Chapter 22 Jake and His Sexiness While Taking Care of Kids
Jake and His Sexiness While Taking Care of Kids
I get home, after West left to go get his sister and give her time to get ready, and my dad and aunt go take a bath, while I decide what the hell I’m going to do tonight.
I could… Stargaze? No, the kids are going to be left unsupervised, and yes, West is included.
Besides, they can’t come with me because stargazing is supposedly alone time.
Maybe I should read. That’s an individual activity; you have kids to watch and entertain.
Board games? Now that’s a good idea! I wonder if I have any in my non-shared room upstairs.
I go upstairs and walk towards my usual room.
It’s medium-sized and white, and a double-sized bed is in the middle of the wall, in between dressers.
Windows are almost as big as the wall that faces the garden, and posters of boy bands and other artists are all over the walls.
At least the ones that aren’t occupied with shelves with the rest of the books that don’t fit back in my room in the city. It’s also messy, dumpster style.
I dive under the bed and see Monopoly, Twister, and Uno…
So many childhood memories. I get them out, bring them downstairs, and put them in a corner of the living room.
Now, what else can I do? I could… Bake…?
Not sure if that’s a good idea, considering the cookie situation last year.
I’m not going to say anything except that it involved me, a fire extinguisher, and an angry family.
But you’re a year older, Madelaine. You could try to bake scones. Actually, why not now?
I walk to the kitchen, and as soon as I set foot in there, I pair my phone to the stereo and turn the speakers loud.
I don’t know how I’m not deaf at the ripe age of seventeen because I only ever listen to music at a concerning volume.
I’m about to play the song when my dad and aunt come downstairs all ready.
“I guess it’s time to go.” My aunt says, looking around. I know for a fact my aunt doesn’t leave my cousins very often to go do something as simple as having dinner, so I also know this is killing her a bit inside.
“Love you and try not to set the house on fire.” My dad tells me, hugging me.
“Come on, Dad, you know I can’t promise that…” I tease, and he sighs.
The second they leave, I put on the song.
Of course, I put a singable — read: shreakable — one.
Rock Me by One Direction makes the speaker tremble, and I sing while getting the ingredients for the scones.
The pre-chorus kicks in, and I sing with a wooden spoon as a microphone.
Then, the chorus comes, and I decide to notch it up a bit.
“I WANT YOU TO ROCK ME YEAH!”
“Not in front of my sister, Brown.” I stop in my tracks and stop the music. Of course, he walked in right this very second. I can practically hear him smirking, if that’s even possible.
“Oh, so you still came…” I turn around, disappointed.
“Were we not supposed to come here, Jake?” Alana scolds. It’s adorable and a little preoccupying that Jake gets scolded by his little sister.
“Relax, we’re always welcome. Especially in your dreams, right, Brown?” He smirks, and I just turn around, knowing damn well it’s not worth it. “Where’s my hug at?” He opens his arms like a dimwit, and Alana and I cringe at the same time.
“Please don’t.”
“Don’t ever say that again, in your life.” Alana begs, but still looks like she’s waiting for the miracle.
I go to him and give him a hug, since his sister is looking at us as if she needs to see something happen.
I honestly get it. For people like strangers in the village to know we are dating is fine, but for our families, who have been unfortunate enough to watch us interact since forever, it is a little hard to believe or to be sure.
She then gives a small nod of approval and goes looking for Lindsey.
I let go of Jake and go back to my cooking.
“What are we cooking?” Jake asks.
“Scones.” Pause. “You keep saying we as if I ever ask you-” He takes the bowl out of my hands and places it on top of the counter.
“I want to help. Where are the aprons?”
“Uh, behind the pantry’s door.”
He goes and comes back with one of my favorite aprons. It’s white with different-sized black hearts all over it. I didn’t choose that one because I preferred my number one. The one I’m wearing has frat-boy era Harry Styles in it and a sentence saying I work in a bakery.
“Oh wow, that is definitely your style.” I say, amused.
“Please, I know. I actually have one of those quintessential faces that can pull off anything.” He says, and he attempts a smolder as if he is on the next Vogue cover. I roll my eyes, making him smile, look at me, and then add. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
“Obviously. You know, you aren’t the only one who has a pretty face here.”
