by M. A. Foster
“Thank you so much,” Jay beams. “Tell Lindsay we say hello.”
“I will.” Kristen smiles. “Have fun.”
I jerk my head with a stiff nod before heading to find our lane.
“Z, Lexi and I are going to the snack bar. Want anything?” Jay asks.
“Surprise me. You sure you don’t want me to come with you?”
“No. I’d rather not have anyone from your fan club handling my food or my drink.” So, she’s a ‘kill ’em with kindness’ kind of girl. Good to know. “You’re gonna have to explain your relationship with Lindsay to me so that doesn’t happen again.”
“Lindsay’s just a friend.” I chuckle and lean over to kiss the spot just below her ear, making her giggle, then give her a gentle smack on the ass as she turns, hooks her arm around Lexi’s, and walks off.
“OKAY, I’M CONFUSED,” Lexi starts as we make our way up to the snack bar. “You’re here with Zach, but last night you left with Grayson. I’m not judging you and you can tell me to shut up and mind my own business, but Grayson is Evan’s brother and Zach is Evan’s best friend and—”
“Lexi, breathe.” This girl. I love that she’s protective of the people she cares about. I’m the same way with my friends and that makes me like her even more. “Grayson left with me, not the other way around. And Grayson didn’t even stick around to eat. He went upstairs to meet up with his friends and I had dinner with my mom.”
“How did you end up with Zach?”
“He came to Mac’s. We argued at first, but then he asked to drive me home and we talked.” I fill her in about Reagan answering Zach’s phone that night and telling me she was his girlfriend.
“God, I really hate that bitch. She needs a good ass-kicking.”
“I agree. But it happened and there’s nothing we can do to change it. All we can do is move on and show her that she can’t come between Zach and me.”
“So, are you guys dating now?”
“I’m not an expert on relationships, but dating sounds temporary. Zach’s mine.” I shrug. “Always has been. He’s my guy. My forever.”
“Aww,” Lexi coos. “That’s so sweet.” She gives me a sideways hug. “I’m so happy for you. And you just don’t know how freaking happy I am for Zach. Evan told me that Zach has been in love with you since you were kids.”
I’ll never tire of hearing that.
“HEY.” EVAN NODS and pounds his fist against mine. “You here with Jayla?” he asks, looking over my shoulder.
“Yeah.” I sit down in the empty plastic bucket seat beside him and drop the ugly-ass bowling shoes on the floor. “She’s with Lexi at the snack bar,” I tell him as I begin typing our names on the screen.
Evan slides further down in his seat, knees spread apart and arms crossed over his chest. “My woman better get me some nachos.”
I chuckle as I toe off my shoes and slip my feet into the bowling shoes. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Evan staring at me. “What?”
“So, you got the girl?” He smirks.
“No, I got my girl.” I shoot him a teasing grin. “Don’t worry. You’ll get your money.”
Evan raises his brows and a half smile tugs at his lips. “I forgot all about that. Keep it. Just be careful with that one.”
I frown. “What do you mean? I’ve known Jay since we were kids.”
“She ignored you for an entire year.” He scowls. “And she left the party last night with my brother.”
“She wasn’t ignoring me. She thought she was doing the right thing.” I fill him in on the details. “Jay had more important shit going on in her life than dealing with my stupid drama.”
“Dude, that’s some psycho shit,” Evan says. “If Reagan’s dad wasn’t a judge, I’d Lexi loose on her.”
“Jay wants me to leave it alone for now,” I tell him and he looks at me like I’m crazy. “She doesn’t want any more drama.”
“Z, I got you a bunch of fried stuff you probably shouldn’t eat and a fruit punch,” Jay says as she slides the tray on the empty table arranged between lanes ten and eleven. She passes me the fruit punch. “Hi, Evan.” She passes him a drink. “Lexi is waiting on your nachos.”
“Thanks,” Evan says, then looks over at me and mouths “Z.”
I flip him off and turn to Jay. “What did you get?”
