by Piper Rayne
I mouth “sorry” behind his back.
“I’m Jason.” He puts out his hand.
Kingston shakes it. I should tell my brother he’s not very intimidating without his smoke jumper outfit.
“Kingston. Juno’s brother.” He steps aside and Jason walks in.
Our apartment is small. Two bedrooms, a living room, dining area, and galley kitchen. We share a bathroom, but Kingston’s not here for weeks at a time, so that makes it easier. I feel a little self-conscious though. I’m sure Jason has some great place since he’s an eye doctor.
“Nice to meet you,” Jason says before his gaze lands on me. “Hey, Juno. You look great.”
I opted for a spring dress and a jean jacket. It’s nice outside, but the nights still get pretty cold. “Thank you. You too.”
I look at Kingston when he fails to leave us alone. He’s not exactly the intimidating presence he thought he could be. Then again, he’s never been the overprotective brother to me. I never gave him much reason to be one either.
“We should go,” I say, eyeing Kingston.
“Nice to meet you,” Jason says to him once we’re on the other side of the door.
“Can’t say the same.” Kingston taps the edge of the door and it shuts in our faces.
He didn’t just do that. My brother was brought up with manners.
“I’m sorry.” I give Jason an embarrassed smile.
Jason returns my smile and opens the door to go down the stairs to the outside. “It’s okay. I have a little sister too.”
“I’m the older sister.”
“Well, I guess a sister is a sister and you have to protect them.”
I walk down the stairs, careful not to slip in my boots. “Where did you want to go?”
“I made reservations at a restaurant called Terra and Mare. It’s in the downtown area, so we don’t have to drive, and they opened up a garden dining area outside.”
I inhale a breath. I should’ve put some stipulations on this date. “Um…”
He stops us before we cross the street. “Is that a problem? Do you not like the food there? I’m sure I can cancel, although they said if I—”
“Cancel within two hours of your reservation, you’re charged fifty dollars,” I say.
He nods. “Yeah, but if you don’t like the place, I’ll eat the money.”
I don’t want to be a problem, so I tug on his sleeve. “No, but lucky you, you get to meet two of my brothers in the same night.”
He chuckles, but it has an oh shit edge to it, as though he’ll gladly eat the fifty dollars knowing that. “Oh?”
“My other brother owns Terra and Mare. If we’re lucky, he won’t be there.” But it’s Saturday night—I know he will.
Jason falls in line and doesn’t argue.
Walking into Terra and Mare, I spot Harley at the hostess station. This is going to suck.
“Juno?” she asks, looking quickly at my date.
“Hey, Harley, this is Jason.”
Harley smiles and they exchange pleasantries. Her stomach isn’t showing yet and I’m really hoping since she’s here, Rome’s not.
“Rome taking care of the kids?” I ask, showing Jason my fingers crossed behind the hostess stand.
“No. Phoenix and Griffin have them at their house. They’re doing some outside movie thing and we weren’t going to turn down free babysitting. But then our hostess called in and the chef in training isn’t doing things the way Rome wants, so this is our night.”
“Okay, can you sneak us out onto the patio? Jason has a reservation.” I rise up on the balls of my feet and point at his name on her electronic screen.
“You don’t want to be on the patio tonight. It’s so cloudy,” she says quickly.
“It’s beautiful, and I’d much rather be out there than in here.” So close to Rome.
“Nah. I have a perfect table right by the window.” She points to said table for two.
“I think I picked the patio when I reserved online,” Jason says.
Harley smiles at him and glances over her shoulder. “You know we have this special dessert, but it involves fire and it’s so windy outside that those customers aren’t being offered it. Juno loves her sweets.”
“Thanks for that, Harley, but I think we’ll go ahead and eat outside.” She stares at me long and hard, and I try to decipher what she’s trying to tell me. “Oh, is Grandma Dori here?” I whisper.
Harley shakes her head as if we’re playing a game of charades.
