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  Jackson

  Tate Family Holidays

  Hope Ford

  Jackson © 2019 by Hope Ford. All Rights Reserved.

  Editor: Kasi Alexander

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  Cover designed by Hope Ford

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Hope Ford

  Visit my website at www.AuthorHopeFord.com

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  Jackson

  Stunned, I bang my hand against the wall. When my crew stops working around me, I take the phone away from my ear, yell at them to get back to work and walk outside. Once I’m far enough away, I put the phone back to my ear and holler at my brother Ford, “What do you mean you’re bringing my ex-fiancée as your date for the Halloween party?”

  He sighs deeply and I instantly know that something isn’t right. Ford would never betray me this way. We may fight sometimes, but he has always had my back, especially when everything went down with my ex, Emily. He finally mutters into the phone, “Look, Jackson, you know I don’t want to do this. All I can tell you is this is something for work. I’m in a situation and I need to go to this party with her.”

  Why would he need to do this for work? I think to myself. Emily is a socialite. I used to think she was a good person, but not anymore. Ford knows this; he knows she’s evil. Why would he get mixed up with her?

  He must get tired of my silence. His voice is deflated on the other end. “You know that I don’t want to do this, bro. I know how bad this is going to look. But I have to do this. It’s just part of my job… and before you ask, I’ve already said too much. Just know that everything is not what it looks like.”

  I release the breath I’ve been holding. “Okay. Fine. But I’m not going to be there to see it. I’ll just skip this party.”

  He laughs into the phone, pissing me off more than he already has. “Yeah, right. You’re going to tell Mom that you’re skipping out on her annual Halloween party? Make sure I’m there when you tell her. I would love to see my little brother get his ass kicked by Mom.”

  “Fuck,” I mutter into the phone and stroke my hand through my hair. “Keep her away from me, Ford. I’m not joking. Bye, fucker.” I hit the end button and clench my eyes tightly closed.

  I hear leaves crackling behind me and I turn around to see my little sister, Abby, staring at me. “I thought I told you to get back to work.”

  She laughs. “Yeah, I always do what you tell me to do.” She takes a step toward me. “So, Mom called. I guess you just found out that Ford is bringing Emily to the party tonight.”

  I nod my head. “Yep. Is Mom pissed?”

  “Yep, but she promised Ford she would be nice. I know this sucks, but you know there has to be a reason he’s doing this.”

  I shrug my shoulders at her. I know she’s right. Hell, I thought the same thing, but it doesn’t make it any easier. I haven’t seen my ex since I walked in on her having sex with another man.

  Lost in my thoughts, I forget Abby’s still standing there until she starts jumping up and down, clapping her hands together. “I have the perfect solution. You need a date for tonight.”

  Interrupting her, I start to walk past her into the house. “I definitely don’t need a date.”

  She grabs on to my arm to stop me. “Yes, you do. Hear me out. If you have a date with you, it will totally get your mind off Emily. Plus, she’s not going to approach you if you’re there with another woman.” When I still don’t respond to her, she puts her hands on her hips, cocks her head and says, “This is better than standing in the corner, mooning over Emily all night.”

  I put my hands on her shoulders and look her straight in the eye. I know that Abby has been worried about me. But honestly, this is the best thing to have happened. At least I found out before we got married. But Abby thinks I still love Emily. Hell, I’m wondering if I ever did in the first place. “Listen to me, Abby. I am okay. I don’t have any feelings for Emily. I’m over her. I was over her the second I saw her with that man. You need to quit worrying about me.”

  She finally nods, and I hope she knows how sincere I am. “But you still need to go with a date. And I have the perfect woman. You remember my roommate from college, Lacy. She’s coming into town tonight. She will be your date. She didn’t want to be a third wheel with me and Derrick anyway.”

  I try to remember Lacy. I know she’s skinny with long brown hair. Smart girl. But other than that, I don’t remember much about her. I think about it for a minute and decide that she’s probably right. It would make the night better. “Sure, Abby, if me going on this date with her means I can get back to work, I’ll do it.”

  I start walking into the house when my sister calls out, “What are you dressing up as?”

  I turn around and smile widely. “The devil. By the way, you planning on working today?” I ask her.

  She holds her phone up and then starts typing on it. “Yep, be right there. I need to text Lacy first. Pick her up at my apartment before the party.”

  Megan

  “No Abby, I’m not going to do it,” I tell her for the twentieth time. She started calling me this afternoon. Now she just showed up at my door. This should be easy. I should just close it in her face.

  “You know I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t need you right now. Lacy was going to go with him but something come up and she can’t make it tonight. Just go to the party with Jackson. You’ve been in love with him forever. He needs you, Megan.”

  I get frustrated at her words, but I can’t even try to discredit them. She’s right. I’ve been in love with Jackson since we were little. However, he has always thought of me as his little sister’s pesky friend. I walk into my kitchen expecting her to follow me. I grab two bottles of water out of the fridge and hand her one.

