“Do NOT do whatever you want!” Asher shouted.
“So long as you’re safe,” Ivy continued, unperturbed. “I miss you, Jodi.”
“I miss you too,” I said, and I blinked rapidly as unexpected tears rose. “When are you and Asher coming to town?”
“Soon, I promise. There’s a sale near Darwin for moon-cheese, I wouldn’t miss it. The baby is craving it.”
“Oh geez,” Jodi muttered. The doorbell rang, interrupting Ivy’s undoubtedly long spiel about the merits of fictional cheese.
“I gotta go, Derek’s here. He’s taking me for a picnic in the woods for Valentine’s Day.”
“The woods?!” Both Asher and Ivy yelled.
The doorbell rang again. “Love you guys, bye!”
“Jodi, no-!” She hung up quickly and switched off the T.V.
Throwing open the door, she tried to contain her excitement. It was rare that she and Derek went somewhere that wasn’t her house or one of her close friends house. Everywhere had the risk of running into Daria, his sister.
Derek was leaning against the door frame, but straightened quickly when she opened the door. He did a quick scan. “You look beautiful, Jodi,” he smiled, and stepped forward to give her a quick kiss on the forehead.
It had taken Jodi about two hours to figure out what to wear. She didn’t go into the woods often, since it was a bit creepy and Ivy always looked like she wanted to run screaming whenever they drove past it.
She’d finally settled on a light green blouse over her favorite Lucky jeans and flip-flops. Her ringlets were wild around her face, held back by a gold pin.
Derek looked gorgeous as ever. His emerald green eyes were framed with long soot colored lashes, and he was wearing her favorite blue flannel shirt and black jeans.
The only thing he had in common with Daria was looks. She was just as beautiful as he was, but that’s where the twin similarity ended.
“Hi,” she couldn’t stop the giddy grin on her face if you paid her.
“Hi,” Derek laughed. He held out his hand. “Shall we?”
“Just one second,” Jodi said and darted to the hall closet to grab her coat, avoiding the bag of Doritos Spencer kept stashed there.
She took Derek’s hand, and he walked them to his car. “There’s a really nice little place by a lake. I figured it’d be a nice for a picnic. I’m not really good at the romantic stuff,” Derek confessed, scratching his head.
Jodi brushed the stray brown strand of hair from his forehead. “I know. Wherever we go will be perfect.”
“What’s Daria doing today?” Jodi inquired politely.
Derek winced almost imperceptibly. “She’s going hiking with Eddie.”
For the life of her, Jodi couldn’t figure out what Eddie saw in Daria. He was a kind, sweet, smart Mexican-American with looks that could charm the panties off the nearest girl. Daria was mean and dug her claws into anything soft.
“How about your family? Do they do anything special for Valentine’s Day?”
Jodi giggled. “Spencer is coming home from Barbados. He took spring break a little bit early.”
Derek grinned. He was well acquainted with her older brother. “You mean two months early?”
“Yep. Ten bucks says he goes to pick me up from school because he forgets it’s Saturday.”
Derek shook his head and made a right turn, taking them onto the semi-isolated road to the path into the woods. “You’re on. Even Spencer can’t forget that.”
Jodi scoffed. Yes, he definitely could.
“What about Paul?”
“Hmm…Paul took some time off of work to come back, especially since Ivy’s due date is coming up. He might actually be home in like an hour.”
Derek reached across the consul and grabbed her hand, raising it to his lips. “I’m glad I get you all to myself today, then.”
Jodi smiled like an idiot.
Derek parked the car and they exited. Jodi grabbed the picnic basket while Derek carried the blanket and a strangely wrapped box.
“The woods are so pretty,” Jodi observed. There were leaves scattered along the path and sunlight streamed from between the trees. The sound of a pond trickling added a lovely background to the scenery. “I don’t get why Ivy, Asher, Dana, Kyle, Caleb, and Phoebe are terrified of it.”
“They’re old, who knows?” Derek joked. “This is it.”
The spot was beautiful. A patch of brilliant green grass (which was rare in a South Dakota winter) neighboring a merry bubbling pond. Derek spread the blanket, and they arranged the food around them.
