by Tessa Teevan
“You said the A-word, Daddy! Pay up!”
With a groan, I pulled my wallet out and paid up. She scampered off, squealing about putting her money in her piggy bank.
Sierra laughed, shaking her head. “You’ve created a monster, Jeremy.”
I gripped her hips and drew her to me. Then I wrapped my arms around her back. She placed her hands on my chest and slid them up to go around my neck.
I leaned down and nibbled on her ear. “Nah, baby. We created that little monster.”
She shivered as I trailed kisses down her neck. It amazed me that, after twenty fucking years, I still affected her this way.
After an impromptu make-out session in the kitchen, which was interrupted by our little monster, we made dinner—one of my favorite parts of the day. Regardless of how long my day at the office was or how much Ava wiped Sierra out, we always made dinner together. We’d been doing it since we’d lived in her parents’ house, and it hadn’t changed after seven years of marriage. On occasion, Ava would help out.
“So, what was that phone call?” I asked, remembering how the whole paying-Ava thing had begun.
A beaming smile formed on Sierra’s lips. She leaned her hip against the counter, watching as I cut up peppers. “I may have planted a seed a few days ago, and it may have sprouted today,” she said cryptically.
I set the knife down and gave her my full attention. “What’d you do?” I asked, unsure if I even wanted to know.
She grinned. “I may have sent Jace a second reunion invitation.”
“Why? He already RSVP’ed and said he was coming.”
“Because I may have put Lexi’s number on this one. He may have just called her,” she said, practically squealing the last bit.
I raised an eyebrow. “And let me guess. That was Lexi calling to rip you a new one?”
Sierra clapped her hands, her face animated and radiating her satisfaction. “Yes! And it was amazing,” she said, whirling around.
“Amazing, huh?” I wasn’t quite buying it.
“Jeremy, she was breathless. Sure, she sounded mad, but I could hear it in her voice.”
“Hear what?”
“Excitement. She was excited.”
It was my turn to smile. “Then I’d say well played, baby.”
As Sierra and I went back to making dinner, I couldn’t get my mind off my sister-in-law. I’d been a little skeptical of Sierra’s plan to bring Jace and Lexi back together. But maybe, just maybe, it was exactly what Lexi needed to move on with her life. And, if she needed a push or two from us, then she’d get them.
Because, at the end of the day, we were family, and we’d do anything to make Lexi smile again. No matter what it took.
THE MONTHS LEADING UP to the reunion both dragged and flew by. They dragged because I was anxiously awaiting the moment Jace and Lexi would be together again. They flew by because, by the time we were boarding the airplane, I couldn’t believe we were finally on our way. Nerves twinged in my belly as I wondered if I’d made the right decision. When I glanced next to me and saw my sister, I knew I had.
Ever since the phone call with Jace, there’d been a lightness around her. As if some weight, even if the littlest amount, had been lifted from her shoulders. Maybe there was even some hope deep down in there somewhere. I was feeling hope by the bucketfuls. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what had changed in her, but something had definitely shifted. The old Lexi was starting to emerge, and I hoped that, after this weekend, she’d be back in full form.
“Guess what, Aunt Lexi?” Ava’s excited voice broke me from my thoughts. Sitting next to Jeremy, she leaned across the aisle to get closer to my sister.
“What’s that, Ava?” Lexi asked, looking around to make sure Ava wasn’t in anyone’s way.
“I get to spend the night with Gramma and Grampa!” she exclaimed.
Shit.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I’d told Jeremy that we should’ve kept that to ourselves.
Lexi gave Ava a smile before turning to me. It faded as she raised an eyebrow. “Gramma and Grampa?” she repeated.
I wasn’t sure how to play this, so I just waved it off. “You know how the Banks clan can be. Jay and Lydia were really excited about it being Ava’s first time at the beach, so they decided to spend the week in Navarre playing golf and visiting old friends.”
Lexi’s mouth dropped open. “So you don’t need a nanny?” she asked.
