by Heather Long
“Jake’s right,” Ian weighed in. “All of us agree with that. Coop, Arch, me, and him. We don’t want to be where you’re off somewhere else, and we don’t want you to be without us.”
I let out a little sigh and leaned my head against Ian’s shoulder. “I don’t want to go somewhere without all of you or even just one of you.”
“Then we’re agreed, so no more of this crap about not making decisions that don’t include you.” Eyes fixed on mine, Jake kept his grip on my chin firm and gentle. “Together. Or not at all.”
I licked my lips. “What if Ian gets that recording contract…”
“Then we make that work,” Ian promised. “We talk it out, we weigh the pros and cons, together. All of us. We make this something that the five of us agree on. Because it’s not just my life or your life.”
“It’s our lives.” Jake skated his thumb over my lower lip. “Dammit, Baby Girl, I thought you got how important this was to all of us. To me.”
Tears sparked at the back of my eyes for an entirely different reason, and guilt scraped through me. “Sometimes, it’s difficult to imagine that it’s not an imposition if you guys were to change something for me.” Maddy didn’t like rearranging her life for me. Fuck knows whenever she’d been forced, she threw it in my face.
“We’re not your mother,” Ian said in no less a firm voice than Jake used. “We’re not saying we’re giving up anything, but if we haven’t been clear, you’re more important than a school. We’ll get the education, the skills, the training, we can do that anywhere. Maybe it won’t be hoity toity and cost Archie a new wing on a hospital or something…”
A laugh escaped me, and it was a little wet but it was real, and Jake was still tracing the outline of my mouth, even as Ian kept his lips at my ear.
“You are more important to me than all of that. The guys are more important to me than that.”
“This family we’re building is more important than that,” Jake finished. “We’ll find a way to take care of that.”
I let out a shuddering breath and then nodded. “Okay.”
Relief seemed to sag Jake’s shoulders, and even Ian seemed to ease up as he rubbed his cheek against my hair. Jake flicked a look above me, and I had the sensation that he and Ian had locked gazes. Some wordless communication passed between them.
I kind of hated it when they did that.
I kind of loved it, too.
Yeah, I know, I was a little weird. But I loved that they were all still friends. Those friendships were so damn important to us.
Not just friends, I reminded myself. Family.
“I think we call the guys,” Ian suggested. “Tonight is family planning night. We talk about the schools everyone has heard from, and we work out contingency plans.”
“Yep,” Jake agreed, and then leaned forward to kiss me. The pressure was demanding and claiming until my lips parted for him, and then it was all sweetness and aching delight. With one last nibble to my lower lip, he said, “Go change, Baby Girl. Get in something comfy. You and Arch can decide on your date later. I’ll call him and get Coop to dump his shift. Then I’ll order more pizza.”
Some of the unease still threading through my system let go. It had been a long week, and the letter just seemed to take all the air out of what we’d accomplished. There’d been push back at school. I’d known it would happen, but I refused to let it get to me, and Rachel and the guys had my back. Still…
“Okay,” I said. “Sounds like a plan.”
They finally let me up, but Ian followed me back to the bedroom and stood there, leaning against the wall as I stripped out of my school clothes and into one of his T-shirts. I ditched the bra and then just went for a pair of Coop’s boxers under it.
Yeah, I was being sappy.
As soon as I’d changed, he opened his arms and I walked right into them. Against my hair, he said, “I know I’m still earning your trust…”
My heart fisted again.
“…but I need you to believe this, Angel. We’re in. I’m in.” Pulling back, he gripped my arms and stared down at me. “I’ll say it every time you need to hear it, but if you tell me you don’t want me to adjust my life for you or in any way suggest I leave you behind…well, I don’t know what they’re going to do, but I’m going to spank you until that ass is so red, you can’t sit down.”
A real shiver went through me. His pupils flared, and he shook his head.
“I mean it.”