“You just can’t stop telling me I’m pretty, can you?” He smirks again, making me want to rip that stupid expression off him. I do my best to ignore him and go back to my cooking. I’m working with the flour when I remember.
“You made me stop One Direction. That is a crime.”
“I seriously don’t get your obsession over them; they’re a commercial boy band.
” He says boy band as if it’s the worst thing in the world, but they’re awesome.
In general, their bond, dance moves — or lack of — and harmonies are just chef’s kiss.
He is getting on my nerves… No one says that about my boy bands.
“Put it back on.” I point to the stereo, sighing.
“What’s the magic word?”
I pretend to think about it for a second, and then I grin. “Now?”
He raises his eyebrows as if telling me I’m impossible. “I’m going to put the music back on, only because of my good heart. And because it is your house.”
I smile cheerfully. He puts the music back on, and since I stopped it at the chorus, the words Rock Me are filling the kitchen. I instantly start to sing/yell too, and seconds later, the kitchen door bursts open, and Paige appears.
“You were singing without me?” She asks, offended.
“Of course not! This was just a warm-up.” I explain.
It should be annoying that Paige follows me everywhere, and honestly, if somebody had asked me if I liked having a younger cousin being my shadow all day, I wouldn’t stand it, but that was before she existed.
Paige just heals my inner child somehow and always makes me smile, so I could never be annoyed by that.
Paige and I sing along, and she, because of the many, many times she hears 1D per day with me, knows all the melodies.
When the song ends, I figure I should probably introduce Paige to the random boy in the kitchen, who has been watching us put on a show, shaking his head.
It’s not as if they haven’t met before, but they have only been together at dinners, and she was and is too young to remember that.
“Paige, this is Jake.” His name feels weird in my mouth. Bittersweet. She looks at me with excitement, and the words that were about to come out of her mouth were, at the very least, catastrophic.
“You are more pretty than Flynn Rider!” She smiles excitedly, and I try to hold her down, avoiding this conversation evolving.
I swear in my life, I never saw a bigger smirk form on his lips than now.
“You think so?” He kneels at her eye level, and she turns shy.
“Maddie told me, but I didn’t believe her.”
“Okay! That is enough coming from you, Missy…”
“No, please, enlighten me. What else did she mention? Anything about being funny or charming? The breath of fresh air she needs?”
“No.” I simply cut this interaction because I do not need to inflate his already big ego.
“Why not?” He narrows his eyes.
“Because.”
“That’s not an answer.” He says.
“It is an answer when I say it’s an answer.” And instinctively, I put my hand into the flour bag. I guess I’m throwing flour now.
“Uh…” He is too slow. I throw a good amount of white powder. It covers him and his hair, and he looks like a snowman and a cute one, may I add.
Forget I ever said that.
“You’re going to pay for that.”
“Highly doubt it.” He runs to the flour bag, grabs a generous quantity too, and throws it at me.
Paige disappears from the kitchen — probably a good idea — as we continue to throw it at each other.
I’m throwing it at him when I slip backwards and grab his hand.
But he’s not quick enough, so not only does he join me on the floor, but he also falls on top of me.
“We should stop meeting like this.” I quote cheesily, as if we’re on one of those romcoms, to his face, that is… Too close to mine…
“Yeah, we should.”
I’m supposed to say something, but as soon as I catch his eyes, there is no coming back.
It’s like looking into each other’s souls.
None of us calls each other out for doing so.
He traces my face with his eyes and stops at my lips.
Our noses are almost touching, and I hate to admit it, but I don’t want us to stop… Thankfully, the twins stop us.
“Eww!” Who I recognize as Blake yells.
“Get a room!” Brandon finishes.
And those would be our saviors and Paige’s older brothers, Blake and Brandon.
Both of them have striking green eyes, dark brown hair, and a lot of freckles.
As for their personality, when it comes to twins, worldwide, there are only three options for their behavior.
Either both of them are well behaved, and that’s rare, or are complete opposites like water and fire, or both of them are filled with mischief. In my cousins’ case, it’s the latter.
“It’s not a room, but it’s comfortable. Oh, you can’t imagine what we were doing-” I make a lot of kiss noises.
“Enough enough!” They shout, covering their ears.