“Not tonight, but I’m sure they’ll be busy the rest of the time.” I put my arm around her shoulder and squeezed. “That means you can come hang out and see all the old gang tonight!”
“Great,” she muttered. Then she shook her head and stuck her nose back in her book.
She pretended not to care, but her cheeks flushed pink, giving her interest away. Lexi was going to see Jace again. I couldn’t wait.
Lexi’d been quiet ever since we’d landed at the airport. I had a feeling she was reeling from the change of plans, and a twinge of guilt crept in the back of my mind. But hey, why not rip the Band-Aid off, right? The sooner she and Jace broke the ice, the better. And I was sure it’d melt in two seconds flat.
By the time we made it to the condo, Ava was exhausted from the trip. I wanted to hit the beach; Jeremy wanted to see some old teammates. Lexi yawned and feigned sleepiness. Instead of trying to force her to go to the beach, I let her stay in while Ava napped.
The second my toes curled in the white sand, I released an appreciative sighed before closing my eyes and inhaling deeply, allowing the saltwater scent to invade my senses, reminding me of all the amazing memories I had here. A sense of peace washed over me. God, I loved this place.
When my eyes opened, I was greeted with a gorgeous sight. Just ten short feet away, there he was. Jace McAllister, in all of his glory, appeared to be napping on a beach towel, soaking up the sun's rays. Not that he needed them. When I approached, I nearly whistled at the tan, muscular, tattooed sight before me. If Lexi didn't hit that, she was crazy.
“Well, if it ain’t Jace freakin’ McAllister?!” I squealed as soon as I was standing over him. Probably a little too enthusiastically, but I couldn’t help myself.
I smiled at his groan. He used his arm to shield his eyes from the sun then sat up and came face-to-face with me. When he saw that it was me, he sprang to his feet.
"Hey, Sierra," he mumbled, looking past me, his eyes searching and seeking.
My heart dipped and I couldn't help but laugh, knowing exactly what he was doing. "“You haven’t changed a bit. She’s not down here, so you can stop the search party your eyes are currently on.” Before he could respond, I gave him a big hug. "It's so good to see you, Jace."
He returned my hug then pulled back. There was no masking the disappointment on his face. “Good to see you, too, Sierra. And, for your information, I was looking to see if Jeremy was with you."
Sure he was. “Whatever. You never could fool me, and you’re not going to start now. Jeremy went to see some of the guys from the football team. Lexi and Ava are up in the condo, taking a nap. The flight wore them out."
“That’s cool she could come so you guys can join in on all the events this weekend. Hopefully I get a chance to meet your daughter. I can’t imagine Jeremy as a dad." His grin was gorgeous. Seriously.
“Trust me, you’re not the only one, but he’s the best. Ava’s the ultimate definition of a daddy’s girl, and he’s just as hooked. Anyway, his parents decided to come to town, and they’ll be taking her for the night." I raised an eyebrow and smirked.
“Oh, I didn’t know they’d moved.”
I explained just as I had to Lexi. Then I took great pleasure in informing him that Lexi would be at the bar with us that night. The smile that formed on his lips was even more beautiful than before. He was excited to see her. That much was obvious.
“Ah, um, yeah. It’ll be good to see her, too. Hopefully we can catch up.”
“I think you’ll have plenty of time for tha
t this weekend.”
“So, umm, a couple of months ago, I saw online about her husband. How is she?”
“Jace McAllister, were you Facebook stalking?” I teased.
He didn’t have to nod his confirmation. We both knew the truth.
“I didn’t even know you used it anymore. You hardly ever add anything on there. Anyways, she’s doing okay. For a while, she wasn’t eating and she’d barely leave the house, but over the past few months, she’s started coming out of her shell a little bit. She still has dark circles under her eyes, so I don’t think she’s sleeping well, but for the most part, I think she’ll be okay. It was just…a lot to take in. For all of us.”
He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled slowly. “Man, I hate that. It makes me even angrier at myself for letting our friendship go. I wish I could’ve been there for her.”
