I WAKE UP SATURDAY MORNING before Jay. He’s thrown his arm over me, and his chin rests on top of my head. He doesn’t often get to sleep in. And knowing now that he is woken up in the middle of the night every single night, even when he leaves my place at midnight and is up by at least six, makes me want to let him sleep as late as he can.
Gently, I slide beneath his arm, and when he stirs, I still. Once he’s breathing heavily again, I continue my ninja moves until I’m out of bed and in the bathroom across the hall. I take care of my morning routine including a quick shower and then head downstairs to make breakfast.
I’m surprised to see Mellie sitting at the island. “Morning,” I tell her.
“Hi.” She glances at me and tucks some hair behind her ear.
Remembering Jay said she’s embarrassed about her nightmares, I quickly start talking. “I was going to make something to eat. I know Jay likes French toast and bacon. What’s your favorite?”
“I’m not picky.”
“You like bacon, though, right?”
“Am I human?”
It takes me a moment to realize she’s being funny and laugh. “True.” I dig through the fridge and find a package then start the oven. “Hey, where’s the tinfoil?”
“Second drawer from the end.” She points at the far corner of the countertop.
I spread a large piece over a cookie sheet and place the bacon on it then pop it in the oven. Once I get the supplies all rounded up for making the toast, I prep the egg mixture and wait a few minutes for the bacon to cook a little.
“What are you doing?” I ask, leaning against the island.
“Editing.”
I know that’s what she does for work, but I was hoping to get a little more out of her. “Do you have plans tomorrow?”
She looks up from her screen at me. “I need to finish this. If I don’t today, I have to tomorrow. I usually take Sundays off to lay around, but I might not be able to tomorrow. Why?”
“Because it’s my twin sisters’ eighteenth birthday and graduation party. I was hoping you’d be able to come. You’re only a year older than they are, right?”
“About that, yeah.”
“You should come. You can meet the rest of my family. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Her mouth opens to answer, but then she looks over as Jay walks in.
My own mouth opens, but not for the same reason as hers. He’s shirtless and wearing just a pair of pajama bottoms that hang super low on his hips. Almost too low. Indecently low. “Hey, Mel.” He rubs the top of her head, mussing up her hair until she pushes him away.
“Morning, sweetie.” He advances on me, and I rest my hands on his chest while he leans down and kisses me.
“Morning,” I answer back.
His eyes search mine and soften as he brings his hands up to my face, thumbs resting on my cheeks and fingertips curled in my hair. “Best sleep I ever got last night, baby.”
My heart does a weird beat in my chest. “Me too.”
He kisses my forehead, his lips lingering for a moment before he steps back. Neither of us drinks coffee, so he reaches into the fridge to get some juice. I continue to make breakfast as he empties the dishwasher. Mellie chats with us about nothing, but somehow, I feel like it’s everything to Jay by the way he can’t stop smiling.
After we eat breakfast, Jay goes for a run while I watch TV, and Mellie edits. Once he’s back, he takes a shower, and then he and I have to leave since I need to be at work early.
I have a long day ahead of me. The banquet has two bookings today—a baby shower at one followed by a wedding reception at six. Jay brings me to the bar and walks me into my office. After he thoroughly kisses me and whispers promises of what he’s going to do to me tonight, he takes off to do some errands.
I watch him walk away, not embarrassed that I’m staring at his sexy butt. “Stop staring at my ass,” he hollers.
“Stop being sexy and I will,” I shout back and blow him a kiss when he turns around. He catches it, and just when I think he’s going to be sweet and put it in his pocket, he raises a hip and smacks his butt. My laughter echoes in the empty banquet room.
“Love you, Livvie,” he shouts before turning back around and disappearing out of sight but definitely never out of mind.
“Holy shit, babe. There are a million cars here,” Jay states as he parks down the block from my parents’ house.
“I know.” I sigh. “Everyone came to town for this. I’m still bummed Mellie didn’t want to come. I’d have loved for her to meet everyone.”
“Me too. She’ll come around eventually.”
“Yeah, I know she will. I just want her to know she’s always invited.”
His eyes soften. “I appreciate that, sweetie.”
“Well, are you ready to be fawned over?”
He shuts the engine off and removes his seat belt. “What are you talking about?”
“Mom and Dad always brag about you like you’re their own son. You know that.”
He looks over my head, and a muscle in his jaw jumps.
