Jaxon

So far, Jaxon’s plan to not get attached to Lucy was failing miserably. He’d survived nearly a full week of escorting her to and from her classes but not without her sending his body into overdrive at every opportunity.

Tuesday had been unseasonably cold and Lucy hadn’t dressed for the weather. Jaxon had to pull over halfway across campus to lend her his sweatshirt. It was his basketball hoodie from his old high school and she practically swam in it, but seeing her wear something that was his made his heart want to claim her even more. It didn’t help that she continued to shiver beside him so he was forced to tuck her against his side as he wrapped one arm around her for warmth. She’d leaned into him and gave a soft sigh that reeked havoc on his possessive desires.

The next day, the weather was much of the same and Lucy surprised him by greeting him at her door wearing his sweatshirt again. He’d realized he’d forgotten to ask for it back when he dropped her off the day before. Although, even if he had remembered, he foolishly would’ve told her to keep it. Seeing his name and number stamped across Lucy’s back unleashed something inside Jaxon that made his heart roar ‘mine’ with each beat.

Thursday, the cold front vanished and Lucy greeted Jaxon wearing a sundress and a thin school cardigan. And goddamn if that wasn’t sexier than seeing her in his hoodie. By the afternoon, she was no longer wearing the cardigan and Jaxon didn’t know where to look—the thin spaghetti straps that repeatedly slid down her thin shoulders, or her perfectly toned thighs when the soft breeze lifted her gauzy skirt.

It was sensory overload, and the tightness in his chest, and a few other places, was beginning to grow unbearable. Then, when Lucy had been getting out of the golf cart, Jaxon noticed her shoe was untied. He’d jumped out to tie it, bending down to double knot the laces of her single white converse, when he felt her fingers in his hair. He’d gone utterly still, not sure if he was dreaming. But then she spoke. “Make a wish.”

Jaxon looked up to see her holding a single fluff of dandelion. He swallowed down the wish that bubbled to the forefront of his mind. Instead he said, “You make it.”

She smiled down at him shaking her head. “I can’t, it was in your hair.”

“I can’t think of one,” he lied.

“Oh come on.” Her smile made it heard to breathe. “Did you know that dandelion seeds can be carried five miles from their origin? This little guy traveled pretty far to grant you a wish. I wouldn’t waste it if I were you.”

Jaxon stood up and Lucy held the seed up to his lips. Her delicate fingers were so close to his mouth that he didn’t trust himself to speak. But there was so much light in her smile that he didn’t want to disappoint her. He closed his eyes and let a wish fill his heart and then he blew the seed from her fingertips.

They both watched it float away on a fathomless breeze. The moment felt so pungent, full of the rare breed of crackling electricity that always seemed to exist between them. But before Jaxon was ready for it to end, another voice pierced into their bubble of bliss.

“Don’t you two look cozy?”

Jaxon turned to see Trista McAllister and her group of clones watching them.

Lucy’s body tensed next to Jaxon. He could tell she didn’t know what to say. They hadn’t been doing anything wrong, but from the look on Trista’s face it seemed like she thought otherwise.

“What were you wishing for, handsome?” Trista asked. “A date with me? I’m available, unlike our campus klutz,” she said, sneering at Lucy. “And I have two working legs.”

Jaxon’s temper flared. Who the hell did this girl think she was? “No thanks. You’re not really my type.”

Shock wiped Trista’s plastic grin from her makeup-caked face, but she quickly recovered. “Please, I’m everyone’s type.”

Jaxon swallowed the growl clawing to get out. He knew girls like Trista. They were all the same, covering their insecurity with bitchiness. Their goal was to build themselves up by tearing others down. But Jaxon wasn’t about to sit back and let that happen. “Actually, I prefer hanging out with a girl who isn’t fishing for her next conquest. It’s refreshing. Maybe if you took your head outta your phone for two seconds, you’d know that about me.”

Trista narrowed her eyes, her hateful gaze swiveling to Lucy. “How is your boyfriend, Lucy?”

Lucy cringed and Trista grinned triumphantly. She whispered something to her clones, who giggled. Then Trista tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “I’ll be seeing you around, Lucy.”

Jaxon was left wondering if maybe he should’ve kept his mouth shut. Provoking a girl like Trista was like poking a hornet’s nest—not smart. But he hated letting anyone talk to Lucy that way. He knew he was fooling himself thinking Lucy was his to protect. He knew he could never deserve a girl like her. But it still didn’t stop him from trying . . . or wishing for it.

Jaxon connected with Lucy in a way he’d never connected with anyone before. He knew it was because of the bond they’d shared both having been through strangely similar accidents. But the accident was precisely the reason Jaxon was no good for Lucy—or anyone, really.

