“I was never a bad boy.”
“Honey, you were never a bad boy. Just a little mischievous.”
His eyes soften. “Don’t act like you didn’t like my rougher days.” When she gives him a shy smile, he looks back at me. “Don’t let your mom fool you. She’s got a little wild side in her.”
“Steven, stop!” She smacks him on the back. He laughs and grabs her, kissing her right on the mouth.
“Okay, too much PDA going on here. Both of you, out of my room so I can get up.”
“Don’t forget what we talked about, Shay,” Dad says.
My mom leaves my room first. “Dad, most artists never attend college. Would you be disappointed if I didn’t?”
“Well, that depends on your reasoning. Are you recording? Are you writing? Those are the only two things I find acceptable. If you find success doing what you love, then no, I won’t be. But, I still would like to see you get a degree.”
“But, it’s my choice, right?”
“Beau wasn’t given a choice when football ended. He went right into acting. The only thing I want for all my children is to be happy. I’m all for whatever makes you happy,” he says, scratching the back of his neck.
Tapping the side of my doorframe, he makes his way out into the hall. I call him back in. “Dad? Can I ask you another question?” He turns back to me. “Do you like Jace? I mean, does it bother you that he doesn’t have money and doesn’t go to college?” I cast my eyes down. My dad’s approval means a lot to me. He walks back over and sits on my bed.
“Shay, I really like Jace. I didn’t come from money. Money doesn’t mean anything to me. Providing for your mother was all I cared about when I was younger. It just really worked out for me. Determination and drive are what I like.
“I don’t think we know anything about Jace’s home life, and I think there is a reason he keeps that part of him separate. I admire him for wanting to keep you away from what he thinks is not good for you. He’s young; he’s at the age now where he can make a life for himself. I have no doubt that he’s going to figure it out.” I see the love in his eyes. “Do you know why I like Jace?” I shake my head. “I like Jace, because when I see him with you, I see the way he looks at you. I see the way he holds your hand. I see a boy that does everything he can to be with you. I see a boy that truly cares about my daughter. As long as he loves you and always treats you with respect, then I will always support your relationship.”
“I really love him, Dad.”
He kisses my forehead. “I know you do.”
“Dad?” I say as he gets up.
“Yeah?”
“The first day I met Jace… That morning Mom was making pancakes, and you came into the kitchen. You said ‘good morning’ to all of us and then you went up to Mom and cupped her face with your hands and kissed her. I watched you. I was only twelve years old, but I remember telling myself, one day I want a boy to kiss me like that.”
“Let me guess. Jace kissed you just like your old man kissed your mom?” he asks. I smile.
“Just like I wished for. Do you want to know what else?” He raises his eyebrows, waiting. “It wasn’t until I was days away from my sixteenth birthday that he gave me that fairy-tale kiss,” I say. Dad shakes his head in approval.
“I like him even more now.”
I giggle, saying, “Yup, he really cares about me. And, isn’t that the most important thing we can ask of someone, Dad? To love us and take care of our heart?”
“Sounds like a romantic guy,” he says, kissing my nose. “By the way, I kiss your mother like that because I cherish her. I always have.” He winks at me. “Even in my so-called ‘bad boy days,’ she was always the one for me, from the very moment I laid eyes on her.”
“You’ve always shown us how to love, Dad, so thank you.”
“Remember, Shay. Love isn’t always perfect. You’re going to have times of struggles, but if you really love each other, even with your differences, you can make it. One of you might have to work a little harder to get it right, but when you do, it will be the most rewarding accomplishment you can ever achieve.” We hear Mom yell for us to come eat my birthday breakfast. “I’m going to get in the kitchen before your mother starts the sass that you Stark girls all seem to have. I’ve been noticing Tatum starting to get sassy, too.” Putting his hand over his heart, he shakes his head. “I don’t know want I’m going to do with all three of you, with your hands on your hips, rolling those beautiful eyes around here.”
