Step F*#k: Part Three (A Stepbrother series Book 3) by Scarlett Ward Page B
Authors: Scarlett Ward
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Mom says.
Jai snorts with laughter and tries to cover it up by pretending it was a cough.
“She always has,” Mom muses. “And sweetie, if you want to eat your hot dogs with ketchup and mustard, and if you want to have your coffee with cream, then by all means, go right ahead.”
“I’ll have to make sure to get some hot dogs for our cookout later on,” Zack says. “I didn’t know you were such a fan, Emma. I did get sausages.”
“I reckon she probably likes sausages even more,” Jai says. “Since they’re bigger and all.”
My jaw drops as everyone laughs, like this is the funniest thing they’ve ever heard. But no one seems to think that it’s strange or completely inappropriate, him saying something like this.
I find that I can’t actually eat anything, but to keep myself distracted I push the food around my plate. I try not to look at Jai, try not to even see him out of the corner of my eye, but he’s right there next to me, eating his eggs, drinking his coffee, an affable smile on his face.
“So,” Mom says. “I think we’re all going to have a really nice time here. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
Jessica and I murmur our agreement. Zack beams.
“This place has always been a respite of sorts,” he says. “And I’m so happy that I can share it with you. And I’m so happy that my son has made the voyage across the pond to be here with us, too.”
“Why, I almost feel like next you’re going to tell us to all join hands and sing Kumbaya or something,” Jai says. He’s totally joking, but my mother’s eyes widen as she grins.
“Why that’s a lovely idea!” she says. She puts her fork down. “We don’t necessarily have to sing —though if anyone feels so inspired, by all means—but yes, I would like us to all hold hands for a moment.” She spreads her arms, offering one hand to me, one to my sister.
“Uh, Mom?” Jess says.
“Are you serious?” I look at my mother’s outstretched palm. She gives me an encouraging nod.
“Yes, girls, I am serious. Why don’t you just humor your mother and do this? Jess, if you just slide over a little, you’ll be able to reach Zack’s other hand, and Emma, you and Jai don’t need to move at all—”
“Here, I’ll slide a little closer,” Jai says, and he sidles his chair over so it’s right against mine. “Let’s make it as easy for her as we can, right Stephanie?” I turn my head to look at him, right in time to see him give my mom a look that says, God, she’s difficult, isn’t she?
“Fine,” I say. I take my mother’s hand, and Jai reaches for my other one, and then we sit there, five grown ups, holding hands. I expect that someone’s going to say something, but no one does. My insides start to squirm a bit, from the sheer ridiculousness of it. Across the table, Jessica’s expression mirrors my own, though she’s also trying to bite back a smile. Jai slips one finger around to my inner wrist and starts tracing light circles.
“Okay,” Mom says, after what feels like forever. She lets go of my hand. Jai holds on a few seconds longer, but I pull away. He lets his arm fall, and when his hand lands on my thigh, he keeps it there. “Thank you, everyone, for indulging me. That was nice.”
They go back to eating; Jai too, but his hand remains, inching higher and higher until his thumb is resting in my thigh crease. He presses on that sensitive muscle and I feel a twinge, though I manage to stay in my seat, face impassive.
And somehow, his hand remains there for the rest of the meal, and no one has any clue. Not that I would want them to know, but it just seems so ironic, the way my mother keeps going on about us getting to know each other better, spending quality time bonding. When the meal is finally over, I want nothing more than a shower and a chance to try to figure out what the hell I’m doing. I can’t spend the next two weeks like this, him feeling me up at the
Jai snorts with laughter and tries to cover it up by pretending it was a cough.
“She always has,” Mom muses. “And sweetie, if you want to eat your hot dogs with ketchup and mustard, and if you want to have your coffee with cream, then by all means, go right ahead.”
“I’ll have to make sure to get some hot dogs for our cookout later on,” Zack says. “I didn’t know you were such a fan, Emma. I did get sausages.”
“I reckon she probably likes sausages even more,” Jai says. “Since they’re bigger and all.”
My jaw drops as everyone laughs, like this is the funniest thing they’ve ever heard. But no one seems to think that it’s strange or completely inappropriate, him saying something like this.
I find that I can’t actually eat anything, but to keep myself distracted I push the food around my plate. I try not to look at Jai, try not to even see him out of the corner of my eye, but he’s right there next to me, eating his eggs, drinking his coffee, an affable smile on his face.
“So,” Mom says. “I think we’re all going to have a really nice time here. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
Jessica and I murmur our agreement. Zack beams.
“This place has always been a respite of sorts,” he says. “And I’m so happy that I can share it with you. And I’m so happy that my son has made the voyage across the pond to be here with us, too.”
“Why, I almost feel like next you’re going to tell us to all join hands and sing Kumbaya or something,” Jai says. He’s totally joking, but my mother’s eyes widen as she grins.
“Why that’s a lovely idea!” she says. She puts her fork down. “We don’t necessarily have to sing —though if anyone feels so inspired, by all means—but yes, I would like us to all hold hands for a moment.” She spreads her arms, offering one hand to me, one to my sister.
“Uh, Mom?” Jess says.
“Are you serious?” I look at my mother’s outstretched palm. She gives me an encouraging nod.
“Yes, girls, I am serious. Why don’t you just humor your mother and do this? Jess, if you just slide over a little, you’ll be able to reach Zack’s other hand, and Emma, you and Jai don’t need to move at all—”
“Here, I’ll slide a little closer,” Jai says, and he sidles his chair over so it’s right against mine. “Let’s make it as easy for her as we can, right Stephanie?” I turn my head to look at him, right in time to see him give my mom a look that says, God, she’s difficult, isn’t she?
“Fine,” I say. I take my mother’s hand, and Jai reaches for my other one, and then we sit there, five grown ups, holding hands. I expect that someone’s going to say something, but no one does. My insides start to squirm a bit, from the sheer ridiculousness of it. Across the table, Jessica’s expression mirrors my own, though she’s also trying to bite back a smile. Jai slips one finger around to my inner wrist and starts tracing light circles.
“Okay,” Mom says, after what feels like forever. She lets go of my hand. Jai holds on a few seconds longer, but I pull away. He lets his arm fall, and when his hand lands on my thigh, he keeps it there. “Thank you, everyone, for indulging me. That was nice.”
They go back to eating; Jai too, but his hand remains, inching higher and higher until his thumb is resting in my thigh crease. He presses on that sensitive muscle and I feel a twinge, though I manage to stay in my seat, face impassive.
And somehow, his hand remains there for the rest of the meal, and no one has any clue. Not that I would want them to know, but it just seems so ironic, the way my mother keeps going on about us getting to know each other better, spending quality time bonding. When the meal is finally over, I want nothing more than a shower and a chance to try to figure out what the hell I’m doing. I can’t spend the next two weeks like this, him feeling me up at the
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