Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 184(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 184(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
“I swear. On you. On your dad. On Sam. Hell, even on your mom. And your mom hates me. So surely there’s some kind of superstitious jinx shit I’m putting on myself there. But I fucking swear. You earned this. Clean and straight. I didn’t pull a string or say a word.”
Now Janet comes running out on the patio.
“I’ve just seen the news on the Facebook page! First violin, sweetie! You did it!”
I step back to let Jess have a moment with her mom and dad. And for as tense as it feels, I fucking love being here for this. I fucking love being in her world.
Once the hugs and kisses have ended, Janet turns her fury on me again. “You can go, Mike. We have to celebrate, and I don’t want you here, are we clear?”
I reach out and take Jess’ hand in mine. Her little fingers slip right between my big ones, and finally—for the first fucking time since I kissed her in the car earlier—I feel whole.
“I’m not going anywhere. Not without Jess.”
“Let him stay, Janet,” Ben says. “He’s a part of the family. Always was but now more than ever.”
Janet doesn’t like that at all. The prisoners are taking over the jail and she’s not standing for it. She shakes her head. “Nope. No way, Mike. Get out.”
I shake my head again and turn to face Jess. When my eyes meet her, my heart fucking throbs. And deep down in my gut, I feel the primal urge to be inside her as soon as is fucking possible.
“I’m not leaving without her. So I guess I’ll just call some movers to move me in. Unless you’ve got a better idea, baby girl.”
CHAPTER 10
Jess
Two weeks later and it’s Tuesday again, but this Tuesday is very, very different from the Tuesday when this all started. So much better in every single way. Because today, our life begins together. In Mike’s house. As a couple.
My dad is all for it. My mom, not so much. But she’s… thawing. Slowly. Like an iceberg in the winter sun. And that’s progress in my book. For sure.
They figured out their IRS issue. An error on the part of the government and I stared at my mom until she apologized to my dad for doubting him. I’m slowly learning my voice is as important as hers and it feels like my footing with her is more secure every day.
Sam comes thundering downstairs with Lagerfeld spinning circles behind him. Sam is as happy as I’ve ever seen him. Turns out, what Sam really wanted for his eighteenth was to find a place of his own, but he didn’t want to leave Mike in the house alone. But since I came into the picture, Sam has felt a lot more comfortable spreading his wings, which makes me so happy. He’s enrolled in a few classes at the Carolina School of Design while he finishes up senior year next month.
So with me moving in, Sam decided it was time to move out. And the move is just about finished. Mike’s rented him a nice new condo less than a mile away on the lake so he’s going, but not far, thank goodness.
As for me, I’m also as happy as I’ve ever been. I accepted the first chair position, but instead of applying to music conservatories, like my mom has been pressuring me to do since I was five, I’ve decided to apply to work in music education. Less stress, less pressure. More living, more learning. Much, much better all around.
Mike comes around the corner into the kitchen. He’s been moving boxes into Sam’s new place all morning and there’s a sheen of sweat on his burly forearms, and just hint of sweat between his pecs. I suppress a swoon. I am the luckiest girl in the world.
Mike pops open a sparkling water for the three of us. “You got everything?”
Sam nods happily. His eyeliner is so on point that it makes me a tiny bit jealous. “Yeah. And as a bonus, last night was the last night I’ll have to hear my bestie banging my dad! Hollaaaaaa!”
Mike and I groan in unison. We’ve tried to be quiet. We really have. But apparently not quiet enough.
Sam bursts out in a contagious giggle. “It’s fine, lovebirds! If you’re happy, I’m happy. But now, we’re outta here!”
We say our goodbyes and watch Sam head down the driveway, with Lagerfeld’s nose poking out the passenger’s window, open enough just wide enough for smells, but not wide enough to get bugs in his eyes.
Mike and I wave until Sam disappears and then we turn to each other.
Every time I look at him, he seems to get even more handsome. The more time I spend with him, the more I can’t bear to spend a second without him.