“Well, at least you have Tristan playing football soon to look forward to.”
“I know. I can’t wait to get another boy in pads,” he says with a gleam in his eyes.
“I think Tristan will be as good as Beau by the way he works with him,” I say excitedly.
“His brother was pretty special.”
“Yeah, he was, but he’s proving to be pretty special on and off the field.”
“By the way, Dad, I bought Jace a guitar.”
“Can I ask what the occasion was?”
“It was for his birthday.”
“Why didn’t you tell us? You know your mom would have made him a cake.”
“He wouldn’t have wanted anyone fussing over him.”
“Sounds like Jace.” He smiles at me as he walks out of my room.
I get out of bed, grabbing my cell phone to check if I missed a text. I’m disappointed when I see I have none. I know I shouldn’t be. It’s still rather early. Jace might still be sleeping, so I go downstairs to eat a huge blueberry pancake with fresh strawberries.
AFTER WE FINISH eating, I help Mom clean up the dishes and then head to my room to shower. Taking my phone off my bed, I check again for a text from Jace.
Nothing.
I take a shower, disappointed. When I’m done, I slather on some of my birthday gifts from my parents. When I walked into the kitchen for breakfast, Mom had a basket full of my favorite coconut-infused lotions, sunblock, chapsticks, and pretty much every other product that smells like a tropical paradise. Jules stopped by, giving me gift cards to a few of my favorite spots in town. It’s funny; she knows I’m going to use them for both of us.
So, here I am waiting. Still no word from my boy. I go out back to lie in the sun and read the book I’ve been trying to get through, and that’s when I hear it.
My heart flutters happily.
I have no doubt who’s coming up my driveway. A part of me wants to stay back here and make him come to me, but I can’t help myself. I’m too excited to see him. I throw my book down and head to the front of the house. Just as he’s getting off his bike and setting his backpack onto the ground, I whisk myself in his arms.
“Happy birthday, pretty girl.”
Whispering against his strong neck, I say, “You tortured me all morning without texting or calling me.”
“Baby, it’s only ten o’clock.”
“I’ve been up since seven,” I tell him, pouting.
“Well, I didn’t get up until eight. Plus, I was getting all your birthday gifts ready.”
My face warms. I’m sure I have pink cheeks. Just the thought of Jace putting together something for me makes me happy. He pulls me into him.
“Kiss me, baby.”
I stand up on my tiptoes and press my lips to his. “When do I get my presents?”
“Not yet. Let’s go say good-bye to your parents. I want to take you somewhere.” He winks, putting his hand in mine.
“Okay.” I turn around, making my way to the front door. As we walk into the house, the twins are fighting. Mom is yelling for my dad, and my dad is coming around the corner.
“Hi, Jace,” they both yell in unison. Jace walks up to my mom and gives her a hug and then shakes my dad’s hand.
“If it’s okay, I’d like to take Shay for a ride.”
“Sure,” Dad says. “Please be careful with my girl on the back of that bike.”
“Always,” Jace says.
Mom yells over the twins that have no
t acknowledged anyone else in the room. “Don’t be gone too long. I’d like to have birthday cake with you.”
“For sure, Mom.” I look at Jace. He smiles, takes my hand, and we go back outside. “God, it must be nice to be an only child,” I say, half-kidding. I wouldn’t change my family, but sometimes it’s chaos.
“You wouldn’t want to be an only child, baby. It’s very boring. I would’ve loved to have someone else around.”
“I guess you’re right, but you won’t be lonely forever. One day we will be together every day. You will probably get sick of me.”
He puts my helmet on me, giving me a soft look. “I will never get sick of you, pretty girl. Ever.” He fastens the helmet, like he always does, making sure it’s nice and snug. He leans down and picks up the backpack off the ground. After putting it on my back, he tightens the straps. He gets on the bike. I swing my leg over and snuggle up against his back.
“Where are we going?”