Jason’s hand lands on the small of my back because he’s ready for Harley to escort us outside, but she’s yet to grab the menus. “Can we be seated now?”
Harley blows out a breath, and I hope this is just some sort of pregnancy brain thing going on with her. She picks up two menus. “Of course. I’ll have Rome come over and visit.”
“Oh no, that’s okay. He already met Kingston,” I say.
“Kingston doesn’t scare anyone,” she says.
“He can be rude though.”
Harley glances back at me as though she doesn’t understand. She opens up the door to the patio, allowing us to go first.
“Thanks,” I say.
“I tried to tell you,” she whispers.
My gaze shifts from her to the small patio with eight tables—where Colton and Brigette are drinking wine at a table for two.
My feet stop and Jason bumps into my back. I scramble to turn around, my hands landing on Jason’s chest, which is completely inappropriate for a date that only started minutes ago. “I changed my mind. It’s way too cold outside.”
“It’s beautiful,” Jason says.
“I tried to warn you. Now you can have that dessert. Rome made it for me last night. You’re going to love it.” Harley wedges herself between the inside and the patio, holding the door open for us to move back inside, but Jason isn’t budging.
“Yes, and Harley’s right. I love sweets. So much you’d think I’d be a diabetic. But I’m not. Not that all diabetics love sweets. Bad example. But sugar is my kryptonite.” I push Jason, who doesn’t give an inch.
“Juno?”
My forehead falls to Jason’s chest and my hands fist his shirt. It’s over.
I look up and Jason is staring at my hands. I release the fabric of his shirt and smooth it to get the wrinkles out. “I’m so sorry.”
After a second or more, Harley says, “Juno.”
I remove my hands off his chest, turn around, and smile. “Brigette.”
Colton stares behind me, his jaw tense.
“Come and join us. Harley, can we have a table for four?” Brigette doesn’t need Harley though because she’s already taking the table next to hers and sliding it across the concrete, interrupting everyone’s meal with the screechy sound.
I sit down next to Brigette because she’s patting the chair nonstop and I look at Colton. It’s bad enough that we got into a fight earlier this week and haven’t talked. Now I have to share my dinner date with him.
Harley shoots me an expression wishing me luck when she hands us the menus. Boy, do I need it.
Nine
Colton
* * *
Juno smiles at Brigette and Brigette smiles back as though this is the best thing ever. She was mentioning to me how we should double date at some point with another couple. I said sure—but the last person I want to do that with is Juno.
“I’m Colton.” I put out my hand in front of the guy next to me.
“Oh sorry.” Juno shakes her head. “Jason, this is Colton and Brigette. This is Jason. He’s from Greywall.”
“Nice to meet you,” Brigette says.
He shakes my hand and makes eye contact, but his grip could be firmer if you ask me.
“Are you French?” Jason asks Brigette hearing her accent.
Here we go. Another conversation about the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.
“I am.”
“What area are you from?” Jason asks.
“Marseille
,” Brigette says.
His face lights up. “Really? I backpacked through Europe with some buddies after high school. We went all through the Calanques National Park.”
Now it’s Brigette’s eyes lighting up. She leans forward, her hand touching him because she talks with her hands nonstop. The two of them talk about Brigette’s town in the south of France while Juno buries her head in the menu as if she hasn’t eaten everything on there ten times over.
“Do you want me to trade spots?” I ask Jason. More so I have a reason to be across from Juno because then we can at least maybe have a civil conversation.
“Nah.” He looks at Juno. “Sorry, it’s just I’ve always said I’d go back there but never made it.”
“I’m hoping to drag this one over there this Christmas.” Brigette touches my arm. “So he can meet my family.”
Juno peeks up, catches my eyes, then looks at the menu again. “They’re not coming to the wedding?” She glances at Brigette only.
“No. Too hard to get away and it’s such a long trip. We figure we’ll marry here and then do another ceremony in front of my parents in France.”
