by Lucy Darling
“I’m not mad, to be honest. I'm just hurt. I think that’s the right word. It’s hard because I know my brother would never do anything to intentionally hurt either one of us. So whatever reason he came up with in that thick skull of his must have been a really good one. Because I know the only way he would have done something like that was because he thought he was doing the right thing. Josh always does the right thing.” That was true. No one screams more all-American cowboy than Josh. He could be the poster boy for it.
What no one else knows is that Josh has the dirtiest mouth I’ve ever heard in my life. When it comes to sex and me, Josh holds nothing back. He gives me this dirty side to himself that’s only for me.
“He was pretty torn up this morning. You two are going to need to talk. Maybe before the moms get here,” I suggest.
“Yeah, we’re adults. Josh and I should be able to handle this on our own.” I know they will. Those two are the Cleavers of brother and sister.
“How’s he handling it?” I nod at Eric, who is leaning back with his hands behind his head, his eyes closed. “It looks like you wore him out.”
We both burst into laughter. Eric opens one eye to look at us, only to shake his head and close his eyes again, mumbling something about us being a handful together. I don’t know why this would shock him. Daisy and I have always been thick as thieves.
My bedroom door opens. I hold my breath as Josh heads down the hallway toward us. His hair is a mess and I know it’s from my fingers. Damn, he looks good. No wonder every girl in school wanted him. Now he’s mine. Well, at least for now. That thought threatens to sour my mood.
He heads straight for me, putting his hand on the back of my chair to lean down and kiss me. I have no doubt Daisy is likely staring in shock. It’s one thing to hear that we’re together. It’s another to see it.
“You need anything, baby?” he asks me.
“No, I’m good.” Always worrying over me. He tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear.
“I’m going to steal my sister for a bit if you don’t mind.”
“I think that’s a good idea.” The sooner they make up the better. It’s inevitable.
“Come on,” Josh says to Daisy. She gives me a look before following her brother into her bedroom. Eric sits there calm as ever. He can be so hard to read sometimes. I think it’s why he and Daisy work so well together. He’s stoic and she’s full of light. He’s there to make sure no one fucks with her light.
“You feeling any calmer today?” I ask Eric. A smile pulls at his lips. I laugh. “I’ll take that as Daisy calmed you down.”
“I’m better. I was more pissed that Daisy had it in her head that I wasn't always all in with her. That she thought I betrayed her. The one thing I would never do.”
“I get that. But I hope you and Josh can work it out.”
He lets out a long breath. “We will. He’s like a brother to me.”
“Soon to be your real brother,” I toss in.
“I don’t think we’ve ever fought before.”
“Guess you saved it all up for this one. Isn’t it normally the brother who’s kicking his best friend’s ass for hooking up with his little sister?”
Eric flinches. “Yeah.” He shakes his head. I snort a laugh and actually get a smile out of Eric letting me know everything is going to be more than okay. There is no question in my mind that he will love Daisy for the rest of his days, and I couldn't ask for anything more for my best friend. Now, I only have to hope that Josh and I will meet the same fate.
8
Noelle
“It’s nice having someone in the kitchen who can cook with me,” PJ says as she pops a lid on the cookie dough she just made. It’s been a really nice afternoon now that everyone has made up. We all know Josh would only do something like that if he thought he was doing the right thing. Now he’s owning his fuck-up. What more can you really ask for at this point? They’re all family.
“I can cook!” Daisy shouts from somewhere in the house. PJ and I shake our heads no and try really hard not to laugh. The moms have been here for a few hours now. They didn’t just bring groceries, but now PJ has gone to work making dishes and storing them in the fridge for anyone to eat.
If it were only Daisy and me, I’d feel bad because there is no way we’d be able to eat all of this before it spoils. PJ hums to herself while I wipe down the counters. It’s adorable how excited she was when she saw that Eric and Daisy were finally together. She’s been humming and smiling all afternoon.
“It was a long time coming.”
She looks up at me, smiling. “Yeah, I’m just glad it’s finally here. It was hard watching my son walk around with a broken heart. He hardly talked to anyone anymore. He went almost mute unless he was pissed about something.” She gives me a smirk. “Weren't you and Josh a long time coming?” She lifts a perfect eyebrow.
“I did not see that coming.” I laugh. Josh blindsided me. I never let myself think Josh could be someone I’d date or anything else. He was older than me and my best friend's brother. Not to mention the dream of every girl in our county. “You saw it coming?” Were there signs and how had I missed them?
“Yeah, there is a certain type of way a man looks at the woman he loves. If you’ve seen it before you’ll never forget it. I get it every day when I wake up to my husband.” Gah. I’ve always enjoyed hearing the story of how Bunny and PJ landed their husbands. Or maybe it was the husbands that landed them. Two best friends falling in love and getting to stay close to each other. Really it’s kind of a fairy tale. One that I hope repeats itself.
“Hey.” Bunny strolls into the kitchen, snagging a grape out of the fruit bowl. “I think I got that girl’s closet under control finally.” She looks as though she’s had a workout. It wouldn’t surprise me with the amount of clothes that Daisy has. Plus she’s not the most organized person. “Can I help with cooking something?”