“I know you do,” I told him, and the corners of my mouth curled upward. “I’m still getting used to this.” I spread my hands against his chest. “And I do trust you, Ian. I promise, you don’t have to keep proving anything to me. I’m working on it. It’s hard to be the one someone puts first.”
“I know, Angel. We’ve done it for a long time though, and it’s time you believed it, okay?” Then he kissed me with so much sweetness, my eyes flooded with tears again. The weight of his hands on my ass lifting me even as I wrapped my arms around him settled me even more. I don’t know how long we stood locked together like that, but Jake clearing his throat popped the moment.
“The guys are coming, and as much as I’d like to say let’s continue wherever this is going, you’re not into sharing that far yet,” he snarked at Ian. “And I’m not interested in watching television while you make Frankie scream back here.”
Another shiver of anticipation went through me.
Ian snorted, then kissed my nose. “To be continued…”
Yes, please.
By the time I was back on the sofa and sandwiched between them again with pizza in hand and the cats coming out to join us, I wasn’t feeling quite so melancholy. You know, they were right and I knew it. I’d already made that decision.
Harvard used to be the dream.
Chapter Five
College Girl
Jake
Arch called as soon as my text hit his screen.
“What happened?”
“She got waitlisted by Harvard,” I told him and pitched my voice low. I had him on speaker in the kitchen while Bubba took her to get changed. “I ordered more pizza. I know you two have a date tonight, but she needs a plan.”
“Fuck,” Archie swore. Something crashed on the other side of the phone. “I can fix this.”
“Maybe,” I agreed with him. “But right now, she needs us and she needs a plan more than she needs you making phone calls and pulling strings. This damage is already done.” Coop called while I was still finishing the text to him. “Hang on, I’m going to conference Coop in, just get in your car and head this way.”
“I’m already on my way downstairs.”
I switched lines. “Hang on, Coop, looping you in with Arch.” Then I connected the two. “I don’t have much time before she’s finished changing. She got the Harvard letter today, she was waitlisted.”
“Fuck,” Coop’s response echoed Archie’s perfectly. I felt it all the way to my bones. I kind of wanted to go kick the shit out of whatever admissions flunky looked at her transcript and mine, then decided I was in and she wasn’t.
Fuck them.
Fuck them sideways with a rusty chainsaw.
Blowing out a breath, I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Yeah, so, here’s what we’re doing. I ordered more pizza. You two are getting your asses here and we’re working out a plan.” The only way she’d let some of this go was to make a plan. That was why I told her I’d call them in the first place.
Frankie liked knowing what was coming. It was what made her crazy about our relationships. I got that. We all got that. She needed order in chaos. Waitlisted by her dream school was definitely chaos.
“I’ll drop off this last order and be there in twenty,” Coop said. “Need me to bring anything?”
“I’ve got alcohol already in the car,” Archie answered. “We got ice cream?”
I opened the fridge. It had been fully stocked when we got back. And… “Yep, two half gallons.”
“Good deal, b
e there soon.” He hung up, his tone as tense and terse as I felt. But Coop was still on the line.
“How is she?”
“She doesn’t want us making sacrifices in our choices just because she didn’t get in.”
He groaned.
“Exactly.”
“I’m coming,” he said. “We’ll figure this out.”
Yeah we would. After I ordered the pizzas, I walked back to find Frankie and Bubba locked together. As distractions went, that definitely worked. And fuck if it wasn’t hot.
“The guys are coming, and as much as I’d like to say let’s continue wherever this is going, you’re not into sharing that far yet,” I teased, meeting Bubba’s gaze. “And I’m not interested in watching television while you make Frankie scream back here.”
I got it, he wasn’t up for sharing her in bed. Fine. I liked my one on one time with her too, and I’d gotten a hell of a lot more of it than he had. Frankie shot me a smile. Some of the tension had left her face, but there was still a hint of stress around her eyes. The smile didn’t quite reach in and chase the shadows out of her green eyes.
