Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Caroline swallows hard enough that I hear the click in her throat. “Jake… There’s something I need to–”
A knock at the door cuts her off. “Open up, asshole.”
I recognize the voice. It’s Jesse’s.
Caroline goes pale. I have to admit my own chest goes a little tight at the thought of this conversation we’re about to have. We’re not just about to lie, but I’m going to have to tell her brother I’m dating his sister. Caroline will have to tell my sister she’s dating me, but I know Andi will just be excited so that one isn’t as big of a deal.
I move to the door and pull it open.
Jesse is waiting with crossed arms and bulging muscles. I think he’s actually flexing, probably trying to intimidate me. He has dark hair, worn short, and tanned skin. He’s also one of the few people who is my size, which means I can’t rely on towering over him and glaring when I get backed into a corner.
Andi is beside him, looking tiny by comparison. She’s my little sister. We both have the same jet-black hair and pale skin. People always seem to know we’re related, so there must be some subtle similarity in our features or mannerisms. Unlike Jesse, she’s wearing an excited but curious expression, eyes darting between me and Caroline like she’s looking for clues.
“Hi,” I say, breaking the silence.
“You’re a fucking asshole,” Jesse says. “You punched me when you found me with Andi. Tell me why I shouldn’t punch your ass right now. Engaged to my fucking sister and you didn’t even tell me you two were dating?”
“In my defense, I also found you in a vibrating waterbed. My sister was wearing nothing but a towel, and her boobs were out while you were straddling her. I think you deserved to get punched, considering you guys had just met and supposedly weren’t into each other.”
Jesse’s jaw ticks. “Just because I’m not walking in on it, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened.”
“Alright,” I say, standing up straighter and pushing my jaw out. “Hit me.”
Jesse’s fists bunch at his sides.
“Jake,” Caroline says, touching my arm. “Don’t be stupid.”
“Jesse,” Andi warns. “No hitting. You promised you’d play nice.”
But this is between us, and Jesse knows it. His eyes are locked on mine, and he’s thinking very hard about it.
I take a step closer to him. “Do it.”
Jesse’s arms snap out, and he shoves my chest, knocking me back a few steps. He bunches his fist and raises it, jaw clenched, but then he lets it fall to his side. “Fucking asshole,” he says again. There’s less venom and emotion in the words this time, though.
“Asshole,” I agree with a faint smile.
“Goddamn sister fucker,” he adds, smirking a little.
“You started it.”
Jesse gives me a light punch on the arm, then shrugs as if admitting guilt.
I clap him on the shoulder, and we hug quickly, patting each other’s backs.
Pulling back, I see Andi and Caroline watching us with baffled expressions.
“Do you understand what just happened?” Caroline asks. “Because I don’t.”
“The mysterious mating daurnce of the male haukey playaur,” Andi whispers with a bad Australian accent. “Some claim to undahstand it, but naurn truly daur.”
Caroline sputters with laughter.
“We’re good,” Jesse says simply. “That’s all there is to understand.”
I nod.
Caroline throws her palms up and shakes her head. She leans around the corner, looking both ways. “Where are the kids?”
Jesse turns around, showing a backpack I didn’t see him wearing. Their infant son, Jude, who is almost the exact same age as Walker, is sleeping happily in some kind of back-mounted car seat holder. “Amelia didn’t want to leave home,” he explains.
“Paisley agreed to stay with her while we’re gone. Mia and Nolan will help out when they’re not at Taste. Amelia was super excited about the whole thing. She packed tons of bags, even though Paisley’s staying with her at our cabin. We just couldn’t quite get her to understand that she didn’t need to pack, so we let it happen.”
I can’t help taking Jude’s small hand between my thumb and forefinger. I lift it up and down a few times, smiling at him. He stays sound asleep, though. The last couple of days hanging with Walker have made me realize how much more time I should be spending with Jude. At a glance, babies his age seemed pretty boring and straightforward. Being around Walker more has shown me how much personality can be hidden between the frequent naps. “Hey, dude. It’s Uncle Jake. You don’t want to wake up for me?”
Jude takes a deep, snorting breath, then sinks into his many chins.
Jesse turns around, removing Jude from my view just as Caroline reaches for him. “You’re lucky. If I wasn’t wearing this baby, I may have decided to pay you back for that black eye two years ago.”