“For a hike.”
“Yay!”
I hear him chuckle in front of me. “Hold on tight,” he says seriously. He doesn’t have to tell me that. I’ve been hanging on tight to him for years.
IT’S A BEAUTIFUL day. Jace parks at the bottom of Runyon Canyon, takes the backpack from me, and then puts it on. Grabbing my hand, we start up the trail. Usually, you can find lots of people walking up and down. Families with their dogs and a celebrity or two are common, but today it’s quiet. We walk hand in hand and talk. I realize at this very moment that the things I worked so hard on when I was growing up are nothing compared to how hard Jace and I have worked to be together. Most couples would have given up already. They would have seen the differences and thought it was too much work, but not us.
I look over at him as he carefully leads us up the trail, making sure I don’t slip. My heart picks up. Not from the hill we’re climbing, but from how Jace guides me to the top. “What are you thinking about, baby? You have such a serious look on your face.”
I’m feeling choked up. I just love him so much. I’d go anywhere with him. “I just love you.”
He stops walking. “Do you know the definition of love?”
“Do you mean the actual definition?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t say I’ve ever looked that up before.”
“I have,” he says with a hint of embarrassment.
“You have?”
“Yes, I did the day I met you.”
I tilt my head to the side. “You did?”
“I had to. I felt something the day I met you that I’d never felt before. I just wanted to know what love was.”
“What did it say?”
“Well, there were a few definitions that I knew didn’t really apply to what I was feeling. Not at that time, anyway,” he says with a devilish grin. “But, one thing stood out to me.”
“What’s that?”
“It said love is a feeling of deep affection. That you always want to be with that person. That you always think about them. I remember my whole body felt warm the day I met you. When I heard your voice, my ears wanted to get closer to you. My heart beat faster the closer I got to you. And, when my eyes met yours, they didn’t want to look away. I spent every day I was away from you wanting desperately to see you again. I didn’t even know you, but I was so afraid I would never see you again. That feeling has never stopped. I can’t get close enough, can’t see you enough, and can’t hear your voice enough.”
“I feel the same way about you. Sometimes I feel like I can’t breathe. I just want to be with you all the time. I even get angry with you that you won’t allow me the simple pleasure of surprising you at your house just so I can say hi. Just so I can show you how much I love you when I’ve had a long few days at school. I just wish sometimes you’d give that to me.”
“Shay, you don’t have to show up at my house for me to know you love me. I know your heart, baby.”
“I just feel like there are so many times you’ve needed me, and I wasn’t there for you.”
He exhales a big breath. “You’re too good, too special to me. I don’t want you around that environment,” he says, gently caressing my hand. We continue walking, but our conversation still lingers.
He leads us to the top of Inspiration Point, and we sit on a wooden bench. Looking down, we can see the whole city. Jace sets the backpack down next to us as I look out. The rolling hills seem lost when you’re in the city below, so it’s nice to come here and feel nature.
“Please know that I do everything to protect you.”
“What do I need protection from?”
“Baby, not that long ago I had to get a junkie away from you, and that was at the community center. Where I live is worse.” His face goes from soft to hard.
“Don’t you want your mom to meet me?”
“You won’t ever meet her.”
“Why? How bad can she possibly be that I can’t even meet her? If we’re going to be together forever, how will I never meet her?”
“She’s… she’s… just not good enough for you. I don’t want you to be exposed to the kind of person she is.”
“Jace, you make her sound like a monster.”
Jumping off the bench, he puts his hands in his hair and looks out over the city. “Every day I’m away from you, I dream about a life with you. Just you and me. I picture us living in a pretty house with lots of pictures plastered on the walls of us and kids, lots of kids. I picture us so happy. I want that life with you. I don’t want you to look at my mom and see the life I’ve had. I just want you to see me. Just me.”