“Shit. I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“It’s fine.” He clears his throat before connecting with me again. “It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while, something someone says or something I see, punches me in the gut, ya know? Reminds me they’re not here and never will be.”
No, I don’t know. I can’t imagine how he feels. How he’s felt for years not having his parents around. And here I am, being an idiot.
“A while ago, few years at least, my old partner, Smith Porter, and I arrived on a scene. It was a, um, a drunk driver. Husband and wife died on impact. Except this time, the drunk driver was still alive, and I lost my shit.” Jay’s voice fades toward the end of his sentence, and it makes my heart hurt to hear him so sad.
He always says he wishes the guy who killed his parents was still alive so he could get retribution for them. But he died on impact, too. I honestly think it’s better that he was dead; otherwise, Jay would live with nothing but hatred for a man still alive while his parents weren’t. He’d dedicate his life to seeking vengeance.
“Smith had to hold me back, and I ended up in a really dark place after that. It was like seeing that accident… it just hit me for the first time, or I allowed it to hit me. I don’t think I had a chance to process their death since I had so much thrown on my plate when it initially happened.” He releases a breath. “Wish they could have met you. They’d have loved you.”
“I do, too. And I know I’d have loved them. And I’m sure I’d like your friend, too.”
“You would. I’ve gotta take you on a drive up to Pleasant Valley to meet him. He used to be one of my best friends but we’ve lost touch over the years.” He gives his head a shake. “Come on. I need a fuckin’ beer.”
I undo my buckle and grab my purse just in time for him to come around and open my door. My fingers find his as we walk to the house, and I lean against him to try to get a little closer. My strong, selfless man doesn’t show this side of himself often, and I hate that my insensitive words brought those feelings to the surface.
“Livvie. Stop.” He wraps his arm around my shoulder and kisses the top of my head.
God, he just knows what I’m thinking. Can sense the guilt rolling off me or something. “Okay,” I agree. If he was really upset at what I said, he’d tell me. Jay’s not the kind of guy who’s going to sugarcoat anything or lie to make someone feel better. Even me.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out to see my youngest sister, Opal, calling. I put it on silent because we’re walking into the party, and she’s probably just calling to see where we are.
We’re not even all the way around the side of the house yet before someone screams my name. I glance around and find my crazy aunt Lois running toward me. She’s always been colorful, and today is no exception. Neon pink earrings and bracelets with lime green shorts. Her shirt is white, but layers of pink and green beads cover almost all of it.
“Hi, Aunt Lois.” I put a foot back when she crashes into me so I don’t fall, and Jay laughs next to me as he steadies me with a hand on my waist. “Remember Jay?”
She steps back and unabashedly checks him out. “How could I forget this fine specimen?”
“Nice to see you again, Lois.” He grabs my hip and pulls me in front of him as a shield.
“We’re going to go find the birthday girls. Onnika and Oakley will be mad if I don’t find them right away to say hello, but I’ll catch up later, okay?” I walk away, and Jay follows closely behind. “Sorry, honey.” I wait for him to catch up and tuck a hand in his back jeans pocket.
“It’s fine, Livvie.” He laughs.
“Hey, guys.” My dad’s baritone voice puts an instant smile on my face. I hug him, and after we chat for a minute, I excuse myself to put the girls’ cards on the gift table while Jay continues to chat with him. While I’m reaching for them in my purse, my phone rings again.
“Hey, girl,” I answer when I see my sister’s name, confused as to why she’s calling me so much. I guess she didn’t see that we just arrived.
“Liv,” she whispers.
“What’s wrong, Opal?” I glance around the yard, not expecting to see her really, but even more concerned with her scared tone. She’s the baby of the family and has always been a bit fearful in general, but right now, she sounds very worried.
“Can you come to my room, please?”
“Is everything okay?”
“No. Don’t tell anyone. Please, just come up here.”
My feet move before my brain can catch up. “I’m on my way.” As I walk through the backyard, I try to avoid talking to anyone. I glance over at Jay who is still contently talking to my father, but nobody else stops me. That is until I hit the kitchen where I’m cornered by my mom and two more of my aunts.
We talk for a few minutes, and I excuse myself to use the bathroom so I can go upstairs to find Opal. Knocking gently on her door, I let her know it’s me. As soon as she unlocks it and I push it open, I know something is very, very wrong. Her eyes are puffy, and mascara runs down her cheeks. Her beautiful, long dirty blond hair, that she normally spends hours on either curling or putting in an intricate braid, is in a messy top knot.
