Jackson's name is mentioned as being at the fundraiser, but it’s not a big release. I’m a little disappointed and thought it would be a bigger turnout than it was. Still, all in all, it was a good look for him to be there.
This is exactly what a college scout will look for in a coach. I’m happy for him, happy for how it is turning out, but I am worried as well.Worried for me, I guess is more like it. I’m enjoying him and whatever it is that we have going on right now—the flirty banter, the fun friendship, Gage always being close. In all honesty, I’ve really missed being here with my family and him.
There’s a knock on my door and Britt pops her head in calling out, “hello!”
“In here! Want a cup of coffee?”
“Please!” she begs as she heads over to me, sinks onto a stool and drapes herself over my island.
I laugh at her dramatic entrance. “What’s with you?” I stir some cream into her mug of coffee and slide it to her.
“My husband is trying to kill me.”
I raise a brow. “If this is going to be you complaining about getting too much sex, you can take your coffee to go right now.”
She sits up and takes a sip. “You could be in the same boat, you know?” she narrows her eyes, waiting for me to respond.
She always knows how to trap me, dropping comments to rile me up or get me to out myself.
“Okay, I’ll take the bait, B. How could I be in the same boat?”
She sits up straight, a big smile plastered on her face. “I’m so glad you asked!” she exclaims. I have to laugh at her antics, but she continues. “For starters, you have a man, a good-looking man, with a beautiful sister, I might add, that lives right across the street from you. Said man is totally hot for you. And you are totally hot for said man.” She puts her hand up. “Nuh uh uh, don’t deny it. I see the way the two of you look at each other. In fact, I’m sure everyone sees it.”
“They’re supposed to. That’s the whole idea of what we’re doing here.”
“Yeah, I understand that. However, there’s more.” She leans forward and widens her eyes. “So much more.” She pulls out her phone and starts showing me pictures. “Look at this.” She turns the phone to me, and I see a pic of us from the night before. It’s a statue pose; we are side by side like we’re going to prom. But then she swipes through the others she must have taken as we were getting ready to leave. There’s one of me talking to Adam and Jackson is standing to the side of me, looking straight at my ass. I roll my eyes; she smirks and swipes across her cell again. This one is of Gage adjusting himself and biting his lip.
“Britt! Oh my God, why are you stalking your brother like this? You’re terrible.”
“No, I’m not! I’m gaining evidence. Now look! Look at this one and don’t you dare brush me off. Tell me the first thing that comes to mind.” She turns the phone to me again and I look. I remember it. Britt asked me to stand alone to get a full shot of my dress. But she also got Jackson in the picture. He’s standing to the side of me, a few feet away. Hands in his pockets, looking at me with eyes that show nothing but…
“Lust!” I shout out.
Love.Love is what I want to say.
Britt howls in laughter, and I continue studying this picture. I’ve seen this look before. It’s the way my dad was looking at my mom on their wedding day. Their photographer got the same shot, it’s been proudly framed and displayed on the wall in the living room for years, and if I could read my dad’s mind it would say I’m the luckiest guy in the world to get to love this woman.
Jackson has that look.
“Lust! Yes! Don’t you see? You could be getting laid regularly and no one would be the wiser because it’s expected!” I push her phone away and she clicks it off and lays it flat. “And if that expectation morphed into a relationship, well, I don’t think any of us would be mad about it,” she finishes.
“You’re crazy. I think there’d be a lot of people mad about it.”
She rolls her eyes and huffs, “okay so maybe one person would be mad. But seriously, Adam needs to get over himself. And not to kick a man while he’s down, but he should worry about his own relationship right now. I mean, where the heck did Chelsea go, anyway?”
She waves her hands around before I can form a response and continues, “We are all adults, and he can’t keep you from living your life. He didn’t like Nick the dick either.”
“With good reason.”
“Yes, with good reason, but my brother is his friend! He should be happy that everyone already knows each other. There are no new people to vet. It’s a perfect setup!”
“Britt, I need you to calm down. I get your coming from a place of love and I love you for that. You’re my best friend and I know you want me to be as happy as you are with Bobby. I also knowyouknow thatIknow your brother makes me happy.” I reach for her hand, “but we aren’t there, Britt. I don’t know if we ever will be. Jackson asked for my help so he can get noticed and get out of this town. I may not be staying either.” At the forlorn look on her face, I quickly add, “I don’t know where I’m going or what I’m doing. I don’t have a steady job. I’m twenty-six years old and need to figure out my life. I also don’t want to get close just to have him pull away and leave. It was hard enough watching him leave the first time.”
She squeezes my hand. “I know, I’m sorry. I remember how hard it was for all of us, but especially you. And I feel guilty about that. I feel like you wouldn’t have left if I hadn’t tried to keep you in the loop with him so much. I know you broke away trying to get distance and start over.”
I did do that. I don’t want to admit to her, especially at that time, that that’s what I was doing. Leaving and starting over because I couldn’t have who I really wanted. “You did nothing wrong. I needed to get out on my own. Little sister needed to get out from under big brother’s watch if you remember correctly.”
Britt and I both laugh. “They’re so overwhelming.”
