“I’ll give her respect when the girls in my dorm stop telling me my brother is being scammed by a gold digger!”
Daisy gasps. “Is that what those little whores in Cutler Tower are spouting off behind my back?”
Lucky’s eyes fill with fire. “Thatwas the G version. Stay away from my brother, and stay away fromme! I don’t care what he says. You’re not welcome here.” She turns her rage toward me full force. “It’s her or me. Make your choice!” She flies out of the room with a slam of the door. Her truck starts up, and I watch as her taillights leave a trail of fire in their wake.
I’ve never seen my sister so lost in anger. Never seen her so upset about anyone in my life.
“I don’t care about the picture or any lies anyone is spewing about us.” I wrap my arms around Daisy and close my eyes a moment, trying to figure out how the hell to fix this mess.
Her chest quivers as she stiffens beneath me. “I don’t want your sister to hate you. I don’t ever want to come between you and her.”
“That won’t happen.” My cardinal rule has always been nothing gets between Lucky and me—and if it tried, I’d always choose Lucky. That, right there is why I decided to hold off on relationships until Lucky grew up. At this point, it seems she might never get there.
I’m not losing Daisy—no way, no how.
But Lucky’s words reverberate in the back of my mind like a gong that just won’t die.It’sher or me. Make your choice.
Lucky or Daisy. Together they make up both halves of my heart.
Lucky is right. There is a choice that has to be made.
It will be hard as hell, but I know exactly what it will be.
Daisy at Dawn, Broke by Noon
Daisy
I’ve dealtwith my fair share of bitchy, witchy, toxic people, but the fecal verbal matter those girls at Cutler Tower are tossing about makes me simply mental. The fact that Lucky would believe any of that garbage makes me almost as enraged as she is. I say almost because, well, let’s face it. She’s vying for her brother’s right to a well-rounded girl who isn’t sizing up how deep his pockets are. Believe me, I couldn’t care less how deep Jet Madden’s pockets are, or that he has pockets at all. However, Ihaveexpressed a firm interest in his boxers, particularly in what they’re stashing in the front. But mostly I’m interested in what he’s stashing in that chest of his, and as it turns out his heart is as deep and wide as the big blue sea. Jet is the perfect man, and I would never risk hurting him by way of his wallet. I’ve always, staunchly, been able to provide for myself, good or bad. I seem to get the job done just fine on my own.
Once Hurricane Lucky dissipates, Jet and I eschew the pizza for now, since his sister all but took both our appetites with her. We make achingly slow love, our bodies intertwine like honey dripping, melting the two of us into one sticky sweet puddle. This isn’t the hungry fucking, pardon my French, or the bitingly nasty thrashing that has taken place between us in the past. Something about Lucky’s words has us both rattled, has us both reevaluating who we are and who we would like to be. Whether or not we’d like to admit it, a ripe pain is present tonight. Lucky may have lanced the wound, but something deep down has been festering all along.
Somewhere between rounds two and three my phone bleats. I lean over and pick it up off the floor, only to find a text from my mother.
I glance at the time and gasp. “It’s three in the morning.”
Wonderful news! Jonas and Jen just welcomed a healthy baby girl. Emma Eden Rose just entered the world five minutes ago!
“Oh, that’s so great.” I moan with delight just staring at my new niece’s beautiful name.
“Thatwasgreat.” Jet rumbles out a dark laugh from the opposite end of the bed before kissing the bottom of my foot.
“It was more than great, but I was referring to the text my mom just sent. My brother, Jonas, just had a baby. A baby girl.” I was still in high school when Nelson had his girls. I loved going to the hospital and feeling like I was a part of it. “I think I’ll skip classes tomorrow and head over. I just have to see her.”
“You want company?”
I leap onto my belly until we’re face to face. “Really?” I can hardly contain my excitement. Jet and I have hardly driven in the same car on more than a handful of occasions let alone been sequestered in that small space for hours.
“Yes, really. I’m always up for a good road trip. Dusty and Gunner can handle things at the shop. I’m in if you’ll have me.”
“Oh, I’ll have you.” A devilish laugh curdles in my throat. “Twelve ways till Sunday.” I pull him over my body and glide my nails down his back until he groans.
“Just twelve?”
“I figure I gotta give you a chance to have me in return.” I peck his lips with a kiss.
Jet and I fall asleep until dawn, and usually when my lids flutter at this ungodly hour, I demand I get back to dreamland, but that little niece of mine is fresh out of the oven and I’m dying to take a nice big bite out of one of those tiny little fingers.
We shower, dress, and take off for far less-greener pastures as we drive out to Friar’s Corner. The sky turns gray as we head into the old part of town, and I can’t help but give a sad smile. My grandmother always said the sun spread its glory everywhere but here, and on this dismal day it looks to be true. But my grandparents are all gone. It’s just my mom, dad, and brothers—and of those few relations left on the planet Earth, I can’t really seem to claim one as a friend. I’ve been close to my mother before. My brothers and I have never really been too close, but there have always been the odd staccato starts to a friendly relationship. I’m hoping one day they’ll bloom full force.