I placed a soothing hand on his arm. “Jace, you can’t worry about that. You didn’t know. How could you have? All you can do is be here for her now. I don’t know that she’ll open up to you about it, but be patient with her, okay? She’s been hurting for a long time. I think you may be exactly what she needs to heal.”
“You always knew, didn’t you?”
I rolled my eyes then gave him a warm smile. “Everyone knew. Except for the two of you. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen two people be so oblivious to the other’s affections.” Then I cocked my head. “I know something happened before you left, but Lexi wouldn’t ever tell me. Care to spill?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Mrs. Banks." His lips quirked up in a smile even though he’d tried to keep a straight face.
I had known that it wouldn’t be that easy. “Right. You always had a shitty poker face. Fine. Don’t tell me. I’ll wait until tonight when you’re full of alcohol to get it out of you. I’m gonna head back in and rest up for tonight. I can’t drink like an eighteen-year-old anymore. See you tonight, Jace."
With one last hug, I walked away, a permagrin planted right on my face.
I was still cheesing when I entered the condo. All was quiet, and Ava was sound asleep when I poked my head into her room. I did the same to Lexi's only to find it empty.
It didn't take me long to find her on the balcony. She was crouched down low on a lounge chair, pretending to be lost in a book. I knew in an instant that she'd spotted me with Jace.
"Why does it look like you're hiding?" I asked, trying to hide my grin and failing miserably.
She barely acknowledged me. "Just lounging and reading," she replied.
I laughed. "Right," I said, taking a seat next to her. "You look extremely uncomfortable. I'm guessing you saw who I was talking to?"
Lexi's shoulders shrugged. "I may have seen you talking to someone, but I couldn't tell who." She feigned indifference. I didn't buy it.
I decided to put her out of her misery—or at least out of that uncomfortable-looking position. “Well, don’t worry. He couldn’t see you, either. But he did ask about you. Said he was looking forward to seeing you.”
She sighed and lowered her Kindle. “Sierra, don’t push it. Please. I agreed to come out tonight, but please don’t make it uncomfortable for me.”
My eyebrows rose. “Since when has being around Jace made you uncomfortable?”
Her face reddened, and she sat up quickly. “Oh, I don’t know, since I offered my virginity to him and he walked away from me!”
Oh.
My.
God.
What had I done? I shook my head. Oh no. I had no idea… If I had, I never would've pushed. Oh my God. I was such an asshole.
Lexi gasped, and I couldn't help myself.
“You did what?!”
"Nothing. Forget I said anything."
She hastily stood and tried to go back inside, but I stopped her.
“Alexa Leigh, sit your ass down and tell me what happened. Now! You can’t say that and not elaborate.”
Fortunately, Lexi exhaled and plopped down beside me. “The night of the graduation party, Jace told me that he had feelings for me. He went down on me, I offered my virginity, and he stopped, said he couldn’t do it, and walked away. I literally threw myself at him until he agreed to be my first. And then he left the next day and I never heard from him again!” She spoke so fast that I nearly asked her to repeat herself.
Instead, I replayed her words in my head.
Lexi and Jace. Jace and Lexi. Graduation night. He had taken her virginity?
That's when it hit me. Oh. My. God. We'd been doing it at the same time!
I couldn't help myself. I burst into laughter.
She glared at me. “I’m so glad you find this amusing. Now you know why I never told you!”
My laughter died down, and I reached for her hand. “I’m sorry. I really am. I just can’t believe it. Everyone but you knew that he was insanely crazy about you and he chose to tell you on his last night here? Then he left you with blue lips but later came back and he took your virginity after you tackled him?!”
She groaned and placed a hand on her cheek. “Oh my God, you did not just say that. Blue lips? Is that even a thing?”
I should've stopped before she killed me, but I was on a roll. “Yeah, you know, like blue balls. Maybe blue clit would be better?” I squealed, falling into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.
“What the hell’s so funny?” Jeremy asked.
I glanced up in surprise. I hadn’t even heard him come in. He was watching us curiously, a sleepy Ava in his arms.
“Jace gave Lexi blue clitoris!” I exclaimed without thinking.
