by Keelan Storm
“You know, Jet would be so jealous of your car,” she commented when they pulled out onto the road. “He and his dad have been fixing his up some, but it’s nothing like this.”
Wesley grinned, “Can’t deny his good taste then. My parents got me this one when I turned sixteen.”
“It’s really nice.” Her hand brushed along the sleek dash and console, knowing Jet would drool if he could see it. “Annie and I saved for our truck. Our mom’s nice enough to pay the insurance for it as long as we pay for our own gas.”
“That’s cool. At least you know it’s yours. This one’s only mine to drive as long as I’m working.”
“How does that work out during the school year then? You can only lifeguard during the summer.”
He shrugged. “My parents are lawyers, and my father thinks it’s important that I follow in their footsteps. I work as an intern in their law office during school months, but I managed to talk them into the lifeguarding thing for summers.”
“Do you not like interning there?”
“No, it’s not that. I plan to become a lawyer.”
Isabel gave him a confused look. “So why lifeguard then?”
“Who wants to be locked up inside all day during summer vacation?” he replied.
She nodded, considering his response.
“So what do you do for a job?” he asked.
“You don’t remember?”
Wesley took his eyes off the road for a few seconds and gave her a questioning look.
“I babysit,” she stressed. “Remember? I talked to you at the restaurant about how much I liked watching the kids during the summer.”
“Oh… you do that every day?”
“Yeah…” Isabel replied, frustrated.
“Sorry,” Wesley said a little defensively at her reaction, “I thought that it was an every now and then thing for you. I didn’t know it was a steady job.” Part of the drive passed in companionable silence when he asked, “So you really enjoy babysitting every day? ‘Cause I think that would drive me crazy.”
She shrugged, disappointed at his reaction. “Not me. I love kids. I think it’s fun.”
He nodded as their silence turned awkward. She hated that feeling. Wesley must have noticed because he adjusted the radio to one of her favorite songs they’d talked about earlier.
Her Fitbit buzzed a few minutes later with another message from Tucker. “Like really sorry.” There was an attachment, so she pulled out her phone, rolling her eyes but grinning despite herself when she saw the crying Spongebob gif he had sent.
“Fine,” she typed back, caving before he sent anything cornier. It was hard staying mad at him. He sent her a random dancing chicken next, and she laughed as Wesley turned onto her street.
He gave her a curious look and pulled up to her house. “I had a really good time tonight.”
Isabel smiled, putting her phone away. “Me too.”
He started to lean in, but she placed a hand to his chest. “Not on a first date,” she clarified, setting her boundary.
He started to frown but caught himself, giving her a sexy grin instead. “No problem. I’ll just have to ask you out again.”
She beamed. “Good answer.”
4
Afternoon Out
That Friday, the four friends all had some time off. Already sunburnt, Isabel begged for a day away from the beach, so the teens spent the afternoon at the mall in Summer Grove. They browsed a couple of stores then hit the arcade.
“You’re going down, man!” Tucker taunted Jet as he tossed a ball into the hoop.
“Lucky shot, dude.”
“You wish.”
Jet tossed two balls in a row that bounced off the rim. “Damn.”
“Where’s your luck, man? Oh, that’s right, Annie’s got that shit locked up tight.” Tucker mocked as he made another shot.
“Dude,” Jet shook his head, irritated.
Tucker tossed a ball backwards, and it went straight through the hoop right before the time ran out. He caught Jet’s gaze, and his boast over the win deflated. “Sorry, that was out of line.”
Jet nodded, “Yeah, good game, though. Let’s see if the girls still wanna catch that movie.”
They walked over to find the twins in a cutthroat game of air hockey, tied six to six, and neither was taking any prisoners. The puck went flying towards Annie’s end of the table, and she smacked it back as hard as she could.
“I don’t think so,” Izzy bit out, managing to block the puck Annie had sent at blazing speed. It bounced off the walls of the table a few times before Izzy got a good shot, sending it flying back. Annie went for the block, but the puck zipped past a split second before she could stop it, giving Izzy the winning point.
“Awesome shot!” Tucker congratulated as she jumped in excitement. They high-fived, their hands lingering together just a second longer than necessary.
Annie slammed her hand down on the edge of the table, breaking the moment. “Crap, Izzy, you suck!”
“Do not!” She snapped, trying to ignore the blush she felt in her cheeks as Tucker looked studiously away.
“Ladies…” Jet stepped in before Annie could respond, “You both played well. Now, are we gonna catch that movie, or what?”
It was Tucker’s luck that day that the only movie the girls would agree to watch was a rom-com. Even more his luck that only ten minutes into the previews Annie and Jet were too busy sucking each other’s faces to be of any useful company.
“Seriously?” Izzy said in disbelief when she came back from the restroom. “The movie hasn’t even started.” She slid into the seat next to him, tugging her jean skirt into place.
“Don’t stare, don’t stare,” Tucker repeated his inner mantra of the day as she crossed her legs. He took a drink, trying to seem casual, and replied, “I don’t know how they haven’t just screwed already.”
“Tucker!” Izzy hissed, slapping his arm.
“What? You really think they’re not going to?”
