Fighting a New World

19

Jax's POV

Carter was on edge to say the least.

The four of us sat at some cheap dinner waiting for Liam's friend to show up and to be honest, all of us looked tense.

The tension from last night's little fight seemed to roll over and followed us all day even though the fight wasn't even that bad.

Liam seemed to be the most tense out of all of us though. He looked like he was ready to jump between people if a new fight broke out.

He had leaned into Ryder while me and Callum sat on the other side of the booth. We had been waiting for this friend for like 20 minutes and I could tell Liam's spirit was starting to fall.

"He'll be here," Liam said after a few more minutes, but his face didn't match his words.

"We know he will," Callum said with a smile as he reached across the table, Liam's hand slowly inching forward until their hands connected.

"How did your day at work go," I asked after a while just to try to get the awkwardness out of the air.

"It was pretty good," he said with a shrug. "I wish I could have just stayed at home with you all day though."

"It's not like we did anything fun," Callum said with his own shrug. "Me and Ryder just watched Carter beat up a punching bag for most of the day."

"If it makes you feel any better, Carter had fun."

Ryder was about to say something else when Liam's eyes widened as he waved over someone with his free hand. Only a few seconds later a man is standing at our table while Liam and Ryder are scooting closer to the wall to make room for him.

I did not like this man, which was weird because nothing about him was overly bad. I mean he was tall and had a fair amount of muscles but he wasn't like Dayton or anything. Carter could take him I think. It might be hard for him but I still think he could, but James still freaked me out. Something about him just put me on edge and judging by Carter's glare, he was just as off put as I was.

"Sorry about being late. One of the managers made me stay a little later than I was scheduled to," he said with a smile as he looked over to Liam.

"It's okay we waited for you. This is Ryder," Liam said as he pointed our boyfriend. "And this is Callum and Jax." Callum stood up with his classic Callum smile as he shook James' hand but his shoulders were tense. He didn't seem to like James either.

"It's nice to meet you," Callum said tensely as he sat back down and gestured for him sit as well.

"It's nice to meet you too. Liam told me a lot about you," James said with his own smile, which only highlighted the scar by his eye.

The awkwardness was back.

James seemed like he would be charming enough to start a calm conversation but his demeanor now said that he was just as awkward as the rest of us.

I don't like him, Carter decided with a scowl.

I don't either. Maybe Carter should front for now, just in case? Kyra suggested as she shushed Bram from broadcasting something.

'Carter can front when the food gets here. If we switch now Liam might think we aren't trying to get along with him.' Carter huffed at that as he leaned back against the couch.

"So Liam tells me you work at a tattoo shop," James said as he looked over the menu.

"It's really only an apprenticeship right now but eventually it will be a real job."

James only hummed at that before looking over to Ryder with another smile, making Carter's glare deepen for no reason.

'You need to stop. If you act like this when you front you're either going to start something or you're make Liam mad.'