Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 382: Slow Down

Jax and Mari walked down the stairs together. Mari walked carefully because of her heels but held the bouquet close to her chest like it was treasure.

Jax walked beside her, one hand close to her back in case she slipped.

In the living room, Alex was seated on the couch with a file open on his lap. He looked up when he heard their footsteps.

His eyes moved from Jax to Mari and Mari caught the amusement in his eyes.

”Dad, why did you send Jax upstairs to my bedroom without giving me a heads up?”

Alex closed the file and leaned back. ”I wanted to make sure he sees for himself how disorganized you can be,” he said, then turned to Jax, ”You saw the state of her bedroom, right? Are you sure you can live with someone like her? It’s not too late to break up with her.”

Mari gasped. ”Dad!”

Alex chuckled while Jax tried not to laugh.

”I can manage,” Jax assured him with a straight face

Mari turned to glare at Jax, ”Manage? Who are you managing? Certainly not me.” She muttered.

”So, where are you taking her?” Alex asked, changing the subject.

”To lunch, sir.”

”Where?”

Jax mentioned the name of the restaurant.

Alex raised a brow slightly. ”Good choice.”

Mari folded her arms. ”I’ve never heard of it.”

”Because,” Alex said simply, ”it’s not a common place.”

Before Mari could respond, Andy came down the stairs slowly, adjusting her earrings.

She stopped halfway when she saw Mari.

Mari grinned and posed. ”Before you say anything, yes, I know I look stunning.”

Andy grinned. ”Yes, you do,” she said dramatically.

Andy came closer and walked around her like a stylist.

She touched the strap of the dress. Adjusted the hem slightly. Smoothed her hair. ”You’re perfection, doll. Absolute perfection.”

Mari beamed at the compliment.

Andy looked at Jax. ”You both look good together.”

”Thank you, ma’am,” Jax replied respectfully.

”Alex, is it just me or has Jax become awfully polite with us?” Andy asked, looking at her husband.

Alex chuckled. ”I noticed, too. I guess it’s because of Mari.”

Andy leaned closer to Jax, ”Relax, love. We are still just Alex and Andy. No need to ma’am me. Things do not have to be awkward between us because you’re sleeping with our daughter.”

”Andy,” Alex groaned.

Jax’s ears burned.

”Mom, you’re embarrassing him!” Mari gasped with a laugh. ”Let’s go, Jax,” she said, then thrusted the bouquet at her mother. ”Please ask Sheila to put it in a vase in my bedroom.”

”Be back at a decent time,” Alex said firmly. ”And answer your phones.”

Mari rolled her eyes. ”Yes, Dad.”

”Yes, sir,” Jax responded.

”Enjoy yourself,” Andy said, then before they could leave she clapped her hands. ”Wait! Picture!”

Before either of them could protest, Andy pulled out her phone.

Mari leaned against Jax. Jax placed one hand lightly on her waist.

”C’mon, hold her closer, Jax. We all know you do more than that when you’re alone,” Andy teased as she snapped the picture.

”Beautiful,” she said proudly. ”You both are going to make me such beautiful grand babies. Now go. Before your father changes his mind.”

Mari laughed and grabbed Jax’s hand.

”Bye!” she called as they walked toward the door.

Jax opened the door for her and they stepped outside, ”Your mom is something else.”

Mari giggled, ”I know, right? She’s crazy but she’s the best.”

”You are crazier,” he said, and she threw back her head and laughed.

”Thanks for the compliment,” she said as they approached the car.

Jax shook his head in amusement. When they got to the car, he opened the car door for her to get in. ”My crazy lady,” he said lightly.

She curtsied dramatically before getting in. ”Why, thank you, sir.”

Jax chuckled as he walked around to the driver’s side and got in.

Neither of them said a word as he drove out of the driveway. He drove in silence for a few minutes, and Mari kept stealing glances at him and smiling to herself.

Jax noticed it and after a while he glanced sideways. ”Why do you keep staring at me?”

She smiled sweetly. ”What’s wrong with staring at my eye candy boyfriend?”

He smiled slightly. ”I know you mean that as a compliment,” he said calmly. ”But that’s not a compliment.”

She raised a brow. ”Why not? Eye candy means you’re highly attractive and pleasant to look at.”

”Yes,” he said. ”But it also means I’m only pleasant to the eyes. No depth or intelligence. Just decoration.”

