I like spending time with you. Even if it’s just as friends. I won’t push for more if that’s not what you want. But don’t avoid me, because that hurts me.” My chest squeezed. “I’m such a selfish bastard,” I said. “I’ve tried to keep my distance because I worried I’d fuck up and cross the line, because it’s almost happened already. But of course, we can be friends. It’s better that way.”

So… I could use a new bestie.” I barked out a laugh. “I’ve never been called a bestie. But if it makes you happy, I’m willing to bend the rules.” “It makes me happy, Jace King.” “Then I’m all yours, Sunshine.”

“So, were you ever in love with Karla?” I asked as I sipped my iced tea. I’d woken up hungry and after our talk about being friends, I’d convinced Jace to take me to Honey Mountain Café for breakfast. We were friends after all. “Damn. You don’t mince words, do you?” he asked after he swallowed the largest bite of pancakes that I’d ever seen fit in someone’s mouth. “I know you aren’t a big talker, but when you have four sisters, there’s a lot of talking all the time. And if we’re going to be friends, we need to know more about one another. Obviously, I know the basics because I’ve known you for years, but I don’t know anything that isn’t surfacey.”

hearing that he wanted me as badly as I wanted him, it gave me a bit of peace. So, I’d take what he was offering for now…with a smidgen of hope things could change. I liked him. A lot. I liked being around him. Hearing him talk. Hearing him laugh. I knew from the years that I’d known him that he didn’t do either often. So, it felt like a gift that he was comfortable with me.

“I was never in love with Karla. I can’t say I’ve ever been in love. I’ve been in lust. I’ve been stupid. And I hate saying that out loud if I’m being honest, because Paisley and Hadley are the best things that ever happened to me. Karla gave me my greatest gifts, but we never had a strong connection. I mean, our first encounter was just physical. A one-night stand. Then she showed up months later telling me she was pregnant with my child. I tried to do the stand-up thing, but there just never was anything between us. I tried—maybe she tried, I don’t know. Addiction is a battle of its own and one I’m grateful I haven’t had to face.”

“Yeah. I grew up with that. My parents are ridiculously in love, even all these years later. I always thought I’d have what my parents have, and this was about as far from that as you can get. But not everyone gets that, right? I mean, your parents had it, but not everyone is so lucky. And I got my girls. I’m not complaining. It’s not the way I saw things going, but I made my bed, and I will lie in it the best I can. I was an idiot back then. Sleeping around and thinking nothing would happen. But at the same time—I wouldn’t change a damn thing.”

“So you don’t think you deserve to be happy now? Just because things didn’t work out with Karla? You can still have a life of your own and be a good dad, Jace.” “Really? Have you not taken a good look at my life, Ash? I work two jobs. One of them takes me away half the week. When I am home, I’m busy raising two kids. When most people are out grabbing a beer and dinner, I’m brushing teeth and bathing babies. And I’m fine with that. I love my girls more than life. But I can’t imagine bringing someone else into that. Plus, I don’t want to confuse Paisley and Hadley. They’ve been through a lot. My life works for me.”

“No doubt about it. So, no Henry, and you aren’t feeling it with the hockey star. You must be picky.” He forked another large bite of pancakes and popped it in his mouth. “I guess. I think you just know when you know. And you’re not getting off the hook that easy. So, Karla’s been gone a while.” I shrugged. “Yep. And we weren’t really together for a long time before she left.”

“I’ve had sex three times since she left a year and a half ago. Both women were on the same page as I was, and trust me when I tell you, we practiced safe sex. But if I’m being honest, I’m a sexual dude, so I guess we can just say that I’m very well-acquainted with my hand. It’s just like showering every day. It’s just something you do.”

“Nope. Inspiration is everywhere I look,” he said as his gaze bore into me, and his tongue swiped out to wet his bottom lip. Holy smoking hotness. The thought of Jace King in the shower, gripping his large— Nope. Not going there. Was he insinuating that he thought of me?

He leaned forward, his face so close to mine that I sucked in a breath. “Do you touch yourself when you’re in my bed, Sunshine?”

“You sure you’re feeling better? Your face is flushed,” Everly asked. That’s because of all the sexy talk with my new bestie. Who also happened to be my boss. “Yes. I’m just a little warm because it’s blisteringly hot outside,” I insisted. Jace’s gaze locked with mine and he smirked. Cocky bastard.

“Do you think everyone is going to come to meet the teacher with their mamas?” There it was. The elephant in the room. This sweet girl had been angsting for months about being called out for not having her mother there. I knew that kids could be cruel, but I also knew the way that you responded to it would make or break it continuing.

“You don’t owe anyone an explanation. Do you remember I told you my mama got sick when I was young?” “Yeah.” She put her hand on my cheek and smiled. We’d put her hair up in two buns on top of her head, and her blue eyes were shining in the sunlight. She was so adorable that my chest squeezed. “I remember, and you were sad for a long time, right?” “Yes, I was. But guess what?” “What?” “Well, you’ve met my crazy sisters. Every single one of them stepped up. There was always someone that came to school with me, or brought treats on my birthday, it really doesn’t matter who it is, as long as you have your tribe, right? And you’ve got me, Paisley. I will be here for anything you need, okay? And you’ll be surprised that when you stop worrying about it, no one will question you.” She smiled so wide and then wrapped her little arms around me. “They’ll probably all think you’re my mama anyway. You don’t have to tell them that you’re not if you don’t want to.”