by Ali Dean
Chapter Forty-Three
Jace
Bunny was one clever little woman. She knew Pepper would stress about Bunny’s marriage and wedding and Bunny prevented that by throwing herself a surprise wedding party. The guests were the ones surprised.
The party was awesome. Everyone was home from school for winter break, so we had the whole Brockton crew out there on the dance floor. Wes and Zoe were all over each other; they hadn’t seen each other in months. It was awesome watching my brother let go with her. He’d always played it cool, but something had changed because he didn’t hide his fascination with Zoe by talking with everyone, being the life of the party he usually was. No, he openly watched her, sought her attention only, and gave his freely to her at the expense of others. Had I become like that, too? Or was I always that way?
The lovely Dottie and Marge were in attendance, and while they pointed out their dismay that I never called them, they noted how “smitten” I seemed with Bunny’s granddaughter. “That one’s a real catch, that Pepper,” Dottie told me with a single eyebrow raise. “Hope you can keep up with her,” Marge added. I was working on it, I told them.
Pepper had kicked off her shoes and was working the dance floor with Bunny, Lulu and Zoe. The band was playing an Ace of Base song that Pepper had requested, and the women were doing this coordinated dance that had everyone gathered around laughing and clapping. It brought me back to my senior year of high school, when I’d stopped by Pepper’s apartment, as I often did. This same song had been blaring, and Pepper, Zoe and Bunny had cleared out the living room area to dance. They hadn’t heard me come in, and I’d found the entire scene hilarious. As I’d watched Pepper roll her hips, wearing only a sports bra and running shorts, my amusement had shifted to something else, and my pulse had quickened. I’d wanted her for so long back then, and now, as the guests cheered and the music switched to Elvis, I finally had her. Forever.
As more people joined the dance floor, I moved through the dancing bodies, with one girl on my mind. When I got to her, I pulled her body to mine, filled with wonder and satisfaction at the feel of her softening in my arms. We’d grown up together, from kids to adults, from lost and confused to strong and determined. She was my redemption, and I’d spend my life being the Jace Wilder that deserved Pepper Jones. Because I knew now that I could be that guy, and that it was easier than I thought it would be, especially with her looking at me like she was, like I was all she’d ever wanted. Like maybe, I made her better, stronger, too.
Chapter Forty-Four
Pepper
Six Months Later
“Dude, in nine hours you’ll be Pepper Wilder,” says Lexi.
Zoe sounds it out. “Pepper. Jones. Wilder. Yeah, it’s totally got the professional runner vibe to it,” she declares.
We’re running on my favorite trail in Brockton, winding up the single track behind Shadow Lane, with Dave weaving between our legs. He knows it’s a big day.
“You think you’ll go with Adidas or Nike?” Lexi asks.
“I don’t know. A rep from Brooks contacted me a couple of days ago, so I’ve got to do some research I guess.” I’ve still got another year of college running ahead of me, but after a podium finish at Nationals and then adding an indoor 5K and an outdoor 10K title during track seasons, I’m going to have some options when I graduate. Choosing a sports agent, professional coach, contract, and training group is even more complicated than choosing a college.
“Doesn’t Brooks have an elite program in Cleveland?” Zoe asks. Jace had been drafted by the Cleveland Browns, and after our honeymoon he was moving to Ohio.
“I’m not sure, but even if they do, Jace might switch teams after a year.”
I know it isn’t going to be easy being apart, but I also know we’ll figure it out. I can train just about anywhere when I graduate, and with all the traveling Jace will be doing in the NFL, his home base isn’t so important. In many ways, the timing with Gran marrying Wallace was ideal. The two of them are planning on driving all over the country in an RV after I graduate, and maybe it will be good for me to get out of Brockton for a bit. We’ll be back, I’m sure of that.
“Long distance has its perks,” Zoe assures me.
“Such as?” Lexi asks. She’s staying in Brockton with Brax, unsure what she wants to do with her life. It doesn’t seem to bother her that her future is uncertain, and I’m trying to let her attitude rub off on me a little. As long as it includes running and Jace, I don’t need to figure out all the details just yet.
“Well, let’s just say, abstinence makes the lust grow fonder, or something like that,” Zoe says with a giggle. Oh man, Wes really is like a brother to me in some ways already, and would soon be my brother-in-law. I don’t want to think about him and lust.
On our way back to Shadow Lane, we pass Gran and Jim walking briskly. When Jace and I told Gran that Jim would start jogging if she did, she got permission from her doctor to do “fast walking” and she declared that, given her bad hip, it counted as jogging. Jim agreed to walk with her most mornings, and I actually caught him running on the bike path alone one afternoon a few weeks ago, but he told me not to tell Jace yet, because he wanted to get in better shape first.
Jim will be walking me down the aisle today, and Gran, well, she’s my matron of honor. When I couldn’t decide between Lexi and Zoe, Gran stepped up to the plate. She even organized my bachelorette party, which really wasn’t all that surprising to anyone. I was a little worried we’d get some weird exotic strippers dressed as tigers or something, but Lexi and Zoe, my ever-dutiful bridesmaids, kept her in check, apparently.
