All That Jazz (Butler Cove #1)

by Natasha Boyd

I definitely refocused on Chase when his warm hand that had suddenly materialized on my side, slid purposefully around to my front and dangerously toward my breast. Oh. Okay this was interesting. Warmth spread through me.

  I expected his hand to stop. To wait for permission. To see if it was okay with me.

  I mean I’d kissed a few boys at school. This was how it went, right?

  But his hand continued gliding … right up over my breast.

  I gasped, breaking the kiss.

  The sound of a throat clearing behind me caused me to jump. “Jazz,” said Joseph’s hard voice. “How about you introduce me to your friend.”

  MORTIFICATION FEELS VERY much like a heavy load of lava rolling around in your gut. You burn from the inside out, all your blood and organs pushed uncomfortably out of the way, including your tongue. I was dying. I mean, to be caught mid feelup?

  Gah!

  Caught by Joseph?

  Die.

  Chase hopped to his feet and reached for my hand, pulling me up. Well brought up boy that he obviously was.

  “Hi, I’m Chase Kennedy,” he said to Joey with a hand out. Holy shrimp guts, I didn’t even know his last name, and he was almost on a first name basis with my girls. I folded my arms across my chest to belatedly keep them safe.

  “Chase, this is Joey,” I managed.

  “Joseph Butler,” said Joey and shook the proffered hand. “So how do you and Jazz know each other?”

  Chase glanced at me, smirking.

  “Uh, through work?” I said.

  “We met today.”

  Joseph’s eyebrows rocketed upwards, and I winced, looking away so as not to catch his eye.

  “So how about you guys?” Chase asked Joey. “No offense, you don’t look like you’re in high school.”

  “We’re family friends,” said Joey. “I’m back from college for the summer.”

  “Oh yeah? Where are you at school?”

  “South Carolina.”

  “Gamecocks?”

  “Yeah. You?”

  “Tar Heels.”

  So he went to Chapel Hill in North Carolina? That wasn’t far. Oh my God. Where was my mind going? My plan didn’t include staying in touch. It had to be quick, fun, and easy.

  “Nice. Battle of the Carolinas,” said Joey referring to the hundred-year-old rivalry between North and South Carolina. “We’re rivals.”

  I snorted without meaning to.

  Then Colt walked up. A regular college boy sausage fest. I slunk away to find Keri Ann as they talked sports scores, Greek and fraternities.

  “I just got cock-blocked by your brother,” I moaned to Keri Ann as I flopped to the sand next to her and our friend Liz.

  “He’s just making sure no one takes advantage of you,” defended Keri Ann after I filled them in.

  I let out a groan and fiddled with my anklet, digging my toes in the sand. “What if I want someone to take advantage of me?”

  “I know the feeling,” said Liz. “What does a girl have to do to get some anyway?”

  Both Keri Ann and I whipped our heads to look at our class valedictorian. “Lizzie!” I gasped in delight and watched Liz’s face turn puce. “Did you really just say that?”

  “I did,” she admitted with a grin, setting her chin up. “Seriously, though.”

  “You did what?” asked Jasper coming up to us. By far the most good-looking boy in our year, he was doubly blessed by being smart too. Liz had probably totally stolen his thunder by being named valedictorian.

  “Finish my valedictorian speech?” she offered in the kind of cautious questioning way that meant she was totally making it up and seeing if he’d buy it.

  “Right,” he said. “So, Liz. I, uh, was wondering if you wanted to take a walk or something? I wanted to chat with you about next year.”

  There was a long awkward pause where Liz, ever cautious, went through a very obvious internal struggle, then abruptly got to her feet. Her blush had returned with a vengeance. “Yes, sure,” she squeaked and cleared her throat. “See you in a bit, girls.”

  We waved.

  “You’ve got a long second toe,” Keri Ann, observed with amusement next to me where our feet lay in the cool sand. The firelight flickered over our bare suntanned legs.

