Chapter 6
“Morning,” Jordan said walking past Mel to grab the coffee. He dropped a kiss on her cheek as he reached over to take a piece of bacon from the plate.
“No, you don’t.” She laughed smacking at his hand.
“Not even one tiny little nibble?”
“No, go finish getting dressed or you’ll be late for the meeting. Don’t worry you’ll get your breakfast; have I let you starve since we moved in here?” she asked smiling at him.
“No, you’ve fed me too well and I’m going to need to start working out more to avoid having to buy new clothes,” he said from the open door of his room which was next to hers.
“Well your shirts are starting to show a bit of a pudge there Jordan,” she called out to him as a knock sounded on the door. “It’s open Tate.”
He came in sniffing appreciatively at the air. “Hey Jordan, you better hurry or I’m going to eat all of your breakfast.”
“Quit arguing and eat, both of you. I’m going to grab my bag. I’ll do the dishes tonight,” she said sliding two plates onto the counter heading to her room to grab her things.
“They can wait. We’re having dinner with my parents remember to celebrate our three-month anniversary,” Jordan reminded her when she came back out to join them.
“Who would have thought our little Mel would be having dinner with the Turners,” Tate teased.
“Or that they’d love her so much,” Jordan added as they finished.
“Ah that one was a given, everyone falls in love with Mel,” Tate said heading out before them.
“I’ll meet you at the office?” she said turning to Jordan as they closed the door.
“Hang out at school today. I don’t know how long the meeting will last and you can take your time getting ready; I’ll head back here afterwards and pick you up.”
“You’re up to something but I’ll go with it. I’ll see you later,” she stated reaching up for him to kiss her cheek. He gave her a hug and walked her to the Jeep giving her another kiss before shutting the door and waving her off.
“Damn girl, tell me he’s not in love with you,” Tate teased as she drove them to school.
She hated first days of school. They were boring and everyone pretended they had the best summer possible though they really hadn’t.
She on the other hand had an absolutely amazing summer.
Jordan’s parents had been surprised by their marriage let alone everything else about her situation to say the least, but they had welcomed her, and she finally saw what it was like to be part of a whole family.
Tate’s mom died when he was little, so it was just him and his dad, for the most part.
His grandmother had stayed with him when his dad had to be gone for tournaments when they were younger, but she was in a nursing home now, and not really around.
Tate and his dad were her family yes, but they weren’t a family in the same way Jordan’s was.
She and Jordan found a little house that was perfect for them and Jordan had decked it out with everything possible.
Tate quickly declared it his new hangout not that she minded.
She had her two favorite guys with her all summer long and they had made sure she enjoyed herself.
She worked during the day with Jordan and then came home to hang out with him and Tate.
“So we’re finally seniors,” he said as they headed down the hallway towards their class.
“Yes we’re finally seniors and did I mention…”
“What?” he asked as they slid into the table in the middle of class.
“I have a credit card with no set spending limit, and I need a new dress for dinner tonight. So since I’ve already got permission to leave early and you have a free period after lunch and your last class, come on, you’re not going to do anything in there,” she added when he balked a bit. “Please come shopping with me.”
“Still know how to forge my dad’s signature?”
“Like they’re going to notice a difference? I’ve been signing notes and letters for you for four years now. I’ll slip it into your locker if you don’t want to ditch but come on, it’s the first day no one’s going to care.”
“That’s right Indy, no one cares if you’re here or not. Though it seems like your tastes have changed. Two at once Indy? Really? Naughty, naughty girl…”
“What the hell are you talking about Steph?”
“Well it seems as though you have some very early mornings. So Tate, are you into groups?”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about Steph, and I suggest you shut up,” Tate told her.
“It’s fine Tate, I don’t have anything to hide. It was bound to come out sooner or later.”
“You want to do this now? Mel, are you nuts?” Tate whispered to her.
“No, there’s no point in hiding it after all I’m sure more than just Steph has seen my Jeep outside the house and it’s not like I’m ashamed or anything. Yes, I’ve moved and my boyfriend likes to drop by for breakfast, it’s so scandalous.”
“Where’d your mom get the dough?” Stephanie demanded to know.
“I don’t know; I didn’t ask.”
“Welcome class,” Ms. Simmons stated closing the door. “Miss Augustan would you care to take a seat?”
After that, the day got even better and when lunch rolled around she and Tate headed into the city.
