Home is Where the Heart Is (Home #1)

by Cheynee Filkov

  “This is the last I’ll hear of it?” Isabelle asked, trying to keep her face expressionless.

  “I promise on Jace’s life,” Maia replied with a grin.

  “Why not yours?” Isabelle asked.

  Maia smirked brightly. “Well, despite popular belief, I am only human and sometimes humans make mistakes. In the event that should happen, I figured you’d be more inclined to be lenient if it was Jace’s life on the line.”

  Everyone around them chuckled except Isabelle who blushed deeply, Jace who glared at his sister, and Tate who glared at Jace.

  This was going to be a long five days.

  Without a word, Isabelle tugged Jace along towards the bar, her face still crimson.

  “Your sister is out of control,” she hissed.

  “No, she’s just in a good mood. Believe me when I say you do not want to see her when she’s out of control,” he replied.

  Isabelle flinched. “It’s a miracle you survived this long.”

  Jace blanched. Yeah, no kidding.

  “Can I help you?” a young bartender asked, speaking only to Isabelle. It looked like Maia will be in luck, Jace thought.

  “I’ll have a jug of coke, thanks mate,” Jace said loudly, trying to divert the attention.

  “Eight fifty,” the bartender replied not even glancing his way. “And you, pretty girl, what will it be for you?”

  Isabelle blushed again, her whole body trembling slightly from nerves.

  “Oh um… a jug of…of…Female Viagra please,” she answered in a whisper.

  The dude leant in closer, like they were sharing a secret. “You don’t look like you’d need it, but your wish is my command.”

  Isabelle smiled at him shyly. “Thank you so much.”

  As the barman turned away to make the drinks, Isabelle faced Jace, her eyes alight and alive.

  Oh my god, I did it! she mouthed.

  He grinned back.

  Never doubted it.

  The jug of coke slammed down next to Jace. “Eight fifty.”

  The guy repeated again, his eyes cold.

  Jace handed him a ten dollar note, forcing himself to turn away from Isabelle.

  “Keep the change,” he told the guy tightly.

  He received a brisk nod and then clearly he’d maxed out his time. As soon as he handed over the cash, the pretty boy bartender then turned back to Isabelle.

  “I’ll bring your jugs over in a minute, beautiful,” he told her with the most charming smile.

  “I only asked for one,” she said looked confused. “And don’t you want me to pay first?”

  Bartender douche winked at her. “Pretty girls should never have to pay for anything.”

  Isabelle gave him a huge smile. “Thank you so much.”

  A coaster was pressed into her hand with a name and number clearly written on it.

  “Don’t be a stranger,” bartender boy, whose name was apparently Jared, told her.

  Isabelle tucked the coaster into her bra and gave him a shy smile.

  “Thank you.”

  Jace took Isabelle by her elbow, leading her back towards the table.

  “Well, he was friendly,” Isabelle told Jace with a huge grin.

  “Oh, you think so?” he asked. “Because I got charged eight fifty for a seven dollar jug.”

  Isabelle’s eyebrows drew in. “What? Should I go say something? That doesn’t seem fair.”

  Jace’s eyes widened as she actually turned away, her face indignant.

  “Isabelle, stop!” he hushed, pulling her back. “It’s not a big deal, ok? Let’s go sit down.”

  “I’ll get you a drink tonight to make up for it,” she replied as she walked passed him, not giving him a chance to reply.

  “A coke jug?” Maia whined as she Jace and Isabelle took their seats. “Isabelle, did the bartender not even notice how hot you are or was he gay?”

  “The jugs are coming Maia,” Jace told his sister calmly. “Isabelle’s new boyfriend is going to bring them over personally.”

  “He’s not my new boyfriend,” Isabelle protested.

  Tate eyed Isabelle speculatively for a moment and then swiped the coaster that had fallen out against her collar bone.

  “I didn’t know it was in their job description to hand numbers out. Perhaps it’s a new law, in case you require further assistance on how to consume beverages?”

  Isabelle smacked him in the chest. “Nobody likes a smart arse, Tate.”

