JAX (The Beckett Boys #2) - Olivia Chase Page 0,122
speed of someone unconcerned with someone seeing what his body had to offer (or, in Jenna’s case, seeing it again). “Though your parents are right behind me on the drive, so yeah, you two should get dressed,” she added.
“What are you doing here?” Jacob asked, tugging his t-shirt on and snatching up the blanket he and I had just shared.
“Your parents invited me! I thought it was like, a group thing. Not a…um…” Jenna said, watching me desperately trying to untangle my panties and pull them back on.
“Jacob! Jenna? Where are you two?” a new voice called— Mimi Everett. My heart raced as I ran my fingers through my hair, keenly aware of the fact that I was still practically dripping from our sex and that one shoe was absolutely nowhere to be found. I kicked off the other rather than continue hunting— maybe it’d just look like I wanted to walk around barefoot in the grass? Or something? Maybe? I looked to Jacob, panicked, and saw his mouth was a grim line.
“There you are!” Ms. Everett said cheerfully, stepping around the side of the deck. “We picked up barbecue from that place by the Kroger for dinner— oh! Jacob, I didn’t know you were bringing Sasha along.”
I had been building up a smile, having to beat it through layers of nerves; Ms. Everett’s words sent it crashing into the pit of my stomach. I looked at Jacob. What the hell was going on?
“I didn’t know you…didn’t know that,” Jacob began, struggling for words. “You mentioned coming up here with my girlfriend—“
“Oh!” Ms. Everett said, rolling her eyes at herself. “Honey, I’m so sorry— I meant girl-who-is-a-friend. I guess I forgot to mention we’d asked Jenna. I just thought that since we were talking about how long it’s been since we’ve seen her, it’d be a nice trip. You two always used to like coming up here.”
My breath went cold. Jacob and Jenna used to love coming up here. Jacob and Jenna were invited. Jacob and Jenna were the pairing the Everett’s wanted, the pairing that everyone seemed to want. I looked to Jacob for some sort of comfort, relieved when he took my hand and squeezed it gently.
“Well, I hope you got enough barbecue for Sasha too, then,” Jacob said.
I was stunned. That was it? That was what he said in response to his parents inviting him and his ex-girlfriend, whom they clearly liked better, to their fancy mountain house? Jacob released my hand and went to hug his parents. When he hugged Jenna as well, I felt like I might crack apart and tumble down the mountain side. I watched, the weight of humiliation bearing down on me, as Jacob, Jenna, and his parents went to unload the vehicles, leaving me standing in the screened porch. Barefoot and forgotten—or, no. Not forgotten.
Unwanted. There was a very, very important difference in the two.
No, no, I was being stupid— well, not entirely stupid, since this was a total dick thing for Jacob’s parents to do— but stupid for thinking there was anything to Jacob hugging Jenna. He’d told me that they were just friends, and I had no reason not to believe him. Besides, it was ME he invited up here, so who gave a fuck who his parents invited? His parents could date Jenna if they were so into her. Jacob was dating me. I repeated this to myself— sometimes even out loud, in a whisper— as she grabbed her bag from the car and followed the others into the house.
The interior of the house was as immaculate as the exterior— sky-high ceilings with thick salvaged beams, the kind of kitchens you usually only saw on Pinterest, and a wall of Harton jerseys signed by legendary athletes. Mr. and Ms. Everett unpacked dinner into the fridge, chatting about the doctor who was driving up to see Jacob.
“He doesn’t usually make house calls, you know, but he’s a Harton alum, so he’s making an exception,” Ms. Everett said happily.
“How is your shoulder, anyway?” Jenna asked, leaning across the kitchen counter with a familiarity that made my stomach churn— especially since I was still standing in the doorway, more statue than human, unsure where to stand or go or breathe.
“It’s doing better. I think it’ll be great for Clemson.”
“Still giving you some trouble, then?” Mr. Everett asked, sneaking hushpuppies out of a massive to-go container. Ms. Everett noticed and playfully slapped his hand.