26. APRIL
APRIL
Josh was gone when I got up. A note was left on his pillow telling me he had gone for a run.
Was he trying to escape? Was he worried about last night?
Because I was. But then, I also knew Josh had a routine and a morning jog was in it.
So, I eased back against the sex-scented sheets and grinned.
That was the best night I’d had in a long time.
There was something about being woken up in the middle of the night or the morning for a fuck.
It was rare I ever got that, at least, not from Wes, and it sucked.
He was always saying, “I gotta get a full night of sleep and do my routine in the morning”.
Not me. I love a good fuck first thing in the morning or the middle of the night. And Josh was great at fucking.
I forced my mind away from the experience as my surroundings hit me. Shit, the bunkie. I wondered if anyone had heard us last night. I hope not.
Throwing off the blankets, I got dressed and headed into the main house to see who was awake.
The back door creaked open and I slid inside.
The television was on in the living room.
My uncle was spread out on the couch and the were kids sitting on the floor with bowls of cereal, watching cartoons.
I padded into the kitchen to see my sister brewing coffee.
She eyed me suspiciously. Did she hear us?
“Where’s Josh?” she asked in a low whisper.
“Out for a run. He has a fitness routine.”
I saw the way she glanced at me, as if she wanted to make a snide comment, but before she could, the door swung open and Josh entered.
He was dripping in sweat, his clothes clinging to him, and my eyes were loving the sight.
He squeezed between me and May, then squeezed my ass before dropping a kiss on my cheek.
He placed a coffee cup and bag into my hands.
“Just the way you like it.”
“Thanks.” I smiled.
“I’m gonna shower, then grab our stuff.”
“Sounds great.”
Once he left the room, May turned to me. “I assume there was no boogeymen?”
“Not last night.” I smirked. “The bunkhouse was a great idea. Gave us some needed privacy.”
Her face fell flat. Her nostrils flared. I could tell there were so many things she wanted to add, but instead, she turned away and straight over to my mother. I shook my head. Typical, what a tattletale.
Josh came over and snaked his hand around my waist. “Ready to go?”
“An hour ago,” I stated flatly.
He had already taken our overnight bags to the car, so we quickly said our goodbyes. Papi tucked me in for a quick squeeze. “I’ve never seen you so happy. Don’t let him break your heart, Spud.”
I loved how protective he was of me.
“Maybe I’ll break his,” I said through a fake smile, thinking no one’s hearts would break because this was all a lie.
Everyone gathered at the steps and waved us off. Josh drove down the long driveway and turned off towards Main Street. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat.
“Did I mention that on my run, I ran into Millie?”
“Millie? Like, Jake and Millie?”
“Yeah. They have a place here, also.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, her family owns half the town. Harte’s Construction?”
“She’s one of those Harte’s?”
Josh raised his eyebrows. “I thought you knew?”
“I don’t come up here too often anymore and when my grandparents bought this place, I had left for college. I’d heard of them, though, because their name is on most of the construction sites.”
“Anyways, she invited us over for a quick lunch before we head back into the city. How do you feel about it?”
I chewed my lip. That was a great question. How did I feel about it? Shocked, first and foremost. And two, curious as to what exactly he had said about why he was here and with me. “I dunno.”
He hesitated as we came to a stop sign at a fork in the road. “I might have already said yeah.”
I whipped around on my seat with my mouth open. “Josh!”
He shrugged. “I didn’t think it was a big deal. Besides, it might help seal the deal. You know, the appearance of ‘couple friends’.” He air quoted.
“And exactly what did you tell them about why we were here, together?”
“I told them the truth. I was here with a friend.”
“Friends? That’s what we are?” It slipped out faster than I could stop. But now that it was out, I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer. Especially after this morning.
He glanced at me sideways. “I certainly don’t do what we did with a friend.”
I wasn’t sure where that answer left us. “Friends with benefits?”
He pursed his lips into a fine line. “If that’s what you want to label it as, but I thought we settled it before we came up here.”
We did. My fake boyfriend was the official title. But that was before we fucked. Now what? Maybe friends with benefits was an idea.
“We did,” I ushered quietly, not sure where to go now. “But we’re done with my family now, so…”
“Our ruse isn’t over.” He pursed his lips. “It’s time for my side of things and the guys will be watching us like hawks.”
“I know,” I added.
“Then this meetup would be beneficial.”
Yeah. It would. Damn it. I didn’t know why the thought of hanging out with Jake and Millie sent knots in my stomach, almost worse than taking him to my parents.
“You’re right.” I smiled. “Round two, here we come.”
“We did round two at three a.m.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and swatted at him. “Not what I meant.”
He laughed. The good kind that came from deep within. “Speaking of, should we discuss?”
“Discuss?” I swallowed hard.
“Fake dating doesn’t usually involve real fucking,” he paused.
“Too late for that.” I scoffed.
He chuckled. “But now that we crossed that line, you wanna know where we stand?” He sighed and paused for a minute. “If you tell me it was a one-and-done, it’ll kill me, but I’ll respect it.”
“Kill you?”
“Yeah, April.” He gripped my hand in his. “Now that I have you.” He paused and there was a hint of vulnerability. “You are addictive.”
I could feel the heat creep up my neck listening to his confession. Me? Addictive? I thought about what he said and the truth was, I wanted him just as badly. And I already knew I wanted more of those heart pounding, turn my vagina inside out, nights, even if only temporary.