  “Abbs, it would be different if he asked me, but heck, he doesn’t even know he’s going with me. He thinks it’s your skinny friend from college that he’s going out with. He’s not going to be making anybody jealous bringing me. I’m doing him a favor by saying no,” I tell her calmly. And I have no issues with my self confidence or anything. I’m stating facts. I’m on the larger size, but I’m fine with it. I’ve learned to love my curves.

  Abby throws her hands on her hips. I always hate that stance. That always means she’s about to dish out some tough love or something like that. She is a force to reckon with and being the baby of her family, she is used to getting her way. “Are you kidding me right now? When you heard about what Emily did to him, I had to hold you back from going over there and killing her. You’re the perfect one for the job. Please, I can’t let him go by himself. All you have to do is keep him distracted and entertained. I don’t want her close to him.”

  My fists clench at my sides. I can’t stand the thought of Emily being there tonight. I know it’s going to be hard for Jackson. “I don’t have a costume,” I tell her as a last ditch effort to get myself out of this mess.

  “Well, what did you plan on wearing to the party?” she asks me.

  Shrugging, I tell her, “I was just going to throw something together.”


  “Grab everything white that you have. We have to stop at the store really quick and then he’s picking you up at my apartment.” She starts barking orders at me, and slowly I start going through my closet. She starts grabbing shoes and clothes and throwing them in a bag.

  “All right, let’s go.” I grab my purse and follow her out the door with my head hung down. I can’t help but wonder what I’m getting myself into.

  Chapter 2

  Jackson

  I ring the bell on Abby’s apartment door and stand back. I really wish I could get out of this tonight, but I know how upset Mom would be if I wasn’t there. She would understand, but she lives for stuff like this, having her family and friends all together.

  Abby swings the door open on my thoughts and ushers me in. She’s looking nervous and my stomach starts to twitch. Now what?

  “There’s been a small change in plans,” she tells me quietly. She is standing really close to me.

  “Where’s your costume?” I ask her.

  “It will only take me a minute to get ready and Derrick won’t be here for a while, but great costume, bro. You make a great devil,” she jumbles out quickly.

  “Okay, now I know something is up. You are nervous. Nothing makes you nervous. What’s going on?” I say, trying to get her to look into my eyes.

  She takes a deep breath and then starts rubbing her hands down her pant legs.

  She takes a step closer to me. “Lacy couldn’t make it.”

  I smile at her and shrug. “Is that all? No big deal, Abby. It’s fine. You have anything to drink?” I start walking toward her kitchen.

  “But I found you another date,” she mutters.

  I turn around at her words and instantly notice her red face. Walking back to her, I stop when I get in front of her. “Who is it, Abby?”

  “Be nice to her, Jackson. I’m not joking,” she warns me. No hint of a smile. She’s all seriousness.

  “Who is it?” I ask her calmly.

  But she doesn’t respond. I should just walk out this door. I’m not in the mood for these games.

  “It’s me,” I hear behind me and before I even turn around, I know who it is. Fuck…me.

  Of all the women in town, my little sister picks her friend that I’ve had to keep the fuck away from ever since I’ve known her. She was tempting even when we were in high school. Me a senior and her a freshmen. I remember watching her walk up and down the halls of Knox High. She swung her hips back then like it was nobody’s business. My friends all used to drool over the skinny cheerleaders. Nope, not me. I would spank it to thoughts of Megan. My little sister’s best friend. Damn, I remember fighting with myself to stay away from her. She was younger than me and it was wrong. I haven’t seen her in a while, probably because I try to avoid her.

  I turn around and paste a smile to my face. Once I see her, my smile drops and I suck in a deep breath, but it’s like I can’t get any air. My eyes still on her, I bend over with my hands on my knees, like I’ve been punched in the gut. I feel light headed. Am I going to pass out? Fuck, I’ve never had this reaction to a woman before.

  She rushes toward me. “Oh my God, Abby. I told you that you should’ve warned him. He’s going to have a heart attack.” She reaches to touch me, but I pull away from her.

  She pulls back her hands and holds them up. I look into her face and see the pain I’ve already caused her. Her face is so white it almost matches her dress and cape. “I’m sorry, Jackson. It’s fine. I don’t have to be your date.”

  She starts to turn away, but I grab on to her hand. “No, you’re going with me,” I mutter to her.

  “What is wrong with you, Jackson?” Abby puts her hand on my shoulder. I can tell she’s pissed off. I’ve upset her friend, but she doesn’t know the reason I reacted this way. I look back at Megan. She’s pure beauty. I’ve been able to hold myself back in the past. But looking at her the way she does right now, I don’t stand a chance.

  I stand back up, hoping that they don’t notice my hard cock pressing against the leg of my pants.