  “We’ve been friends, how long? And you just now noticed?” I glanced at her small milk and honey feet next to my darker ones and grimaced. As Nana always told me, my skin was as brown as a gypsy. I swear just the thought of the summer vacation almost within reach was enough to turn my skin. Keri Ann’s toenails were bare and perfect, where mine still had chipped turquoise polish on the long toe in question. Sand and seawater weren’t a match for cheap dime store polish.

  “Way to point out my flaws, bestie.” I pouted and flopped back to lie down. “Wow, look. The stars are coming out.”

  “It’s lucky, you know. It means you’ll be super successful one day,” she said joining me. “Anyway, according to Joey, you have really pretty feet.”

  My belly flipped. “Ugh, when did he say that? That’s totally pervy.”

  “Oh, I don’t remember. Maybe the one time we were all down here at the beach together.”

  “God that must have been like last summer. You have the weirdest memory for inconsequential b.s., but you can’t tell me what a male gamete is,” I said seriously. Keri Ann had missed it on a quiz once in eighth grade, and it had become a huge source of amusement ever since.

  “Oh grow up. It’s a sperm, you gross child,” Keri Ann chided, elbowing me in the side as I barely suppressed my laughter.

  I elbowed her back and we fell silent. I looked over to where I’d left Chase. Still chatting with Joey and Colt, he didn’t look up. I sighed.

  Keri Ann turned her head toward me. “It’s going to be really different next year. I’m not sure I like different.”

  I swallowed. “Yeah. But even though I’m studying, I’ll be here.”

  Keri Ann shifted her face back to the dark night sky.

  “I still don’t understand why you didn’t at least apply.” I couldn’t help bringing the subject up again.

  She shrugged. “What would be the point if I’m not going.”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “We’ve gone through this. I’m not like you. Or Joey for that matter—”

  “Thank all the shrimp in the ocean for that.” I chuckled.

  She smiled. “You’ve both known exactly what you want to do for as long as I can remember. You’ll go to college, do what you need to and get out. Apart from us not really having the money for me to go, it would be a waste of tuition for me to spend the years figuring out what I want to do. I need to earn money not—”

  “Waitressing at the Snapper Grill won’t earn you big cash off season. And you could still go to school—”

  “I know but I also need to be near Nana. You’ve seen how frail she’s become. And she keeps getting chest pains—” Keri Ann paused, and her throat bobbed.

  Emotion flooded me too. It had always felt like Keri Ann’s Nana was my Nana too. That was just the way of her. I fumbled for one of my best friend’s hands that were folded on her belly and took it in mine and squeezed. She sniffed and shook her head. It was too big to fathom that Nana might pass away only a few short years after Keri Ann and her brother lost both their parents, and she’d be left all alone. It was a legitimate reason to stay close to home, I just really wanted my best friend to start college with me.

  I swallowed over the tightness in my throat, and we both lay there in the sand, the sounds of our friends, music, and the ocean swelling around us. “You’ll never be alone, you know. I’ll always be your family,” I vowed. “And no matter what happens I won’t let anything come between us or stop me from being your friend. In fact we should just go ahead and accept that we were probably sisters in a past life. And once family, always family. So I guess you all can add me to the family collection of ghosts in your old house. But seriously?” I let go of her hand and linked my pinky with h
ers. “Sisters?”

  She smiled and lifted up our hands to see. “Sisters,” she confirmed. “But you do realize that means you officially have an older brother.”

  “Small price.”

  “What? You mean you don’t mind having an annoying, over-bearing, over-protected hambone for a brother?”

  “Jeez,” I rasped. “Tell us how you really feel.”

  “I’m using your words, you mullet.”

  “Yeah,” I conceded. “That does sound like me.”

  “Anyway, I hope he’s less priggish this summer.”

  I barked out a laugh. “Priggish? You been reading Nana’s historical romances again? What kind of a word is priggish?”

  “Well someone hasn’t given me the next Erath book so I had to read something.”

  “Sorry! It’s in my bag, remember? But seriously I want to read it again coz I’m greedy, and now I get to fantasize with the image of who’s playing Max in the movie. Sigh,” I added and actually did sigh with a dreamy smile on my face.

  “Who is it again?”

