18. June
CHAPTER 18
JUNE
N o sooner do I get home, than my mother calls me. I was looking forward to doing nothing for at least ten minutes before taking Winston out for his walk. But I can’t ignore her call, especially since I know she wants to talk about April’s surprise visit. I made April call our parents yesterday, but that conversation probably wasn’t enough for our mother.
“Hey, Mom. How’s April?”
“In a bitchy mood after your father grounded her for a month.”
“Oh dear....” I take my shoes off and collapse on the couch. Apollo jumps on my lap and gets comfortable there.
“Well, she went too far this time.”
“I know.” I scratch behind Apollo’s ears, making him purr. I wish I was getting a head massage. This conversation with Mom is already giving me a headache.
“I mean, what was she thinking? I already told her she has to pay back every cent she spent.”
“As she should,” I reply, not really buying that Mom will follow through with her threat.
“All right. I didn’t call to complain about your sister. I want to know the truth.”
I sit straighter. “What do you mean?”
“I wasn’t born yesterday, June. I know April didn’t hop on a flight to LA because she was worried about you.”
Shit. I can’t tell Mom the truth. She’ll have a cow, and April will be grounded forever. She’ll never forgive me if I blabber.
“You’re right to be suspicious. But I can’t help you. April told me nothing.”
“I don’t believe that for a second. If your sister is in some kind of trouble, lying for her will only do more harm.”
“I’m not lying, Mom.” My ears burn. If she could see my face now, she’d know my pants are on fire.
There’s a knock on the door. It’s probably one of the boys, but I don’t want my mother to realize I have company. I nudge Apollo off my lap and get up.
“Maybe April had a fight with Jenny,” I say as I stride to the front door.
“I don’t think so. Jenny also got in trouble for covering for your sister.”
I open the door before whoever is outside decides to call my name and give their presence away. I’m distracted by the conversation with my mother, and when I see all my boys in the hallway, I let out a little squeak of joy.
“What was that?” she asks.
“Nothing.”
Damn it. Why are they looking hotter than tamales when I probably look like a bat straight out of hell? I’m barefoot, my dress is wrinkled, and I know there’s a chocolate stain on my skirt. In short, I’m a hot mess. But despite that, if I wasn’t on the phone with my mother, I’d jump into their arms. But I am speaking with her, so I press my forefinger against my lips before I let them in.
“It sounded like you saw a mouse or something,” Mom replies.
“Nothing of the sort. But I have to take the dog out for his walk. Can I call you later?”
“Oh... all right. Take care, June.”
She called me June, not hon or sweetheart. That means I’m also in the doghouse. That’s what I get for covering for April, which sucks for me. It doesn’t matter that I’m adult and don’t live close to them. No one in our family enjoys being on Mom’s shit list.
I put the phone away and smile at my boys. “Hi.”
“Who were you talking to, Peaches?” Ryan asks.
“My mother. She wanted to grill me about April. What are you doing here?” I widen my eyes, and before they can reply, I add, “Oh shit. Did we make plans and I forgot?”
They chuckle, making my face turn into a furnace.
“No, lass. We just missed you.”
“Oh.” My heart is beating at supersonic speed now. They’re looking at me as if they’re about to devour me, and I question their sanity. I’m as ragged as I can be.
I notice then that Ryan’s arm is no longer in a sling. “Your shoulder is better?”
“Yeah. I need to take it easy, but I might play this week.”
“That’s great news!”
Jake steps forward with fire in his eyes. But I feel gross, so I shuffle back. I’m not about to be sexed up when I didn’t have the chance to take a shower.
“What’s wrong?” His brows furrow.
“I just got home.”
Ryan smirks. “So?”
“So? I’m sticky, there’s crap in my hair, and you guys look like a million bucks.”
“Lass, you look stunning as always.”
I cross my arms. “You know I’m sleeping with you anyway. You don’t need to lie to get in my panties.”
His brows shoot up. “I’m not lying.”
Jake rubs the back of his neck. “Maybe we should have called first. Why don’t you take a shower, and come up to the apartment for dinner?”
Ryan’s eyes light up. “Yeah. And bring the pie we didn’t get to eat yesterday.”
That look on his face... I doubt he’s thinking about eating pie. To be fair, I’d rather eat something else too, but only when I’m fresh and clean.
“I need to walk Winston first,” I reply, remembering my duties.
“I’ll do it. Don’t worry.” Jake smiles, disarming me in an instant.
“Oh, all right, then. Thank you.”
“Now you get your booty in the shower, Peaches. I really have a hankering for pie now.” Ryan winks at me, smiling like an imp.
I run to my room and lock the door behind me. I wouldn’t put it past Ryan or Lachy to sneak in while I’m in the shower. They have bad intentions written all over their faces. Normally, I’d welcome that, but I do need to scrub until I’m pink. I have a feeling I’ll be thoroughly eaten tonight.
JAKE
June couldn’t have run to her bedroom any faster. It was my idea to stop by her apartment on the way to ours, and I feel bad now for suggesting it. The last thing I want is to crowd her. I put the leash on Winston, but when I turn around, I find Lachy and Ryan rooted to the spot. Both are staring at June’s closed door.
“What are you still doing here?” I ask.
Lachy shakes his head. “What?”
“Come on now. Let’s give her some space.” I move my arms, herding them to the front door.
“Okay, okay,” Ryan pipes up. Once out in the hallway, he asks, “What should I cook for dinner tonight?”
“Probably something light,” Lachy suggests.
Ryan becomes pensive. “Yeah, we don’t want June falling asleep on the couch again.”
He and Lachy head for the elevator, but I take the stairs down. When I hit the ground floor, my phone rings. I’m distracted, thinking about June, and don’t look at the caller ID before answering it.
“Hello?”
“About fucking time you answered my call,” my father says in his pissed-off voice.
My blood runs cold. God damnit.
“What do you want now?”
“Do you think your rebellious act of walking out of the restaurant changed anything? Tell your good-for-nothing agent to start negotiations with the Bobcats. I wasn’t kidding before. I want you back in New York.”
“I don’t know how many times I need to say this to you. I don’t give a shit about what you want.”
“You made that very clear. But you should know by now I’m not a man you say no to.”
“Do you want to unseal my records? Go ahead. I’d rather smear my reputation and never play hockey again than bow to your demands.”
“Do your friends feel the same way?”
My stomach coils so tightly that it hurts. Here he goes again, threatening to come after my friends. “I know this will shock you, but they aren’t afraid of you either.”
I didn’t have the chance to ask Ryan or Lachy if they had any secrets my father could expose, but I’m not going to let the bastard know he has a hold over me.
He laughs. “Does your sweet and innocent girlfriend share their sentiment? I’d hate if she got caught in the middle of this.”
Damn everything to hell.
“Stay away from June,” I reply through clenched teeth.
“Sign the contract with the Bobcats, and your precious middle-school teacher will remain safe and sound. Keep defying me, and the Jumbotron incident will be nothing compared to what she’ll face.”