Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
JACE
Talking about my love life with my mother was as helpful as googling symptoms when feeling sick. I’d only end up feeling worse.
Piper Sheldon, Stranger Than Fan Fiction
“A ww, look at you, baby brother. You look like an actual man!” I swung my head from where I’d been sitting at the bar and did a double take. My sister, Sarah, was walking toward me. Her hair had always been a longer version of mine, down past her shoulders, but now there were large sections of bright pink scattered amongst her dark brown curls.
“I’ve always been a man,” I grumbled as I got up from my chair to give her a hug.
I’d been ready to pick her up from the airport when she’d texted me that she was getting her own ride and would meet me at the Front Porch to keep me company when I waited for a table.
Sarah grabbed my cheeks and smushed them together, moving my head back and forth. “Of course you are.”
I scowled then scooped her up, spinning her around. “Could a teenager do this?” I grinned down at her after putting her back on her feet. “It’s good to see you, Sarah. You look beautiful.”
“Always the charmer,” she said as she took the seat next to mine. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the absurd idea of Momma and Daddy moving to Florida?”
“I’ve been so informed.”
“This is all Kent’s doing. I heard he’s struggling to get sales. It’s not gonna happen. There is no way. I love him, but Daddy moves slower than molasses. It took them ages just to get cell phones.”
I inwardly shuddered as I took a pull of my beer. My unofficial role at home was also helping my parents with every single piece of technology in the house, including setting up their Wi-Fi. It’s a lesson in patience each time. Pop still thanked Alexa whenever he asked her a question and he frequently asks how she’s been.
“What are you gonna do if they move?”
I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. “Do you mean, am I going to stay in Green Valley?”
“Come on, Jace. You’re so young. Don’t you want to travel, see the world? You don’t have a career, or strings, to hold you here anymore. You’re free!”
“If I wanted to travel, Sarah, that’s what I’d be doing.”
As a rule, I’m not against travel. I went on a handful of trips with Sam and our buddy Owen over the last few years, but it never caught my interest. Give me the clean, sweet mountain air of the Smokies and I’m happy.
“Are Momma and Daddy still giving you shit about not having a job?”
I covered my heart. “You wound me. I have several jobs.”
“I mean a “real job”,” she explained, making finger quotes as she spoke.
“Golly, gee, Sarah. Do ya mean one of them fancy jobs that pays you in real money?”
“I mean a career, smart-ass.”
“I’m happy where I am. You know I don’t want to spend my time and money studying for a career I don’t want. I just haven’t found it yet.”
“I’m not here to judge.” Sarah held up her hands. “I only want you to be happy.”
“I am happy.”
Though, this was starting to feel untrue. And yet, this was not something Sarah needed to know.
“Then I’m happy.” We were quiet for a minute, until she turned her head toward me again. “Soooo, any girls in the picture?”
I glanced at my watch. “You made it a whole five minutes. It might be a record.”
“Come on. Look at you! Look at your hair! I bet you have girls offering themselves to you right and left.”
I mean, she wasn’t wrong. There was a lot of interest. But none of the women felt right. I was waiting for a woman who wanted the real me. I was waiting for a woman who felt necessary—essential to my survival. Because that’s what I wanted. It’s just like with a career. Once I found what I wanted, whether it be a career or a woman, there would be no going back for me. Once I’m in, I’m in, one hundred percent.
But again, Sarah didn’t need to know that.
“No one that’s caught my interest enough to date seriously.” As I said it, I recognized the lie for what it was. There was a woman who’d caught my interest, more than caught if I was being truthful. A sexy blonde with long legs, a sharp tongue, and an ass I’d like to?—
“Sure, Romeo. Tell that to your eyes that just went all hazy.” Sarah rubbed her hands together. “Please? I won’t say anything to Momma, I swear.”
“Tell you what, Sarah. I promise to text you the minute I like a woman, and she likes me back. That enough to calm your britches?”
“Deal.”
* * *
The Front Porch’s steak was good. The grilling of my sister was even better. I loved my sister, but seeing the shock on my momma’s face when she and Pop arrived warmed my heart.
They were in a standoff now, sitting across from one another at our table, identical stubborn looks on their faces.
“Did you have to go with bright pink?” Momma asked, lips pursed.
