Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
UNBEKNOWNST TO ME
JULIANA
“Thanks for hanging out with my family,” Camden says as we walk to Jackson’s SUV.
“They’re wonderful,” Dove says. “Your grandmas are the cutest! Everyone’s so nice. And Milo and Goldie…dreamy. He is so…serious, and the way he looks at Goldie is––” She fans her face.
“Oh, he’s got you all ready to go, does he?” Jackson says, leaning over and kissing Dove’s neck. “I can go serious. If that’s what you’re into.”
Dove laughs and pushes him back. “You’re what I’m into.”
“So where are we going?” I ask.
“Oh, just you wait,” Jackson says.
We buckle up, and Jackson drives the not-even-a-mile distance to The Hungry Walleye.
“The Hungry Walleye? That’s our big outing?” I laugh.
“Wait for it,” he says, holding up his hand in mock seriousness.
“Okay,” I say sarcastically.
Do siblings ever act like adults with each other? I keep waiting for it to happen with Jackson and me, but so far, it hasn’t taken. I’ll be shocked if it ever does.
We walk into the restaurant, and I grin at Jackson and Dove walking hand in hand in front of Camden and me.
“They’re actually kind of cute together,” I whisper.
He nods. “I like her more than I expected to.”
“Me too. I’m relieved.”
He lifts his eyebrows in agreement, and I walk under his arm when he holds the door open for me.
“Bob! Helen!” Jackson yells like he hasn’t seen the owners in years.
Bob comes over and shakes Jackson’s hand, and then says hello to the rest of us.
“I’ve got everything all set up,” he says.
I frown. “Our table?” I look around, and hardly anyone is here. Since I didn’t leave work until after the lunch rush and we ended up eating at Camden’s house after that, The Hungry Walleye is quiet.
“Something better,” Jackson says excitedly.
Bob motions for us to follow him, and we go into the room that’s usually used for parties or large groups.
I’ve been to the party room more times than I can count over the course of my life. I’ve seen it with a variety of tables, different chairs and tablecloths and paint…but I have never seen it look anything close to the way it does now.
Helen comes up to stand next to me and smiles proudly.
“What…have you done?” I ask, eyes wide.
“Isn’t it something?” she says.
There are two dartboards at the end of the room, and a line of axes next to us. A cage is between the other side of the room, dividing the dartboards from each other.
“Bob saw this in the Twin Cities, and he decided to bring it to Windy Harbor. I think we can use a little excitement around here…especially in the winter. I’ve never been big on skiing,” she explains.
“Me either,” I tell her. “But I can’t say I’ve ever tried throwing an axe either.”
“You’re gonna love it,” Jackson says.
Dove and I look at each other doubtfully.
“Come on, Camden and I can show you how it’s done, right, Cam?” Jackson smiles at Camden with that competitive gleam he’s always had when it comes to the two of them. “Have you done this yet?”
“No, I haven’t,” Camden says. “Other than chopping wood for the fire, I haven’t thrown axes.” He looks at me and grins. “This should be fun.”
“Mm-hmm.” My voice rises at the end, and I bite my lip, wondering how the hell I’m gonna get an axe all the way over there.
Jackson shows Dove how to use the axe and lets her do a practice throw. It lands short of the dartboard by about two feet. She gets a little closer on her next throw and lifts her shoulder like Oh well.
“You want to go next, Juju?” he asks.
“No, it’s okay. You go,” I say.
“All right.” He throws the axe, which hits the board…but not in any of the circles.
He curses under his breath and motions for me to go.
I look at Camden. “I’ve never held an axe before.”
“Want me to show you the way I do it?”
I nod, and he grabs an axe and asks me to hold it.
“Does that feel okay?”
I nod.
He moves behind me and puts his arms around mine. I stick my rear end out just because it’s so tempting when he’s flush against me, and he groans in my ear.
“No tempting the teacher, Miss Fair,” he says.
“Yes, sir, Mr. Whitman.” I turn and bat my eyes up at him.
He sighs a long-suffering sigh, but I feel him get hard, and I grin.
He shakes his head. “You’re evil,” he sings.
“You’ve always known the real me,” I sing back.
“What are you guys doing over there?” Jackson asks. “Is there some kind of kinky shit going on over there?”
“What?” I say in mock outrage. “Not at all.”
“Evil,” Camden says.
I giggle.
“Okay, watch,” Camden says. “Hold it like this, and don’t move any closer. You’re the perfect distance away. Just throw it like this,” he says, demonstrating the movement, “and you’ll be golden.”
“’K. Got it,” I say, doubting that I, in any way, have it.
He steps back, and I take a deep breath and then do exactly what he said, and the axe lands right in the center of the bull’s-eye.
“You’ve done this before,” Jackson yells.
“Never!” I laugh happily. Camden holds up his hand and I grab it, clutching it in some kind of victory shake.
I’ve never been a sporty girl, so I don’t know what’s usually done here.
Camden goes next, and he nails it. I do a little victory dance, feeling myself now, and Jackson’s eyebrows scrunch together.
“What do you guys do on your dates, play darts all night?” he asks.
“This is fun!” I say.
It continues like that, with Camden and me absolutely killing it, and Jackson getting more and more aggravated.
Helen brings back a tray of drinks, and Jackson laughs.
“Let’s see if you two are as good when you’ve got some drinks in you.”
“That doesn’t sound wise,” I say. “Wielding an axe and alcohol?”
“You don’t know a fun time until you’ve had a drink and thrown an axe,” Jackson says.
“I don’t even want to ask,” I say, holding up my hand. “You and your great ideas.”
“If you take a shot and get three bull’s-eyes in a row, you get to skip the Lutheran Jell-O at Easter,” Jackson says, pointing at Camden, “and I’ll eat it.”
“Done and done,” Camden says.
“And if I take a shot and get in any of the circles three times in a row, you have to eat the Jell-O and ask Sandy for her hotdish,” Jackson says. “Goldie made me try some that one time Sandy brought it over for Everett, and that stuff is godawful.”
I snort and shake my head. “How is that fair?”
Camden laughs. “It’s okay. I’ll take the deal.” He points at Jackson. “Get ready to eat a lot of Jell-O…with mayo on top.”
Jackson’s eyes widen, and he looks afraid.
Camden has just taken a shot and made one bull’s-eye when Mom calls.
“Ohhh, it’s Mom. I hate to miss Camden beating you soundly, but I should get this. I meant to call her last night, but I fell asleep too early,” I say, holding up my hand and moving where it’s quieter to answer.
“Hello?” I say.
“Hello, Juliana.”
“Uh-oh, you’re saying my full name.” I laugh.
“Is there something you want to tell me?” she asks.
“As a matter of fact there is, but it sounds like you may already know.” I scrunch up my face. “Sorry, Mom. It all kind of snowballed over here.”
“I’m just so excited I can’t even take it,” she says, her voice breaking into a sob.
“I’m not sad, I’m not sad,” she rushes to say.
“I wish Stella could be here to know this is happening. She wanted the two of you to be together so badly.” She sniffles and laughs a little, blowing her nose. “Tell me everything.”
So I go back to the beginning and try to give her the abbreviated version.
We’re both crying and laughing by the time I hang up.
“Who won?” I ask, walking toward the group. I wipe the tears from my face and dab my nose.
“I’m gonna need a big bottle of Tums at Easter,” Jackson grumbles.