  Ignoring Abby’s question, I tell Megan, “You look beautiful.” And she does. She’s all innocence in her angel costume. She has on a short white dress that comes mid-thigh. Her dress is cut low and the top is so formfitting it’s like it’s cupping her breasts, putting them on full display. A white cape hangs over her shoulders and she brushes her blond curls away from her face. The halo above her head just makes me want to do all kinds of wicked things to her. Her eyes are wide looking back at me and she’s nibbling on her lush cherry lips.

  She slides her hands down her dress, and I watch the path they go. “I’m sorry, Jackson. Abby shouldn’t have sprung this on you. I really don’t care if I go to this party tonight. I was just willing to help out. But it’s probably better if you go without me.”

  I bring my gaze back up to her face. Where her skin was a milky white only moments ago, now it’s a bright red. I hate that I’ve handled it this way.

  “No, I want you to go. I need you to go with me,” I tell her honestly. Yep, I definitely need her to go with me.

  Holding her hand in mine, I feel like I’m trying to catch my breath. I can see the shock in her face, but I don’t let go of her.

  “Soooo, uh, are we good here? ‘Cause I need to get ready,” Abby interrupts me. When I finally take my eyes off Megan and look at Abby, I see the sly look on her face. She knew exactly what she was doing here.

  “Yes, we’re good,” I tell her and then turn back to Megan. “What do you say? Will you be my date tonight?”

  I pull both her hands down to my sides, tugging her closer to me. She has her head leaned back to look at me. She’s so much smaller than me that it makes every one of my protective instincts ignite.

  She steps back and pulls her hands from mine. “We don’t have to do this, Jax. I don’t want to make anything harder for you tonight than it already is going to be.” When she says my name that way, her way, I about heft her over my shoulder to find the closest bedroom. She shortened my name when I first met her years ago. She’s the only one that calls me that. The only one I allow to anyway.

  She’s looking at me with pity. Why does no one believe me when I say I’m over Emily? Damn, I could care less about her. But the thought of letting Megan back out of this date does bother me.

  “No, Megan. I need you tonight. It would help me a lot if you would be there with me,” I tell her, playing on her sympathetic side.

  She nods at me and I put my arm around her and guide her to the door.

  Megan

  Well, this explains the white angel costume I’m wearing. He helped me into his truck and I watch as he walks around to the driver’s side. He has on black pants and a tight black T-shirt. The long red cape and the devil horns on his head makes him appear even more of a bad boy than he already does.

  I shake my head thinking about Emily and what she did to him. The woman is crazy. That’s the only excuse for it.

  When he gets in the car, he puts his seat belt on and grips the steering wheel. I watch his tattooed forearms flex and I automatically get that familiar burn in my lower belly that I get anytime I’m around him.

  “So how you going to play this, Meg?” he asks me as he puts the car into drive.

  I still haven’t taken my eyes off him. “What do you mean? Play what?”

  “Well, we’re getting back at Emily right, making her jealous? You going to act like you can’t keep your hands off of me, or what?”

  I don’t respond. I can’t. I really should have thought this through. How the hell am I going to pull this off without making a fool of myself? Heck, he’s lucky I haven’t tried to straddle him already.

  “I really don’t think she will be jealous of me. I’m here more for moral support,” I tell him softly. But the thought of putting my hands on him has me putting them under my legs on the seat.

  We stop at a red light and he looks over at me. “Oh, you are definitely going to turn heads tonight. There�
�s no doubt in my mind. I’ll probably have to punch my brothers if they look at you too long.”

  I slide my legs together while he’s gazing at them. His hand reaches out and grips my knee and I can’t take my eyes off it. I tune out everything else he says.

  He squeezes me again and then releases my leg to touch my shoulder. “Hey Megan, what do you think?”

  Damn. I wasn’t paying attention. All I could think about was his big hand on me.

  “I’m sorry,” I say and then clear my throat. The lust I’m feeling causes my voice to sound much lower than normal. “What did you say?”

  He smiles at me and it about takes my breath away. The light turns green and he starts driving again. “I said I think I need you to act like you can’t keep your hands off me. I appreciate the moral support, but I’m going to need you to not hold back tonight. Can you act like you like me - that you’re hot for me - for one night?”

  I try to keep my face void of expression. He doesn’t know that I’ve loved him since high school. He doesn’t know that most of my “sexual” experience has been with him in my head and me alone in my bedroom. Do I think I can act like I like him? Hell, I can act like I love him. But I can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen to me tomorrow after being in his arms tonight?

  Chapter 3

  Jackson

  What the fuck was I thinking? Oh, Megan is doing everything right. After hugging both my parents, she hasn’t left my side. Her hand is always on me – either in mine, against my chest, around my waist, at the nape of my neck, or on my leg. We still haven’t seen Emily or my brother. But right now, I can give two fucks about them. All I can think about is the little blond bombshell in my arms. Thank goodness for my cape. I’ve shielded my hard cock from half the county now.

  We’ve eaten, played games and now everyone is milling around, hanging out and talking. I slide my hand down her back and I swear I can feel her tremble. “Dance with me, Meg.”