True Blue (Imperium Coast #1)

Chapter 34

34

“ Y ou ready for this?” Janette asks, blowing on her gloved hands and bouncing on the balls of her feet. I reach over and take her hands in mine, rubbing them to try to generate more warmth. Thick puffs of snowflakes fall around us outside the closed campus cafe, catching on her tight space buns and the little fuzzy hairs of her black earmuffs. She smiles, watching me warm her hands while still shifting her weight around on her feet.

“Yes. I want them to know about us. I want everyone to know about us.” Her eyes widen as they slide up to meet mine and I chuckle. “Baby steps, sunshine. Together, right?”

She nods as I bring her hands up to kiss her gloved fingertips. She blushes and puts them in her coat pockets after I release them.

I stare at her for a moment, eyes roving over her face as I take her in while she hops around. “I like this by the way,” I say, reaching up and tapping just above her new nose piercing with a grin.

Janette smiles and my chest expands. “Thanks.” Her eyes crinkle as she looks up at me again. “I still can’t believe I did it. when I told Axel I always wanted one at dinner, I didn’t expect him to take us to a tattoo shop immediately after.” She laughs again, the sound airy and making my smile grow. With a shake of her head, she adds, “He’s insane sometimes.”

“But you love it.” I start rubbing her upper arms, wanting to touch her just as much as I want to warm her up.

Janette rolls her eyes. “Like you don’t too.” She pauses, looking at her hands again. “My mom would never have let me before, and I figured I shouldn’t worry about that so much anymore.”

I dip down to catch her eyes, holding them as I say, “I’m proud of you, sunshine.”

She smiles, bouncing around after a moment to try to stay warm again. I watch her with a smile until she suddenly goes rigid and looks sharply over her shoulder.

My smile drops and I follow her gaze, looking out at the early morning campus. Some people walk through the cleared paths, but most of the school still sleeps or are in their early morning lectures.

“What is it?” I ask and Janette looks back up at me.

“Nothing, I guess.” She glances back over the campus behind her. “I just thought I felt someone looking at us.” She shakes her head. “I felt it when I was out with Axel the other day too.”

My brows furrow and I reach out, rubbing the spot where her neck meets her shoulder. She looks up at me again. “Maybe you just felt people were watching you because you fucked Axel in the bathroom?” I give her a wry smile and she shoves my shoulder. I chuckle. “Did you see anyone watching you?”

She shakes her head. “No, I never saw anyone. I don’t think anyone at the restaurant was actually watching us or anything. Maybe I’m just going crazy?” She laughs uncomfortably, looking down again.

I tip her chin up, meeting her eyes. “You’re not crazy.” She smiles and I drop my hand from her chin. “You’re probably just nervous about people finding out about us. I am too. You weren’t wrong that publicity will become a problem at some point.”

She nods, biting her bottom lip. I pull it from her teeth, rubbing it with my thumb. “We’ll handle it though. And we don’t have to worry about it right now. The school’s security will keep the press off campus.”

Janette nods, hugging herself against the cold. “Can I ask you something?”

I squeeze her chin, smiling. “Anything.”

“Your parents,” she starts, studying my face. “They weren’t around a lot when you were growing up?”

I sigh, rubbing my thumb against her skin. “They were around, but no not all the time. They always made an effort though. When they were home and when they were away on shoots. My grandfather was there all the time and I met Mira in elementary school. Her and her mom, April, became my second home. So, I never felt like I was missing anything.” She nods and I continue. “I don’t resent them or anything. They always made sure I was protected and kept up with everything in my life. I remember one time a photographer got into one of my tee ball games and my dad literally hopped on a jet and came back home to make sure I was okay. Mom wasn’t on that shoot, so she was there when it happened. She took a swing at him, and it made national headlines.” I shake my head, laughing a little and Janette smiles with me. “Why did you ask?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. I know you didn’t resent them, but I wanted to make sure I understood. Being around Axel’s family last week was a lot and I wanted to check in that you were okay too.”

I hold myself back, telling her, “I really want to kiss you right now. Thank you for checking in with me. I’m okay, promise. I like big family gatherings. Mira’s house can get kind of rowdy with all the stray kids April takes in.” He chuckles.

We stand in the cold together and I think over her paranoia from earlier.