I get up and walk toward him, putting my arms around him, pressing my front to his back. “I want everything you dream about, but seeing where you came from and whom you came from would never change how I feel about you. Nothing will ever change how I feel about you. You kind of own my heart.”
He turns around and pulls me into him. “I love you, baby. Are you ready for your birthday presents?”
“Yes, please.”
He brings his beautiful hands to my face, kissing me slowly. It’s a simple kiss, but there is so much emotion. Promises of love are all over his lips. Every touch, every lick of his tongue meshing with mine is slow, like he’s savoring every piece of me. Our tongues slowly sweep over each other as his hands rub my back and my hands move straight to his sexy hair. I lightly run my fingers through his soft black strands. He murmurs against my mouth, sending flutters to my belly. In a struggled breath, he breaks the kiss.
“Come here, birthday girl.” He leads me back to the bench. The heaviness is gone. Jace’s face lights up as he grabs the backpack. Opening it, he looks at me with a big grin on his face “This is your first surprise.” As soon as he pulls out a piece of paper, my eyes fill will tears.
“You made me a card.”
“It’s been a while. I promise I will start making them again. Cell phones are great, but I want you to always have something to hold on to.”
“Thank you. I miss my cards. I love your text messages, too, but you make the best cards.” I smile at him before looking down at my card. He used bright colors, and all the hearts are colored pink. It says, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRETTY GIRL” in big, bold letters, along with a sweet saying. I swallow slowly, trying not to be a big baby. He puts his arms around me, seeing my inner struggle.
“Read the inside.”
Opening it slowly, I see his adorable handwriting, which is a mixture of both print and cursive. It makes me giggle. “I love your handwriting.”
“Yeah, I try. I’m just not good at it.”
“Yes, you are. It’s perfect,” I tell him, because to me it is. After reading only the first three words written inside the card, a tear escapes my eyes.
I love you. I love your smile. I love your eyes. I love the way you smell like the rays of sunshine. I don’t know if that makes sense, but to me you are the sun that warms my sky. I love the way you put your hands on your hips when you try to be sassy. It was cute when you
were young, but now, damn, it’s so sweet. I love your voice. I love the way you look at me, the way you hold me, the way you love me. I love you, pretty girl, more than I could ever truly articulate in words. You’re everything to me.
Happy 18th Birthday, baby. I love you, Jace
“I love it.” I hold the card to my chest. “Thank you.”
Reaching into his backpack, he pulls out a bag of trail mix. “This isn’t as sentimental.” He laughs, handing it to me.
“My favorite,” I say, opening the bag.
“Wait, baby,” he orders, stopping me. “That’s not all.”
“It’s not?”
“Nope. A couple more.” Reaching back inside the backpack, he pulls out a stainless steel cookie cutter. I get all giddy.
“How did you know I needed a new heart cookie cutter?”
“I remember everything you tell me. You said the other one broke the last time you made me a sandwich. I love when you make me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”
“Aw, I love it.”
“Okay, one more.” He puts his hand inside the backpack.
“Jace, you already did enough,” I say as he rolls his eyes.
“You’re right. I’ll save this for when you graduate instead.” He takes his hand out of the backpack.
“Um… I don’t think so, buddy.”
He kisses my cheek and puts his hand back inside, taking out a small box that is wrapped in paper with flowers on it. He hands it to me. I notice his eyes focused intently on it as I unwrap it slowly. “Baby, just rip it,” he says impatiently.
“I want to save the wrapping paper.”
“There is barely any paper.”
“I don’t care. This is the first time you’ve wrapped something for me.” He sits back on the bench as I carefully remove the tape. When I’ve unwrapped the gift perfectly, I set the paper down next to me and open the top of the box. I lose my breath. “Oh, Jace, it’s so beautiful.” Before I can even get the gift out of the box, he takes it. I set the box down.
“Open your hand,” he says as I comply. He places the bracelet onto my open palm.
“It’s a charm bracelet,” I say quietly.
Labeled Love Page 21