  Giselle raised an empty glass at Tate. “I do.”

  Maia leant over and pulled the card from Tate. “Beautiful girl, call me. Jared, kiss hug, Damn Isabelle, how do you manage to lure every hot guy around you without even trying? What’s your secret?”

  Isabelle blushed deeply. “How did you score the kind of relationship they write novels about?”

  Maia pecked Matt on the lips and then winked at Isabelle. “Sex, in every way you can imagine. Why else do you think I took gymnastics?”

  Jace turned his nose up in disgust as everyone else chuckled.

  “That’s all it takes, huh?” Isabelle grinned. “Naked and flexible?”

  Matt pulled Maia close to him. “Not just that, but it definitely helps.”

  Isabelle smacked her head lightly. “So that’s where I’ve been going wrong!”

  Jace smiled at Isabelle, her hazel eyes so warm they were like honey. Hard to imagine a girl like her would have any issues getting a guy to dote on her every need.

  “Are we ready to order?” Ben asked from the end of the table. “All this talk of gymnastics has made me weirdly hungry.”

  “Figured out what you want yet?” Jace asked as everyone else busied themselves with their menus.

  Isabelle shut her menu and just smiled at Jace. “You order for me.”

  “What if I pick something you hate?” Jace asked, feeling kind of awesome that she had put any measure of trust in him.

  “I like chicken, salad, pretty much anything with carbs… and I hate ham, bacon or anything from a pig. Just go with that, I trust you.”

  Jace beamed. “Ok, I’m sure I’ll find something for you.”

  “Want to order for me too, Romeo?” Tate drawled.

  “He’ll have whatever you pick for me,” Isabelle said firmly, shooting Tate a look. “And he’s normally not this rude.”

  “I’m not being rude,” Tate said mildly, filling up her glass with coke.

  “You are,” Isabelle countered. “But I’m done with arguing for the moment, so I’m going to let it slide and hope you take your grandma pants off before you wear out your welcome.”

  Maia’s eyes widened for a moment before she gave Jace a knowing look then winked at Isabelle.

  “Whoa there Miss Sassy, I gotta say… I like this side of you.”

  Tate rolled his eyes. “Trust me, you get over it.”

  “Oh shut up,” Isabelle responded without any bite. “Over sixteen years and you still haven’t left, so I can’t be that bad.”

  Tate smiled at Isabelle affectionately as he casually slung his arm on the back of her chair.

  Jace felt sickened, having to sit there and watch on some other guy’s face what was undoubtedly all over his own.

  “Isabelle, try this,” Maia chirped as she handed Isabelle a glass filled with a pinky red liquid, a cherry sitting on the glass. Somehow Isabelle had missed seeing the bartender bring over the jugs.

  “You want one too, Jace?” Maia asked, holding a glass out to him.

  Jace sighed deeply. “Maia, men do not drink pink liquids, ok? Especially not ones named a Female Viagra.”

  “Oh my god, you might want to make an exception for this,” Isabelle told him fervently. “It is definitely like heaven.”

  Maia raised her glass to Isabelle. “You’re welcome.”

  Jace’s gaze fell on Isabelle’s lips, still slightly wet from the cocktail. They were the most impossible pink colour and very full, inviting. He pictured his lips against hers, could almost feel th
e soft pressure.

  He took the glass from her and took a sip.

  A fruity, sweet and ultimately delicious liquid eased down his throat.

  “Amazing, right?” Isabelle asked with a smug smile.

  Jace shrugged. “I definitely wouldn’t order it for myself but I also definitely wouldn’t turn down an offer to finish your glass if you’d had enough.”

  Isabelle was already pouring another glass that she stuck into a stubby holder and then passed to him.

  “Here, you can pretend its brown, the colour of a man’s drink.”

  “Thank you, Angel,” Jace replied, feeling a little more confidence fill him.

  “Angel?” Tate inquired.

  “You can’t see the resemblance?” Jace asked lightly. “Haven’t you been friends for a thousand years or something?”

