by Amy Sparling
“You might have,” she says, playing all coy with me.
“Here I am in sweatpants,” I say, glancing down at my winter pajamas.
Keanna smirks. “Becca warned me that your mom will probably want to take pictures, so I dressed up. If I’m going to be immortalized forever in one of your mom’s family photo albums, then I want to look good.”
“You succeeded,” I say, giving her ass a squeeze. The soft fabric of her dress makes it a little hard to get a grip. “I should go change.”
Mom walks in right as Keanna bites her lip and gives me an appraising look over. “Yep. You should change.”
“Jett!” Mom says, hands on hips. “This is a special night. Go put on something decent!” She waves me away and I can hear her fawning happily over Keanna’s dress as I head upstairs and grab some khakis and a dark red dress shirt. I figure it’ll match Keanna’s dress and maybe one day our future kids will look at the pictures of tonight and know their parents were in love from the very start.
Once I’m dressed like a real person and not a hobo, we decorate the tree with my mom’s insane collection of red, white, and silver ornaments. A long time ago, she picked a candy cane theme and she’s stuck with it ever since. Just as Becca predicted, there are many photos taken but we all have a good time.
I watch supercross on TV with Dad while Mom and Keanna bake cookies. They had me help them with the Christmas shaped cookie cutters at first, but after it was determined that I’m terrible with anything food related, I was given permission to leave.
Now, they call be back into the kitchen and Keanna hands me an icing piping bag filled with green icing. “You can handle this,” she says, flourishing her hand. “Just ice, and then use the sprinkles.”
She gestures to a pile of random jars of sprinkles. I nod. “I got this. You won’t be disappointed.”
I wink at her and her cheeks flush. When the cookies have been decorated and half-eaten, Mom makes coffee and Dad makes a fire in the fireplace and we all gather around, chatting like some kind picture-perfect Christmas movie scene.
I’m cool with it, though. Keanna snuggles up against me while we sit on the floor, a flannel blanket pulled over us. The fire warms up the room and casts a wintery glow around the living room, shining off the ornaments on the tree.
“So what does Jett want for his birthday?” Dad says, throwing his arm around Mom’s shoulders while they sit on the couch. “I heard he’s being hard to shop for this year.”
I hold up a finger. “I gave you a list,” I say to Mom, who nods.
“He did.” She turns to Dad. “We have a list, honey. It’s a boring list, but at least it’s an idea of what to get him. Keanna’s gifts are already bought, since she’s a girl with good taste.” She flashes a wink to my girlfriend who chokes on her coffee.
“You don’t need to—” Keanna says, but Mom waves a hand at her.
“Nonsense. Your gifts are already chosen.” Mom’s eyes sparkle from the glow of the fireplace. “You’re going to love them!”
Keanna’s smile is her only reply and I know she’s probably a little awkward about this all, so I take over. “We got you guys awesome presents this year,” I say, holding up my head. “Keanna knows you two better than you know yourselves. Well, better than I know you, at least.”
Mom laughs. “Well, that’s good. Jett’s usually more of a ‘tell me what you want’ kind of guy.”
“Oh you mean like how you’re being to me this year?” I say sarcastically.
Mom blows a raspberry. “It’s not my fault you don’t want anything.”
“If only he’d make a longer list,” Keanna says, shaking her head. “I have one awesome gift idea, but I’m still stuck for his Christmas gift.”
“Babe, you don’t need to get me anything.” I tell her.
Dad sips his coffee. “He’s right, Key. Jett doesn’t really care about gifts.”
She shakes her head. “I’m still getting you something,” she says, turning to look at me with an intensity that makes it feel like we’re the only two people in the room.
If my parents weren’t in here, I’d be inclined to let her know exactly what it is I’d like from her.
There must be something in my gaze because her cheeks flush and she looks down. It would be wrong to ask for sex as a gift, right?
Yeah. Definitely.
But that doesn’t stop me from thinking about how great it will be to finally make love to the girl who has my heart.
