7. Jules
SEVEN
JULES
Ignoring someone you’re forced to see almost everyday of your life is easier said than done. Even though I’d love nothing more than to avoid Drew for as long as we both shall live, we’re forever expected to be in the same places at the same time because of the people who we know and love.
Namely, Lavinia and Roman and their monthly Sunday brunch. The two of them have taken up domesticity very nicely.
“This might come as a surprise, but I’m a huge brunch person,” Elena says, raising a glass of mimosa to her lips. Her long dark hair is braided down her back, loose strands falling around her face. She’s wearing loose pants and a cropped tee, looking effortlessly cool.
“That does come as a surprise,” I say.
“Pretty sure the first proper meal I remember is brunch,” she says.
“For me, it was dinner,” Lavinia says, twisting her hair into a bun. “Friday night family dinners are quintessential in the Callahan family.”
“Lunch for me,” I say. “Specifically, lunch at Norma’s.
” I turn to Elena, Sage, and Roman, who’s slicing fruit in the kitchen.
“It’s a diner in Nantucket, right across from the beach.
Every summer, my aunt and I used to drive up there and we’d sit at the diner for hours watching people and chatting with the locals. ”
Lavinia smiles at me softly. Most of the time, she was right there with us.
“That sounds so much fun,” Sage says. “There was a coffee shop/bakery right around the corner from our high school in New York. River and I used to go there all the time. I come from a family that doesn’t do proper meals so I’m trying to change that for my Junie.”
“Do we ever get to meet the elusive River?” Elena asks.
“She’ll be around,” Sage says, nodding.
“You don’t sound confident,” I say.
Sage tucks a piece of dark hair behind her ear. “It’s a little complicated. She’ll be here. I mean, we’re about to buy a house together. I just don’t know when she’ll be here.”
“I think it’s cool you’re buying a house with your cousin,” Roman says.
“I agree,” Elena says. “Mine’s so annoying I can’t imagine sharing a house with him.”
Lavinia giggles as Roman glares at Elena.
“I’m not annoying. I’m particular,” Roman says.
I feel something brush against my legs and I look down to see Salem, rubbing himself on me. Bending down, I pick him and scratch under his chin. His eyes close in ecstasy.
“Hi, sweet baby,” I whisper.
Salem is one of Roman and Lavinia’s cats. Buffy and Sabrina are probably hiding somewhere and will come out when they’re ready.
The front door opens and their neighbor, Kita, enters the apartment. I’ve been here enough times to know Kita comes and goes as she pleases.
“Hello, hello,” Kita sings.
“Hi, Kita,” we all say at the same time.
“I’m here to drop off the toys I picked up for my children,” Kita says, holding up a box of cat toys.
“Kita, you know they’re going to like the box more than they like the toys,” Roman says. “Next time just get them a box.”
Lavinia takes the box from her and puts it away. Kita walks over to me and scratches Salem’s neck.
“Oh, yes, my little baby. You’re the handsomest little boy,” she coos at the cat.
“Kita, do you want to stay for brunch?” Roman asks.
“I can’t, I have dance class,” she says, turning to him.
Elena perks up, a strawberry paused halfway to her mouth. “What kind of dance class?”
“Jazz,” Kita replies.
“I can teach jazz,” Elena says, getting a distant look in her eyes.
Roman snaps two fingers in front of her face, bringing her out of her daydream of teaching jazz. “There aren’t enough hours in the day for you to teach all kinds of dance classes, eat, sleep, have a semblance of a social life.”
“Right, right,” Elena says, nodding in agreement.
“I have to go now, I don’t want to be late,” Kita says. She kisses the top of Salem’s head, who’s still in my arms and waves at us as she walks out. The door doesn’t even close before the rest of the HoBros enter the apartment.
Drew is the last one to enter, closing the door behind him. My back stiffens. He nods at everyone in greeting, his eyes skipping right over me. If I were a betting woman, I’d put good money on the fact that his ignorance of me isn’t going to last long.
“How are you guys late when you live in the building?” Lavinia asks.
Reese, Holden, Kai, and Ford all live in the building on different floors. Only Holden and Reese are proper neighbours, I think. Their apartments are next to each other.
“It takes time to look this good,” Reese says. He’s wearing a very loud printed shirt, the buttons open halfway down, displaying his muscled chest and abs. A silver chain glints around his neck. The shirt should be fashionably questionable, but somehow it works.
“You think that looks good?” Ford asks, arching a dark brow. He’s dressed simply in black jeans and black t-shirt. He walks to the kitchen and places a basket of strawberries on the counter.
“Just because you dress like you’re about to burglarize a bank, doesn’t mean we all have to,” Reese says.
“Can’t imagine an Everett ever needing to rob a bank,” Drew says.
Ford’s family is one of the richest in Boston. We’re talking generational wealth, the kind of which few people will see in their lifetimes.
“Not a bank, one of my great-uncles almost robbed a museum,” Ford says.
“What is your family?” Holden says, amused. “Who has more than most people can imagine and decides to rob a museum?”
Ford crosses his arms, leaning back against the counter. “When you’re that rich, you need entertainment. Also, he believed one of the paintings was left to his mother and therefore rightfully belonged to the family. The museum maintained that it was donated to them.”