“No, it’s just…” she paused, “It’s not the answer to everything.” She gave him a pointed look.
He sighed. “I thought we were past this. I apologized.”
Isabel looked down, tracing a fingernail along her cuticles. “I know,” she sighed, not sure why it bothered her so much this time. “Because he actually slept with her.” She stiffened, startled by the revelation.
Noticing her reaction, Tucker nudged her arm. “Are we okay?”
She looked up, her gaze locked with his for several moments as she struggled to make sense of her thoughts. This was Tucker, after all.
“Yeah, we’re okay,” she eventually breathed, turning her attention to the screen as the previews came to a close. “Let’s watch the movie.”
* * *
“You had the combination nachos grande?” the petite waitress with light blonde, highlighted ringlets asked as she approached their booth, the massive tray overflowing with a mountain of nachos balanced carefully on her arm.
The platter was filled with chips covered in refried beans, chicken, ground meat, fajita meat, and three different kinds of cheeses. In the center of the nachos was a large bowl full of queso sauce for dipping. It was a huge amount of food, necessary for the guys’ seemingly bottomless stomachs.
“Yep, that’s it,” Tucker answered her as they all started clearing the table, having gathered at their favorite hole-in-the-wall place for dinner.
“Does everything look okay?” the waitress asked, making sure to lean closer to Tucker as she set down their order.
He glimpsed at her nametag with a grin, admiring the view she’d given him. “Looks great, Kelsey. I think we’re good for now.”
“I’ll be sure to check on you later then,” she said, looking back as she walked away.
Annie shared a look with Izzy after the exchange. They rolled their eyes as their waitress headed to the next table. Tucker barely even tried
that time, and the girl looked ready to throw herself at him. “Pathetic,” Annie thought as she started to fill her plate, the helping already picked over by the guys.
“I will never understand how you two can put so much in your stomachs,” Annie commented at the heaping piles on their plates.
Jet looked up with a mouth full of food and answered, “Wha? We’re ‘ungry.” Tucker hadn’t even bothered to look up. He just kept shoveling the food into his mouth.
She looked at Izzy, who was staring, horrified, at the display. “I should be used to this by now…” Izzy commented. “But… I mean…”
Annie nodded. They were like animals around food sometimes. “So…remind me why I date him, sis,” she teased, pointing at her boyfriend.
Izzy just shook her head. “That is beyond me at this point.”
Jet finally managed to swallow. “’Cause you love me. Besides, you knew how I was before you agreed to go out with me,” he smirked, clearly unaffected by the girls’ comments as his attention returned to the food.
Isabel sat back, letting her meal digest and looked around the restaurant. Most of the tables were full, and there were a few people standing up at the front counter for to-go orders. At the back of that line, she saw a newly familiar face already watching her. He smiled and left the line, heading in their direction.
“Hey, what’s up?” Wesley asked when he reached their table. He leaned casually against the edge of the booth, flashing Izzy a grin.
“He is so cute,” she thought, unable to help her giddy smile. “Not much. We were just finishing up lunch. Do you want to join us? There’s plenty. Sort of,” she corrected, noticing the guys were filling their plates for their third helping. Tucker growled when she started to scoot in.
They all looked over, surprised at his reaction.
“Something caught in my throat,” he said gruffly, reaching for his drink.
“Uh…I think I’ll have to pass for now. I’m just here to pick up the take-out my parents ordered.”
“Oh,” Isabel replied, disappointed.
“But hey,” Wesley ran his fingers through his short, dark hair, giving her his charming smile, “I’m glad I ran into you. I got tickets to a concert tomorrow and wanted to see if you’d like to go.”
Isabel beamed. “I’ll have to check with my mom, but I’d love to!” she said excitedly.
“Great, I’ll text you the details.”
“Great.”
“Catch y’all later,” he waived to the group, heading back to the register.
Jet had paused on his current helping to observe the interaction. “So this thing with Wesley is going well, huh?”
She could feel the pink hit her cheeks as she responded. “Yeah, I think so. We have fun, and he’s really cute.”
Annie looked at her curiously. “Future boyfriend kind of fun? You’re usually so picky.”
Isabel smiled, flushing deeper as she hid behind her glass. “We’ll see,” she replied.
Tucker tried not to glare as he sucked down his soda. He was pissed that Izzy was going out with Wesley again. It didn’t make sense. He wanted Izzy to be happy. Wesley seemed okay. They got along fine at work. “Maybe I’m just being protective,” he thought. Izzy had had a small fling with a guy at dance camp once, but that was it, unless you counted a few bad first dates. “I just don’t want her to get hurt,” he tried to reassure himself.
“Yet half the time, you can’t look away from those legs,” his brain argued.
“I brought some refills,” their waitress said as she returned. She leaned suggestively past Tucker again as she switched his glass. “Need anything else?”
He shook off his last thought, frustrated, and forced his best charming smile. “Just your number, Kelsey. Can I take you out sometime?”
“Sure,” she beamed. From the corner of his eye, he watched Izzy frown.
5
Confessions
“Hey there, sexy, got any plans for the day?”