“If you feel like you’re being watched again, let me know. Or Axel. I’m sure he’ll be concerned too.” Janette nods, looking into the café now. I watch her, looking back the way she suddenly stared and still seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

A worker comes to the glass doors next to us, unlocking the café and changing the closed sign to open. I hold the door for Janette as well as the other few people who were waiting out front with us. Once inside, I nod toward a window booth big enough for four and get in line to buy our drinks.

Janette makes herself comfortable, taking off her gloves and earmuffs, but leaving her coat on as she claims the table I pointed out. I place our order, getting Autumn and Mira’s usual drinks as well, before sliding in next to Janette and pulling off my own winter gear.

The bell over the door rings and I look up to see my best friends walk in, stamping their boots on the black mat inside the door. My stomach rolls, and I swallow down the rising uncertainty tainting my gut. Mira will be happy for us. She’ll understand.

Mira looks around, spotting us first when I raise my hand and steering Autumn over to our table.

“Sorry we’re late, I couldn’t find my gloves.” Mira says, smiling at Janette and pulling off her knit hat. The look settles my nerves a bit, warmth spreading through my chest at the idea of them becoming friends. She looks over her shoulder at the menu board above the counter. “Did you guys order already?”

I nod, reaching out to take Autumn’s bag so she can take her coat off. “Yeah, I got your peppermint thing and Autumn’s tea. Just waiting for them to call the name.” Mira turns back, smiling and I hand Autumn her bag back once they’ve both slid into the booth across from us.

Awkwardness invades my gut as Janette and Mira start chatting about finals. I listen halfheartedly, trying to formulate the right way to ease the conversation toward the topic I want. Janette’s hand lands on my knee under the table as she nods along to Autumn. I pat the back of her hand just as my name gets called by a barista. I slide out of the booth, grabbing the drink tray and carrying it over to the little mixing station where I add cinnamon to Autumn’s tea and a wooden stirrer to Mira’s peppermint mocha.

Walking back, I catch the tail end of the conversation as Janette smiles at me and reaches for her drink.

“I still think you should just switch now.” She shrugs her shoulder as she licks the rim of her cup, catching a few fallen drips from the station to table transfer.

Mira holds her mocha with two hands, warming them against the surface. “Classes have already been picked for next semester, so I'll get the duds if I change now. Plus, most majors follow a fall to spring schedule, so starting the classes now will mess up my whole schedule for the next three years.”

“Change what?” I ask after burning my tongue on the scalding coffee I ordered. I pull the lid off and rub my thumb against the lip of the cup, feeling the steam against the pad of my finger.

“Change majors. I think I’m going to do it next semester. That way I can get my gen eds done this year and then start all the art courses in the fall like they’re set up to be taken.” Mira stares at her cup the whole time she speaks, shoulders tense. Autumn rubs her back, half her tea already gone.

I reach across the table, taking one of her hands off the cup, waiting for her eyes to meet mine. “I think that’s a great idea, Mir. You deserve to do what you love.”

Mira nods, smiling. “Mom said the same thing.”

I chuckle, taking back my hand and winking at her. “I knew I loved April for a reason.”

“Have you told Harley?” Autumn half mumbles, cup against her lips.

Mira swallows, shaking her head. Her eyes dull a little and I fist my hand in my lap. “We’ve been weird lately. I don’t know if I’m going to tell him right now.”

Janette’s hand lands back on my knee, squeezing as she sips her drink. I clear my throat, unclenching my fist and sitting forward so my elbows rest on the table. “So, I wanted to meet with you guys today to tell you both something.”

“He’s speaking formally. Nervous,” Autumn murmurs.

Mira nods, sitting up. “Serious. Maybe he crashed the car?”

I roll my eyes, sitting back and trying my coffee again now that it’s a little more cooled. Once they start, there’s no stopping them until they’re done.

“Or he’s dropping out?”

“Please tell me he didn’t knock someone up.”

“A baby? Tyson will be furious.”

“Not to mention Heather and Michael.”

“Oh, the scandal.” Autumn snickers.

I glance at Janette, finding her eyes ping ponging between my best friends, eyebrows slowly inching up her forehead.

“Are you two done?” I ask.

Mira laughs, nodding. “What’s up, Bent?”

