JAY IS IN the passenger seat, searching for a station on the radio when she finds “Closer” by The Chainsmokers. “Oh, I love this song.” She sings along, bopping her head. She’s even got that whole snap combination down like a boss. And just when she’s really getting into it, the song gets cut off by an incoming call from Cole. Rolling her eyes, she tsks, mumbling a curse under her breath and I laugh to myself as she leans forward and stabs the phone button on the dash.
“What!”
“JJ, come see me,” Willow’s sweet voice echoes through the car.
Jay looks over at me and smiles as she responds to Willow. “Boo, you want me to come see you?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Where are you?”
“At my’s house.” She giggles, prompting Jay and me to laugh.
“Where’s Cole?”
“He right here.”
“Yo!” Cole’s voice booms through the speakers.
“What’s going on?” Jay asks.
“Willow wants you to come see her.”
“Because,” Jay urges.
“Fine.” He sighs. “Mom and Dad are out. Dylan is working. I have a date and I’m not leaving her here alone with Aiden.”
“He’s thirteen. He’s old enough to watch her.”
“Back up,” I cut in. “You have a date?”
Cole ignores my question and continues his plea. “He doesn’t watch her. He’s too busy playing his Xbox.”
“Since when does Cole Mackenzie go on dates?” I tease. “With who?” I already know who, but I want to hear him admit it. Harper has been living with Jay for the last few weeks because her dad took a job overseas and Harper didn’t want to leave school in her senior year.
“Harper, and not a word, asshole.” And Willow’s cute little voice echoes “asshole” in the background. “Why do you always choose to repeat the bad words, Willow? Stop it.” Cole admonishes.
“You stop, Co,” Willow sasses back.
“All right,” Jays says with a laugh. “We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Thanks, Jay.”
Cole hangs up and I glance over at Jay with my bottom lip pushed out.
“Don’t worry, Z,” she says. “We can watch a movie later.”
She knows me so well.
“OKAY, WILLOW IS down,” Jay announces as sashays into the living room and drops down on the sofa beside me. “What are you guys playing?” she asks, stretching her legs across my lap.
“Call of Duty,” Aiden replies. He’s stretched out on the opposite end of the sofa still wearing his baseball uniform from practice.
“So, baseball is your sport, huh?” I ask Aiden.
“Huh?” He gives me a sideways glance not wanting to take his eyes off the game.
“Baseball. You wanna be a professional ball player like your Uncle Liam?” Liam Mackenzie is a badass on the field and one of the best shortstops in the MLB.
“Yeah.” He smiles and turns his attention back to the TV. “And I want a supermodel girlfriend like Evangeline,” he adds.
Jay snorts. “Aiden, play ball because you love it. Because you’re passionate about it. Not because you want a supermodel girlfriend.”
“Do you love singing?” he asks her.
“Yeah. Why?”
Aiden shrugs. “You just don’t seem all that into it.”
“I like singing, for fun. But I love writing music and mentoring others.”
“So, your passion is teaching and helping others become successful,” I add.
Jay smiles. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
And that right there is just another reason why I love this girl so much.
“HAVE YOU GIVEN any more thought about college?” Jay asks, running her fingers through my hair. I love when she does this.
My eyes roll to the back of my head. “No, but my dad got a call from Coach Morgan, who got a call from the coach at Gulf Coast University. They want me to play for their team. Their football team is still fairly new and he guaranteed I’d get plenty of playing time.”
Her hand stills in my hair. “Are you considering it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“What do your parents think?”
I shrug. “The decision is mine and they’ll support me no matter what.” I peek open one eye. “What do you think?”
“I agree with your parents. Trust your gut, Z, and do what feels right.”
“What about you? Have you thought more about what you want to do after the tour?”
“I love my Project Mayhem class. I like performing and continue to write music, but I don’t want to be a rock star. I was thinking about what you said before, about teaching others, and I’m going to talk to Principal Avery about becoming a volunteer in future Project Mayhem classes.”
“You’re amazing.” I reach up, cupping the back of her head, and bring her lips to mine. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, but I’ll love you even more if you get me some water.”
I smile against her lips. “How can I say no to that?”
Pressing one more kiss to her lips, I roll out of bed, pull on my boxer briefs and head to the kitchen. Cam’s house is quiet and dark, but the moonlight shining through the wall of windows gives off plenty of light for me to see my way to the kitchen.
“Oompf.”
“What the—”
“Shhh!” Cam shushes me while cupping a hand over Emerson’s mouth. “What are you doing?” he whisper-yells.
“Getting a water,” I whisper-yell back and take in Emerson’s appearance. Messy hair and legs bare. And wearing one of Cam’s T-shirts. “What are you doing?”
“Ow!” Cam yanks his hand away from Emerson’s mouth and shakes it. “Why’d you bite me?”
“Is Jayla here?” Now she’s whisper-yelling.
“Yeah.”
Her eyes nearly pop out of her head when she sees that I’m in my underwear. “Are you…? Did you…?” She slaps a palm against her forehead and groans. Cam attempts to cover Emerson’s mouth again, but she slaps his hand away.
“Zach!” Jay calls out from the bedroom. “Did you get lost? Where’s my water?”
Emerson pinches her lips together and points at me. “Not a word. And if you hurt my daughter or get her pregnant, I will see to it personally that Bass breaks your pretty little face and your throwing arm. Got it?”
“I didn’t see anything.” I hold my hands up in surrender. “This is so fucking weird,” I grit out, sidestepping Emerson to get to the fridge.
“Zach! Seriously, I’m dying of thirst in here. What are you doing?”
“I’m coming!”