“A cherry slushy.” She pinches the straw and brings it to her plump lips, and I’m instantly hard. It’s the little things. What can I say? “You wanna taste of my cherry?” She winks with a sly grin.
Damn tease.
“Oh, I definitely want to taste your cherry,” I say, then add, “Again.”
Evan coughs beside me.
Jayla laughs, dropping into my lap and smacking her cold, cherry-flavored lips against mine before toeing off her sandals. “Hey, Evan, I hope I didn’t give you the wrong impression last night. I like your brother. He’s a nice guy and we made friends.”
Evan snorts. “Grayson doesn’t make friends with girls. He was trying to get in your pants. You made a much better choice with Zach because Grayson isn’t the type of guy to stick around. I love my brother, but it’s the truth.”
Jay frowns. “There was never a choice between Zach and Grayson. It’s always Zach.”
I want to jump up and beat my fists to my chest. She’s mine.
“I’m gonna be straight with you, Z,” Jay begins as she laces up her shoes before she stands and takes a few steps backwards. “I totally suck at bowling.” She smirks. “But I hate to lose, so I won’t go down without a fight.” She picks up a hot pink bowling ball from the ball return, turns, and in three long strides she sends the ball gliding straight down the middle of the lane. Three quarters of the way down the lane, the ball veers off to the right and rolls into the gutter, yet somehow it jumps at the last minute, bounces up, and takes down one pin.
I chuckle, shaking my head as I make my way over to the ball return.
“What the hell was that?” Evan laughs from the other side.
Jay throws her arms in the air and spins around on the balls of her feet to face me, a grin spread across her face. “Did you see that?” Then she shrugs it off and skips over to Lexi.
“Get back over here,” I call out. “You get another turn.”
“Oh.” She smiles and skips back over to me. “I told you I suck at this game.”
JAY WAS RIGHT.
She is the absolute worst bowler ever. I suggested she use the bumpers but she rolled her eyes with a “don’t be ridiculous” look.
Now we’re on the eighth frame and her score is forty-two. But at least she’s having fun with Lexi, dancing to “Kiss” by Prince.
“Are you trying to distract me?”
Jay smiles at me over her shoulder. “Is it working?”
“Does it matter? Have you seen your score?”
She throws her head back and laughs, then dances over to me and snakes her arms around my neck. “I told you I sucked.”
I laugh, resting my hands on her hips. “I’m pretty sure Willow bowls better than you.”
She laughs as I slide my hands past her hips, slipping my fingers into the back pockets of her jeans. I love the way her ass fits in my palms. I give it a little squeeze before lowering my mouth to hers. Parting her lips, she teases my tongue with hers. Her mouth is cold and tastes like cherry.
Wolf whistles and clapping erupt around us, followed by Lexi and Evan shouting at us to get a room.
I pull back and narrow my eyes. “You fight dirty.”
“Is there any other way to fight?” She jerks her eyebrows up and down.
I chuckle against her lips, reluctantly pulling my hands from her pockets, and smack her lightly on the ass. “Come on, dirty girl. Let’s go.”
We say our goodbyes to Evan and Lexi and head out.
“WHERE’S YOUR MOM and Bass?” Zach asks as we walk into the quiet house.
“Out,” I tell him. “But you just reminded me that I need to text her that I’m home.”
I pull out my phone. Home. Zach and I are going to raid the fridge and watch a movie.
“Where’s Grace?”
“She’s probably in her apartment, either sleeping or watching the Hallmark Channel.”
My phone dings with a reply from Mom. K. Have fun.
No twenty questions or warnings about being alone with Zach? Hmm. Someone’s been drinking.
The next text comes from Bass. Romeo better keep his hands to himself.
Romeo? I laugh under my breath at Bass’s new nickname for Zach. He must really like him.
Snickering, I type, Stop it, B. Zach is a perfect gentleman.
Truthfully, Zach is a perfect gentleman. It’s me who needs to get my lady J in check.
He better be. We’ll be late tonight, Princess. Your mom is having a good time with her friends. Security is on the property, so you’ll be safe.