“No.” PJ and I both respond at the same time. Bunny frowns. I should feel bad, but even though I love her dearly, the woman can’t cook to save her life.
“Thanks.” I try to smooth the abrupt response over. “We’re all done. Maybe next time.” That brings a smile to her face.
“At least let me help clean up then.”
“Sounds good to me.” PJ kisses me on the cheek before whispering that she’s so happy for me. A wave of guilt creeps up on me at the thought of the secret I’m keeping from Josh. I turn back to look at Bunny. She stares at me for a moment before her face goes soft.
“I think I should check out your closet too.”
“Don’t worry. This mess will still be here when you get back,” PJ informs her before hopping up to sit on the counter.
“Thanks.” Bunny rolls her eyes at her.
“That’s what friends are for.” PJ winks at me.
“Come.” Bunny nudges my elbow to go. I head back toward my bedroom. “I do not need to see that.” I look towards Daisy’s room to see Eric has her pressed up against the wall. Her mouth is swollen and red.
“Sorry?” Daisy offers. I grab her door and close it.
“Is it hard for you to see your little girl with a man?” I ask as I step into my room. Josh is on the floor putting together a bookcase for me. He looks up and gives us a smile that would make any girl weak in the knees.
“No. Not with Eric. I couldn't have wished for a better man for her. They fit.” They really do. “Can you give us a minute, Josh?” Bunny asks him as he stands.
“Yeah.” He kisses his mom on her cheek before planting one on me.
“You can’t kiss me in front of your mom,” I hiss at him. Daisy just got in trouble, but she was doing more than kissing.
“I’ll kiss you whenever I want.” He doesn't wait for a response before heading out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
“He’s so much like his father.” Pride fills her voice. Jameson is a good man who loves his family fiercely. Bunny walks over to the bed, sitting down on the end. “You
know you’re like a daughter to me too, Noelle. You’ve been in our lives a long time.” I have. Since kindergarten. I spent as much time as I could at their house, not wanting to go home to mine.
“That’s really sweet of you to say.” I sit down next to her.
“I mean that, sweetheart. From the look of things my son is going to make that official at some point.” I don't want to get ahead of myself, but hearing her say it makes hope bloom inside of me.
“Maybe.” I shrug. Bunny keeps on staring at me. I swear the woman can read minds or something.
“No maybe about it.”
I lick my bottom lip. It would be a dream to marry Josh. I just don’t want him to rush it when he finds out I’m pregnant. I want him to want to get married because he loves me. Not because we’re having a baby. Look where that got my parents.
She takes my hand. “You can tell me anything. It will stay between us. So please spill whatever it is that has given you that worried look in your eyes.”
I swallow, my eyes stinging with tears. “Josh and I didn't just start this thing between us this week,” I admit.
“I know. I watched him pull you through the house and right past me.” Right. She’d been standing in the kitchen.
“I’m pregnant.” I blurt it out. As the words leave my mouth it already feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
“And Josh doesn't know?” she asks with a giant smile on her face, not looking the least bit upset about my confession. I shake my head no. “Are you scared to tell him? I can promise you he’ll be excited.” I want to tell her that I’m scared that he’ll want me for the wrong reasons.
“Everything is so new. I don’t want anything to change yet.”
“It’s normal to feel scared, but the sooner you tell him I bet those fears will fade away quickly.” I know she’s probably right. “But if you want to wait a few weeks also, sweetheart, you can. There isn't a rush.”
“You’re so calm about this.” I wipe my hands on my pants.
“It might be happening sooner than everyone might have thought it would, but that really doesn't matter to us.”
“Thank you for being so understanding. My mom would have murdered me.”
Bunny purses her lips and I know she’s fighting to stay calm. “Well, your mom’s a bitch.” My mouth falls open in shock before I burst out laughing. She’s not wrong there. “I’m sorry, honey. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that, but you’ll be a Price soon. Heck, you already are. And I get that you have a mom, but I’d like a shot at it too.”
“Bunny.” I sniffle. I can’t stop the few tears that escape.
“Sweetheart.” She hugs me. “You know I love you.” She kisses my cheek, holding me tight. This is how a mom is supposed to hug you. This is how a family is supposed to support you. Even when something unexpected happens.
“I love you too.”
She pulls back, wiping the tears from off my cheeks. “So stop worrying. Take your time. I promise everything is going to be okay.” I think she might be right. When I look over, she’s still wearing the most warm and excited smile. I’ll be shocked if she’s able to keep this from Jameson.
“Thanks, Bunny. You’re going to be the best grandma.” This time it’s her that gets teary-eyed.
“I should try making baby food again. It might not have worked out the last time when I was pregnant with Josh, but I’m sure I can do it this time.” It’s quiet in the room for a second before we both burst into laughter. Each of us knows that her cooking skills have not improved one bit.
“Fine, I’ll hold off on the cooking for now. There’s just one last thing I want to tell you, Noelle.” Her hand comes up to cup my cheek. “You are going to make one heck of a mom. Don’t ever think anything less.” Her words soothe something deep inside of me that I hadn’t even realized I was concerned about.