They stopped into their newest favorite spot, a tiny café that served a million different things and as they waited for their food Tate remarked, “I thought you were going to admit the whole thing that you’re married and to who. ”
“A tiny part of me nearly did, wanted to pretend that Jordan and I are head over heels for each other…”
“You are,” he smirked interrupting her.
“So you say, but I don’t know, I kind of like it being between us. Everyone who needs to know does and I guess we’ll just see how things go. I mean what on earth would they think if they saw Ford and Gabrielle Turner show up at graduation? Can you see the expressions on people’s faces?”
“Oh god, Steph will have an aneurysm, especially if you manage to take away the top spot, but then again she has more classes than you do, which means more opportunities to raise the GPA.”
“Ah but I’ll still have plenty of credits to graduate with and…”
“And what?” Tate asked.
“Yes and what Sis?” Nicole said sliding into the empty seat beside her.
“How’d…please tell me you and Jordan aren’t tracking my phone,” Mel said accepting the hug she offered.
“Not at all, Jordan simply told me that it was the first day back and that he’d told you to take the afternoon off. I figured you wouldn’t listen and since we’re having dinner with Mom and Dad, I guessed you’d be here.”
“I dragged Tate dress shopping with me,” she admitted. “I know how much your parents like to dress up so I figured I needed a few more to tide me over.”
“And don’t forget Alana’s wedding this weekend.”
“I completely forgot. I still can’t believe she wants to announce my marriage to Jordan. I know she doesn’t know the whole story but what are people going to think? When they find out that I’m a senior in high school.”
“They’ll think you’re pregnant and then they’ll see the way Jordan looks at you and it’ll all be clear.”
“Would you two stop it? We’re friends,” she argued shaking her head.
“And I just like my Manolos,” Nicole laughed.
“Alright what were you going to say before this one got here?” Tate said letting the conversation about her and Jordan’s feelings drop.
“Oh, I got my results.”
“From the tests?” Tate asked.
“What tests?” Nicole inquired confused and a bit worried.
“The SAT and ACT she took this summer,” Tate explained.
“Well?” they said looking at Mel expectantly.
“I did pretty awesome if I do say so myself.”
“Mel,” Tate groaned.
“Thirty-five on the ACT and a fifteen-fifty on my SAT.”
“No way,” Nicole exclaimed.
“Told you,” Tate grinned.
“So who wants to go shopping?” she asked paying the bill.
“Me,” Nicole told her. “You can come too Tate.”
“I was planning on it,” he stated following behind them.
∞∞∞
“You’ve been pretty quiet Mel,” Jordan said as he steered their personal car towards his parents’ place. “Did Tate and Nicole wear you out shopping?”
“How’d…okay so I might have taken off and did a bit of shopping, but I think it was worth it don’t you?” she said looking at the dress she’d bought.
“Completely.”
“How did the meeting go?”
“They loved your ideas and can’t wait to meet my beautiful wife and office manager.”
“You told them?”
“Are we hiding the fact?” he asked as they pulled into the driveway.
“No, I just…I’m sure they had questions.”
“Who cares, trust me Mel, no one is going to utter a word to your face not after you’ve received Mom and Dad’s approval. Besides the entire family will kick any ones ass to next year if they look at you funny.”
“Alright, now, did you give me the afternoon off to shop or to plan something?” she asked letting Tomas hold the door open for her.
“Later, I promise,” he said wrapping his arm around her waist as they hit the sitting room where the family was. “Sorry if we’re late.”
“Just a few minutes,” Gabrielle said smiling warmly at her.
“And I can see why,” Ford added. “You look stunning as always Melinda.”
“Please, it’s Mel.”
“But that’s too boyish for you Sis,” Grant said kissing her cheek.
“And you’re certainly not a boy,” Jake added with his own kiss.
“I see you went with the safer choice,” Nicole grinned at her.
“Safer?” Alana asked looking at them as she and her fiancé Stuart gave her hugs hello.
“Let’s just say if she wears it to the wedding Jordan will need to super glue their hands together, so no one tries to steal her away,” Nicole teased.
“It’s not that bad,” she assured Jordan and the others. “Tate approved of it.”
“Where is he by the way?” Grant asked. “He seems to live at your place an awful lot.”
“Ah he was seeing one of his study buddies,” she answered. “They were going to play pool, and I didn’t ask which sort.”
“Speaking of pool, how was the tournament?” Jake said though he already knew.
“Very funny Jake,” Jordan stated. “You’re just jealous I found her first.”
“Well, she is a bit young for me,” Jake teased.