“We’ll be by to pick you up in an hour for hair and makeup, chica!” Lexi calls as the two of them continue jogging to Zoe’s house and Dave and I head up to our apartment.
I’m expecting a moment alone, perhaps my only one of the day, but my fiancé is sitting on the kitchen counter.
“Jace! You are not supposed to see me today! What do you think you’re doing here?” My outrage is an act. I’m thrilled to see him. I’d rather have a moment alone with him than by myself anyway.
He doesn’t answer, just hops down and lifts me up, so I wrap my legs around his waist like a monkey. I’m sweaty and gross, but he doesn’t seem to mind. “Give me a break. I wanted to see my beautiful bride.”
“You better not have gone in my room,” I warn. My dress is lying out, wrapped in plastic.
“Nope, just scrounged around the kitchen, ate some muffins.”
He brushes his lips against mine before setting me down. “You all packed for the beach?” I ask.
“No, we don’t leave until tomorrow.”
“Yeah, but the flight is first thing in the morning.”
“I just need flip-flops and a bathing suit, right?”
“Maybe a tee-shirt or two,” I add. He can spend the week in a bathing suit, I don’t really care. We’re going to Costa Rica and it will be my first time out of the country. Jace asked me where I wanted to go on our honeymoon and when I said the beach, he planned the entire thing. I don’t even know where we’re staying. I guess having an NFL salary has its perks. He hasn’t even had a practice yet and he’s already gotten a paycheck.
“Jace, do you wish your mom was coming today?” It’s not a question I would normally bring up with him, but we’ve made a point of talking about the hard things. I want to know how he’s feeling about not inviting her.
“No,” Jace tells me easily, leaning against the fridge. “Everyone in my real family, the family I chose, will be there, and that’s what matters.”
“We have a big family, don’t we?” By blood, it’s tiny: one person for me, and two for Jace (well, three including Annie… but we don’t). But with all of our friends from high school, college, cross country, track, football… there’s no shortage of love.
“And we’re just going to keep growing,” Jace says, stepping closer to me again.
At first, I think he means with his new teammates, and my fu
ture professional running friends, but then it hits me. I’ll admit, I’d imagined kids with Jace but only in a very faraway imaginary world. Now, it’s a concept that we can make a reality someday. I grin.
“I can’t even picture you holding a little baby,” I blurt out with a giggle, because as I say it, the image of him cradling a tiny bundle pops into my head, and I kind of love it.
“I can totally picture you pregnant,” he admits, almost teasing but a little too serious for my liking. He’s rubbing my belly playfully when Gran and Jim walk in, both of their eyes zeroing in on Jace’s hand on my stomach.
It’s silent for a beat, and I contemplate messing with them, but their nerves are already on edge, so I can’t bring myself to do it. “Don’t worry guys, you won’t have any baby Wilders for at least another ten years,” I reassure them.
“Ten years!” Jace argues. “I was hoping to knock you up on the honeymoon!”
Jim looks a little pale at that comment, but Gran slaps Jace on the back in encouragement.
“Did you know that twins run in the family?” she asks. I think she’s lying, because I haven’t heard anything about twins before.
“Okay guys, time to get out so I can get beautiful.” I shove Jace away. My bridesmaids will be here soon and I need to shower.
“You can marry me just like that if you want,” Jace tells me, lingering by the door.
“I suppose I should warn you, I have a pretty sweet pair of dancing shoes that don’t really match my dress, but I’m wearing them anyway.”
“Polka-dotted track shoes! Special-ordered on the internet jungle. You can find anything on that internet store these days.”
“She means Amazon,” I clarify.
“Are you walking down the aisle in your track uniform, too?” Jace asks.
“Yep. A lacy white one.”
“Is she being serious?” Jim sounds a little worried.
I laugh. “No way. That one’s just for the after party,” I joke. I may be wearing polka-dotted track shoes to my wedding, but I’ve got a normal wedding dress to go with it.
Jace and Jim are halfway down the hallway when Jace comes back through the front door and smashes his lips against mine. “Best day of my life, and it’s only eight AM.”
“And you’re not even a morning person,” I add.
“Love you like crazy,” he whispers, holding my face in his hands.
“Always have, always will,” I respond, before shoving his chest and turning to get ready for my wedding. Whatever comes our way, we’ll face it together. I’m ready to take on all the ups and down, the highs and lows, of being Pepper Jones Wilder.
About the Author
The Pepper Jones Series isn’t over! Pepped Up & Wilder releases in December 2018!
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Books By Ali Dean
Pepper Jones Series
Pepped Up (Pepper Jones #1)
All Pepped Up (Pepper Jones #2)
Pepped Up & Ready (Pepper Jones #3)
Pep Talks (Pepper Jones #4)
Pepped Up Forever (Pepper Jones #5)
Pepped Up & Wilder (Pepper Jones #6)
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Stark Springs Academy Series
Black Diamond
Double Black
Black Ice
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Spark Sisters Series
The Line Below
Kick
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Standalones
Elusive
Doubles Love
Sneak Peek
Black Diamond: Chapter One
“I so do not belong here.” Taking a deep breath, I admit to my friends listening eagerly on the other line, “I’m pretty sure this scholarship was a huge mistake. Someone in the admissions office at Stark was smoking crack, you guys.”