“Liv.” She falls against me, and I barely have enough time to grab her as she sobs.
I kick the door shut then reach behind me to lock it. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m so… so stupid,” she wails. Pushing away from me, she walks to her bed and flops down, pulling a pillow over her face.
When I sit next to her, I remove the pillow and offer a smile. “Talk to me, Opal.”
“I’m pregnant.”
My eyes feel like they’re going to bug out of my head, and I cover my mouth to muffle my startled gasp.
“I know.”
“Opal.”
“I know!” she cries. “What am I going to do? Mom and Dad are going to hate me.”
I move some sticky hair off her face, her rosy cheeks still holding a hint of baby fat. “They will never hate you.”
“They’re going to be so mad.”
Shrugging, I continue, “How did it happen? I mean, if you’re having sex, which, by the way, you’re only sixteen and way too young, please tell me you were at least smart enough to use protection.”
“We did!”
My head falls back on my shoulders, and I release a pent-up breath before speaking again. “What did he say? I’m assuming it’s Josh, right?” The boy she’s been seeing for a few months… maybe four.
She’s upset and scared right now, but at the mention of her baby daddy, her face lights up. “He’s so sweet and nice and… he’s so hot, Liv.”
I try not to roll my eyes at her. “Have you told him?”
She bites her lower lip and shakes her head. “No. I just took the test this morning. Four, actually. I took four tests.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know.” She sits up and wipes her face. “I know I won’t kill… it. Her? Him? God, a little baby. And the thought of giving up my child for adoption makes me want to puke, so the only alternative is to raise it. I just don’t know if I’ll be doing it alone or what.”
“You’ll never be alone. Not only do you have me, but you have Oakley and Onnika, too. Mom and Dad might be upset at first, but you know you have them too, no matter what.”
She leans into me, and I wrap my arm around her. “Thanks, Liv.”
“Is Josh coming to the party today?”
“He said he would after he got off work.”
“Boy’s going to have to put in a lot of overtime to help you raise this kid.”
Her body shakes with laughter. “He’s a senior, well, going to be after this summer. His dad owns a garage, and Josh is working on getting his mechanic’s license. He’s always paid for everything when we’ve gone out together, but I don’t think he makes enough to support us. It’s going to be hard.”
No matter what, I’ll support my sister, and I don’t want to upset her further, but I have to state the obvious. “Opal, you guys haven’t been together very long.”
“I know it’s only a few months. He’s the best, Liv. I swear.”
“Hmm.” I sure hope he is because if he treats my sister like shit, he’ll not only have my wrath, but the wrath of all the Winters sisters. He does not want that because we can get feisty. “Let’s get you cleaned up and out to the party.”
“I haven’t told anybody else yet. Please don’t say anything. Let me talk to him first, and once we decide what we’re going to do, we’ll tell everyone at our own pace.”
I reach over and grab a brush from her nightstand and motion for her to take out her bun. “I won’t tell, but you have to promise me you will.” I smooth out the frizz as much as I can with my fingers then brush through her long hair.
“I promise.”
“It’s nice and bright out right now so make sure to wear sunglasses. As soon as anyone sees you, they’ll know you’ve been crying, and then you’ll have to answer a bunch of questions.”
“Oh, I didn’t even think of that. Thanks, Liv. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’ll never have to know. I’m always here for you.”
“Promise?” She looks over at me, and I hate the fear written on her face. Opal has always had a fear of being left alone. Irrational, almost.
When she was twelve, she started sneaking into the twins’ room and sleeping on their floor. It embarrassed her, but she could not fall asleep unless she was with someone. Since I wasn’t there and my parents’ bedroom was off-limits, that left the girls.
She grew out of it after about seven months, but her insecurities come out sometimes, and she needs to be reassured she won’t be left alone.
“Of course, I promise. I’ll always be here for you, Opal. Always.”
I leave her room while she finishes getting ready and head downstairs. As soon as I get to the kitchen, I see Jay gabbing it up with my mom and aunts. He lifts his head and smiles at me. Those damn butterflies take flight as I walk to him. He raises his arm for me to lean into him as he pulls me closer and links his thumb through my belt loop, all while maintaining conversation with the chatty women in my family.
At times like these, when he just fits, I know I’m going to be with him forever. I just need him to ask me first.