Love & Serenity

Chapter 18

Jax made his way up the front porch of Lillian's cabin, the stair creaked beneath his feet making him itch to fix it but she didn't want him to. Jax stood in front of her door with the empty muffin container as he raised his hand and knocked on her door.

He heard footsteps before the door swung open revealing Lillian, somehow more beautiful than he'd seen her the day before after they drove off in separate cars from Mindy's. She was always dressed in a pair of jeans and a simple top, her face clean with no trace of makeup, her hair brushing against her shoulders framing her face. She was beautiful and that familiar scent of hers reached him.

It was funny how he'd hated the scent the first time he met her and now he was falling in love with it all over again.

Lillian looked up at Jax and smiled.
"Hey, good morning."

"Good morning." Jax replied.

"Come in."

"I won't be long." He said, "I was heading to Davis' and thought I'd drop this off."

He handed her the container.
"They were really good. Thank you."

Actually, he liked them so much he hoped the container was magic and would refill itself every time he took a piece.

Lillian smiled.
"You're welcome."

Otto's bark reached them from Jax's truck. Lillian's gaze shifted to his truck and smiled when she saw Otto's head out the truck barking at them.
"You mentioned you were heading to Davis'."

"Yea, I need to have Otto checked."

"Oh, can I come?"

Jax was surprised.
"You want to come?"

"Yea, I am the reason you're taking him there and I really do want to come."

"Alright."

"Give me a second." Lillian shut the door and went to get her keys and met him out on the porch. "Let's go."

"We could take my truck." Jax said when she headed for her car.

"My shift is in half an hour."

"I'd stay for lunch and drop you off when your shift is over."

Jax had no idea why he was pushing it.

"Are you sure?"

"Yea. C'mon." Jax walked to the other side of his truck and opened the door for her without hearing her reply.

Lillian looked at him waiting for her with the door open before she made her way towards him and hopped inside his truck with Otto in the back seat. Jax made his way to the driver's seat and turned his truck around and headed off.

"So, how's your new project coming along?" Lillian asked.

"Just as I hoped." Jax said, "I should be done by the end of the week."

"Wow, that fast, huh?"

"It's very easy to fall into it and forget the time."

Lillian looked at him with a smile.
"You really love it, don't you?"

Jax glanced at her.
"I do."

"It's hard for people to make a living out of what they love."

"Do you?"

"No. It's what I do and I absolutely love it. I couldn't have asked for a better job."

"And what is it you do again?"

"Oh, you know, imagine. Create."

Jax held back a smile.
"Oh yea, I know. That really does narrow it down."

Lillian laughed as Jax pulled up in front of Davis' home and clinic.

"C'mon Otto." Jax said as he got out of the truck with Lillian following suit.

Lillian met Jax at his side as he carried Otto out of the truck. She held the door open for him and shut it after Otto was out. They both walked side by side to the clinic and Lillian quickly grabbed the door for him.

"Thanks."

They walked inside to the empty reception. The female receptionist looked up at them and smiled.

"Hey there, Jax."

"Em, how are you?" Jax asked, "When did you get back?"

"Two nights ago, and I'm good," Em replied. "How are you?"

"I'm doing great." Jax said, "Lily, this is Em. Em, Lily."

"Lillian."

"Emily."
The two women shook hands.

"Em is Mindy's daughter." Jax said,

Lillian snapped her gaze at Emily.
"Really? Mindy talks about you all the time to everybody but I never did get your name until now. It's nice to finally meet you."

"And I'm guessing you're the newbie in town and you're helping my mum out at Mindy's."

"That's me."

"She told me how nice you are. It's really great that you decided to help with the diner. I've been trying to get her to hire an extra pair of hands since I left and I don't know what you did but I'm glad."

"I'm just glad she let me help. Asides from staying alone in the cabin, there's really not much I can do around here. So, I'm the one who's glad."

"...come back next week and I'll examine her again." Davis stepped out of one of the exam rooms with an elderly woman with her brown cat.

"Thank you so much, Davy."

"Welcome." Davis smiled at her and waved her off. "Jax. Lillian, good to see you again."

"Good to see you too, Davis."

"Hey there, boy." Davis scratched Otto's head. "Let's get you checked out. This way."

Jax followed Davis into the exam room and then came back out to grab a folder from the desk which Em was also reaching for. Their hands touched and time slowed as they both looked at each other. Lillian smiled to herself.

"Sorry." Em said and snatched her hand back.

"No, I'm sorry." Davis said as he picked the folder and went back to the exam room.

Em glanced at Lillian, her cheeks all red.

That's what you call electricity. Those two in a room could light up the whole town."
Lillian thought.

"Sit please." Em said,

"Thanks." Lillian took a seat and waited patiently for Otto and Jax.

They came out a few minutes later and Lillian was on her feet.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Jax said,

"It's no problem. How is he?"

"He should be good in a week."

"Great," Lillian said and patted Otto. "You hear that boy; you'll be running around soon enough. Just don't run too far this time."

"Let's get you to Mindy's," Jax said. "See you later." He called out to Davis and Em.

"Nice meeting you again, Em."

"Same here." Em smiled as she and Jax walked out of the clinic leaving her alone with Davis.

Jax and Lillian got into his truck and shut the door.

"What's up with those two?"

Jax smiled.
"Wow, you are really observant. Took me almost a year of knowing both of them to figure out there was something there."

Jax drove to Mindy's.

"Well, it was really obvious."

"To you and the rest of this town, yes. To the both of them, no."

Lillian laughed.
"Sounds like the beginning of a love story."

"Tell me about it."

"Oh, I will."