He was still so wrecked by the loss of his mother and the fragile balance it left his life hanging in. At times, even Jaxon wasn’t sure he had both feet firmly planted in reality. He didn’t trust himself to be in a relationship when he was such a disaster, and it worried him that he could see Lucy starting to rely on him. He was too messed up to be any good to her.

But despite all his valid arguments, Jaxon couldn’t deny her. He couldn’t be someone else who let her down. Lucy had let him in and she didn’t have anyone else to count on. So until she did, he would be there for her, even though he knew she deserved better.

Brooke

“How are things going with your unicorn hunt?” Brooke asked one evening when she walked in to Lucy’s room to check on her.

Lucy looked up from her desk where she was doing some sort of homework. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”

Brooke smirked. “It has a catchy ring to it.”

“It’s going fine. How are things going with your unicorn hunt?” Lucy fired back.

“I actually have a prospect on a special breed,” Brooke replied coyly. “But stop changing the subject. Did Jaxon really tell Trista off?”

Lucy’s eyes widened. “You heard about that?”

“So it’s true? Dang, Lucy. The whole campus is talking about it. I can’t believe I have to get gossip about my best friend from the rumor mill.”

“I didn’t want to make a big deal about it.”

“Luce, it’s a big deal. Trista is pissed. And you know how bad she can be when she’s out for blood.”

Lucy swallowed hard. “You think she’s out for blood?”

“All I did was make out with a guy she liked and she ruined my reputation. Jaxon told her off and she thinks you’re the reason. This is not good.”

“He didn’t tell her off, exactly.”

“What did he say, exactly?” Brooke mimicked.

“I don’t know. Jaxon was tying my shoe and Trista and her friends started making comments about how we looked cute or something. You know how she is. We weren’t doing anything wrong, but she was implying otherwise. And she made sure to bring Alex up and told Jaxon to flirt with her since she was available and not a cripple.”

“That bitch-waffle is cold,” Brooke muttered. “What did Jaxon do?”

“He may have told her she wasn’t his type.”

Pride swelled in Brooke’s chest. “I knew it!”

“What?”

“I told ya he’s your unicorn!”

Lucy’s lips pulled into a smirk. “It was kinda awesome. I wish you could’ve seen Trista’s face.”

“Me too. But be careful, Lucy. You don’t need Trista on your bad side.”

Lucy sighed, the momentary joy slipping from her face. “I know.”

Brooke hated seeing Lucy upset. Jaxon probably shouldn’t have provoked the campus mean girl, but Brooke couldn’t help admire the fact that he’d stood up for Lucy. She decided to change the subject, not wanting Lucy to spend too much time worrying about Trista. “So, is Jaxon taking you to Alex’s game on Saturday?”

“I haven’t asked him yet.”

“I thought he said if you’re going, he’s driving.”

“He did, but I still haven’t decided if I’m going to the game or not.”

“Whoa, you told Alex you were gonna go, and I’m all for you skipping if you’re not up for it, but I’m not looking forward to the fall out if you stand that boy up again.”

“I didn’t stand him up last time!” Lucy protested. “I was in a freaking car accident.”

“You’re preaching to the choir, sister. But I’m just sayin, the boy doesn’t take rejection well.”

Lucy groaned and closed the textbook on her desk. She rubbed her eyes and Brooke noticed how dark the circles were underneath them. “You get any sleep last night?” Brooke asked, trying to keep the motherly concern in her voice to a minimum.

“A little,” Lucy admitted.

“Bad dreams again?”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe you should have your unicorn keep you company at night,” Brooke teased. “I bet he’d keep the bad dreams away.”

“Brooke!” Lucy threw a pink stress ball at her.

“Just sayin’ . . . I bet his lance of love has magical powers. He is a unicorn after all.”

“You are impossible,” Lucy scolded, but a hint of a smile was visible on her face.

“So I’ve been told. I’m also famished. I’m gonna order in. You hungry?”

Lucy nodded.

“Pizza or Thai?”

“Thai!” Lucy said, excitement lighting her eyes.

“Coming right up.”

Brooke left Lucy’s room and picked up the phone to call in their dinner order. Her fingers hovered over the phone. She knew Lucy’s order by heart. That’s what happened when you spent four years living with someone. It was also why Brooke knew what else Lucy needed in her life.

Over the past four years, Brooke had stood by and watched the toll dating Alex had taken on her best friend. Little by little, Lucy had let him strip away her confidence and happiness as he overshadowed her on every front. Swimming had been Lucy’s one salvation and now, because of the car accident, even that had been taken away from her.