She paused. ”Wait... what? That’s not true.”

”It is. You can confirm it,” he said quietly.

Mari pulled out her phone and checked it out on google.

Then she gasped. ”Oh my God. You’re right.”

He nodded once. ”Told you.”

She turned to him again then smiled sweetly again. ”Okay. Fine. What if I say you’re my soul candy instead? Sweet to my soul not just my eyes.”

He laughed softly. ”Whatever you say.”

She smiled, then grew quiet.

The car moved smoothly down the road.

After a minute, she spoke again. ”Thank you, Jax.”

He glanced at her. ”For what?”

”Well, for not letting me follow you that night. For respecting my dad.”

His mouth curved slightly. ”You’re welcome.”He was silent for a moment then added, ”I know how impulsive you can be, Mari.”

She huffed. ”That’s rude.”

”But it’s also true,” he said gently. ”I’m not impulsive. I like to think slowly and carefully. I weigh my options. I don’t like making mistakes. I don’t like doing things I have to apologize for when I could have avoided it by being careful.”

She nodded slowly. ”That’s obvious.”

He smiled faintly. ”So I’ll try to remain the calm one between us. I’ll slow you down when you’re about to jump into disasters.”

She grinned. ”I like the sound of that. I’ll gladly remain the impulsive one so our life doesn’t become boring and ordinary.”

He chuckled. ”Deal.”

”But it’d be nice for you to be impulsive from time to time. You don’t always have to think everything through,” Mari said.

Jax kept his eyes on the road. ”Impulsive?” he repeated.

”Yes,” Mari said. ”Like... surprise kisses. Or random trips. Or doing something just because you feel like it.”

He smiled a little. ”You mean like showing up at your house in a suit with flowers without telling you?”

She paused, then grubbed. ”Okay,” she admitted. ”That was very un-Jax of you. But I’m sure you probably thought about that all night before pulling it off. I doubt you were driving to an important meeting and made a U-turn just to come see me.”

Jax smiled but said nothing.

”So, how is it going with Chad and Venita? Are you getting along with them?” Mari asked curiously.

Jax shrugged. ”It’s not like I have a choice.”

Almost an hour later, they stopped in front of a fine dining restaurant. Jax got out and walked around to open her door again.

Mari stepped out slowly, staring at the place. ”I’ve never been here,” she said softly.

”I know,” he replied as they walked toward the entrance. ”I know the owner. I designed this building,” Jax added casually.

She stopped walking and stared at him. ”You what?”

”I’m the architect who drew the structure. Some of my artwork is on the walls inside.”

Her mouth fell open slightly. ”You never told me you were into architecture.”

He gave her a small smile. ”Well, there’s a lot you don’t know about me yet.”

Inside, the place was beautiful. Soft music played. Paintings hung on cream walls.

A man in a neat suit walked toward them. He smiled widely when he saw Jax. ”Bonsoir, mon ami!” the man greeted warmly.

Mari blinked when Jax replied smoothly in French.

They spoke back and forth for a few seconds while Mari stood there smiling, listening, and feeling proud for no reason.

Jax pulled her gently closer to his side. ”Let me introduce you,” he said. ”This is Mari, the love of my life.”

The owner lifted her hand and kissed it lightly. ”So you are the special one,” he said warmly. ”This is the first time he is eating here since we opened. He always said he would only come with his girlfriend.”

Mari’s grin widened. ”The place looks lovely,” she said.

The owner smiled knowingly. ”The food is even lovelier. Please, follow me.”

He personally escorted them to a quiet corner table shaped like a small curved nest before excusing himself.

Mari sat down as Jax held out her chair. ”I love the ambiance,” she said as she looked around again.

”Yeah. Me too,” he said, and then she looked at him.

”So, my boyfriend is into architecture.”

Jax smiled. ”Our relationship started off on passion and chemistry. You know, we didn’t do much of talking considering how we met,” he said calmly.

She nodded. ”True.”

”But if we want to build something lasting,” he continued, ”we will have to slow down now. And really get to know and understand each other. That’s why I chose a restaurant. So we can do more of talking.”

She nodded slowly. ”As long as we don’t go at snail pace,” she said. ”I’m good with going slowly.”

He smiled then reached across the table and touched her hand. ”We won’t crawl,” he assured her. ”We’ll walk.”

”Okay then,” she said softly. ”Let’s walk.”