Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Arizona
“ W elcome, please come in.” Lakelyn opened the door in greeting, dressed nearly identically to me in a pair of low-rise, dark jeans, ripped at the knees, and paired with a black long-sleeved fitted shirt. “I’m so glad you could join us tonight.”
“Thank you.” I stepped across the threshold into her and Boden’s home. “And congratulations on your engagement!” I handed her a bottle of champagne with a gold ribbon. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stay longer at the party.”
“Thank you, and honestly, there’s no need to apologize; it was all so last minute.”
“Still, congratulations. I’ve known Boden a long time and seeing him so happy and truly living again is an incredible thing to witness, and it’s all because of you,” I said as I followed her toward the kitchen.
“You’re so kind. Can I offer you a drink? I made a special margarita blend called Christmas mistletoe. We’ve also got red and white wine, flavored vodka coolers, beer, pop, or water.”
“The margarita sounds intriguing; I’ll try that, please.”
My eyes then widened as we entered the back section of their home. I knew that Boden was a skilled carpenter with a passion for flipping houses in his spare time, but I was blown away by all the beautiful aesthetic details he had included in his home remodel.
“Here you go.” Lakelyn passed me a glass containing the drink that matched its unique name. “I hope you like it.”
“Oh my goodness, this is so fancy.” The glass was rimmed in crushed candy canes and had little sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs floating in the drink. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.”
Without hesitation, I took a sip. “Wow, this is incredible.” Bursts of cranberry, tequila, and lime danced across my tongue. Each sip was a delicious, vibrant clash of tart and smooth.
“I’m glad you like it,” she said over her shoulder as she fixed her own drink.
Boisterous laughter pulled my attention to the backyard where the guys were all standing, and as if he sensed my eyes on him, Jameson looked my way. I had been accustomed to his cocky bravado, but the way he looked at me through the glass patio doors revealed an unexpected gentler side. It was almost like he was timid for a beat, assessing my reaction to seeing him since we kissed under the mistletoe, likely wondering if I’d play it off like nothing happened or finally admit my feelings toward him were beginning to thaw.
I knew my resolve was starting to crumble even before the captivating way he held my gaze from a distance had me absentmindedly running my tongue across my bottom lip, recalling the taste of his mouth on mine. The way my body came alive as the sparks of desire he ignited were still too fresh in my head.
“They say love often finds you when you least expect it, not that I ever believed it until it happened to me,” Lakelyn shared as she turned around, leaned against the counter, took a sip of her Christmas mistletoe margarita and followed my sightline out the patio doors.
“Cheers to that.” I raised my drink. “I have to say I’ve never seen a kitchen like this, it?—”
“Is ridiculously sexy?” She smirked with a smile that lit up her entire expression.
“Yes, exactly. It’s so manly and . . . wow, I’m a little embarrassed to say,” I snickered under my breath, “this kitchen is a turn-on.”
The cabinetry featured a sleek matte black finish with crisp lines and no handles, while the flooring and walls—including the backsplash and sides of the range hood—were embellished with walnut-stained tongue-and-groove paneling. It had a modern, unique look yet an unexpectedly cozy vibe.
“Trust me, I know the feeling.”
“I’m sure you do.” I grinned as a subtle blush dusted across her cheeks. “On a personal note, how are you doing after everything?”
Experiencing a near-death situation was not something that people typically moved past quickly. It could weigh heavily on one’s emotions or be a poignant reminder of life’s fragility.
“For the most part, I’m good; it’s still a lot to wrap my head around, is all.”
“Have you spoken to anyone?”
“Just Boden, but I’ve started writing and find it quite therapeutic.”
“Oh, that’s amazing! Writing helps unload your thoughts, so they’re not all bottled up inside.”
“Sort of. That was my intention when I began; as I continued writing my notes, a story started to take shape in my head, and now it’s taking the form of something I never dreamed of.”
“Like a novel?”
“I believe it certainly has the potential to be one, even though some days it feels more like sticky notes on the mirror.”
“Lakelyn, you’re writing a book! That is seriously so exciting.”
“I’m committed, even though I’m not sure it will ever see the light of day.”
“And that’s all that matters; if writing is bringing you joy and it’s helping you process your feelings, then I say go for it. What does Boden think?”
“He’s my number one supporter.”
“Amazing. As he should be, and you can count me as your second because I feel this is just the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
“I’d like that. Thank you, Arizona.”
“There you ladies are.” Boden’s voice drew our attention to the back doors, where he’d just entered the house from the backyard with his and Lakelyn’s new little Labradoodle Sheba, eagerly trying to keep pace with his owner’s long strides. “Did you ladies coordinate your outfits tonight?” he asked, as his eyes bounced back and forth between us.
“No, just a funny coincidence.” I laughed, totally unbothered by the fact that we were twinning with our outfits.
“So glad you could make it, Arizona.” He wrapped his arms around Lakelyn’s waist from behind. “We’re all set up in the backyard and ready for our first annual game night to commence.”
“Thank you for the invite; I was just getting to know your lovely fiancée here.”
“I’m one lucky guy, that’s for damned sure.” He peppered her cheek with kisses enthusiastically.
“I’m so happy for you both, truly. Have you discussed a potential time of year or date for the wedding?”
“We’re thinking next summer before we break ground on our forever home.”
“That sounds incredible; please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“I might just take you up on that.” Lakelyn offered me an appreciative smile before we all headed outside after coordinating a time for me to pop over and photograph Sheba.
“Ford just texted.” Boden interrupted the laughter from the guys and Brooke, causing their heads to swivel in our direction. “Maxim started throwing up half an hour ago; he suspects it’s the stomach bug going around, so, unfortunately, he won’t be able to make it tonight.”