“Mm, this smells delicious,” Jodi told him. “Where’d you get it?”
“Phoebe’s Pastries,” Derek popped a grape in his mouth. Jodi watched his throat work with the fascination of a caveman to fire.
“I always get a discount there,” she bragged.
“What? No fair!”
Jodi shrugged smugly and picked up a sandwich. “She and her husband are Ivy’s best friends, duh. I’m the cute little sister.”
“Well they’re right about one thing, you’re cute,” Derek agreed, and leaned towards her, tangling a hair in her ringlets. “Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” she managed to say before he kissed her.
She loved kissing Derek. He kissed slow and deep, unlike the saliva eager boys at her school.
They laid on the blanket, Jodi’s head on Derek’s chest and his arm around her back while the other played with her ringlets.
Jodi wondered if this was the right time to tell Derek she loved him. She’d wanted to tell him ever since they got back together. She wanted to tell him how her stomach tightened and her heart beat fast whenever those little crinkles appeared around his eyes when he smiled, or how she loved it when he kissed her temple absently, almost like it was automatic for him.
But telling him on Valentine’s Day? It seemed so cheesy. Was it worth it to get this weight off her chest?
“Derek…”she started hesitantly. Jodi sat up. “I wanted to tell you something.”
“Mhmm?” He was still lying on the blanket, looking at her with half-lidded lazy eyes and twirling a ringlet around his finger. She wished she had a camera.
She took a deep breath. She could do this, she could. “Derek, I-”
The sound of stomping broke her focus. Derek sat up. “Do you hear that?”
She nodded.
They both stared in the direction of the noise, and they both stood, with Derek stationing himself in front of Jodi.
“I do not understand how you find this enjoyable, tell me babe, do nails on a chalkboard get your engine running too?”
Jodi’s mouth formed an O at the same time Derek tilted his head back to beseech the sky.
Daria entered the clearing, followed by a highly amused Eddie. They skidded to a halt in front of the blanket, and the surprise on Daria’s face was priceless. Eddie looked less astounded, but he did reach over to grab a handful of grapes.
“Oh my God. You have got to be kidding me,” Daria finally spoke. “You’re still going out with her?”
Derek’s hand curled into fists at his sides. “Yes, I am. And I plan on going out with Jodi for a very long time, Daria. I don’t give a shit whether you like it or not.”
Daria’s head whipped towards Jodi, who was still behind Derek. “You just couldn’t wait to sink your claws into him too, could you? No survivors in the wake of Hurricane Jodi Robello.”
Jodi felt the anger stored in her chest for the last year bubble and spill over. “What. The. Hell!” she snarled, and stepped out from behind Derek to get into Daria’s face. “What the HELL is your problem with me?”
Daria didn’t so much as blink. “Don’t you get high and mighty with me, you cold bitch.”
“Did you just call me the b-word?” Jodi gasped.
“What are you, two years old?” Daria snapped. “B-I-T-C-H. It’s what you are.”
Jodi had been taught to solve her pr
oblems with her words, not her fists, but she took exception this time. She shoved Daria with all her might, sending the athletic girl staggering back several steps.
“Oh it’s on,” Daria sneered, hurling herself at Jodi.
“Chick fight!” Eddie cheered in the background.
They went sprawling into the food. Jodi grabbed the whipped cream and sprayed it all over Daria, who sputtered and slapped Jodi with the nearest sandwich, sending lettuce down her shirt.
“What is your problem?” Jodi screeched, wrestling Daria back as she reached for the grapes.
“You breaking my brother’s heart is my problem!” Daria bellowed, twisting and planting her foot in Jodi’s stomach. Jodi released an ‘oomph’ and hit the dirt.
“That’s enough!” Derek roared, startling both of them into stillness.
Derek easily pulled Jodi to her feet and Eddie took care of his girl, dusting her off and massaging her shoulders. “You totally kicked her ass,” he said not-so-quietly.
“I know. Shh,” Daria replied, watching her brother.