“That’s a shame,” Juno says.
“You two are getting married?” Jason asks.
Brigette holds up her left hand where a conservative white gold band with an average-sized diamond rests.
“Congratulations,” he says. “When’s the big day?”
“In three weeks,” Juno answers.
Brigette glances from her to me with a questioning look as if she’s missed something. I shrug.
“Let’s order,” I say, raising my hand for the waitress.
“Oh, I haven’t even looked yet.” Jason picks up his menu. “What do you suggest, Juno?”
She shrugs. “I’m sure you’ll love anything. My brother’s an excellent chef.”
As though he heard his name, Rome walks out onto the patio. He stops at a few tables on the way to us, asking if they’re enjoying their meals. He laughs with a few customers and thanks everyone wishing him congratulations on the new baby because that hit Buzz Wheel the minute Harley bought a test at Don’t Be A Pill Pharmacy. Good thing that was the same day the news came out at the triple baby shower. They’ll be up to four kids and it still feels like Harley just popped into town sometimes.
“Juno.” Rome nods to his sister and eyes Jason.
I guess I should feel fortunate, since I’ve been a pseudo-Bailey my entire life, her brothers never gave me the third degree about anything.
“And you are?” Rome asks Jason.
“Give it a rest,” Juno mumbles.
“Hi.” Jason slides out his chair and slides his hand into Rome’s. “I’m Jason.”
Rome shakes his hand. “Hey, Colton, Brigette.”
Juno sighs.
Then she looks up to see if anyone heard her, but Rome quickly intercedes. He’s either covering for his sister or didn’t hear it. “How about the special tonight?”
Juno shuts her menu. “Done.”
“What’s the special?” Jason asks.
Rome stares at him so long and hard that I actually squirm in my chair. “A shrimp pasta with pesto.”
Jason looks concerned. “I’ve never had pesto.”
“Oh, it’s really good. Rome is the only one who makes it just like it is in Italy. Must be the name.” Brigette winks.
“Well, there’s a reason for that.” When she looks at him blankly, Rome continues, “It’s where I was conceived.”
“Really?” Brigette says.
Juno groans.
“You don’t know?” Rome asks. “I guess you’re not from Lake Starlight.”
“What? What?” Brigette bounces in her chair like a kid asking her parents what the big surprise is.
“We’re all named after the places where we were conceived,” Juno says in a monotone voice.
“They spelled your name wrong,” Jason says to Juno.
She shoots him the death glare that’s been aimed in my direction for most of the night.
“Unless there’s another Juno I don’t know about?” Jason looks at us as though he’s expecting one of us to save him.
“Austin, Texas. Savannah, Georgia. Brooklyn, New York. Denver, Colorado. Rome, Italy. Juno—Wait? You’re twins, right?” Brigette asks Rome.
Rome sets his hand on the back of Juno’s chair. “To answer the first question, they did spell Juno differently because she’s always been the unique one in our family. The only one with red hair.” He nods down to her, and I watch her swallow down the lump in her throat. “And it was a layover in Denver on their way to Rome. It could be that I should be Denver and he should be Rome but…”
Brigette laughs and nods. “What about Kingston?” She looks at me. “Where’s that from?”
“Jamaica,” I say.
Brigette elbows Juno. “Your parents really got it on, huh?”
Juno smiles, but it slips right off her face when she turns away from Brigette. “Yeah, they did.”
“Rome’s following in their footsteps. Harley is pregnant with number four already,” Brigette says.
Speak of the devil, Harley comes outside, and Rome slides his arm around her waist, kissing her temple. “If we’re lucky.”
“Lucky for what?” she asks.
“To have nine kids like my parents.”
Harley smacks his stomach and shakes her head.
“Nine?” Jason coughs out his water. “You come from a family of nine? I didn’t realize there were nine of you.”
Rome’s eyes scrunch. “Where are you from?”