Chapter 15
By noon on Tuesday, it’s apparent it’ll be a pretty slow day. While some riders like practicing in the cold weather, most of them don’t. We’ve only had one client this morning and he had to leave early because his bike broke down right after he started riding. I like the idea of running a business that’s not always ridiculously busy—it gives you time to relax and chill for a bit.
Becca and I are getting plenty of chilling done and I’m guessing this is why Bayleigh clears her throat, making me turn around. I’m at the front desk, flipping through a motocross magazine that features Jett while Becca sits next to me, working on the computer. And by working, I mean playing Solitaire.
At first I think I’m hearing things, but then the second throat-clearing makes me look back. Bayleigh’s eyes are wide and she secretly motions for me to join her. She puts a finger to her lips and I know she wants me to keep this secret from Becca. O-kay . . .
“I’ll be back in a second,” I tell Becca, who barely notices because she’s focused on her spreadsheets.
In the hallway, Bayleigh takes my hand and pulls me into her office, closing the door. “I’m taking you off front desk duty,” she says, turning to dig through her purse. “As you know, this Friday is the gender reveal party.”
I nod. Becca has been talking about it non-stop. They’re going to announce to all their friends if the baby is a boy or girl. I think it’s weird, but whatever makes her happy.
“I need your help.” Bayleigh retrieves what she’s looking for in her purse and hands me a silver credit card. “I need you to plan the party.”
“What!” My eyes bug. “I can’t do this . . . I have no idea how.”
Bayleigh waves a hand at me. “Of course you do, kiddo. I’ve already ordered the custom cake but you do the rest, okay? If I plan it, Becca will notice and it won’t be as much of a surprise. Right now she thinks we’re just doing a small thing with family, but I’m inviting everyone.”
Bayleigh’s eyes sparkle mischievously. “Which reminds me . . . go to a craft store and get at least seventy-five invitations, the kind you can print on, and we’ll make them with my printer. Also we need party decorations and stuff for seventy-five people.”
My hands shake as I stare at the shiny card in my hand. “I . . . I don’t know if I can do this. I’ve never planned a party.”
“Check your phone,” she says. If she’s lacking faith in me, she definitely doesn’t sound like it. “I sent you some Pinterest inspiration ideas,” she says with a wink. Then she meets my eye and her silliness turns serious. “Honey, you’ll do perfectly. I can’t imagine a better way to have the party than to have Becca’s first daughter plan it. I’m totally here if you need any help, but my plan is to keep her busy and occupied, pretending to plan a fake family-only party, so that when Friday comes and the real party is here, she’ll be truly surprised.”
“Okay,” I say, standing a little straighter. I slide the credit card into my pocket. “I can do this. What’s the party budget?”
“No budget. Just whatever we need, okay? Have fun with it!”
It’s hard not to go completely crazy given this kind of power and the pressure that goes along with it, but Bayleigh is not only my new mother’s best friend, she’s Jett’s mom. So I need her to keep liking me and trusting me with stuff. I need to do a good job, and screw the fact that I’ve never been to a real party in my life.
“I’ll make you proud,” I say, grinning like I’m not scared out of my mind here.
“I know you will,” she says. Now slip out the back door and I’ll tell Becca I have you working on the Track’s mailing list flyers.”
I head out the back door and look for Jett, since he didn’t answer his phone. I find him in the gym, headphones blaring and two hundred pounds on the weight rack.
Great, I’m supposed to be fully concentrating on planning this party and now I have to see my boyfriend, sweaty and vascular, looking like some kind of tanned God in a tight black tank top.
“Hey good lookin’,” Jett says, winking. He uses that Texas twang voice sometimes just to annoy me.
“I have a crisis,” I say, sitting on the end of the weight bench.
He racks the weight bar and sits up. “You don’t look very crisis-ed, so I’m guessing it’s not bad?”
I heave a sigh and explain to him about the party planning.