Jet looked up from his video game and saw Annie leaning against the doorway to his room. He jumped up from his chair to wrap his arms around her, sweeping her up in a kiss.
“I should surprise you more often if that’s the way you’re going to greet me,” Annie said breathlessly.
He wanted to do more than greet her, but instead, he said, “I thought you were on duty this afternoon.”
“Oh, I can leave if you want,” Annie teased, pretending to head out the door. Jet caught her arm and pulled her back to him, closing the door behind her.
He grinned, lifting her over his shoulder. “I don’t think so.” Annie let out a soft squeal and laughed. The smell of her apple shampoo filled his lungs as he carried her across his bedroom and dropped her gently onto his bed. She scooted up so that her head was on the pillow. Excitement filled her eyes. Jet crawled over her, kneeling with his legs on either side of her hips, and lightly pinned her arms above her head with his hands. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Annie pretended to be alarmed. “Are you holding me hostage?”
“Absolutely.” He kissed slowly down her jawline, making her shiver beneath him. Smiling to himself, he slid down next to her on the bed. “I love making her do that,” he thought.
Annie rolled onto her side and laid her head against Jet’s chest. Her free arm wrapped around his waist. “Mmmm…that was nice.”
“My lips are at your service.”
“A very tempting offer.”
“So why aren’t you at work?”
“I asked Tucker to cover for me today,” she replied, tracing her fingertips along his chest. “It feels like we’re always at work lately, or hanging out with our friends. I needed some time for us.”
“I’m not gonna argue, sweetheart. You can surprise me like this any time you want.”
“How about like this?” Annie asked with a devilish grin as she straddled him, leaning over to suck at his neck.
“Definitely,” he groaned, lifting her face to his for a fervent kiss. She reached between them, grasping him, and he groaned, surprised but thrilled as she stroked that part of him that ached for her so badly. “Does this girl have any idea what she does to me?”
Wanting, hoping for more, he flipped her, pinning her beneath him. His lips recaptured her kiss before she could protest as he gently ground his hips against hers. She moaned, and before long, her hips moved against him in encouragement. His hand slid up her shirt, stroking as they sped up, finding their rhythm.
“Jet,” Annie whispered breathlessly, tensing slightly when his fingers slid up the leg of her shorts. He knew that tone and withdrew his hand back to her waist. She wasn’t a fan of under the clothes when his parents were home, but he’d had to try. He knew he was getting close, and it was so much hotter when she came too.
As if she sensed it, she shifted her hips, gasping as he hit the different angle. He felt her start to tremble, and he forced himself to hold out the last few strokes as she finished, his forehead pressing to hers with a groan as he followed.
“Wow,” Annie murmured as they caught their breath. “I needed that.”
“My pleasure,” Jet smirked. He got up, grabbing some shorts from his dresser.
Annie looked away while he changed. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I know I get too into it sometimes.”
“But you don’t,” she wanted to tell him. She felt bad for always putting the brakes on things. They’d gotten so close the night he’d given her the ring, but she just couldn’t let her first time be in a car. “It’s just…I want it to feel right,” she said instead, tracing her toes as she searched for how to explain. “I want to make sure we’re ready.”
Jet pondered that for a minute, pulling her legs into his lap as he sat beside her. “Sweetheart, I get that. I’m fine with that. But why don’t you think we’re ready? It’s not like we’ve rushed or anything. You’re it for me, Annie, one hundred percent.” He tapped her ring
with his calloused mechanic’s thumb.
Annie sighed, wanting to explain more but not. “It’s me, babe. Not you. Just give me a little more time.”
“As long as you need,” he promised, sensing not to push her. “Here,” he turned on the TV to an old episode of Psych for some levity, scooting back against the headboard and coaxing her to lean against his shoulder.
“Do you think Tucker’s been acting weird lately,” she asked during a commercial.
“How so?” he asked, wondering if she’d noticed the same things he had.
She shrugged. “Just weird. He’s flirting constantly. Which is, of course, a Tucker thing anyway, but at least he used to know when and when not to. Did I tell you that I saw like three empty condom wrappers in the back seat of his truck the other day? He just smirked at me when I called him out on it, but I know those weren’t there the week before. I mean, I knew he wasn’t a virgin anymore, but I didn’t think he’d turned one of those guys,” she looked at Jet for confirmation.
“No, you’re right; something’s off.”
“Izzy’s noticed things, too,” she continued. “She catches him staring, then trying not to stare, not to mention how bent up he got when Wesley asked her out the other day. He freaking growled, Jet.”
“I think he likes her.”
“Well, yeah, they’ve been on like four dates.”
“No, I mean Tucker. I think Tucker likes Izzy.”
“Oh my God,” she smacked her forehead, “That makes so much sense.” How had she missed that? “Do you think he knows?”
Jet shook his head. “He would’ve said something. That’s big…falling for one of your best friends. He’s not going to know what to think about it. What sucks is his timing.”
“Crap, and Wesley already asked her out again for tomorrow.”
“What do you think of Wesley?” Jet asked, shifting the conversation.
Annie hesitated. “I’m torn. Izzy swears he’s good to her, and she really likes him, but…”