It’s not just the humongous mountains, bigger than any I’ve seen in New England, or the fancy buildings and cars I noticed as the airport shuttle drove through Stark Springs, Colorado. It’s a gut feeling that I don’t belong here. I’ve had it once before, at my first Nor-Ams race in Maine six months ago. Nor-Ams races are the level just before the World Cup races, and I’d barely qualified for the one in Maine.
“Girl, relax,” my best friend Chelsea Radner tells me, her voice sounding a little distant on speaker. “The shuttle dropped you off, what? Twenty minutes ago? Give it at least another twenty minutes before you make any rash decisions.”
“Come on, Chels, we all know Roxie deserves this scholarship. She’s going to rock those stuck-up Stark bitches and they won’t know what hit them.” Tyler Luck, Chelsea’s boyfriend, is convinced I’m the next Lindsey Vonn or Mikaela Shiffrin even though I’ve only had one noteworthy top-ten finish, and that was most likely a fluke.
“The girls there already giving you a hard time, Roxie?” Brad’s concern makes me straighten my spine. He was the only one who seemed less than thrilled about this opportunity. Brad Samuel has been my friend since the first day of kindergarten, and I can’t blame him for worrying about me here, without anyone to have my back. Still, I don’t want to fuel the fire.
“No, I’ve only met a few girls in my dorm. They’re a little snobby but nothing I can’t handle. It just seems like these kids were destined at birth for a life in competitive winter sports, if their names are any indication. Listen to this -- the three girls I’ve met so far are named Aspen, Winter, and Telluride.”
Chelsea’s laughter fills the phone.
“Telluride?” Tyler asks dubiously.
“She goes by Telly.”
“Aspen and Winter aren’t that crazy,” Chelsea offers when she’s recovered. “They’re sort of cool, actually. What are their sports?”
“Aspen’s a snowboarder, Winter’s a figure skater, and I didn’t catch Telly’s sport.”
“Your roommate has a normal name,” Brad points out. “Monica Danvers, right?”
“Yeah, she’s not here yet.” We’d Googled Monica as soon as I found out she’d be my roommate. All I know is that she’s a figure skater from Michigan.
“You’re there to train,” Chelsea reminds me. “This is just a chance to train with the best for one, maybe two years, and get free travel to competitions at the next level. If you decide after one year that it’s not for you, just come back to Ashfield for senior year.”
The door to my dorm room opens and a tiny black-haired girl walks in carrying a giant duffel bag. A woman who must be her mother, if the sleek black ponytail and petite frame mean anything, rolls a suitcase behind her.
“Hey guys, looks like my roommate’s here. I’ll call you later.”
After hanging up, I introduce myself. “Hi, I’m Roxie Slade.”
“Monica Danvers, and this is my mom, Donna.” Even Monica’s voice sounds delicate. She’s got an authentic, friendly smile though, and that tells me a lot. The girls who greeted me at the dorm gave me those fake smiles that say, “I’m pretending to be nice in case you end up mattering to my social standing, but mostly I’m just judging you and deciding whether to hate you outwardly or behind your back.”
“When did you get in, Roxie?” Donna asks me.
“Oh, just a few minutes ago.”
Donna glances around the room. “Is this all you have? Do you need any help moving stuff in?”
I glance at the two large bags by my twin bed. “That’s it. I dropped my ski bag off downstairs. That’s where this girl named Telly to
ld me to put it.”
“Telluride Valentini?” Monica’s voice sounds funny when she says it. “You talked to her?”
“Yeah – she said she was the dorm rep? She was out front when I got here. I think she’s in charge of making sure the new kids find their rooms.”
“Yeah,” Monica says with a nod. “That’s right. She’s the student representative for the dorm so she’s in charge of move-in day, things like that. She’s always scared me a little.” With that admission, I decide I like Monica. You actually have to be kind of brave to admit fear, especially when it’s fear of a peer. Telluride looked like she could bench press Monica with one arm.
“What’s her sport?” I ask. If she was an alpine ski racer, I’d know. I might not compete with the best, but I know who they are, and which ones go to Stark Springs Academy.
“Hockey,” Donna answers for me. “She’s one of the girls who grew up in Stark.”
“So, why Telluride then? Isn’t that, like, a rival ski town?”
“Her parents met in Telluride. It’s sort of romantic, I guess,” Monica says, but she’s rolling her eyes.
I grin at her. “Anyone here named Stark?”
Donna and Monica share a surprised glance. “Uh, no,” Monica says with a dismissive shake of her head.
I wonder if their surprise is at the idea that a parent would give their child such an unfortunate name, or if there’s something else. I mean, Stark doesn’t seem that crazy given the girls I’ve met so far.