I shake my head, picturing the Joes hiding in the bushes or in the trees watching me through the windows with binoculars. I text back, Have fun.
AS I SCROLL through the digital library looking for a movie, Jay walks into the media room wearing a T-shirt with the letters S-T-F-U across the front and a pair of tiny black shorts, and heads to the mini-kitchen and bar area. “Did you find something to watch?”
“There’s too much to choose from,” I tell her. “What do you like?”
“Nothing scary. Suspense is fine, but I prefer comedies.”
“You don’t like scary movies?”
“Nope,” she admits, setting down a tray of snacks and drinks on the ottoman. “I prefer to get my thrills in other ways rather than having the shit scared out of me.” She laughs, grabbing the throw off the back of the sofa and straddling my lap.
“What are you doing?” I ask, smiling, movie forgotten.
“Watching a movie.” She grabs the remote from my hand and presses a button. The whole room goes dark except for the light from the TV screen. Then she selects something with Kevin Hart—don’t ask me the title because it doesn’t matter—before tossing the remote to the side.
Watching a movie with Jay is now on my list of favorite activities.
THE NEXT MORNING, I wake to another text from Chelsea. We need to talk. Breakfast at The Bistro?
We sure as fuck do is what I want to say, but instead I reply with, Yeah. Give me 30 mins.
Thirty minutes later, I walk into The Bistro and find Chelsea sitting in our usual booth.
“Thank you for meeting me,” Chelsea says as I slide into the booth across from her and pick up the glass of orange juice. “I ordered your usual. I hope that’s okay.”
“Good, I’m starving.” I tap my fingers on the table.
Chelsea laughs. “You’re always starving.”
“I’m a growing boy.” I shrug. “So, what do you want to talk about?”
“I heard you were out with Jayla last night,” she says. “Are you guys together now?”
“Yep.” I smile. She plasters on that fake cheer smile that I hate. “Why are you smiling at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re uncomfortable or constipated.”
“Shut up!” She laughs. “I do not.”
“Yes, you do.” I snort. “So, what do you really want to talk about?”
Chelsea slumps back in the booth and blows out a breath. “I just really miss my best friend. Everything got so messed up after…” She waves her hand between us and I nod.
The server arrives at our table and sets down our plates of food. I dig into my food as the door chimes in the background. “We’re not best friends,” I tell her calmly. “Best friends don’t talk shit behind each other’s backs.”
“What?” she chokes out.
“You told Reagan about Jay.”
“I—”
“Don’t even try to deny it, Chelsea.” I shake my head. “You told your mom about prom night. About Reagan. About us. About Jay. I trusted you.”
Chelsea moves over to my side of the booth and slides in beside me. “I’m sorry, Zach. I am. I didn’t do it to be spiteful to you. I was just trying to piss Reagan off. You know I can’t stand her. And I didn’t tell my mom those things to hurt you. I told her because she kept going on about how maybe one day you and I would be together. Blah-blah-blah.” She rolls her eyes. “I just wanted to shut her up, so I laid it all out for her.”
She lays her head on my shoulder and bats her eyelashes up at me. “Can we start over and work our way back to being friends again?”
I chuckle at her theatrics. “Fine.” I throw my arm around her shoulders and pull her in for a side hug.
“I’ve missed you, Zach,” she says, before lifting to smack a kiss on my lips.
I pull back and frown down at her. What the hell was that?
“Jayla, your order is ready!” The words ring out loud and clear, and I feel myself go pale.
Nooooooo.
I turn my head just in time to see Jay grab two coffees and a brown bag off the counter and storm out the door.
“Was that—”
“My girlfriend.”
“Oh.”
STUPID.
That’s what I am.
Fuck Zach.
Never again. I’m done.
I grab the two coffees from the cup holders, drop the bag of pastries into my purse, and walk into Mac’s. It’s early but the restaurant serves brunch on Sundays.
Harper greets me with a smile. “Hey, Jay. If you’re looking for Dylan, he’s in the kitchen and Alex is in his office.”