9
Josh
“Here, babe.” I take the cooking books from Noelle’s hands as we make the short walk toward her building. It makes me feel better that everything is right here for her. It’s going to fucking suck being away from her during the week, but we’ll figure it out. I’ve waited this long for her. I can do it a little bit longer. At least now I can have her some of the time.
“What did you think?”
“It’s really nice. I still think it’s going to be hard for anyone to try to teach you. I swear you already know everything when it comes to cooking.”
Her cheeks tint pink and she gives me a shy smile. “There are always new things to learn. I have to do something.” She shrugs her delicate shoulder.
“You want to do this, right?” I don’t want her doing anything if she’s not into it. I know her parents didn't push her into this. If it was up to her mom, the only thing Noelle would do are pageants. I think her mom's dream was for some USA title or whatever that is. I’m thankful she’s not into that. I’d have to fight some baser needs with her strolling across a stage in heels and wearing a swimsuit. I’ve already wanted to punch two guys since we left the house that were checking her out.
“Yes, I want to do this, but I’d be lying if I didn't admit that more than anything I wanted out of my parents’ house.”
That shit always pisses me off. I wrap my arm around her, pulling her into my side. “You do whatever you want, and I promise I’ll be okay with it and we’ll figure it out.”
She gives me a sweet smile. “The program is not that long, so I’ll see after that.”
“What were you planning for after the program if you don’t mind me asking.”
She tenses in my arms a little. Shit. “Getting a job somewhere. A bakery. There are a lot of places here.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” She lifts her eyebrows at me.
“Yeah, I’m not going to stop you from living your dreams.” Her pink tongue comes out, swiping her bottom lip. It will be tough, but we’ll figure it out.
“What do you want Josh? What are your plans?”
“I think everyone knows my plans. I’m supposed to fill my father's shoes.”
“And you want that? You don’t feel pressured to do it?” She shakes her head, sending her blonde ponytail bouncing. “Stupid question. Bunny and Jameson wouldn’t care what you decided to do as long as you were happy.”
“No. I think it’s in my blood. Growing up seeing my father. Then watching him take care of his family and be so in love with Mom. What more could you really want in life?”
“That does sound wonderful.”
“You’re more than welcome to join me, or we can stay here in the city.”
She stops walking to turn and look at me in the middle of the sidewalk. “You’d do that? You have a life back home. A job and a house.”
“Which means nothing without you.”
Her eyes start to water. I grab her hand, pulling her off to the side and out of the way of everyone. Over the past week that I’ve been staying here Noelle has been a little emotional. Her tears kill me. I’m hoping it’s stemming from all of the changes that are happening to her so quickly. I know it’s overwhelming, but it will pass.
“You’re so sweet. You know that?” She rests her head on my chest while I rub my hands up and down her back. “I want that too. I want to do my program and then go back home. I think everyone knows how much I love being out there.” I kiss the top of her head. “I just don’t know what I’ll do. I know nothing about farming. It’s not like I can get a job somewhere close.”
“I think that’s the least of our worries, babe. We’ll deal with all that shit later.” I’m not going to tell her that in my eyes her being at home each day when I come in from work would be a dream, but I don’t think you’re supposed to tell your girl that you want her to be a stay-at-home mom. I think that’s something they have to come to terms with on their own. I won’t force anything on her. Her parents did enough of that shit.
“You’re right.” She exhales a breath. “Who knows what the next six months might bring.�
�� I was kind of hoping for a wedding. I need to get a ring before I start bringing that up and I need to do it fast. If she’s going to be running around the city, I want that thing on her finger. I don’t care if it makes me a possessive asshole. Then I guess I am one. We all have our crosses to bear.
“You hungry?”
“Yes, but I want to cook for you.”
“Give me your mouth.” She drops her head back, her glasses sliding back on her face. I lean down and take my kiss. She makes a sexy moan. “I could just eat you for dinner,” I suggest, making her giggle.
“That can be your dessert. Deal?”
“If you’ll sit on my face it's a deal.”
“Josh!” Her face starts to turn pink.
“What?” Sounds good to me.
“How does that even work?” she asks softly, the curiosity getting her.
“I’ll be more than happy to show you.” I drop my arms from around her, grabbing her hand. Now I want to get back home. Eat and then savor every drop of her sweet cunt.
She laughs more when she sees how fast I’m walking. “Josh my legs are short.”
I slow down and debate picking her up.
“Don’t do it.” She points her finger at me as we come around the corner to her building.
“What?” I feign innocence.
“You know what.” She glares at me. Also adorable.
“Here.” I thrust the two books towards her fast so she has no time to think about grabbing them.
“Wait.” She lets out a small scream as I lift her off her feet. “Josh!” She slaps my chest.
“You make it hard to believe you’re mad when you’re smiling.” The doorman holds the door open for me. I give him a nod of thanks. “Hit the button.” She huffs out a breath but does it. She’s cute when she’s irritated. I keep that fact to myself.
“You’re a caveman, you know that?” I step onto the elevator, putting her back on her feet. I hit the button for our floor before I take the books back out of her hands.