  “Oh eff off,” I groused. “You know exactly who. If you don’t know then forget sisters, we can’t even be friends.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Jack Eversea, I know.”

  “Ugh. How can you be so neutral about him? He is spectacular.” I sighed dramatically. “Didn’t you read that tabloid I gave you? He’s dreamy.”

  “I’m not neutral, he’s gorgeous. But I can hardly be ga ga over someone I’m never gonna meet. It’s a waste of ga-ga-ing.”

  I chuckled. “So on the subject of boys though … Chase could be the ideal candidate. If he’ll stop bromancing your brother for a second.” I scowled, noticing Chase, Joseph, and Colt were still deep in discussion. Joey was definitely the most eye-catching of the three. I shook my head. “I mean, I’m not interested in dating anyone. Hang out, maybe. But I’m thinking someone who’s here on vacation, a summer fling. Chase fits the bill. He’s here for two weeks.”

  Keri Ann sat up and crossed her legs giving me a scowl. “Are you serious?”

  “As a heart attack.” I sat up too. “Look, I just don’t see what the big deal is.” I really didn’t. “We don’t live in a society where virginity is some big prize for our future husbands. Anyway, I’ll never get married. Remember, I’m planning on being an eccentric photojournalist and hotelier who travels the world and has amazing affairs with interesting men. Starting now, I’ll perfect the art of getting in and out without getting my heart broken. I just need to get the first step out of the way.”

  “About this being a photojournalist and a hotelier? I’m not sure how that works. Wouldn’t owning a hotel require you to stay in one place?”

  “Ugh,” I complained, laughing. “Trust you to focus on the logistics of my career choices and not my sexual plans.”

  “Well, at least you have career choices.” She chuckled. “And I just don’t want to see you let down.”

  “Well, if I don’t put much stock in my virginity, I won’t be let down right?” I raised an eyebrow, proud of my reasoning.

  “But don’t you want your first time to be with someone you really trust? I mean, it’s so intimate, and I don’t care what you say but sex for sure has emotions attached. I can’t believe otherwise.”

  “You read too many romances, K.”

  She shrugged. “Probably. But you need to find someone you trust, even if they’re here for a short time,” she added at my warning look. “And preferably someone with a bit of experience, at least one of you should know what you’re doing so it’s not awful.”

  I grinned. “So you’re on board with my plan?”

  “I didn’t say that. I think it’s ridiculous.”

  “But you’ll help me anyway?”

  She sighed. “You’ll do it anyway, no matter what I say. So yeah, I guess I’ll support you.”

  “Yes,” I said gleefully and pumped my fist in the air. “Now, I just need to get your brother out of the way.”

  She chuckled. “God, you two. Is it too much to ask that my brother and my best friend actually get along?”

  “Is it too much to ask that my best friend’s brother not be an arrogant asshat?”

  “Honestly, don’t you think he’s mellowed somewhat? I think he’s been so busy trying to get done with school in three years and trying to get into a med program, that he seems a bit more … humble.”

  “Joseph Butler? Humble? I’ll believe it when I see it.” I glanced off toward him. He was taller than Chase. The kind of tall that could make a tall girl like me still feel delicate. He was laughing at something. “Unless he didn’t get to rely on that smile of his. Or if he lost an eye. Or developed a wart nose and grew a hunchback. I can’t imagine that guy getting humble.”

  “I knew it!” Keri Ann exclaimed.

  “Knew what?” I said.

  “You think my brother is hot.”

  “MOM,” I WHISPERED, standing at my mother’s bedroom door. “Are you up?” I heard her come in really late last night, later than she usually did when she was the one locking up at the convenience store. A job I hated for her to do by herself. I was hoping now that she got the job at the hospital she could dump the store hours.

  “Yeah, baby,” Mom said, her voice tired.

  I pushed open the door, holding the hot cup of coffee I just made for her. She was cuddled up under the new duvet set I bought her for her birthday.

  “Hey, I’m sorry to wake you, Mom.” I set the mug down on her white painted wicker bedside table. “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” She stretched. “Just tired.”

  “I’m heading out for the day. I won’t see you till later. I’m sorry I can’t spend our day off with you, I’m going to a CPR course on Hilton Head Island so I can work beach patrol this summer.”