We’d make a plan. That would at least go a long way toward helping, even if we couldn’t fix all of it. Frankie slipped out to the bathroom, and Bubba shot me a look. “You know it’s not…”
I waved him off. “Dude, we’re good. Not a discussion we need to have until when, and if, you’re ready.”
He raked a hand through his hair and then nodded. “Can you answer one question?”
“Depends on the question.” Some things were private. Even among us. I knew he got that.
“It doesn’t bother you at all when you’re right there and Coop’s all over her?”
A slow grin curved my lips. “Nope. Doesn’t bother me watching you with her, either. Not as long as she’s happy. Besides…watching her come? It’s pretty fucking sweet. Then getting to fuck her while she’s coming apart and can’t see straight? Oh yeah.” And now I was hard as a stone.
Fucking wonderful way to spend the evening.
Bubba shook his head. “I’m not saying never…”
“I know, man.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “And considering what Coop’s packing, I get the intimidation.”
He jabbed me in the kidneys as I walked away and I laughed, even as the air whooshed out of me.
Twenty minutes later, Coop walked in on the heels of the pizza, and Archie had beers passed around and a bottle of wine for Frankie. She’d gone right to Archie when he’d come in and wrapped him up in a hug as tightly as he gripped her. I snagged the bag from him so she could murmur her apologies.
Yeah, we’d make up for the missed date.
But once we had pizza and drinks, she curled into the spot between Coop and Arch where they sat on the floor with their backs to the sofa, while Bubba and I sat opposite them. We needed to get more furniture in the living room. The big sofa was fine, but we needed a couple of chairs…
You know what, that was a problem for us next week. Not tonight.
Slice in hand, I cut a look at her. “You want to start?”
She rolled her eyes at me, but the flash of humor glimmering in the green depths promised me she rallied. Exactly what I wanted to see and why we were all here.
“So, Harvard has waitlisted me.”
“Bastards,” Archie mumbled, then pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “They need to take the stick out of their ass and see how fucking awesome you are.”
“Agreed,” I said, but pinned him with a look. He snorted, then took another bite of his pizza. “Just saying.”
Frankie tilted her head and pressed a kiss to his chin. “Do not spend money to get me in.”
He scowled at her but just kept chewing his pizza. Yeah, none of us were buying that look.
“I mean it,” she informed him as she liberated another slice for herself. At least she was eating. When she stopped, that was when things were really wrong. “I want to do this on my merits.”
“Your merits aren’t in question,” Coop said, his tone almost idle, but there was a tension in his hands as he took a long swallow of beer. “Their appreciation for said merits? Yes. And if you really want Harvard, let Archie smooth the way.”
Raising my brows, I stared at him. What the hell was Coop doing?
Then her smile grew, and she bumped his shoulder with hers. “Don’t be an ass.”
“I’m not,” Coop said. “The point is, you wanted Harvard. You deserve it. You’ve worked your ass off. Everyone needs a little help and this is a family effort, so if he can wedge that door open so they can’t slam it in your face, I say let him. Where you lead…we’ll follow.”
Dropping her pizza onto a plate, Frankie twisted and wrapped her arms around Coop. His smile as she buried her face in his throat had me frowning. Why was he pleased about making her cry? When I glared at him, he flipped me off.
I couldn’t take her shaking shoulders. “Baby Girl, it’s going to be fine.”
“I know,” she said in a strangled tone, then lifted her head to look at me. There were tears in her eyes, but her whole face creased with laughter. “Coop’s just teasing me and being a dick.”
Yeah, I didn’t get it either, but sometimes those two had that connection where they got it and we didn’t. Fine, I waved it off and then lifted my own beer. But her gaze was unwavering on me.
“Do you remember when I first decided on Harvard?”
Honestly? I remembered just about everything about her. “It seems like you’ve always wanted it.”
Coop snorted a laugh, even as Frankie elbowed him.