“I am sick and tired of this!” Derek was livid. “Two of the most important people in my life can’t stand each other. Daria, Jodi broke up with me because fighting with you made me miserable. We tried to stay away from each other because you didn’t like her, but we hated it. I begged her to take me back, and we’ve been keeping our relationship a secret because of you.”
“Why do you hate me so much?” Jodi asked quietly. “I haven’t done anything to you.”
Daria ran her hand through her short brown hair. “I didn’t know that.”
Derek threw up his hands. “Every time I bring up Jodi, you get this sour look on your face and I know anything I say will just go over your head.”
Daria turned to look at Jodi. “I didn’t hate you, not at first. I thought you were one of the only cool people at school.”
“What did I do?” Jodi was genuinely curious.
Daria studied her. “You really don’t know?”
“I don’t have a clue,” Jodi said honestly.
“You dumped Levi Schmitt because he didn’t meet your standards and told the whole school he slept with Petri Peters.”
Jodi was appalled. “What? That’s a total lie!”
Derek glanced at her. “Didn’t you go out with Levi freshman year?”
“Yes, but-that’s not why I broke up with him!”
“Oh yeah?” Daria didn’t look convinced.
“Of course not! I broke up with him because-” she cut herself off. The clouds had covered the sun again, and Jodi was beginning to feel the cold seep through her clothes. She wanted to step into Derek’s warmth, but it wasn’t the ideal situation for it.
“Because?” Daria prompted, arms crossed over her chest and pixie face expectant.
“He wanted me to have sex with him and I wasn’t ready!” She stared angrily at the ground. “Happy?”
Derek pulled her into the circle of his arms, but she remained stiff.
“Then how’d the rumor get started?” Daria pushed.
“I don’t know! Wait a minute…” Jodi paused, and a wave of realization hit her. “This was in January?”
Daria nodded.
Jodi groaned and buried her nose into Derek’s collar. “Damn it, Mindy.”
“Your friend, Mindy? What does she have to do with this?” Derek wondered.
“Levi had told the whole school I was a kinky and weird in bed and that’s why he broke up with me. Total hogwash, basically. I was willing to let it roll of my shoulders, but Mindy is like a Rottweiler.” It was ironic, really. Nobody who looked at the tiny Asian girl had any idea she was had such a huge bite. “She wouldn’t let it go. I’m willing to bet my sister’s baby she was the one who spread the rumor.”
“Sounds pretty accurate, babe,” Eddie added to Daria. His girlfriend stroked her chin thoughtfully.
“So you aren’t an uppity cold gold-digger?” Daria double-checked.
Jodi huffed.
Daria shrugged a shoulder. “Oops.”
She and Derek exchanged a glance. “That’s all you’re going to say? ‘Oops’?”
“Sorry?” Daria ventured. “Please and thank you?”
Jodi rolled her eyes and snuggled into Derek, pressing her cold nose into his collarbone.
“But,” Daria interjected, drawing Jodi’s gaze back to her. “If you screw over my brother, so help me God, I will tie a brick to your ankles and throw you into the Hudson.”
“You’re insane,” Jodi informed her.
“So I’ve been told. Hey, are those cupcakes?”
The sound of leaves crunching drew everyone’s attention back to the wood path. A park ranger materialized, a flashlight in his hand. “Everything okay over here?”
They affirmed no one was being attacked (anymore, at least).
“Y’all should be gettin’ on home, roads hard to drive at night. C’mon, I’ll take ya down the trail.”
They speedily packed up the blanket and food and followed the big guy. When they reached Derek’s car, Daria put her hand on the door and said, “You guys mind if I catch a ride to Darwin? We parked Eddie’s car there, since he’s a freak of nature and wanted to walk here.”
“Hiking involves walking, love,” Eddie repeated, not even sounding the least bit annoyed. Maybe that was the secret of their relationship. Eddie had the patience of a saint.
Derek smiled and gestured for her to proceed. The two climbed in the backseat under the watchful gaze of the park ranger, who was weirdly still surveying them.