  My mom sat up and pushed her blonde bangs out of her eyes. Her eyes were blue like mine. She was still attractive for her age, and she’d been taking care of herself more lately, which I was glad about. It probably had something to do with her new job at the hospital. It had certainly raised her clothing game from the casual attire she wore at the convenient store.

  I perched on the edge of her bed. “So, were you working late last night? I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “I went out with a friend,” Mom said, then her eyes shifted to the side, and she reached for her coffee.

  “Who?” My tone dripped with suspicion. For a while she’d become friends with a woman she worked with and by extension hung with a really rough crowd. The woman was dating a biker from a biker gang and well, Shona or Shonda, or whatever her name was, was now in prison for aggravated assault. Classy. That was the end of that friendship. Luckily, I got my mom back.

  “Nothing’s going on, baby,” she began and I was immediately on edge. “We’re just friends … but Martin asked me out last night for drinks so we could—”

  “Dr. Barrett? Are you kidding me?”

  “No. No, baby.” She grabbed my hand. “It’s not like that. He just needs someone to talk to. And you know he’d just done me a favor seeing Joey, I couldn’t—”

  “Joey was already meeting with him, Ma. All I asked was you put in a good word for him not offer Dr. Barrett a blow job!”

  “Jessica!”

  I swallowed, my cheeks burning. “Sorry, Mom.”

  “Jessica. Jesus.” She flung the covers off and got out of bed.

  “I’m sorry. I said sorry.”

  “Yeah, well. I know you better than that. You may be sorry for being crass, but you’re not sorry for the message.”

  I stood too. “You’re right. I’m not. What did he need to speak about so urgently that he couldn’t wait until Monday morning?”

  She walked to the mirror, wincing at her reflection and scraping her dyed blonde hair back into a low ponytail. She grabbed a tissue, wetting it with spittle and dabbing the old mascara beneath her lashes.

  “You’re beautiful, Ma. You don’t need some sleaze ball doctor to take you out for th
at to be true.”

  “I’m not getting any younger. Anyway, what’s the harm? We get along well, and it was just a drink.”

  “You know he’s married, right?”

  “Of course.” She glanced at me in the reflection of the mirror, then leaned down to rummage in her drawer for her yoga pants. “You know I’d never do that.”

  “Never do what? Go out for drinks with another woman’s husband.”

  “That’s enough, Jessica.”

  “Whatever.” I turned away and headed for the door. I hated the panicked feeling she gave me in my chest. Like everything would fall apart. She’d lose her job, we wouldn’t have benefits, or be able to pay rent, or help me with tuition. I pulled the door, letting it swing back hard. “I’ll see you later.”

  I CYCLED FAST to Keri Ann’s house, dumped my bike in the front yard, and ran up the porch steps almost tripping on my yellow flip flops. Flinging the front door open as I looked down to get them properly back on my feet, my head collided with the corner of something hard. Pain burst through my temple and I rocketed back, losing my balance as my ankle twisted. A howl left my throat, and I landed hard on my ass in the doorway just as a grunt sounded and a box came crashing down on top of me with a mountain of paper floating out of it.

  “What the hell?” a deep male voice emanated from above. “Oh shit. Jazz, are you okay?”

  “God, Joseph,” I yelled as the paper cleared to reveal the tall male in front of me looking down. Irritation, confusion, amusement, and contrition all crossed his face in record time, leaving me staring up into his steel blue eyes. I scowled and cringed in pain. “Ow,” I whimpered as I acknowledged the pain in my ankle joining the one in my head.

  “Oh shit, I’m so sorry,” he dropped to a crouch in front of me, denim stretching over muscled thighs, and reached for my foot, his large warm hand closing around it.

  My foot felt tiny in Joey’s strong hand. Flinching, I yanked my foot away. “I’ve got it,” I snapped.

  Joey looked up in surprise at my tone.

  “Is everything all right out there?” Nana’s voice came from behind me. “Oh my word. Joey, be a dear and help Jazz onto the porch swing and come get her some ice.”