I take a deep breath, grabbing Janette’s hand under the table and bringing our interlocked fingers up. “We’re together.”

Mira stares at our hands and Autumn’s mouth pops open. Janette’s head whips toward me, eyes wide at my simple assessment of the situation before she slowly looks back at Autumn and Mira. Mira’s eyes lift to mine before crossing to Janette’s. She frowns.

“I thought you were dating Axel?” she whispers.

Janette takes a deep breath before smiling. “I am.”

Autumn’s eyes shoot open wide, sliding over to stare at me. “But you two are also dating?”

“Mhmm,” I murmur, watching Mira’s reaction. My stomach turns as I psyche myself up to say, “And I’m also with Axel.”

Mira’s head swivels between the two of us again, but Autumn smiles wide. “Wait, you’re all together?”

Janette and I nod in sync. I squeeze her hand, feeling the tremors that start to emerge. “He wanted to be here to tell you both too, but he has an eight a.m. on Tuesdays,” Janette says.

“We wanted to tell you both right away after break.”

Mira stares at our hands again, still not saying a word. I wait, stomach tying itself in knots.

Autumn glances over, nudging Mira with her shoulder. Mira's head pops up and our gazes meet.

“How long have you guys been together?”

I sigh. “Altogether, about two months. But we’ve been making our way toward this since the beginning of term.” I wince when she nods, lips thinning.

Janette jumps in, words flying fast. “I was the one who didn’t want to tell anyone. I’m not ashamed or anything, but it happened really differently between each of us and then kind of all at once for all three of us and I wasn’t sure we were stable enough to let people in yet. Plus, I’m still really nervous about the outside world finding out with my mom’s spotlight career and his parents.” Janette bumps my shoulder, probably harder than she intends, but I can feel her fidgety energy in charge. “It’s my fault Bentley didn’t say anything.”

I shake my head, pulling Janette’s hand closer to me. “No, I was also nervous to tell you. You had so much going on with school stressing you out and the Harley stuff and then your parents. Plus, Janette and you weren’t exactly besties at the beginning of the semester. I was worried you would worry about me and didn’t want to add to your plate.”

Mira laughs. I swallow and Janette and Autumn just stare at her. She chuckles, closing her eyes and shaking her head. “Bentley Kodak Marshall.”

I smile, shoulders falling as I hear the playfully stern tone of her voice.

“You didn’t tell me you were in a new relationship because you were scared I would worry about you?” Her eyes fly open. “I am not your child! I’m your best friend!” She laughs, shaking her head “You really need to stop trying to shelter me from everything. I already get enough of that from Ramsey and Harley!”

Autumn smiles, going back to finishing her tea.

I nod. “You’re not mad?” I check.

“No. I get some of your reasons.” She turns to Janette. “You didn’t start hanging out with me just because you’re dating my best friend, right?”

Janette shakes her head, letting go of my hand and reaching across the table for Mira’s. “No, I wanted to hang out with you, I swear. I started the semester with a bunch of shit from back home and I didn’t realize how much it was eating up my focus. I kept doing things for other people and pushed my own stuff to the side. Bentley and Axel kind of figured their own ways in and helped me realize I needed to drop some things and reprioritize myself.” She leans forward, Mira doing the same. “I’m really sorry I didn’t put in more effort in the beginning of the semester. I was a bitch, and you didn’t deserve the effects of my shit.”

I wrap my arm around her back, resting my hand on her hip. She smiles over at me.

Mira nods, gripping Janette’s hand. “Thank you, but you’re not fully to blame. I could have been a bit more understanding.”

Janette shakes her head. “You didn’t know.”

“Still, you weren’t a bitch. You were just guarded.” She shrugs. “I’m really glad they helped you let down your walls.”

Janette beams at me, making my lungs squeeze. “They’ve both been there for me every time that I’ve needed them. And I plan on being there for them whenever they need me.”

Autumn awes and Janette blushes, taking her hand back from Mira.

Mira turns back to me. “I’m not hurt that you didn’t tell me right away. I didn’t tell you guys about Harley right away.” She glances over at Autumn who nods. “But I know you, Bent. I know you wouldn’t waste your time with just anyone. If you had told me you started seeing Janette, I would have been happy for you guys and tried to make more of an effort to get to know her too. And Axel. How does that work exactly?”