  Tate turned a light shade of purple just as Isabelle waved the comment away.

  “That’s why he can’t see it. Tate’s seen me through all my phases and I’ll admit my awkward ugly phase hung around a lot longer than the rest, so it’s probably the most memorable.”

  Maia’s eyes flicked between Tate and Isabelle, the corner of her mouth twitching.

  “Oh, I don’t think that’s what Tate finds the most memorable.” Her smile was wicked. “Ever have naked play dates when you were little?”

  “Maia,” Jace said warningly. “Keep it up and I’m going to start remembering highlights from our childhood.”

  Maia’s lips pursed into a sullen pout. “You ruin all my fun.”

  After a small beat of silence the conversations around them struck up again. Jace settled in his chair, resting his arm on the back of Isabelle’s so he was as close to her as he could get.

  “Do you need any help with setting up for the party tonight, Ben?” Isabelle asked.

  Ben gave her a lazy smile. “We don’t have any entertainment lined up, so if you wanted to offer your services, I wouldn’t say no.”

  Tate visibly stiffened as Jace glared at Ben.

  Surprisingly, Isabelle didn’t miss a beat. “I’m afraid I can’t help you there, but I’m awesome at delegation, so if you tell me what needs to be done I’ll make sure it happens.”

  **

  Jace wanted to punch something until his knuckles bled. How the hell did he get stuck with literally the last person he wanted to be around? It was, of course, all Ben’s fault for accepting Isabelle’s offer to help set up for the party and then allowing her to delegate jobs.

  Isabelle had looked so pleased with herself when she’d casually told Jace that Tate would go with him when he went home to get his Ute and they could meet her and the others at the shops.

  He knew what she was doing of course. Trying to force a friendship between them because she saw the good in them both and therefore assumed they would see it in each other as well.

  Wrong. So very wrong.

  Tate didn’t even need words for Jace to know how he felt about him. In fact, the guy had quite the expressive face.

  “You’re not good enough for her.”

  The words were quiet but firm and Tate didn’t even look at him as he said it, just looked out the window in the exact same way Isabelle had each time he drove her home.

  The fact that Tate and Isabelle had the same habit made his rage boil.

  “And you are?” Jace countered.

  “You’ve known her what? A week? I’ve known her a lifetime,” Tate snapped.

  “And last I checked, you’re still in the friend zone.”

  “You don’t even really know her, do you? You don’t know what she looks like when she cries, or her favourite flower. You don’t know that she hates the rain but loves the smell of it, and you sure as fuck don’t know how to handle someone as special as her.”

  Tate was looking at Jace now, his body tensed and poised as he threw his words like knives.

  “No, I don’t know everything about her,” Jace replied softly. “But I want to learn and I hope, in time she’ll tell me. You know what I find interesting though? You sit here and preach to me about not knowing her and how I’m not good enough but then you make snap judgments when you don’t even know me.”

  Tate moved closer, the front seat starting to feel too confining as he did so.

  “I know you,” he snarled. “I’ve met dozens of you and you’re all the same. Drug fucked no hopers, enticed by beautiful things you have the habit of breaking because you are too broken yourself. I know exactly who you are; it’s Isabelle that has no clue, so let me be clear - I will not let anything hurt her ever again and if that means destroying you, so be it.”

  The words hit him hard, wedged themselves tight inside his chest and then exploded so he felt pieces of him break apart inside. Tate had just hit all his insecurities, hadn’t he? Not even a full day and the perceptive son of a bitch had him all tied up in a box.

  His fists clenched, refusing to look away from Tate’s blazing eyes.

  “Maybe I’m not the only one Isabelle doesn’t truly know,” he hissed out. “You’re such a coward. You think I haven’t seen the way you look at her? I may not be perfect but I don’t pretend to be anything other than I am and I have never lied to Isabelle about my feelings; can you say the same?”

  Tate’s gaze was murderous and the testosterone so intense Jace had to seriously fight the urge to pound on his chest and growl.

  “Tate! Jace! Hurry up!” Isabelle called from the other side of the car park.