“I guess that means one team will be short a player unless—” Jameson started to question.
“No, you partner with Arizona, I’ll verse you two,” Jaxon said. “I don’t need a partner.”
My eyes bounced between Jameson and his brother. Even though they were identical twins and similar in height, Jameson had a broader muscular build, whereas Jaxon, who still had arms that were lethal, had a leaner physique. However, it wasn’t just their physical similarities that separated them; Jameson was the one my soul felt drawn to, regardless of my best efforts to shift its focus regularly.
“That works,” Boden chimed in. “Okay, so Lakelyn saw this idea on Pinterest, and we thought it would be a fun twist on the classic childhood game Battleship. As you can see, we’ve set up two tables, each with a wall in the center, to prevent teams from seeing the other side, so there’s no cheating. We’ve drawn squares on the sheets of bristle board that mimic the actual game board, which are attached to both the table and the wall. You can use the marker provided to mark off your guesses, and the poker chips are there for you to place on the bottom board when your opponent guesses incorrectly and misses a ship. If they guess correctly, it’s up to you and your partner to decide who will take the Jell-O shot.”
“Will the Jell-O shots represent the boats? I don’t remember how many holes each boat had,” Luke, Brooke’s husband, asked.
“That might just be the best part; let me grab the boats,” Lakelyn said with a quick, energetic double clap.
“Do you want any help?” I offered.
“Just grab the door for me in a second.”
“Of course.”
When Lakelyn returned, she had two double-stacked trays full of gray duct tape-shaped boats with red and green Jell-O shots inside plastic cups.
“Holiday spirit colors, I see.”
“Absolutely, there’s no better excuse.”
“I love it.”
“Here, you take the top tray.”
We walked over to the tables and divided the boats evenly based on size and the number of shots in each, so everything was evenly dispersed.
“All right, the final step is to lay your boats out, and then we can officially begin.”
“Ladies first, Red.” Jameson handed me a boat to place on the board.
Given my hair color, I was surprised that more people didn’t call me “Red.” Even though only Jameson did, I found myself hating that I liked the sound of it crossing his lips a little less every time he said it.
Jaxon had already sunk three of mine and Jameson’s battleships, which meant we were both six Jell-O shots deep, and I was well on my way to feeling the effects of the vodka in the shooters. I wasn’t a lightweight, but damn, someone was a little heavy-handed when they poured the shots, and if I wasn’t mistaken, the green Jell-O had more of a bite.
“You good, Red?” Jameson whispered, and I closed my eyes and tried to ignore what his cologne did to me as the thought of bathing in it suddenly popped into my brain.
“I’m great.”
“B-two,” Jaxon called out.
“Dang it.” I sighed. “Hit. Is this some twin telepathy thing you got going on? Because I must say, Jameson, yours seems to be malfunctioning.” I shot him a side-eye glance and handed him the next shot.
“Nah, I’m just that good.” Jaxon laughed. “That’s why I partnered you with him—I don’t struggle to see what’s right in front of me.”
“Don’t be a jerk,” Jameson countered.
Jaxon held his hands up in surrender. “Not trying to be, I swear.”
I looked at the board and pointed to my next guess. “Good?”
“You don’t need my permission, Ari, because you’ll always have it.”
“G-six,” I called out, not allowing his words to get in my head.
“Hit.”
“Fuck, yeah!” I pumped my fist in the air, only to hear a yelp from Sheba.
I glanced down and saw her at my feet, suddenly realizing I must have accidentally stepped on her tail. As I leaned down to pet her head, the world started to spin around me, so I joined her on the grass.
“C-three.”
“Miss,” Jameson replied over my shoulder.
“I’m so sorry, Sheba. Do you forgive me?” I rubbed behind both ears, and judging by her energetic licks, all was forgiven. “You’re an aggressive little one, aren’t you? But I’ll take all the love I can get.”
“Sheba,” Boden chastised, “no licking her face. You can push her away, Arizona.”
“She’s too adorable; I simply can’t say no to her.” I was still preoccupied showering Sheba affectionately when she noticed a flying bug and sprang off my lap, her little legs making a valiant effort to jump high enough to catch it.
Jameson extended his hand, and I instantly regretted accepting his help. The motion sent me straight into his sinful arms, which wrapped eagerly around my back. Our eyes met, and the glimmer of amber in his brown eyes flashed with heat, making me lose myself in them for a moment before I remembered our surroundings.
“You can let me go now; there’s no mistletoe above us.” I playfully pushed on his strong chest, which was covered in a long-sleeved white Henley, when deep down, what I really wanted to do was etch my nails down his bare chest and leave my mark in their wake.
“That’s a damn shame.” His heated eyes dropped to my lips. “Maybe one day I won’t need it.”
“G-seven,” I guessed, not even bothering to look at the board since I knew it was our next move.
“So, it’s gonna be like that, is it?” His hand dipped lower as his fingers splayed just below my hip.
“Hit,” Jaxon replied.
“We’re playing a game, Jameson.” I pulled the corner of my bottom lip between my teeth.
“Not all of us,” he murmured low enough for only me to hear before he lowered his arms.
I could no longer determine if the warm and fuzzies were from the effects of the alcohol or if it was him, as the loss of his heat was immediate, all but confirming he had made his way past the walls I’d built to keep him at a distance.
While there was no denying my faculties were impaired, my heart knew what it wanted, overriding any and all rational thoughts I had on the matter. I was at a crossroads, unsure of how to be around him because being vulnerable put me at risk of getting my heart broken by him again.
It was something I wasn’t sure I’d survive a second time.