Chapter 21 Juniper
Juniper
I’m ignoring every curious look from the townsfolk as Nick, Jax, and I walk together through the festival. I’m in awe of the decorations this year. They’re so much more attuned with the Rumpus lore than in the past—less commercial, more handmade. As if the brothers themselves had a hand in it.
At least, that’s what I already know Marge is going to say.
I took my time looking at the wooden ornaments, round yarn balls, and icicle-like crystals dangling from the trees on the walk to the main road this morning. Nick and Jax took a few down to let me look at them closer, and I actually kept a few.
They were beautiful.
I’m still so fucking sore from yesterday, in all the right places. Looking at my body in the mirror this morning struck something within me. I’ve never felt so worshipped, so claimed and cared for, and not in the way that might make me feel stuck or in need of changing.
It’s a different emotion than anything I’ve ever felt, and the more I look between them, the more I feel myself sinking deeper into this.
I love it.
We make our way down the vendor alley first. I can’t stop grinning each time one of them touches my hand, my waist, my arm…
Any time one of them shows me an interesting trinket or crocheted plush.
I quickly learn Jax is the spender and collector of the two.
He purchases anything he thinks is useful or cute, while Nick smirks at him and shakes his head.
The only thing Nick ends up purchasing besides coffees and sweets is Rumpus toys for Oreo and Pack.
I didn’t get more than a couple of minutes alone with him this morning. He looks more haunted than ever, and somehow, I swear it’s spreading to Jax.
As Jax makes conversation with one of the local artists at the gallery, I feel Nick press his back against mine and set his chin on the top of my head. The fact that he can do that makes me laugh under my breath.
“That’s not fair,” I say as I reach for his hand.
Our fingers entwine, and I feel his chin move as if he’s smiling. “What’s not fair is the fact you haven’t told us how you want to spend tomorrow, birthday girl,” he says in my ear.
I fight a smile as I twist in his arms. “It’s just a birthday,” I say, almost drowning in his gaze.
“Something tells me it isn’t.”
I would hate that he can see through me, except he and his brother are the first ones to ever try.
“Who told you?” I ask because I don’t remember telling him.
“Jasmine.”
“Ah. Figures. No wonder I have the day off,” I tell him.
His brows lift. “That makes things easier.”
“Oh?” I squirm at the thought of whatever he wants to plan.
“Any requests?” he asks, pushing my hair off my face.
I contemplate my answer as I look up at him. “I know you’re probably thinking about positions and dinner, but I can only think of one thing that I want.”
“What’s that?”
“Come to the jetty with me.”
A muscle in his jaw feathers as if the mention makes him ache. “Really?”
“Yeah. I want you both to go with me this time.”
Relief settles in his gaze. He braces his hand on my face. I feel my brows narrow at the sight, at the way he’s holding my cheek. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because the jetty is something you’ve kept to yourself,” he replies.
“Maybe I just like walking there alone.”
“Is that it?”
I lock eyes with him a few seconds longer. “No,” I say, swallowing. “No, the jetty… It’s the last place I saw my father. On my birthday.”
Nick’s chest falls. “Fuck, Juniper,” he whispers.
He leans in, kisses my forehead, and pulls me in for a hug.
I don’t know what it is about the embrace, about every time he has his arms around me, but I want to weep.
He hugs me tight, swaying me slightly as he strokes my hair and kisses the top of my head.
“We’re here when you’re ready,” he says when we part.
“I know.”
Nick bends down and presses his lips gently to mine—a soft declaration that makes my legs feel like jello.
“Hey, I was thinking that print there would look stunning above your bed, darling,” I hear Jax saying as he approaches us.
I separate from Nick and clear my throat, unable to keep a serious face at the sight of Jax talking animatedly about redecorating my house.
“—is unless we’re commissioning a painting of the three of us naked.
What—What’s this? Who died?” Jax frowns and looks between us.
“Hey.” He turns me toward him with a press of his fingers to my hip, his other hand stretching around my throat.
He fluidly tips my chin back with his thumb, causing me to exhale at his concern.
“What’s the matter?”
“Juniper was just saying she wants us to go to the jetty with her tomorrow,” Nick says.
Jax’s brows shoot high. “What? Really? You know, I have always wanted to eat birthday cake on the beach. I didn’t realize it wouldn’t be my birthday, but I won’t be picky.”
My jaw drops, and I push him slightly. “Jax!”