“Okay,” Archie said. “Raise your hand if you want in on the secret.”
Bubba’s hand went up and so did mine.
Coop laughed harder and muttered something that had her whapping him with these little stinging slaps that just made his laughter swell. “You’re such a dick. I can’t believe you’re going to make me explain this.”
His eyes positively danced with glee.
And now I was jealous. “Yeah, he’s a real fucker. Why don’t you come sit in my lap and tell me, Baby Girl?”
Snaking his arms around her, Coop dragged her into his lap—asshole—and buried his face against her hair. “I can tell them…”
“No,” she argued, squirming. “You’ll make fun of me.”
“Only a little,” he teased, but her laughter kept me from wanting to punch him.
“Yep, and now I really want to know.” I drummed my fingers against the bottle like I was annoyed, but as much as I wanted to know, Coop had done the one thing we hadn’t quite managed yet.
He’d gotten her to relax. Some of the tension buzzing the air around her dissipated, and she sagged back against him before grabbing her slice of pizza and mumbled, “Rory wanted to go to Harvard.”
“What?” Archie asked.
“Rory,” she repeated.
Rory. Who the fuck was Rory?
Wait…
“Gilmore Girls Rory?” Bubba asked, incredulity filling his expression.
Frankie squirmed again.
“I thought she went to Yale though,” Archie countered, and it was my turn to stare at him.
“Dude, your panties are showing,” I deadpanned.
“Yeah, fuck off. She loved the show and made me watch it when she found out I hadn’t ever seen it.” Archie dismissed me with a wave. Of course, he couldn’t tell her no. Not that I could blame him. “Besides, she liked to snuggle when she watched it.”
And there it was.
Frankie let out a sigh. “So, at the risk of starting trouble, and now because I want to know, how many shows did you guys watch with me because I liked snuggling?”
“All of them,” I answered.
Bubba snorted, then shrugged as he said, “Yeah, fortunately some of them were pretty good, so we didn’t mind.”
“Agreed,” Coop teased her. “Though, you’ve always been a cuddle bunny when it comes to shows. It’s ’cause you don’t like jump scares.”
True enough.
“Anyway,” Frankie muttered as she tried to slide out of his lap, but Coop kept an arm around her and she finally settled again. “Harvard has always been…the dream. But…dreams can change.”
I met her gaze steadily, then fisted my courage in two hands. I’d been avoiding this conversation. “I only applied to go with you,” I told her. “And I don’t plan on accepting my admission if you’re not there.”
The silence in the room grew thick.
“Jacob Benton. You got in?”
With a shrug, I nodded. “And I should have told you, but until you got your letter, I didn’t want you feeling bad.”
Then she was wiggling out of Coop’s lap and climbing over Archie before she circled the table, and I barely had time to move my pizza before she straddled me. Hands on my face, she scowled at me. “You do not get to keep exciting news from me!”
“It wasn’t that exciting, Baby Girl,” I admitted. “The excitement of you getting into NYU along with me? Along with the guys? That’s the excitement I want. Harvard? Nope. Not if you’re not there. Pfft. They have nothing to offer me.”
“What he’s saying in his blunt way,” Archie offered, “is that we care less about where we go than who we go with. He doesn’t want a long-distance relationship. For any of us.”
“True story,” I agreed before pressing a kiss to Frankie’s forehead. At her gentle urging, I moved to meet her lips, and then I let the guys fall away as her mouth moved against mine.
“Why didn’t I get a kiss?” Coop complained. “I’m calling foul.”
Frankie laughed against my mouth and twisted to flip Coop off before she wiggled to sit between me and Bubba. Probably better. No way she missed the erection poking at her ass and those boxers were loose enough, I could probably get them off in nothing.
“Because you wanted to give me crap about the fact that I loved Logan.”
He rolled his eyes. “You loved Tristan, too.”
“Tristan was misunderstood.”