for $50,000! The relief I felt was amazing. I closed my eyes for a few minutes, just to let my hair set....
Happy chattering filtered in from the kitchen through my bedroom’s open door. I opened my eyes and sat up, naked on my bed. I must have fallen asleep. Lisa and Stacey were home from work.
At the sound of the back door sliding open Stacey called out, “Hi, Frank!”
“So how was the first day?” Frank said.
“Ugh! I’m so tired!” Stacey sounded exhausted and happy all at once. Proud of herself. I was happy for her. That first day at the first job is such a great feeling.
I aimed the blow dryer at my hair again then let the rollers sit for a few more minutes while I decided what to wear.
“Happy birthday, kid!” Brad’s cheerful voice sounded from the kitchen. My heart raced, and I held my breath, hoping to hear J.D. with him.
“Oh, how nice,” Frank said flatly. “You came.”
“Happy birthday, Stacey.”
Butterflies played over my stomach in reaction to J.D.’s low tone. I caught my smile in the mirror. Happy. Carefree. Like I was seventeen again.
I chose my usual shorts and a new pink cotton tank top with cut-out snowdrops along the top. The back was all cut-outs in flower shapes that showed a lot of skin.
I took out the rollers and brushed out my hair. I love the feeling of my hair falling on my shoulders, but I wanted to show off my bare skin, so I grabbed a scrunchie for a ponytail. I put on a little blush and lip gloss and my favorite sterling silver snowdrop earrings.
J.D. had come. It had to mean he wasn’t completely repulsed by me. I felt my cheeks redden on the way out to the kitchen, thinking about my fantasizing earlier. The release in the shower was nice, but not enough. I had real feelings for J.D., and I didn’t want them to stop.
I wanted Jaxom Draco Reider in my bed again, and not merely to keep me company when I slept.
Chapter 15
By now it was clear no one used the front door at Nora’s house. All the action happened in the backyard. Brad and I went through the side gate. Up on the deck hamburgers were cooking on the grill, but there was no one around.
“Hey, guys!” Lisa called through the open window at the kitchen sink, waving us in. Brad grinned like a fool as he opened the sliding glass door. My heart went out to the guy, but he needed to move on.
Lisa stood at the counter with a young girl, the two of them slicing tomatoes and onions for the burgers. The girl was like Nora, a few inches taller and more athletic. She had the same brown hair, though curlier and short, and her eyes were green.
I must be getting old. Eighteen looked younger every year.
“Happy birthday, kid,” Brad said.
“How nice. You came,” Frank said. In the history of sarcasm, no one ever meant the opposite more.
He walked past us with an empty tray and went outside. A few seconds later he appeared on the deck, framed by the wisteria at the kitchen window. If I owned the place I’d take out that wall, make it nothing but glass, and extend the deck another ten feet. The view of the lawn, the granite outcroppings, and the oak trees would be amazing.
Actually, I had no business even being there, let alone making renovations in my head. I hardly knew these people. I didn’t know Nora’s niece at all. But I couldn’t help myself. I told myself I was being a good friend, supporting Brad in his misplaced devotion. I really just wanted to see Nora again.
“Happy birthday, Stacey.” I handed the kid “my” present—the bike helmet Brad had picked out and bought and wrapped.
“Birthday loot. Awesome.” She grinned and put down her knife and accepted the box. “What could it be?” She was a cutie. I liked her immediately. Basketball must be her game. She wore a jersey with the team name Waves and a number 10 on the front. “Is it from both of you?” She flashed a smile at Brad. “Or did you get me something too?”
I got it then. She was like Veda, with the same aura of
Happy chattering filtered in from the kitchen through my bedroom’s open door. I opened my eyes and sat up, naked on my bed. I must have fallen asleep. Lisa and Stacey were home from work.
At the sound of the back door sliding open Stacey called out, “Hi, Frank!”
“So how was the first day?” Frank said.
“Ugh! I’m so tired!” Stacey sounded exhausted and happy all at once. Proud of herself. I was happy for her. That first day at the first job is such a great feeling.
I aimed the blow dryer at my hair again then let the rollers sit for a few more minutes while I decided what to wear.
“Happy birthday, kid!” Brad’s cheerful voice sounded from the kitchen. My heart raced, and I held my breath, hoping to hear J.D. with him.
“Oh, how nice,” Frank said flatly. “You came.”
“Happy birthday, Stacey.”
Butterflies played over my stomach in reaction to J.D.’s low tone. I caught my smile in the mirror. Happy. Carefree. Like I was seventeen again.
I chose my usual shorts and a new pink cotton tank top with cut-out snowdrops along the top. The back was all cut-outs in flower shapes that showed a lot of skin.
I took out the rollers and brushed out my hair. I love the feeling of my hair falling on my shoulders, but I wanted to show off my bare skin, so I grabbed a scrunchie for a ponytail. I put on a little blush and lip gloss and my favorite sterling silver snowdrop earrings.
J.D. had come. It had to mean he wasn’t completely repulsed by me. I felt my cheeks redden on the way out to the kitchen, thinking about my fantasizing earlier. The release in the shower was nice, but not enough. I had real feelings for J.D., and I didn’t want them to stop.
I wanted Jaxom Draco Reider in my bed again, and not merely to keep me company when I slept.
Chapter 15
By now it was clear no one used the front door at Nora’s house. All the action happened in the backyard. Brad and I went through the side gate. Up on the deck hamburgers were cooking on the grill, but there was no one around.
“Hey, guys!” Lisa called through the open window at the kitchen sink, waving us in. Brad grinned like a fool as he opened the sliding glass door. My heart went out to the guy, but he needed to move on.
Lisa stood at the counter with a young girl, the two of them slicing tomatoes and onions for the burgers. The girl was like Nora, a few inches taller and more athletic. She had the same brown hair, though curlier and short, and her eyes were green.
I must be getting old. Eighteen looked younger every year.
“Happy birthday, kid,” Brad said.
“How nice. You came,” Frank said. In the history of sarcasm, no one ever meant the opposite more.
He walked past us with an empty tray and went outside. A few seconds later he appeared on the deck, framed by the wisteria at the kitchen window. If I owned the place I’d take out that wall, make it nothing but glass, and extend the deck another ten feet. The view of the lawn, the granite outcroppings, and the oak trees would be amazing.
Actually, I had no business even being there, let alone making renovations in my head. I hardly knew these people. I didn’t know Nora’s niece at all. But I couldn’t help myself. I told myself I was being a good friend, supporting Brad in his misplaced devotion. I really just wanted to see Nora again.
“Happy birthday, Stacey.” I handed the kid “my” present—the bike helmet Brad had picked out and bought and wrapped.
“Birthday loot. Awesome.” She grinned and put down her knife and accepted the box. “What could it be?” She was a cutie. I liked her immediately. Basketball must be her game. She wore a jersey with the team name Waves and a number 10 on the front. “Is it from both of you?” She flashed a smile at Brad. “Or did you get me something too?”
I got it then. She was like Veda, with the same aura of
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