Chapter 14
JUNIPER
“Girl, you need to tell us what happened last night,” Sage says as we eat bowls of Frosted Flakes for breakfast.
“What do you mean, what happened last night?” I say, flustered as I look everywhere but at their faces.
“We mean, what did you and Rafe get up to?” Rosie says, putting her spoon down and gazing at me. “And don’t you dare say nothing. There’s no way that man slept in your bed and nothing happened.”
“He just wanted to give me advice for the dating show,” I say quickly, but I can feel my face turning fire-engine red as I think about the events of the night before.
“That’s bullshit,” Sage says, crossing her arms before pointing at me. “There’s no way in hell that man showed up here in the middle of the night, came in, and spent the night because he wanted to give you advice on how to prepare for the dating show.”
“Well,” I pause because she has a point. “He said he wanted to stay so that he could be there for me and well, maybe I knew that was a bit of a lie. And yes, maybe we did end up fooling around, just a little bit.” My face flushes at the memory.
Sage giggles slightly and looks over at Rosie. “I told you. I knew that happened.”
“Sage, you’re not the only one who has a brain.”
“Girls, what are you talking about?”
“We’ve got twenty dollars on whether or not you had sex,” Rosie says with a grin. “Sage thinks you guys definitely banged, but I don’t think you banged. Maybe you did some other stuff, but I know you well enough to know you’re not going to bang the man on the first night.”
“Yeah, but she’s wanted him forever,” Sage says. “You totally banged, didn’t you?”
“No, we did not bang. And really, girls? Are you two college-aged guys? Who even says bang?”
They both burst out laughing.
“So, tell us what happened.”
I look at my watch. I’ve got about forty-five minutes before I need to leave the house and get ready to head to the beach to meet up with Jackie.
“I can’t really talk about this right now. I need to—”
“Stop,” Sage says. “You’re not going anywhere until you tell us what happened.”
“We might or might not have kissed.”
“Uh-huh. Tell us something we don’t know,” Rosie says.
“We might or might not have taken off our tops.”
“Ooh, naked.”
“We weren’t completely naked.”
“Well, at least not in the beginning.”
I shake my head. “I cannot believe I’m telling you guys this.”
“What? We’re your cousins. We love you. We want to know all the details.”
“Fine. So, it was actually okay. I was watching a movie. We were both in our underwear. Everything was good. And then I got a phone call from Jackie, who works for the reality TV show.”
“And then what happened?”
“She was going over information with me for today because she wants me to meet up with her. She wants me to talk about the sort of guy I’m looking for and all this other information.”
Sage rolls her eyes. “Girl, we don’t care about the reality dating TV show right now. We want to hear what went down with you and your man.”
“He’s not my man,” I say quickly.
“Whatever, whatever. Tell us.”
“Well, he started getting annoyed, I guess, that I was on the phone.” I giggle, thinking about the previous night. “And, well …” I blush again.
“Oh my gosh. What happened?”
“He pulled my panties off,” I say quickly, “and he might or might not have started going down on me.”
“Damn. While you were on the phone?” Rosie’s eyes widen. “I didn’t think he had it in him.”
“I knew I liked that guy,” Sage says with a giggle, and I just shake my head. “So, what, he went down on you while you were on the phone?”
I nod. “Yeah. And then I had to get off the phone because I couldn’t be moaning and shit while I was on the phone.”
“Exactly. He totally knew what he was doing,” Sage says. “So, he goes down on you, and then what?”
“And then he might or might not have taken off his briefs.”
“Okay. And what next?”
“He might or might not have gotten on top of me.” I let out a low sigh.
“But we didn’t have sex, if that’s what you’re wondering.
Well, I know that’s what you’re wondering, but we didn’t.
I got close, and I really wanted him to, and he was right there, and I knew all I had to do was grab his ass and pull him into me, but he didn’t think it was the right time. And he was probably right.”
I let out a long, deep sigh. “Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on. He’s never expressed this sort of interest in me before.”
“And, girl, it’s because we came to town, and you’re out there, and you’re having fun, and he’s seen that other guys want you, and that you have this sexy, fun side to you, and he’s probably panicking.”
“Because don’t take this the wrong way,” Sage says, “but you’re kind of boring when we’re not around.”
“I’m not boring. I mean, granted, I don’t enter wet T-shirt competitions, and I don’t get invited to be on reality dating TV shows, but …”
“Exactly,” Rosie says. “He just thought you’d be boring Juniper, sitting at home and watching movies, going to work at the bookstore, and never having a life. Now he realizes that you’re going to be out there, getting it on, and he’s totally jealous.”
“He’s not jealous.”
“He’s what?” Sage says, raising an eyebrow at me.
“I don’t know, but I don’t like playing these games. Does he want me? Does he not want me? Is this just about sex? Is it about anything else? I just don’t understand. It’s not like he’s asked me on a date. Just because he’s physically attracted to me doesn’t mean anything.”
Sage nods. “I agree. And I’m glad you didn’t have sex with him. I mean, I thought it would happen, but I’m glad you didn’t.”
“Oh, why?”
“Because if he wants you—like really and truly wants you—then he needs to step up his game. Everyone knows you have physical chemistry and attraction, but if he actually wants to take this somewhere, this is not good enough.”
“What are you saying?”
“He needs to wine you and dine you and get to know you as more than Mia’s best friend, okay?
He needs to know what’s going on in your brain—your dreams, your wants, your desires.
He needs to know your favorite foods. He needs to know your favorite color.
He needs to know what would be the last meal you ate if you were on death row.
He needs to know you inside and out. And only then may he be worthy of you. ”
I stare at her for a couple of seconds. “He doesn’t want to know all that about me.”