“Where’s that?”
“The hallway leading to the kitchen near the bathrooms. You can’t miss it. You can cut through the bar. It’s quicker.”
“Thanks.” I push through the heavy mahogany doors leading to the bar and make my way to Alex’s office. Where I find him with his arms around a blonde woman who is not Evangeline.
Both heads turn toward the doorway at the sound of my gasp. I shoot Alex with a murderous glare. I’m so telling Weenie about this. Alex chuckles as he releases the beautiful woman who looks old enough to be his mother and gestures to me.
“Mom, this is Jayla. Jay, this is my mom, Sophia.”
“Oh, Jayla.” She moves over to me with her arms spread and pulls me in for an awkward hug. “It’s so wonderful to finally meet you.” She pulls back but grips my shoulders. “I’ve heard so much about you from Alex and Eva.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I say, holding out one of the coffees. “I brought an extra latte if either of you want it and there’re pastries in my purse.”
Alex takes the coffee and sets it on his desk. “What are you doing out and about so early?”
I hold up my coffee cup. “I figured I’d stop by and say hi, see what you were up to.”
His brows pinch together. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re lying.” A smile pulls up on one side of his mouth.
“Nothing is wrong, Mr. Alex.” I smirk back. Alex has spent enough time with me over the years to know when I’m full of shit. Dammit.
“I’m gonna head out,” Sophia says. “I’ve got some errands to run. Love you, baby boy.” She rises onto the balls of her feet and kisses Alex on the cheek before turning to me. “It was so nice to meet you, Jayla.”
“You too, Sophia.” As soon as Sophia walks out of the office, I turn to Alex. “Baby boy?” I tease.
Alex shrugs. “How was your date with Zach?”
I huff out a laugh. “Your girlfriend is a gossip.” I set down my purse and coffee cup on his desk before plopping down in one of the empty chairs in front of his desk.
“Who else does she have to tell?” Alex chuckles. “It’s either me or you.”
“I know.” I let out a heavy sigh. “Our date was perfect, but I don’t think it’s going to work out.”
He perches on the edge of his desk with one foot on the floor. “What happened?”
“Nothing. Forget I said anything.” I wave him off and look
away. “I’m just being a girl.”
He chuckles again. “You are a girl. Tell me.”
I lift my head to see the concern in his eyes. “I just saw him at The Bistro with that Chelsea girl.”
Alex nods. “I know Chelsea.”
“Did they date?”
He shrugs. “Not that I know of, but I’m not as good at keeping up with the gossip like Eva.”
I snort. True.
“I saw them kiss.” Alex stays silent, so I continue. “Mom always told me not to make assumptions because it isn’t always what it looks like. Doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.” My eyes well up with hurt and jealousy. “See, I told you I was getting all girly.” I laugh and blink away the tears. “I’ve loved Zach for a long time. I want to be with him, but I don’t know how this relationship stuff works. I just want to be happy and be me. I don’t know how to be anything else.”
“You’re perfect just the way you are. And if Zach doesn’t see it, then he doesn’t deserve you. You’re beautiful down to your soul and that’s what makes you stand out from the others. Zach is genuinely a nice guy. I never pegged him as an idiot. I’m surprised you didn’t dump your coffee on his head.”
“I know.” I laugh and stand from the chair. That’s definitely something I would’ve done if I was more pissed and less hurt. I just wanted to get the hell out of there. “Thanks for listening.” I wrap my arms around Alex. “Weenie is a lucky girl.”
“I know.” He boasts.
“Hey, I actually did come by for another reason. What do you think about the Project Mayhem class performing here one night a month as part of their grade or extra credit? If they’re serious about being in the music business, they need to get a feel for performing for an audience other than their peers. Maybe send out an e-mail to the parents and see how they feel about it. Invite them along.”
“I think that’s a great idea. Your involvement in this class is impressive. I hope you’re serious about getting more involved with the foundation. After graduation… and the tour, of course.”
“I am.” I shrug. “I just don’t want to let anyone down. Especially my dad.”