The three women with Vanessa go pale while my sister pastes on a brittle smile and holds out her hand to him palm down like she expects him to kiss it.
“Oh, don’t be silly. I’m Vanessa, Savanah’s sister. We were just joking around. That’s what sisters do, right Savy?”
I nod slowly still trying to get over the fact that Beckett just stood up for me. No one has ever done that before besides Tate that one time. “Yeah, sure. Just kidding around. So…much…fun.”
That earns me a look filled with promised retribution but Beckett’s already pulling me away from them with a warning.
“Blair, Mckenna, Britney, make sure your new girl knows the fucking rules or your whole house will answer for her.” He tugs me under his big arm and turns me away from them. “Come on, darlin’, let’s go grab some lunch.”
I have to almost run to keep up with his long legs and when he notices, he laughs down at me and slows his pace. The bright sunshine brings out the red glints in his hair and contrasts beautifully with his icy blue eyes.
“Was that thing really your sister?”
I nod. “Stepsister. She doesn’t like me very much.”
He holds the door to the dining hall open for me. “You got yourself an evil stepmother too, Cinderella?”
I huff out a laugh because, well, facts. “I guess I do.”
“Hmm, that sounds like a story to me. Go sit at that table over there and I’ll grab us some lunch and you can tell me all about it. You have any preference for food?”
I shake my head with a smile. “Nope, I’m not fussy. Whatever you’re having is good with me but nothing with strawberries. I’m allergic.”
He points at the table again for me to sit and then goes and gets in line. I can’t stop the stupid little smile on my face. Not only has no one stood up for me before but in two years of going here, I’ve never had anyone to sit with for lunch. I’m still smiling when Vanessa and her friends come into the hall and I swear the devil comes and perches on my shoulder because when she spots me sitting alone, I lift my hand and give her a cheery little wave. I can practically see the steam billowing out from her ears as she pivots in my direction but she only makes it a few steps when a blond dynamo dashes in front of her.
“Baby doll! There you are!”
I almost choke on a gasp when every head turns my way as Jude swoops down on me and lifts me from my seat in a bone-crushing hug that has my feet inches off the floor. He smells like fresh air and citrus.
“Put me down, you idiot!” I sputter out but I’m also trying not to laugh at the same time when I see my sister turn almost purple and stomp her foot like a toddler.
“Dude, drop the girl and back away before Tate takes your head off for damaging his property,” Beckett growls as he returns with two loaded trays of food.
Jude sets me back on my feet and helps me take off Beckett’s jacket and hangs it on the back of my chair with my bag.
“Bah! She’s not his yet. He’s only taken her for a test drive. They haven’t even made it to price negotiations yet. I still have a shot with her. Right, Amy?”
Oh my God, this guy is a total fool but I’m going to circle back to him. I hit Beckett with my darkest look.
“Property? Did you seriously just refer to me as Tate’s property?”
He shoves a tray overloaded with food at me. “Uh, can we go back to when you were all smiley? I think that was a safer time than right now.”
I shake my head at him in exasperation and turn to Jude. “Stop calling me Amy or I’ll make you sorry.”
He grins mischievously and I notice the silver and black rings on his hands as his tattoo-covered fingers snag some fries from the plate Beckett brought me.
“That sounds fun! Take your best shot…A-MEE.”
I turn in my seat to face him and lean a little closer. I narrow my eyes at him and whisper, “If brains were dynamite, you couldn’t even blow your nose, Jude.”
His eyes squint a little and slowly the grin drops from his face until it turns into a pout. He crosses his arms over his chest like a toddler and looks at Beckett.
“She’s mean,” he whines.
I nudge him in the side. “I’m sorry, didn’t hear you there. Who’s mean?”
He grumbles a little but finally says, “Savy. Savy’s mean.”
