Other Side of the Tracks

Chapter 2

"Smooth," Julia whispered, leaning on the counter as Jax swaggered into the bakery her next day. "You know you're early."

"Early to meet with Charlie," he nodded. "But I'm here now to talk to you."

Julia felt her breath catch for a second. "Not a lot of guys would go against my uncle so blatantly." When they did though, she thought about it as she smiled, it was a massive turn on.

"I know what I like," he shrugged. "Besides you're a grown woman, you can make your own decisions, can't you?"

"Did you know how condescending that sounded when you thought of it?" She asked with a playful smirk.

"Not till it came out of my mouth, actually." Jax stood up straight and dropped a bit of the charm seeing she wasn't as receptive as most women. "Sorry," he flashed a smile.

"You're fine," she assured him. "Kind of figured if you're here to see me you wouldn't be so purposefully rude."

Jax looked at her for a moment, unsure how to proceed, before speaking again. "So you heard Uncle Charlie's condescending warning?"

"He gave me a similar one," Julia pointed to the table. "Sit."

She didn't wait for him to respond, she simply turned and poured two cups of coffee. "Do you usually listen to him?" Jax asked watching her every step.

"Sometimes," she shrugged. "Work stuff, yeah, not so much with my personal life."

Joining him, she set two cups down and prepared her coffee quickly while secretly taking note of how he fixed his.

"This work stuff?" Jax asked with genuine interest.

"Yeah, it is," she took a sip. "Never had a son so he's grooming me. I think if the roles were reversed he'd be telling me so flirt but he's not since I, as a woman, apparently cannot confirm my emotions and urges," she scoffed but there was a playful smile on her lips. "Misogyny 101."

"I guess that means Uncle Charlie wants to go into business with me and Nero?" Jax raised his mug to his lips. "Or else all those warnings wouldn't be necessary."

Julia didn't exactly care that she hadn't chosen her words more carefully. It was vague at best, but she was impressed he thought enough about what she was saying to notice.

"He'd be foolish not to," she noted. "Sex sells, there's always demand so another house across town won't hurt business."

"You don't like it," Jax realized. "He went against your suggestion?"

"No," Julia laughed. "I hate it but I told him I agreed."

"Lucky for me," he wriggled his eyebrows.

They talked longer, trivial topics mostly, while both remained uncertain of the others true feelings and intentions. It was stressful, but fun and intriguing, and as the time grew later Julia knew they'd have to end it.

"Charlie doesn't seem like the type to leave this whole bakery empire to a woman."

"Didn't have a choice," Julia shrugged. "I'm the only blood Barosky around."

"You want it?" Jax asked, thinking back on how badly he wanted to follow JT only to see it was nowhere near the way he imagined.

"I did," she smiled. "Then I didn't and by then, my options were gone. So here I am."

"I think ya fit," he shrugged. "Don't meet many women in this line but you got balls. I like it."

"You do? Well then I guess this was the right path," she rolled her eyes.