Kickin' It (Red Card) - Rachel Van Dyken Page 0,61

“Nope. Not at all. Just headed out for a run in a few.”

She slammed the newspaper down. She was fresh faced and wearing a Seattle Sounders sweatshirt.

I pointed. “Is that Jagger’s?”

“I am NOT making that whore breakfast!” she screeched, turning her head to me.

I opened my mouth to respond then jerked back. “Fuck, is that a hickey?” I roared.

“I heard that slut’s screams twice last night! Twice! I almost had to get ear plugs.” She threw her hands in the air.

Wait a second. Whose pants were those?

“Those aren’t yours.” I grabbed a coffee mug and stared down her obviously too-big black Nike sweat pants.

“I can’t believe you!” She paced, completely ignoring me. “You just bring home the first skank you can find! Poor Parker had to listen to that all night long, and you know she likes you! What the hell is wrong with you, Matt!” She turned and reached for a magazine and rolled it up, which revealed another hickey on the other side of her neck.

“How long did that sick bastard suck on your neck! We aren’t vampires!” I hollered. “Where is he!” I tried getting past her. “Jagger! You sick motherfucker! I said one date! Not a feast!”

Parker chose that moment to make an appearance in nothing but one of my T-shirts. Jagger came out of the shared bathroom. They took one look at each other.

And fucking high-fived.

I groaned into my hands while Willow jumped into the air. “YOU WERE THE SKANK LAST NIGHT?”

“I wasn’t that loud!” Parker said defensively. “And it’s not like—”

“I get to be your maid of honor!” Willow announced, performing a little twirl.

“Aw, you guys are getting married?” Jagger winked and then sidestepped me. “Need some coffee, bro. Your sister’s an animal.”

A headache throbbed at the base of my skull. “Wait, Willow, why are you happy, you just found out I was with . . .” I felt my face pale and then felt guilt start to pulse through my body. “Will . . .”

“No.” She held up her hand. “And yes, I’m happy. Happy with Jagger.” I held my groan in. “And I’m happy for you.” She frowned. “Wait, aren’t you happy? I’ve only been trying to get you guys together since we accidentally”—she made air quotes—“moved in under weird circumstances.”

Jagger chomped down on an apple next to me. “She’s a manipulative, evil mastermind. Seen her shoe collection? Huge, it’s huge, not normal.” Another large bite. “I think they hold her secrets.”

I took a long, soothing breath and locked eyes with Parker, who burst out laughing so hard tears started streaming down her cheeks.

“Willow, what the hell?”

She grinned over at me. “I know you, I know what you need, and I’ve known for years that the one girl you need in your life just needed to be groomed by me. You know, a few short skirts, some makeup—”

Parker snorted.

“Or,” Willow said, grinning, “just bringing her around so you could see what I see, what everyone sees: the most amazing woman you’ve ever met.”

“Likewise,” Jagger grumbled, pulling Willow in for a kiss.

I stared.

At everyone.

Mouth ajar.

And then . . .

“Coffee?” Parker laughed, walking by me, grabbing my shirt with her fist, and dragging me along. I loved it. How the hell was my sister so smart? Huh, maybe she should be an agent. I shook my head in disbelief.

“Dessert,” I finally grumbled against her mouth, suddenly unable to keep my hands off her. I mean she was wearing my shirt, my shirt.

“Stop that!” Willow yelled. “Just because I wanted it to happen doesn’t mean I wanted to see it live and in person.”

We broke apart, smiling.

“Oh, and by the way, Jagger and I are dating.” She blew a kiss to Jagger.

“Surprise, asshole.” He finger-waved at me then flipped me off. I almost charged him and broke every finger off his hand, but her smile stopped me, Willow’s smile. The way she looked at him was the same way I looked at Parker, and I couldn’t fault my sister for wanting that, because I think deep down we’d both always wanted that, the feeling of coming home, of partnership. I took a sip of coffee and purposely ignored his taunt.

“What? No yelling anymore?” Jagger almost sounded disappointed.

“Nope.” I grinned wide, suddenly thrilled that someone else could corral her. “Because now you get to deal with the shoe problem. Good thing you’re worth a shit ton of money, you’re gonna need it.”

“He exaggerates.” Willow rolled her eyes.

“Shoes.” Jagger snorted. “How much can one pair of shoes