I swallowed a chuckle by taking a pull from my beer. Maybe I’d even order a whiskey next. After all, the heat was off me for one evening, the medium rare steak I’d ordered was melting in my mouth, and my brother, was late.
“Momma. I’m thirty-four years old. I am financially independent, live in a fabulous condo, and am thoroughly happy in my career.”
“But, your law partners. What must they think?”
Sarah leaned forward, not giving an inch, staring Momma down. “They think I’m a talented lawyer who doesn’t do trial work and makes them a lot of money. It doesn’t make one bit of difference what color my hair is.”
“Nick, say something.”
Pop, who was clearly avoiding the conversation, jerked at the mention of his name. Turning to my sister, he cleared his throat. “I think you look lovely, sugar, as always.”
I couldn’t hold back my guffaw.
“Thank you, Daddy.” Sarah fluttered her eyelashes as Momma looked up to the ceiling in exasperation.
“The prodigal son has arrived!” My stomach sank as Kent came in, announcing himself with arms stretched wide.
I wanted to say, It’s returned , but cut off a large piece of steak instead.
“Kent!” Momma stood, eyes beaming as Kent gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek.
Kent and I weren’t close on account of him being fourteen years older than me and a complete horse’s ass. Kent and Sarah were also like oil and water. They had an intense sibling rivalry growing up.
Kent surveyed the rest of the lowly people—his siblings—at the table.
“Fucking hell,” he shouted, doing a double take at Sarah.
“Kent!” Momma exclaimed, and my sister barred her teeth like she was about to spring across the table and attack him.
“Easy,” I murmured, putting my hand on Sarah’s arm. Not that I wouldn’t be on Sarah’s side.
“I’m so sorry, Momma,” Kent crooned, apologizing to the wrong person. “Sarah. Your hair’s different, I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“Yeah, doesn’t she look great?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Yeah, like I said, different.” He took the seat next to Momma, which put him directly across from me.
“Little brother. Look at you. You old enough for that beer?” He smiled disingenuously, or maybe that was his normal smile.
I made a show of looking at my watch. “Did your flight get in late, Kent? Or maybe your driver took a wrong turn?”
Smile flattening, he narrowed his eyes on me. “There was traffic in Knoxville. Something you’d know if you lived anywhere else but this podunk town.”
Kent flagged down a server who happened to be walking by. “I’d like a pour of Blanton’s, neat, in a Glencairn.”
The server hesitated, glancing at our table briefly, then back to the self-proclaimed prodigal son. “Sure, I’ll just . . . find your server.”
“So.” Kent looked between our parents. “Did either of you tell them the news?”
“We wanted to wait for you to share the happy news,” my momma replied.
“What news are you talking about, Momma?” Sarah’s face mirrored how I felt on the inside. Uneasy.
“I put in their offer on the condo in Florida, and it was accepted. It’s move in ready. Which means, once everything’s final, Mom and Dad are moving to sunny Florida!”
Sarah and I didn’t speak—shock tended to do that to a person.
“Oops,” my brother said, leaning forward and rummaging around the breadbasket, touching every single roll before taking the first one he’d touched. “Did you two not know? I know they were worried about their little boy. Didn’t want to move away and leave you here all alone.”
Momma’s smile was stiff, and Pop looked at Kent a little sharply.
Plastering an easy smile on my face, I leaned back, not wanting him to get the best of me.
“Pop and I talked about it. In fact, I have a place all lined up. Signed the lease this morning and move in on Monday.” It was a complete and utter falsehood, but I’d sleep on the couch in Sam’s pussy palace if it meant saving face in front of Kent.
“Son, there’s no need to do that. We haven’t even put the house up for sale yet. There’s plenty of time to?—”
“No, it’s time. But still count me in on whatever help you need. I’m only a few minutes’ drive away, until you move to Florida, that is.” I could see the worry in my momma’s eyes. We had a complicated relationship, sure, but it was mostly good. So, I took a breath and held up my beer for a toast. “I’m happy for y’all, really. This is supposed to be a celebration, right? Pop, congrats on another trip around the sun. You made seventy-four look great, but here’s to seventy-five.” Saluting my pop, I then raised my beer to Kent and gave him a stiff nod.
“I’m sure Kent will have your back in Florida, same as I have here.”
The threat in my eyes was clear: He better not fuck with them.