  Tate didn’t say a word, just motioned to his eyes with two fingers and then poked Jace in the chest with a hard finger; his intention incredibly clear.

  I’ll be watching you.

  Jace waited until Tate was out of the car and turning away before gingerly pressing his hand to his chest. He pulled his shirt aside and saw a faint pink mark.

  Yep, that was definitely going to bruise.

  Bastard.

  *

  “What’s the plan?” Jace asked as he walked over slinging a casual arm around both Tate and Isabelle.

  Isabelle shifted away from his contact but offered an apologetic smile whereas Tate shoved him away roughly.

  “Ben and Kandi are off conning her brother into topping up the alcohol supply, so we just need to work out who wants to take care of food and who wants to deal with decorations,” Isabelle said.

  Jace opened his mouth to say he’d be on whatever duty Isabelle chose when he noticed Maia piggy backed on Matt as they headed over. His jaw tightened as his fists clenched.

  “Maia and I will do decorations,” he said absently. “She’s got the best taste and I’ve got the best chance at reining her in.”

  Tate’s face lit up like a sunrise. “You know, I can see you as head of the decorating committee.”

  Isabelle elbowed him in the stomach but Jace didn’t care. In fact, he didn’t even care that he was giving up some one on one with Isabelle because he felt confident that if Tate hadn’t breached the friend zone in sixteen years, a few hours wasn’t going to make too much of a difference.

  Besides, he had a few things to discuss with his baby sister.

  “Hey guys,” Maia beamed as they reached them, still perched on Matt’s back. “What’s the plan?”

  “Jace volunteered you to be in charge of decorations,” Tate replied with glee.

  “I’m deeply offended that there was ever any question in the matter.”

  “Don’t worry Sis,” Jace told her with a humourless smile. “We can talk about how offended you are while we pick decorations together.”

  Maia froze. “Together? As in you and me?”

  Jace eyed her silently, knowing full well they didn’t need to be twins for her to understand him perfectly.

  “What about me?” Matt asked sliding Maia down his back and moving to Jace’s side. “I’m with you guys, right?”

  Jace glanced over at Tate pointedly so only Matt would understand.

  “Someone needs to babysit the children,” he said in a stage whisper.


  “We don’t need a baby sitter,” Tate scowled.

  “Right, of course not. What I mean is, Matt’s lived here his whole life so you’ll have no chance of getting lost with him around, and he spends a hell of a lot more time eating then he does concerning himself with how anything looks, so he’s pretty qualified to help organise the food too.”

  Maia looked anxiously over at Jace, clearly sensing that she may for the first time in her life not be getting what she wanted.

  “But Matt, what if I need your help?” she whined, turning those big eyes on him.

  Matt just gazed at her, not able to find words to muster a response.

  “What could he possibly help you with Maia?” Jace snorted, breaking the silence. “Matt wouldn’t have any idea what a colour wheel is; let alone how to use one. We’re on a time frame here - if you girls want your standard three hours prep time, there’s no room for an hour long argument on why blue and green aren’t compatible.”

  Maia gave him the most venomous look that would have anyone else wincing and backing off, but for Jace it made him feel triumphant because he knew he had won a rare victory. He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face, it was an entirely new feeling and something he could definitely get used to.

  “Well, if it’s all settled we’ll catch up to you guys later.” Jace pulled his keys out of his pocket and tossed them to Matt who caught them expertly. “We’ll see you back home in two hours.”

  “Take care of my girl,” Matt replied firmly.

  “No, I was planning on pushing her into oncoming traffic. That’s my sister you idiot, no one is going to bother her.”

  Except him of course.

  Isabelle moved forward shyly and placed her hand on his shoulder.

  “Have fun shopping, I’ll see you tonight.”

  Jace took her hand and pressed a light kiss to her palm, ignoring the burning sensation of Tate’s eyes on him and the curiosity of the others. The thing was, he didn’t care what Tate thought, what anyone thought. All that mattered to him right now was making sure he didn’t screw this up before he had a chance to work out what this was.