“Then he’s not the one,” she says, shaking her head.
“You, my dear, are amazing, and you deserve the best man in the world. And, yeah, he’s cute.
And, yeah, you’re attracted to him. And, yeah, you’ve had a thing for him for years.
But don’t give in to him just because, all of a sudden, he realizes you’re a hot commodity.
He needs to come right if he wants you.”
I nod slowly. “Maybe it’s just a physical thing. Maybe he’s not really interested in anything more than that.” I shrug. “He did sneak out of here early this morning.”
I feel guilty as soon as I say it.
I mean, he did it because he had gotten an emergency phone call about someone’s cat and he had to go into the office to take care of the cat. But still, I felt odd with him just leaving at six thirty in the morning while I was in bed, naked.
“You really like him, don’t you?” Rosie says.
I nod slowly. “I do. And I feel like an idiot. Why am I going to be on a reality dating TV show when it’s very obvious that I like Rafe and it’s very obvious that he’s into me? It’s just weird.”
“Girl, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. He literally has done nothing right now. You do not stop being on this show until he gives you a real reason why.”
Sage nods in agreement. “Yeah. Girl, you need to have the most fun in your life with this reality dating TV show. Plus, isn’t the prize, like, two hundred thousand dollars? That would solve all of your monetary problems.”
“It really would.” I nod. “But if I win the two hundred thousand dollars, that also means I have to go on a vacation with whichever guy picks me. And that could be awkward.”
“Why? What if you like the guy?”
“True. I haven’t thought about that. I just …”
“Girl, Rafe’s not your husband. He’s not your boyfriend. He’s never even asked you on a date. Do not stop anything in your life for this man.”
“Yeah, he got jealous, and he came over, and he spent the night, and he gave you an orgasm.” Sage pauses. “He did give you an orgasm, right?”
I nod and grin guiltily. “Maybe two.”
“Ooh la la,” Rosie says and then makes a face. “I want a man to give me an orgasm.”
“You’ll find one soon enough,” Sage says, shaking her head. “This isn’t about you, Rosie.”
“I know it’s not about me. I’m just saying, I want a man.”
“I want a man too,” Sage says. “But we have to be particular. We’re not just going to give it up for any old man.” She looks at me. “No offense.”
“No offense taken.” I laugh. “Plus, I didn’t give it up. Well, only partially.”
We all start laughing then and continue eating our cereal.
I think about what they’ve said to me, and I realize that they’re correct.
Even though last night was amazing, it didn’t mean anything.
It wasn’t like Rafe asked me on a date. It wasn’t like he professed his love for me.
He didn’t even say he really liked me. It was just a night born of jealousy and physical attraction, and while it was fun—who didn’t enjoy teasing a man that they’d had a crush on for years?
—it wasn’t the foundation of a solid relationship.
It wasn’t the foundation of anything.
I look down at my watch again and realize that I’ve got to jump into the shower to get ready.
I stand up and look at my cousins. “Okay. I’m going to really try my best and see if I do well on this dating show.
And maybe I’ll meet a good guy, and maybe I’ll win the money, and maybe Rafe will actually ask me on a real date.
I don’t know. I guess I just have to take it one day at a time.
” Which is the last thing I want to do. I want the answers now.
All of them. I want to know exactly what’s going to happen, but I know that’s not how life works.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Sage says with a grin. “Sometimes, we can’t wait for life to happen to us. We’ve got to go out and grab the by the horns and see where the ride takes us. Maybe it will take us where we want to go, or maybe it will take us in an even better direction.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Rafe’s not the only man in the universe,” Rosie says. “He’s not even the only good-looking man. I think you, my darling, can have any man you want. Maybe Rafe will step up, but if he doesn’t, you’re going to be just fine.”
“Thank you, girls.” I reach over to them and give them both a quick hug. “I love you. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“We are so happy to be here as well,” Rosie says with a smile.
“Yeah. And when you get back later, we want to tell you our plan.”
Sage’s eyes light up, and I stare at them for a couple of seconds, my mind racing.
“What’s your plan?”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing bad. It’s just a way for us to meet billionaires,” Rosie says, “who will want to marry us.”
“Girls, okay, I’ve got five minutes. Tell me everything.”
“You don’t have time to listen to this right now,” Sage says with a giggle. “Wait until you get home.”
“I’m not going to be able to wait. Tell me.”
“Have you ever heard of Billionaires Valley?” Sage asks, a light in her eyes. “Real name is Santa Capinari.”
I shake my head and groan.
“No, but let me guess. You guys have?”
Sage gives me her most innocent expression. “I mean, we kind of have. It’s an area that has the most billionaires per capita. And, well, if we’re looking for hot, rich men, what’s a better place for us to move to?”
“What? Are you joking right now?”
Sage shakes her head. “No. I mean, do not tell anyone because it will make us look like gold diggers, but we’re thinking about heading over there in the next couple of months. See if we like it.”
“Billionaires Valley? Are you kidding me?”
“I don’t think that’s the official name,” Rosie says with a laugh, “but it’s the nickname of the town. And, yeah, what do we have to lose?”
“I guess nothing.”
“Oh my gosh. I love you both, but you’re crazy.”
“Hey, don’t worry. We’re still going to be in Coconut Beach for a little bit. We just wanted to let you know we have a plan, and you’re more than welcome to come with us if it doesn’t work out with Rafe or the guy from the show.”
“I haven’t even met the guy from the show,” I say, giggling. “But let me hurry because I need to shave my legs. I have a feeling I might have to be in a bikini today.”
“Ooh la la,” Sage says and then shoos me out of the kitchen. “Have fun, my darling. I love you.”