“Greywall,” Jason answers, pride in his tone. He obviously didn’t grow up in Greywall because the Bailey name is well-known.
“You should move to Lake Starlight,” Rome says. “Greywall sucks.”
“How long does the pesto meal take?” Juno asks, and Rome’s gaze falls to hers.
“I’m sure Rome can put a rush on it,” Harley says. “Actually, I think Len was struggling a little bit in the kitchen.”
“Okay.” Rome knocks his knuckles on the table. “Nice meeting you, Jason. I should give you hell because Juno’s my sister, but I think the guy to your right will take care of that for all us Bailey men. Right, Colton?”
Jason’s and Brigette’s heads turn toward me. Juno rolls her eyes. If I had my way, he wouldn’t even be here. I’d have some magic powers to make him disappear.
“Why did he say that?” Jason asks Juno.
She sits up straighter in her chair and her gaze darts from me to Jason. “We’re childhood friends.”
“Childhood?” Brigette asks.
So I haven’t been completely honest with her about Juno. She knows we’re good friends, but maybe not how long we’ve been friends.
“Yeah. She’s my best friend,” I say in the hopes that Juno will remember why we’re friends. Forget the fight at the diner and move on.
“Best?” Brigette asks, her gaze volleying between Juno and me.
“Yeah, I’ve seen him at his worst. To me, he’s just a kid with chicken legs and Oreos stuck in his braces.” Juno laughs.
“And I knew her when she was still stuffing her bra,” I say, hammering back an equal insult.
“Oh, so you’re really close.” I hear in Brigette’s tone that she’s silently asking if this is something she should worry about.
Juno puts her hand on Brigette’s shoulder. “He’s just like another one of my brothers.”
Brigette’s vision shifts to me and I force a smile although it feels as if someone shot me in the heart with a dagger.
Our salads arrive and Rome sends over a complimentary bottle of wine. While Jason concentrates all his attention on Brigette, going back to their conversation about Marseilles, I pull my phone out of my pocket.
Me: I’m sorry. Forgive me?
Brigette glances at me and I mouth “work” to her. Lying doesn’t feel good, but the way Brigette asked about Juno and me being close friends says I made the right choice
when I originally described our friendship to her.
“Oh, hold on one sec,” Juno says, pulling out her phone when it dings.
Neither Jason or Brigette give her a second glance, talking about boat rides or castles or something. I watch Juno as I fork my salad, her two thumbs poised over the phone. My phone vibrates in my pocket.
Juno: I’m sorry too. I’ll try harder.
Me: I know this is different.
Juno: She’s nice. I’m glad you found someone so nice.
Although that empty pit that’s resided in my stomach all week disappears with her forgiveness, things are still awkward. But I guess I have to assume that’s the way it will be now.
Me: Jason’s nice.
I really need to stop lying so much.
Juno: He is, and he seems very into your fiancée.
I look up from my phone and see that neither of them have touched their salads. You’d think the two of them were on a date.
Me: Maybe we should leave and see if they even notice?
Juno: :P We should probably try to join the conversation.
Before I can respond, Juno puts her phone back inside her purse. I guess that’s the end of that.
“Who was that?” Brigette asks the minute I put my phone away. I knew she saw the exchange. She’s got the vision of a sharpshooter.
“It was Mrs. Lopez about her cat,” I say.
She nods because Mrs. Lopez calls every other day about some new ailment she thinks her cat has.
The waitress arrives with our main dishes and it’s only then Jason realizes he never ate his salad, so we all shift around the plates so that he and Brigette can eat their salads with their pasta.
“This is so yummy. It must have been wonderful growing up with Rome cooking for you,” Brigette says to Juno.
“He’s only a year older than me, so we were grown before he could really cook me a meal that wasn’t mac and cheese.”
“Oh yeah,” Brigette says. “I guess I didn’t realize you were so close in age. Maybe because he’s married with kids, he seems older.”