“Sex comes with the situationship, friends with benefits, and the way I see it, maybe it’s that.”
“You sure you’re okay with a situationship?” he asked.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
He glanced over at me. “Because, you are a relationship girl.”
It was cut and dry, and he was right. But I was a woman who knew what I wanted, and this no strings and all the perks, was it.
We drove in silence as we crossed through the main roads of town. The thought of us having lunch as a couple with Jake and Millie seemed odd, but somehow, exciting. “So, where do they live?”
“Over off Cove Street.”
“Oh, that’s the nice part of town.” Not that I should be surprised, considering her family, and that Jake’s on the Twisters. He had his own family fortune, long before baseball, which was a hobby until he showed potential. Some people get all the cards in life.
Josh slowed down once he turned onto the street. My thoughts refocused on the fact that we were about to embark on a couple’s lunch. My hands nervously smoothed out my maxi skirt, and I was glad I’d worn it instead of my joggers.
I stared at tall oak trees creating a hint of privacy from the relentless summer sun.
The houses in this area were set back away from the street, unlike the new construction homes, and there was a vast difference in the styles.
A mix of everything between rebuilds and original one-story cottages.
Near the end of the street, stood a white one-and-a-half story house with a navy-blue roof and doors.
The porch stretched across the entire front with a big swing and potted flowers all down the steps, leading up the walkway.
It was quintessentially small-town charming. I saw the appeal of why Jake loved coming here so much. It was ideal for family life and since Jake had three little girls, this was picturesque. “This is Jake’s?”
“It was Millie’s family’s first. She renovated it right before they got together.” Josh nodded towards the path to the house.
For the wealth and status the two of them held, I was expecting more of the large beach houses overlooking the cliffs to the lake, not this.
This was homey, and cozy, and everything I’d hoped for one day.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved my pie-in-the-sky in the city, the way you felt like you were in the stars on a clear night.
The low-key upkeep, the amenities, but I could live without the traffic and the constant noise.
As Josh tugged for the handle of his door, I gripped onto the elbow of his shirt, pulling him back. He quirked his brow at me.
“Uhm, I was just wondering, what exactly our story is?”
His face scrunched up for a split second until he caught on to what I meant. “Feeling nervous?”
I teetered my hand back and forth.
“It’s just that, these are people we know. Work with. And our dating story may have worked for my family, because they are truly clueless about my life. But this is…” I paused, trying to figure out exactly where it was I was trying to go with this conversation.
He reached over and took my hand in his, gently squeezing my fingers.
“Relax. It’s Jake and Millie, and we are simply having lunch with our teammates.
” I didn’t at all miss the rise in his voice when he said we.
“Look, this is a good test. We have to see if we can pull off dating. Millie is like a human lie detector.”
I scoffed. “Wonderful.”
He stepped out of the car and around to my door. Once I stepped out, he gently nudged me back against it. “Before we go in, I want to say something. I like you. I know this is an arrangement between us, but I genuinely like being with you. This situationship is for both of us.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. “Then let’s couple.”
He unleashed a grin so good, my knees wobbled. Oh lord. Good thing I was leaning against the car. “We’re going to be just fine.”
A tap on the window by the front door made both of us jump.
It was Jake, standing there in jersey shorts with the Twisters team logo on the left leg and a matching dark-blue t-shirt.
If he was shocked to see us together, he had a great poker face.
“Lovebirds, are you staying out there or coming in?”
“Lovebirds?” We’re screwed.
Josh flipped him off and tugged me towards the house. Jake shot me the tiniest smirk. “April.”
“Hey. Nice house,” I stumbled on my words nervously.
“Thanks. It was all Millie.”
I smiled at how he beamed when he spoke about Millie.
That man was clearly still in love with her.
I remember meeting her way back when. It hadn’t gone well.
My fault, not hers. I was with Jake, ironically, heading out with some of the team to the Ribfest. He had just been traded to Toronto not long before that, and I thought maybe I’d had a chance with him, but the second she was seen, that was it for me.
Turned out, they had a bit of a secret history, and fate seemed to have a hand in bringing them back together.
A twinge of jealousy washed over me. Why couldn’t fate ever bring me someone? If my mother was here. she’d probably tell me it did, except I’d not been paying attention. Most likely true, but that’s neither here nor there at the moment. My pity party needed to stop.
Just then, a loud bang, followed by a child crying, had Jake bolting toward the back of the house. We followed suit to see their eldest daughter, Aubree, clutching a spoon, and one of the twins covered in a bowl of strawberries. “Sorry, Mom.”
I watched Millie pinch the bridge of her nose and scoop up the wailing toddler with her mini hair bun, I was sure that was Ava. Jake rushed over and took the little girl from Millie. “I got her.”
Just then, her twin, Aria, waddled in wearing a cute flower sundress and holding a pink teddy bear. She took one look at Josh and I stood in the doorway, and ran straight for Millie’s leg.
“Need help?” I asked over the commotion.
“I would love it. Could you pass the paper towels?” She pointed with her elbow to the counter. I rushed over and took them to her, placing some over the bright-red mess of strawberries.
“The thing with kids is, it’s always loud and messy.” Millie shook her head and laughed.
I laughed along, wishing that someday this would be me, but not according to my dating record. As my mother said, I could barely hold down a man, kids probably weren’t in the future.