Read Online Untwisted by Cari Quinn, Taryn Elliott - Free Book Online

“Yes.”
    “Does Harper have a catering job tomorrow?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Call her and find out.”
    “Why?”
    He couldn’t help but smile at the suspicion in her voice. “Because we’re going to meet your sister and she should be there.”
    Jazz frowned. “We’re going now to meet Molly?”
    He nodded. “No time better than the present, right? You heard me tell Luc that I’d be unavailable for a few days.”
    “Yeah,” Jazz said slowly, “but why does Harper need to be there?”
    “Moral support.”
    “But I have you.”
    Her simple response caused the tightness to return to his throat. He smiled through it, his thumbs circling on the insides of her elbows. “Yeah, you do. I just think Harper should be there too.”
    “We’re just driving up for the day, right?”
    “Honey, we both know a day won’t be enough.”
    Jazz glanced at the ground then lifted her head, a smile playing around her mouth. “You know me too well.”
    “Just ask Harper if she can come up overnight with us. If need be, I’ll drive her back the next day and you can stay with your sister until I get back.”
    “My sister.” The tears were back in her eyes, and this time, they weren’t merely happy. “God, I’m not sure I’m ready for this. It’s not just about seeing her. If my mom’s there too…”
    “We’ll cross that bridge together. Call Harper,” he said, rounding the car to slip into the driver’s side.
    Just as he expected, Jazz leaned against the door and placed her call. He’d banked on her not wanting to make it in front of his mother, which played right into his hands.
    “You really claim to love me?” he asked in an undertone, facing straight ahead.
    “How can you ask that?” His mother huffed out a breath. “Of course I do. Your father does too. You’re all we have left. You and the baby—”
    “And Jazz,” he interrupted. “You don’t get me or that kid without her. She’s the only reason you’re here right now. Remember that.”
    His mother fell silent.
    He flexed his fingers around the steering wheel, speaking quickly as Jazz laughed loudly outside the car. Her distraction was perfect timing. “I need your help.”
    “Whatever you need,” his mother said quickly enough to stir the guilt he hadn’t realized he had left in her direction. He’d buried it under anger and hurt and resolve so many years ago that he’d figured it had ebbed away entirely.
    “We’re driving to San Jose to meet Jazz’s sister today. Tomorrow I need you to get the band to San Francisco. I’ll tell you the exact location in a couple hours after I make some calls.” He met her gaze in the rearview mirror. “Can you do that for me?”
    Her lips trembled before they firmed. “You’re going to marry her.”
    “Yes.”
    He waited for her to tell him he was making a mistake. That he needed to take time to think, to allow the emotion that had arisen from the doctor’s visit to fade before he made rash decisions he couldn’t take back.
    Instead she nodded and gave him a small smile. “I can do that.”
    He sucked in a breath. “Thank you.”
    “You’re my son.”
    He didn’t give the words a chance to take root inside him where they could weaken the walls he’d constructed so carefully. “And Lila,” he said, increasing his grip on the wheel. “She should be there too. Harper will probably ride up with us.”
    “Okay. I’ll take care of it.” She didn’t offer any appeals for herself or his father, and that was what broke him.
    “You and Dad can come too,” he said finally, forcing himself to open his eyes. Hers were damp and riveted to the reflection of his in the rearview mirror. “If you want,” he added when she didn’t speak.
    “ If we want?” She laughed brokenly. “Oh Gray. Being part of your life is all we want.”
    Jazz pulled open the door and cast a wary glance at the backseat before slipping into the passenger seat.
    “Well?” he demanded.
    “She has a job tonight.