Derek cupped Jodi’s face. “Now am I allowed to walk up to my girlfriend in the hallway and kiss her as much as I want?”
Jodi wagged her eyebrows. “Why wait till then?”
Derek slanted his smiling lips over hers for a quick kiss and rounded the car to the driver’s seat. Jodi was about to climb in as well when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. The park ranger was watching with a slight smile.
“Um…excuse me,” Jodi said, starting to feel panicky.
“You look just like your sister,” the guy observed. “Hair’s different though.”
Derek looked like he was ready to come back to her side, but she signaled for him to stay put.
“You know my sister?” Jodi asked sarcastically.
“Ivy Robello, about 5’8’’, talks a mile a minute and married to Asher Grayson?”
A current of shock ran through Jodi’s body. How did this guy know Ivy?
She was about to ask, but he spoke first. “You be sure to tell her I said hey, and congrats on the baby. As for you, tell him tonight.”
Jodi couldn’t get her mouth to form a response. The ranger tipped his head at her and the deaf occupants of the car. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
She was flabbergasted all the way to Darwin. Derek kept trying to get her to tell him what the ranger said, but she refused. She did discreetly shoot her sister a text, however.
Jodi: Some random park ranger knew everything about you and told me to tell you congrats on the baby?!?!
Ivy: Holy cannoli
Jodi: SO CONFUSED
Ivy: He’s still around. G2g tell Asher. Do whatever he told you to do. TTYL
Jodi considered making the drive over to her sister’s just to throttle her, but decided she wanted her niece or nephew too much.
They finally reached Darwin. It looked strange at night. Eddie and Daria started making their way to their car before Daria stopped and hurried back to Jodi. She halted in front of her.
“I’m sorry. This doesn’t mean I like you or anything, but I’ll lay off the frogs in your locker.”
Jodi saluted. “Much appreciated.”
Daria arched a brow and shook her head. “Still don’t get it.” With a sassy pivot, she bounded back to Eddie and they headed home.
It was just Derek and Jodi. Derek walked over to her, arms outstretched, but she placed her hands gently on his chest to stop him.
Derek’s brow furrowed. “
Everything okay?”
She nodded and took a deep breath.
Just do it.
“I can’t wait to see you in the hall every day,” she blurted. Derek blinked, but she continued. “I love how you fiddle with your buttons when you’re nervous, I love how smart but modest you are, I love how you have no idea that you could have any girl you want.”
“I love you, Derek,” she exhaled. “I really, really love you.”
A breathtaking smile spread over his face. “Say it again.”
Jodi licked her lips. “I love you.” The words were barely out of her mouth before Derek had her pressed against the car, hand in her ringlets and warm breath mingling with hers.
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear you say that,” he whispered.
Jodi smiled, but a fission of panic went through her chest.
“Oh,” Derek added, almost as an afterthought. “In case it wasn’t blatantly obvious, I love you too. I love you so much that if you ever ask me to keep our relationship a secret again, I’m kidnapping you and heading to Bermuda.”
They grinned at each other like fools, and Derek was leaning towards her when-
“Oh my gosh,” Jodi gaped.
“Is that Spencer?”
Spencer
“I’m in a sexual rut!” Spencer whined, throwing himself over the table.
Caleb sighed. “Please remove yourself from my table.”
They’d been at this for an hour now, with Caleb attempting to finish his paperwork and Spencer routinely interrupting by bodily demanding attention.
Phoebe clapped the flour from her hands and grinned. Spencer knew she was fond of him. “Why are you in a rut, Spencer?”
The bell tinkled over the door to the store before he could answer. Phoebe smiled as a rush of customers entered, inhaling the sweet scent of her pastries and eagerly perusing her glass cases. Spencer pouted until she redirected her gaze to him.
“As I was saying,” he began huffily, perching on the edge of Caleb’s table and crossing his ankles haughtily. “I haven’t hooked up in a month. A freaking month. Four weeks. Thirty days. A gazillion hours.”
“Haven’t things been hectic for you at work, though?” Phoebe inquired, sheathing her hands in mitts as she waited for the oven to ding with her completed cupcakes.
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