I chuckle, running a hand through my hair and glancing at Janette. “We’re figuring it out as we go along. So far, that’s been pretty easy though since we’ve been in our own little world.”

Autumn finishes the last of her tea, pushing the empty cup toward the middle of the table. “Have you let your parents’ PR team know? Or are you just going to blindside them like with the boat incident?”

“What’s the boat incident?” Janette sits forward, eyes alight.

“I told my parents over break.” I say before Autumn can fill her in. “I don’t know if they’ve told Molly yet, but they were both excited. They want to meet them.”

Janette sits back, hands on her disregarded drink.

“Heather and Michael are super sweet. They’ll love you,” Mira says, smiling at Janette. “What about your grandfather?”

“We’ve sort of met,” Janette says, smirking over at me.

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, I think an actual introduction is still needed.”

“Mom will probably want to throw you guys a party.” Mira laughs. “I’m sure she’ll want to meet you both as well.”

“How many meet-the-parents events do we have to go to?” Janette’s shoulders slump and I rub her side.

“Well, I already met your and Axel’s parents.”

“You did?” Mira and Autumn both shoot up, leaning across the table. “How’d it go?”

I rub the bridge of my nose, remembering the tense Thanksgiving dinner. “It’s kind of a long story.”

Mira settles in, smiling. “We have time. Start about two months ago and go from there.”

“Well, we’d probably have to start before the semester started to get all the context in,” Janette says before launching into how the three of us came together.

I shake my head, smiling at my best friends while Janette smirks behind her drink each time they gasp or squeal dramatically. Warmth seeps into my chest and I jump in to explain how we spent Thanksgiving break, Janette weaving in the parts about her Mom. Mira and Autumn listen with rapt attention, the snow piling up outside as part of the weight on my shoulders falls away.

After an hour of explanations and betting on who will hug Janette more, April or my mom, I glance at my watch, realizing we’re late to meet Axel.

“We have to go finalize our project.” I nudge Janette, her spine snapping straight as she glances at the time on her phone. She nods, following me out of the booth.

Autumn and Mira stand as well, gathering their stuff and tossing their empty cups in the trash nearby. “We should get back to West Tower. Looks like the storm is picking up.”

We all glance out the window. The light puffs of white have turned into a fast flurry of pelting snow as the wind drifts the tops of the accumulation around to mix with the already falling flakes. I hold out Janette’s coat as she puts her arms in, throwing my own on once she starts on the buttons of hers.

Mira smiles at us as I hand Janette her earmuffs and take her empty cup to the trash with mine. I roll my eyes at her soft expression, but my gut twists a bit at the purse of her lips as she looks away.

“We’re okay, right?” I whisper, standing between her and Janette as we walk out.

She nods, eyes going wide as she looks up at me. “Of course, Bent. I’m happy for you.” She smiles and I sigh. She hugs me just inside the entryway of the café, and I wrap my arms around her as well. “Last week was just a lot and I have a feeling these next few weeks aren’t going to be much better.”

I nod as we pull apart, still holding her in place once I can see her eyes. “I’m here if you need anything, okay? Anything, Mir.”

She nods, Autumn placing a hand on her back and echoing my words.

Janette pipes up after a second as well. “Me too.” She steps forward, entering our little huddle and Mira smiles over at her.

“Thanks, you guys,” she untangles herself from all of us. “You two need to get going. Tell Axel we said hi!” She nudges us toward the door, and I nod, holding the door open for Janette as we walk out into the storm.

A few feet away from the café, I grab her hand, pulling her closer to me and wrapping an arm around her. “I think that went well.”

She smiles up at me, teeth chattering. “It went amazing. I thought they’d be way more pissed.”

I chuckle, leaning down to kiss her cheek. She pouts as I pull away and I tilt my head. Janette reaches up and grabs the back of my neck, pulling me back down and kissing me fully. Her lips are cold against mine, but as we get lost in it, warmth spreads between us. I pull back for air a few moments later and Janette laughs breathlessly.

I watch her, mesmerized and lean down to kiss her again quickly before we continue on our way. The storm churns around us, but my body feels warm and light as we continue down the path toward Axel.