Lexi's eyes widened in horror as she smacked her forehead. I bit the inside of my cheeks to keep from laughing, shaking my head when Jeremy gave me a curious stare. Lexi'd endured enough. I'd fill him in later.
Instead, she did it for me.
“No, he didn’t," she explained. "He just tried to, but I wouldn’t let him walk away.”
The pity on Jeremy's face was both genuine and absolutely endearing. His next words? They had me rolling.
“No way! No wonder you didn’t talk to him for so long. The summer before sophomore year, Mandy Simpson went to give me a hand job but chickened out halfway through. She said it was taking too long or something. I spent the rest of the night with a hard-on and it fucking hurt! I never spoke to that tease again.”
I nearly choked on my spit. When I slapped him on the arm, he simply grinned and leaned down to kiss me on the nose.
“What? I’m just telling Lexi here I understand her pain. Jace will never live this down!”
Lexi jumped up, shaking her finger in his face. “Oh, no, no, no. You cannot say a word to him. Nothing. I mean it, or so help me, Jeremy, I’ll…kick you so hard you’ll wish you only had blue balls!”
Horror crossed Jeremy’s face as he twisted to shield himself from her. “That is not something to joke about, woman! Fine. I won’t say anything. I need to protect the Banks family jewels.”
She walked towards the door, and just as she was about to go inside, she stopped and glared at him. "Just remember that when we’re around Jace, got it?”
I was cackling when he stood up straight and gave her a mock salute.
“Yes, ma’am!” Then he looked back at me. "What exactly did I miss?" he asked and handed Ava to me.
I leaned in close. "Remember our first night on the beach?"
His eyes lit up and he squeezed my ass. "Remember it? Baby, it was one of the best nights of my life."
I grinned wickedly. "Well, apparently, we weren't the only ones with that idea," I informed him.
His eyes widened as he glanced back into the condo. "Seriously? This may be easier than we thought." He draped an arm around my shoulders.
When I peered up at him, he was smiling down at me.
"I think this may just be a home run," I said.
At least, I hoped like hell it would be. Only time would tell.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” my sister hisse
d.
She was cowering behind Jeremy’s tall frame. We’d just pulled up to Helenback after having coaxed my sister out of her room at the condo. She’d tried hiding until we were gone, but Jeremy and I were having none of it. It was probably awful how secretly thrilled I was at her nerves.
“Blue clit,” I whispered in her ear, causing her to scowl at me.
She still hovered behind Jeremy. It was actually nice to see that she was so nervous. It made me believe Jace still affected her, and I was pretty sure she affected him, too.
I laughed as we entered the bar, stepping aside and anxiously awaiting the moment they’d see each other. Lexi was going to like what she saw.
Jace was even more handsome than he’d been in high school. As my eyes raked over him longer than they had on the beach, even I appreciated how he’d filled out. Lean, baseball-machine Jace McAllister had grown some muscles in the Army. Even with my eyes on him, however, he had no clue I was in the building. Nope, his eyes roamed over my baby sister, who stiffened the moment her gaze locked on him.
I elbowed Jeremy and leaned in close. “Holy sexual tension, Batman.”
He gripped my hips and pulled me in. Then he bent down and nibbled on my earlobe. “This was the best idea ever,” he whispered in my ear.
“Oh, yes,” I breathed.
Over the next few hours, we watched the former best friends reunite with rabid fascination, keeping my fingers crossed that Lexi’s night would be amazing.
By the looks of things when Jace and Lexi left the bar, I was pretty sure it was.
Just as I had known it’d be.
The rest? Time would only tell.
MY EYES BLINKED OPEN just in time to see Jeremy walk into the room. I went up on one elbow and admired the sight before me. Jeremy had been in my life for over twenty years, and my mouth still watered at the sight of him.
He took a sip of coffee then let out a moan. “Nectar of the gods, baby. Nectar of the gods,” he said, handing the mug to me so I could get a taste.
“Is she here?” I asked, anxious to talk to my sister about her time with Jace but also secretly hoping she’d spent the night with him.