“What is Pinterest? Mom is always talking about that.”
I shake my head. “Trust me, you don’t want to know right now. I have no idea how to plan a party, and when I’m freaking out, my first thought is to ask you for help but I’m betting you can’t plan a party, either?”
He laughs and runs a hand through his dark, sweaty hair. “No, ma’am. I wouldn’t know the first thing.”
My shoulders fall. It’s not like I expected Jett to jump up and down and get excited to plan a party, but I don’t have anyone else to seek for help. Jett leans over and kisses me, only letting our lips touch so I don’t get all sweaty.
“But I know someone who would love to help you.”
I look up. “And who is that?”
“Maya.”
Maya is Jett’s best friend’s girlfriend and I haven’t talked to her since I was still in school. She’s a cheerleader and she’s extra girly and peppy so she’d probably make an excellent party planner.
“I don’t know . . . I don’t want to obligate her,” I say. Maya and I are friends, but not really close friends. I haven’t exactly known her that long and we’ve always hung out with our boyfriends.
Jett shakes his head. “Nah. D’andre said she was asking for your number the other day so ya’ll could hang out.” His head tilts to the side. “Of course, I totally forgot to give it to him until just this second because I guess I got distracted.”
A special kind of warmth floods through my chest. Maya wants to be my friend outside of school? I push Jett’s arm. “Well, what are you waiting for? Give her my number!”
He laughs and gets his phone from a shelf up against the wall. “Texting her now. I’m telling her you need to ask her advice for party stuff that way she’ll get back to you soon.”
“Thanks, babe,” I say, throwing my arms around him. I immediately regret it because: sweat. Ew.
#
Maya comes over after school and we head straight to the party supply store, which as luck would have it, is right next to the craft store. After looking around at the stuff they have for sale, we walk across the street to Starbucks and get a coffee so we can go over Bayleigh’s Pinterest ideas.
“My aunt had one of these parties,” Maya says. “But instead of cake, she had cake balls and everyone had to bite into theirs at the same time. The inside was pink cake so we all knew she was having a girl.”
I lift my straw to slurp off the whipped cream from the top of my Frappuccino. “Bayleigh’s doing a cake, so I guess everyone will notice when they cut into it.”
“This will be fun,” Maya says, scrolling through Pinterest. I sent her a link to the board so we’re both using our phones to look through it all. “Looks like she wants a country type theme . . . twine, mason jars, sunflowers . . . I love it.”
“Yeah, that really fits Becca’s style.”
An idea comes to me, making me jump. “Oh my God, we should totally make her a canvas for the party . . .” I say while I gaze out over the coffee shop. This has the potential to be a great idea.
“You mean like her professional artwork?” Maya asks.
I nod. “Becca’s Inspirations is her business and she paints inspirational quotes on canvases and decorates them to look all pretty. What if we think of a sweet quote about babies, or having children, or being a mother or something, and then make her a canvas?” Chills prickle over my arms as the idea forms in my mind, making me all excited. “It could be a party decoration and a gift.”
Maya’s smile stretches across her whole face. “That’s a perfect idea.”
We talk more about party planning and take down notes in a sparkly notebook we find in the clearance bin at the craft store. Soon, we have two baskets full of decorations that fit Bayleigh’s inspiration board perfectly, and we’ve spent so much time together that I’m starting to feel like Maya is my new close friend, and not just the girlfriend of a friend.
“This is really fun,” I say while we sort through fake sunflowers in the floral aisle. “I’m glad Jett and D’andre hooked us up.”
“Totally.” Maya rolls her eyes. “I love my cheer squad but those girls can be vapid and bitchy as hell. It’s nice hanging out with someone who isn’t a stuck up princess, ya know?”
I laugh. “I can only imagine.”
Our conversation goes from crafting to boys to sex and the lack of it—she and D’andre haven’t yet done it either—and before I know it, it’s nearly seven in the evening.