He staggers off balance and grips his chest as if I’ve hurt him.
“Oh my god. You are ridiculous. As usual. What am I going to do with you?” I tease him.
He scoffs and wraps his arm around my shoulders. “I believe we’ve already established that, love.”
Heat creeps up my chest, but I smirk at him to hide my nerves. “I have to get to work,” I say, shaking my head.
Jax snickers and kisses me hard. “About that painting.”
“I didn’t know I gave you permission to redecorate.”
“We’re moving in. I told you already.”
Differently colored stones and gems decorate the alleyway.
Spirals of shells and pebbles dot the beach.
There’s a thin layer of frost remaining on the dune beachgrass, which is weird because it typically melts the moment the sun hits it.
I can see the children having fun playing around with the rocks and stones in the sand.
Gathering them up and creating new designs.
Happiness lights up on their faces at just how magical the island feels today—more so than any other Rumpus festival I’ve seen.
There’s something in the air that has a lump in my throat, and I haven’t been able to swallow fully since Nick and Jax left me at work.
“The town must have had a bunch of new volunteers that worked overnight. Those spirals weren’t out there when I was closing last night,” I say to Jasmine as we set up for the day.
Shit.
Stop mentioning closing last night.
The very last thing I want is her realizing there’s an hour gap in the camera footage.
“Or maybe the brothers just decided to work some magic,” Jasmine says, smirking my way.
“Yeah. Okay,” I chuckle.
Jasmine leans over the bar to look at the two statues we have sitting in the middle. “I can’t wait to pour every shot through these today. Nick did such a good job.”
Mentioning him makes my insides warm. “Yeah, he did.”
“Speaking of brothers, where are your boyfriends?”
I huff nervously, muttering, “Boyfriends,” under my breath. “Ah… I don’t know about boyfriends, but if you mean the twins, they’re enjoying the festival. Probably plotting something crazy for my birthday tomorrow.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” she grins.
Danielle unlocks the outside doors and rolls up the caged window, the noise announcing our opening for the day to a couple of families who were outside making sandcastles.
One of the dads quickly makes his way inside to order lunch, and I start on refilling paper products as Jasmine takes care of them.
The day runs like any normal festival day. More families coming inside, our regulars, Rumpus games and prizes that Jasmine has been planning for weeks now. The Rumpus Luge shots get more popular as the sun begins to set, and all the while, I find myself smiling about it more than usual.
Damn those two for all of it.
It’s about an hour until my break when I finally get a text from them. I almost laugh out loud when I see that Jax has made a group chat for us because I can only imagine Nick shaking his head for the amount of notifications he’s likely going to get with Jax flirting.
Jax
How do you feel about temperature play, darling?
I almost choke on my drink.
Nick
We were thinking of lighting you up like a candle.
Jax
That doesn’t sound very sexy.
He means blowing your birthday candles out and using the wax after.
Are you two not walking around together?
Jax
No. Errands.
I thought the focus was prepping me.
Nick
I have other plans for that.
Jax
That one also includes temp play.
Why do I feel like you’re going to put a frozen dildo in my ass?
Neither of them responds for a beat.
Oh my god. That’s your plan.
Jax
Well, now that you’ve guessed it it isn’t
Nick
It might still be. What time is your break?
I glance at the clock, and as I do, two men enter through the beach door that make me squint. I almost set down the phone. The sight of them is bizarre. I’ve never seen anyone on the island who looks like them—apart from Nick and Jax.
Both have long, blond, straight hair that falls gracefully by their narrow faces.
Eyes dark and sunken as if they’ve never had a wink of sleep in their lives.
Their hands are tucked inside their long, navy blue coats.
There’s something about them that makes me squint, has my hair standing on my neck, and not in a good way.
Even the air seems to have changed.
I feel Jasmine nudge me at the same time that I go to nudge her, and she leans in close.
“Do your boys have cousins?” she mutters.
“I mean they haven’t mentioned anyone, but…”
I tap my phone screen again to text them.
Do you two have cousins in town?
The reply is so immediate that my phone screen doesn’t have the chance to darken.
Nick
What do they look like?
Jax
We don’t have family.
I hold my phone up and discreetly snap a photo as Danielle approaches them to let them know to take a seat wherever.
Except when I look at the picture, their faces are slightly blurred. Like they’re moving so quickly that the camera can’t quite catch them.
It’s blurry but these guys. Sorry, I must need a new phone.