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Taming Ava & Fixing Jax - A Modern Fairytale

Chapter 42 Dinner with Dad

"

Jax wasn't sure what he was expecting dinner to be like. Maybe there would be a long table with TB at one end and Ava at the other like something he'd seen on TV with candles, lots of crystal goblets, china and sparkling silverware. The reality was more home style.

"When we eat together, we eat in the breakfast room or at the kitchen bar," Ava explained as they walked downstairs. "We usually only eat together on Sunday nights. My father eats in his room or office and I usually eat in my room kind of like hotel room service."

"Why don't you eat together more often?"

"You just might find out why tonight."

TB was waiting for them at a small oval table covered with a white table cloth and glasses of iced tea. Jax expected him to be dressed in a suit and tie, but he was wearing jeans and a golf shirt.

With the exception of Ava's room, all the rooms of the Castle were decorated in deep jewel tones that definitely went with the Castle gothic sort of look. Gemma would have loved it.

"Ava, I'm glad to see you finally got back from your trip. I'd really hoped to see you when you returned. I was looking forward to seeing your reaction when you discovered Jax was out of prison."

Ava had taken her usual seat next to her father. Jax took the seat next to Ava.

"I'm sure you did," Ava said coolly.

That was the moment when Jax was sure that Ava's father had deliberately not told his daughter about his efforts to get him out of prison because he wanted to blindside her. TB knew exactly why Ava had married him and getting Jax out of prison was less about righting the wrongs done to him by the justice system and more about watching Ava pay for figuring out a way around his will.

"Ava was pleasantly surprised," Jax added.

TB looked surprised.

"I don't know why you didn't tell me that you were helping Jax get out of prison. It would have been nice if you could have told me," Ava said. Her voice was cool but Jax could hear an undertone of anger and bitterness.

Her father smiled.

"I couldn't bear to see the disappointment on your face if I failed to free Jax. I had no idea that it would happen so quickly."

A small plump man in a chef's coat brought in plates of shrimp Caesar salad and spoke briefly. He asked Jax how he liked his steak cooked and nodded approvingly when Jax said he like his meat rare.

"Your father told me he was going to get me out of prison," Jax added trying to smooth over whatever was going on between father and daughter. "I was skeptical too. That's why I didn't mention it to you. I didn't want you to get your hopes up. It takes years to get through the court system, but that documentary he made worked like magic," Jax said.

"Have you seen the documentary?" TB asked his daughter.

"I didn't know about it until last night," she replied.

Jax wasn't used to this type of fighting. In his family, it was shouting, slamming doors and shoving. He'd been through a lot of it during his teen years after Gemma waited thirty seconds after his father was killed before marrying Clay.

Ava and her father fought more subtly. Their words were perfectly polite. It was that undercurrent and a coldness in their eyes when they spoke to each other. He preferred his fights loud.

The chef removed the salad plates and returned with perfectly prepared ribeye steaks, baked potatoes and orange glazed carrots. Jax was surprised that the food was simple and not fancy with a lot of French sauces. It was steakhouse perfect.

"What did you two do today?" TB asked.

Ava looked at Jax. He took that as his cue to reply.

"I took Ava around town on my bike. Showed her different places and then we had lunch at TM."

"I can't believe you went riding on a motorcycle," TB said.

"I enjoyed it."

"I know you two didn't get to have the wedding of your dreams. I'd love to throw a big fancy wedding for you."

"I'm sure you would," Ava said her voice frosty.

Her father would love nothing better than to humiliate her by throwing a big fancy wedding attended by all his rich friends so they could see that his daughter had married an ex-con. She was sure he was always telling them that she would never amount to much. If anyone found out that she'd had to pay Jax to marry her, her humiliation would be complete. Her life was a fucked up mess.

At least at that moment, she realized that she hated her father more than she hated Jax. Jax was at least being polite.

"Whatever Ava wants," Jax said.

"I don't want a wedding. I already had one," her voice was sullen. Her father had finally gotten through her icy façade. She was beginning to get angry.

"How about a honeymoon then? I was thinking about ten days in Hawaii and then a week in Louisiana. Remember, how we always used to talk about going back to Louisiana?"

"That was when my mother was alive."

"I know. Now, you and Jax can go together. Take one of those paddleboats up the river. Have you ever been to Hawaii or Louisiana, Jax?"

"No. I've never really traveled much except to places where my MC has a charter."

"A nice romantic honeymoon would really get your marriage off to a great start," her father said enthusiastically. "Jeeves made all the arrangements. You're flying out tomorrow. You'll leave at 2 to go to the airport. Pack light and buy whatever you need there."

This was typical of her father making these decisions without asking her. He couldn't be bothered to ask her if she wanted to go on a honeymoon or where she wanted to go. It was like him always moving them and decorating her bedroom without any input from her.

"I can't really work in my physical condition. It would be the perfect time to have a honeymoon," Jax said.

"You'll have a great time," her father added.

He liked the idea of going away with Ava. Maybe getting her away from her father and in a more relaxed environment would improve things between them. They needed to find some way to at least tolerate each other for the next three years.

Hawaii meant beaches and bikinis. In that kind of place, it wouldn't take long before he and Ava started having sex. He'd love to see Ava's hot body in a bikini and she'd never be able to resist him once she saw him in his swim trunks. Even in prison, he'd kept up with his workouts. That was part of the reason he was still alive and able to live through that attack in prison.

"Maybe even make it a babymoon," Jax joked.

Ava gave him a lethal look her eyes filled with hate.

"There's no way in hell that I'm ever having a baby."

Her attitude caught Jax off guard. He'd been joking and this sudden turn surprised him. He had no idea she hated kids, but he didn't really know her.

"I'd love to have a grandchild," her father said.

Ava turned her death stare on her father only this time her eyes were filled with even more hate.

"Why? You think you want to try being a grandfather since you were such a failure as a father."

"I gave you everything you wanted."

Jax knew this was going to lead to an explosion. This was a train wreck of a conversation. He had to admit watching Ava go from icy to white hot angry was sexy as hell. He liked women with some fire in them. There might be more fun being married to Ava than he thought.

"Did you ever come to a parent teacher conference?" she demanded.

"I always sent someone."

"Did you ever look at one of my report cards? Did you ever help me with my homework? Did you ever help me proofread one of my school reports?"

TB's lips compressed to a thin line.

"I gave you the help you needed to get those things done. You might remember that I was busy earning a living so you would have everything you needed in life."

"I needed a father. You were never a father to me. You couldn't even bother to come to me when my mother died. You sent your fucking assistant."

"Ava, watch your language," her father scolded.

"Now you're trying to be a father because you don't like my language. Really? Where was all this tender concern when I called you to tell you mommy wouldn't wake up?"

"Ava, your mother was dead. There wasn't anything I could do about that and I thought my assistant would know more about how to deal with you."

"You only love money and your work. I would never have a baby for you to destroy with your coldness. Better plan on buying a grandchild because that's the only way you're ever getting one daddy dear."

Ava got up, threw her plate down on the table with a crash and stormed out of the room without looking at Jax.

"You see," TB said with a sigh, "that's the kind of behavior I need your help with."

That was the moment when Jax realized that just as TB hired nannies for Ava as a kid, he'd bought him to take care of her as an adult.