“I’m starving,” I say, as we pile our shopping bags into the trunk of my Mustang. “Want to grab something to eat?”
“I have a better idea,” she says, handing me a shopping bag. “Why don’t we call the boys and all go out to dinner together?”
“That sounds like a plan,” I say.
I can really get on board with this concept of having true friends.
Chapter 16
A hot shower does little to soothe my aching muscles. I spent this entire week working my ass off, both in the gym and on the track. Tomorrow is another race for Team Loco and I’m determined to win.
Ironically, it can be said that I’ve trained my ass off for every race I’ve ever had, yet somehow, now that I’m sponsored and riding for an official race team, it feels like all those years of training were weak compared to now. Now, it really counts. Now I’m pushing harder than ever before. Let’s just hope it pays off.
Tonight is the sex party, a hilarious name which Keanna has strictly forbidden me from saying. But I chuckle to myself as I get dressed because sex party sounds hilarious. She prefers the term “gender reveal party” but yeah, I can still laugh about it in my head.
I’m a little surprised that my mom knows the sex of the baby inside of her and she hasn’t let it slip at all. Usually she’s terrible at keeping secrets, but this time she’s as sealed up as a bank vault.
Keanna is hoping for a boy because she has this weird issue where she doesn’t want there to be two girls in the house, because she fears she may never live up to their real daughter as time goes on. She’s being ridiculous if you ask me, but I’ve been supportive of her. I’m hoping for a boy because then I’d have a little protégé to raise up into the next massive motocross star.
Of course, if they have a girl, I’ll be raising her the same way. Although motocross is mostly a male-dominated sport, the women who do race kick a ton of ass, and it’d be cool to see more of them out there. So, I guess no matter what this baby is born as, he or she will end up being a motocross superstar.
The Track’s parking lot is full, as well as the Park’s driveway. It’s only six-thirty and the party is supposed to start at seven, but my parents and the Parks have a ton of very caring friends.
Luckily, it doesn’t take me too long to find my girl. The Park’s house is even more decorated for the holidays than my house, and I hadn’t thought that was possible. But in the living room, they’ve taken out the Christmas decorations and swapped them with baby stuff. Rustic, country living type baby stuff. There are sunflowers everywhere, along with yellow and white decorations. Keanna had explained that yellow is the color you use when you
don’t know if a baby is a boy or a girl. Which is kind of cool, I guess, because I’ve always liked green and orange so I’m not sure why blue is supposed to be the main boy color but I guess some traditions never fade away.
I admire Keanna from a distance. She’s wearing black leggings, teal cowboy boots and a teal oversized sweater that looks so soft I can’t wait to slide my hands over it. Her hair is down and wavy and she’s smiling so much it’s almost like she’s a whole new person. It’s nice to see her having a great time with all of these people she’s never even met before.
Becca sweeps in and introduces Keanna to an older couple whose names I can’t remember. I think she knows them from craft fairs. Keanna smiles and shakes their hands and then the wife of the couple pulls her into a hug. I’m realizing now that this party isn’t just for the unborn child that’s about to be in the world, but it’s also a way for Becca to show off her new daughter to everyone.
“Hey,” I say, walking up behind Keanna.
She jumps a little but then smiles when she sees me. “What do you think?” she says, gesturing to the party set up. On the far wall is a decorated table with a two tier cake. It’s one of those marzipan cakes that looks like something from a Dr. Seuss world. It’s white with pink and blue question marks all over it.
“Everything looks awesome,” I say, wrapping my arm around her waist and kissing the side of her head.
“You really think so?” she asks, her voice soft.
“Yes. It looks like one of those house design shows in here,” I say, kissing her again. But I’ll need to stop and keep my hands off her because if I linger too close to this beautiful girl and her intoxicating scent, I might get entirely too turned on in this room full of people.
I mean, I know it’s a sex party, but it’s not that kind of sex party. Ha.
Keanna’s brows draw together. “What are you smirking about?”