Chapter 16 Conflict and Interest
sixteen
Conflict and Interest
As soon as I walk into the living room, I drop my suitcase. “Jacob.”
I'm in shock. Sitting on the couch, playing video games with Tyler, where he’s been a hundred times before, is Jacob.
He turns around. “Sorry, Jess. It’s just me.”
“Gage!” I’m almost as happy to see him as I would be to see Jacob.
He throws his arms around me, picks me up and kisses me—hard and on the lips. I’m too stunned to pull away.
“You totally owed me that one.” He steps back. “You aren’t going to slap me, are you?”
I’m trying to recover. “No. I should. I would if I weren’t so happy to see you.”
“Good. As I remember, you slap hard.”
Tyler is grinning at us. “What are you looking at?” I ask him.
“Just taking it all in,” he replies.
“Don’t.” I try to look stern. “I don’t want you to pick anything up from this guy.” I turn back to Gage, he’s grinning too. “What are you doing here?”
“A stop on the way,” he answers. “We’re heading for combat simulation training in California, but we have a couple of days here.”
“We?” I ask.
“You don’t think Matt would pass up a couple of days with Kendra do you?”
I shake my head. “Not a chance.”
Gage looks at me appraisingly. “Some snobby lieutenant wanted to tag along. But you already know him, right?”
My heart drops as I realize who else is here. I work to stay casual. “Michael. Yeah, he was here for a while over Christmas.”
Gage is studying my face. Finally he says, “Are there any girls around?”
I put my hand on my hip and fake annoyed. “I’m a girl.”
“Sorry, Jess. No offense, but when I told Jake I was coming here, he made it pretty clear you were off limits.”
“You just kissed me.”
Gage’s face breaks into a grin. “We don’t have to tell Jake about that. I’d hate for him to come all the way back from Iraq just to kick my ass.”
I roll my eyes. “Jasmine is spending Spring Break in Mexico, but she said something about being home for a day or two. She’d probably like to hear from you.”
“Cool.” Gage already has his phone out. He heads into the next room to make the call.
I pick up my suitcase, suddenly realizing what Gage just said. How am I to get through two days with Gage and Michael in the same house?
“Hey. You want to play with us?”
I stare at Matt in disbelief. “You want me to play football with you?”
He shrugs. “Why not?”
“Is Kendra playing?” I ask.
“No way. She’d get crushed.” Matt wraps his arms protectively around his fiancée.
“What about you, Jaz?” I ask. Jasmine is cuddled up on Gage’s lap.
“I’m not into guy’s sports,” she answers. “Except as a spectator.”
“I don't want her to get crushed either,” Gage replies, nuzzling her cheek. “Unless it’s by me. I can be very gentle when I tackle.”
I think I’m going to be sick. Jasmine and Gage have a talent for picking up exactly where they left off, no matter how long it's been or who else they've been involved with since they last saw each other. I’m not sure who’s worse, Matt and Kendra or Jaz and Gage.
“I guess nobody cares if I get hurt,” I answer pitifully.
“Naw, we just know you’re tough.” Michael punches me in the arm. “We need you to even out the teams. Besides, we're playing touch, not tackle.”
Gage narrows his eyes in Michael’s direction. Gage has assumed the role of my watchdog every time Michael is around. I get the idea that they don’t like each other. The air crackles with a kind of electric tension every time they’re together.
I shake my head. “Okay, I’ll play.”
“Cool,” Michael says. “You’re on my team.”
Matt takes the ball from him. “Sorry. We’re playing Roberts against non-Roberts. You, Gage, and Tyler's friend Seth against me, Jess, and Ty.”
I get why Matt divided the teams that way. He wants Gage and Michael on the same team so they don’t have an excuse to go after each other.
Playing football, even touch, is a good way to work out the pressure I've felt ever since the guys got here. We run the plays like this—Ty blocks for Matt and I run. Matt throws me the ball. I’m fast enough to get a few yards each play before anyone catches me.
On defense, I block Michael. He’s too much of a gentleman to mow me over.
Matt manhandles Gage, and Ty makes a run for it.
Michael catches on to our plans and sticks to me like he’s my shadow. We’re a few yards from the goal. I go out long and catch the ball. I’m almost in the end zone with Michael getting closer. Something slams into me from the side. I go down hard, but land softly, cradled in Gage’s arms.
He does know how to tackle gently.
He’s on top of me. Not crushing me. “What are you doing?” I ask.
“Looking out for my brother’s interests, and saving the game.” He doesn’t let me go.
“Knock it off,” I struggle under his grip. “I can take care of myself.”
“I’m not sure...” He’s cut off by Michael barreling into him.
I’m thrown sideways. Gage ends up on his back.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Michael is yelling at Gage. “Jess, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I sit up, more stunned and hurt by Michael’s heroics than by Gage’s tackle. I shake myself.
Michael offers me his hand, but Gage is on his feet, toe to toe with him.
I stand up. “I’m okay, really.”
They aren’t paying attention to me anymore.
“This game is touch, not tackle.” Michael says through tight lips.
“Maybe I didn’t want you touching Jess.” Gage’s hands are clenching and unclenching into a fist.
“She’s better off with me touching her than she is with you tackling her.” Michael’s whole body is red and his green eyes are on fire. I’ve never seen him mad before, but he looks like a volcano about to blow.
“I doubt that,” Gage says.
“Don’t you think that’s up to her?”
“We aren’t on base now, rich boy,” Gage says. “You can’t order me around and you sure as hell can’t order Jess around.”
I’m tired of being talked about as if I’m not standing here, as if I can't take care of myself. “Knock it off! I’m sick of this whole thing.” I turn and start walking away.
“Jess–” Michael starts. I ignore him.
“Alright, boys.” Matt is between them now. “Jess is right. You two need to cool it.”
I keep walking into the house and up to my room. This is stupid. I’m furious with both of them for ruining my Spring Break.