Brooke was afraid she wouldn’t see that happy glow she’d come to love in her best friend’s eyes for a quite a while after the accident, but when she saw the way Lucy was with Jaxon she’d been pleasantly surprised. Jaxon brought a fire back to Lucy that had been missing for a while. And Brooke wasn’t about to let Lucy miss out on something like that—no matter how much meddling she had to do.

Lucy

“Dinner’s here!” Brooke called, distracting Lucy yet again from her homework.

Lucy’s stomach rumbled on cue and she closed her textbook and grabbed her crutches. She made her way to the living room, only to stop dead when she saw who was sitting on the couch. Jaxon!

“Hey,” he said, giving her that gorgeous toe-curling smile of his.

Lucy squeaked a hello and retreated into her room at record speed. She hadn’t been expecting visitors and was only wearing a t-shirt that scarcely was long enough to cover her pink polka-dotted panties. She had no makeup on, was wearing glasses and her hair was knotted in a messy bun atop her head. She even had pens sticking out of it. Good Lord, could she look any more nerdy?

Brooke poked her head into Lucy’s room. “Did you hear me? Food’s here.”

“Yes!” Lucy hissed. “And apparently you ordered a side of boy?”

Brooke grinned. “Maybe . . .”

“How ‘bout some warning next time? I’m not even wearing any pants.”

Brooke laughed, taking in Lucy’s ensemble. “I’m sure Jaxon doesn’t mind.”

“Well I do!”

“Oh keep your pants on,” Brooke joked, tossing a pair of pink shorts in Lucy’s direction.

Lucy scowled, then sat down to tug the shorts over her bulky cast. “What is he doing here?”

“I invited him for dinner.”

“What? Why?”

“Just trying to speed up your unicorn hunt.”

“Brooke!”

Brooke only flashed a grin in Lucy’s direction and whispered, “Happy hunting,” as she slipped back out into the living room.

Lucy finally emerged back into the living room after running a brush through her hair. She felt a bit more confident to face Jaxon now that she was at least wearing pants. He still looked as handsome as ever sitting on their couch. Brooke had parked herself on the floor next to the coffee table so the only free seat available was on the couch next to Jaxon. His massive frame managed to make their full-sized couch look like a loveseat.

Lucy’s palms felt sweaty as she gripped her crutches. Why was she so nervous? She sat next to Jaxon everyday in a golf cart. This wasn’t any different. They were just having dinner. It’s not like it was a date. And Brooke was here. Lucy sat down next to Jaxon and glanced at her best friend, who looked awfully proud of herself for orchestrating this event.

Lucy shot Brooke her best, ‘you’re so dead’ glare, but Brooke ignored it completely.

“So,” Brooke started. “What are your plans this weekend, Jaxon?”

Jaxon looked at Lucy. “I guess that depends. Have you decided about San Diego?”

“Not yet. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow and I figured I’d decide after that.”

“You do?” Jaxon asked.

“Yeah, your uncle set me up with a specialist.”

“Oh. That’s great.”

“What time’s your appointment?” Brooke asked.

Lucy could tell she was fishing. Brooke already knew the details. “Three.”

“And how are you getting there?” Brooke pushed.

Lucy glared at her best friend. “I was gonna call a cab.”

“I bet Jaxon would take you,” Brooke interjected. “Right, Jaxon?”

“Oh. Um, yeah. I can give you a ride.”

“No, Jaxon, really you don’t have to. You’ve already done so much.”

“I don’t mind,” he said, offering a genuine smile that melted Lucy’s heart.

If Jaxon would just keep that thing on a leash life would be a whole lot easier. But then the thought of not seeing him smile at her like that hit Lucy like a punch in the heart. Man, was she in deep. 

“Okay,” Lucy finally said. “I guess if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t,” Jaxon assured her.

Brooke grinned. Seemingly satisfied with her meddling for the evening, she switched on the television. “Oh, The Bachelor is on!”

Jaxon groaned. “I’m not watching that.”

But he did. He sat right there on Lucy’s couch, enjoying his Thai food and picking on all the sappy contestants right alongside Brooke.

Lucy couldn’t deny how much she enjoyed having Jaxon around. His presence always seemed to make her feel at ease. She tried not to read too much into why that was and just enjoyed the warmth she felt in that moment, sitting in her dorm room with Jaxon and Brooke.

When Jaxon stretched his arm behind Lucy on the sofa she didn’t flinch away. Instead, she let his warmth soak through her and relaxed into the feeling he stirred within her whenever they were together—the feeling that she was right where she was meant to be.