“Wait, I read about that,” Elena says, sounding a bit surprised.
“We’ve all probably read a lot of Everett family drama in the newspapers or heard it through the media,” Holden says.
“Doesn’t that get uncomfortable?” Kai asks. “You probably have so many expectations from them.”
Behind him, Sage is making more coffee on the espresso machine and some of it splatters on her hand.
“Ow!” she cries, pulling her hand away.
Ford moves faster than any of us, stepping to her side. “I got it.”
Sage looks up at him and something passes between them briefly before she steps away. Lavinia rushes to her side as Sage puts her hand under cold water.
“It’s nothing,” Sage says. “Just a little splatter.”
“We need to move the table by the window,” Lavinia tells the guys, while she tends to Sage.
Elena and I remove the chairs while the guys pick up the table and carry it to the windows. When the rest of them turn away, Drew raises a hand to massage his left shoulder, rolling it back. That’s the shoulder he injured a few years ago.
I look away before he catches me staring.
Once the food is ready, we carry it to the table.
Early spring sunlight spills across the table as we set the food down.
Sage almost ends up next to Ford and curiously avoids him, sitting down next to Elena on the other side.
Everyone shuffles around and somehow, I end up in the last place I want to be.
Right next to Drew.
We stare at each other, gauging each other before we sit down. I pull my chair away from him.
“We all should take a camping trip,” Reese suggests. “Spend a night out in nature where you can see the stars.”
“I’m deathly allergic,” Sage says, shaking her head.
“To what?” Holden asks.
“Nature.”
“You have a nature inspired name, not that it automatically means you have to enjoy nature,” Kai says.
Elena passes me the fruit salad and I put some on my plate before passing it to Drew. The tips of his fingers brush against mine and I pull my hand back quickly. He pretends like it didn’t happen, taking a helping of fruit for his own plate.
“All the Morgan women have nature inspired names,” Sage says. “Dawn, Winter, River, Sage, and Juniper.”
“Wait,” Elena says, holding her fork in the air. “You’re related to Dawn Morgan? The Broadway star? My dads love her!”
“She’s my aunt,” Sage confirms.
“So cool,” Elena says, looking slightly starstruck.
“My friend Remy was actually her assistant for a while,” I say.
Sage’s eyes swing to me. “I loved Remy! He was the best assistant she ever had and I was so sad when he left.”
“Yeah, that’s Remy. He likes the idea of a certain job rather than the actual job.”
I don’t add that Gemma was a huge Dawn Morgan fan and she’d taken me to quite a few performances. Dawn Morgan has an aura that erases everything and everyone else in her vicinity. Whether she’s on stage or off it, she’s magnetic.
“We can drive out to Nantucket,” Lavinia suggests. “Our parents have a house.”
“As long as I get to drive,” I say.
Beside me, I hear a scoff and the room goes quiet, everyone looking between me and Drew. I inhale deeply and spear a strawberry, popping it into my mouth.
“We all have plans this summer, but maybe another time,” I continue.
Everyone breathes out a collective sigh of relief and I roll my eyes. They’re being so dramatic. I feel Drew glance at me briefly before looking away. If he’s expecting me to be the first one to break our truce, I’ll prove him wrong.
“Next summer,” Reese says.
“I love that idea.”
“Maybe the three of us can go,” Elena suggests, pointing her fork at me, herself, and Sage.
“I’ll be going back and forth to New York,” Sage says.
“She can’t drive,” Drew says at the same time.
I look at Lavinia in disbelief. The next time someone says I start a fight with Drew, I want to point out this exact moment.
Because I ignored him and he’s making comments about my driving skills.
I mean, I knew it was going to happen given that I was willing to bet good money on this, but it’s still surprising to be proven right so quickly.
“Jules can drive,” Lavinia defends, putting her hand on mine.
Never mind that she’s always the one who drives when we go anywhere that isn’t a quick run to the grocery store.
“Jules runs over inanimate objects,” Drew says, with a dry tone.
“Is anyone having trouble breathing?” I ask.
Everyone glances at each other in confusion and shakes their heads.
“Huh, must be just me who can’t breathe with Drew and his condescension taking up all the room,” I say.
I grab the butter dish and smear it onto my croissant before taking a bite, turning to look at Drew. I raise an eyebrow. “Do you practice being condescending or does it come naturally?”
“It’s sheer talent,” Drew says, sipping his coffee.
“Is that what we’re calling it these days?”
“Do we always have to do this?” Roman asks, looking at Lavinia in question.
She sighs, looking helpless. I can’t blame the poor thing. She’s had to put up with her brother for thirty-three years and the man is clearly insufferable when he wants to be, which seems to be all the time.
“It’s brunch and a show,” Holden says, grinning.
“I’m only trying to protect Sage and Elena,” Drew says. “They should know the reality before getting into a car with Juliet.”
“I think they’d prefer to know the reality of your superiority complex more,” I say.
“Please, end this,” Lavinia says.
It’s too late for that now. As it always happens, once Drew and I start, there’s no stopping until one or both of us retreat to our corners for a breather.
A part of me might almost be thrilled at the idea of fighting with him.
If the gleam in his eyes is anything to go by, I think Drew might feel the same way.
It’s also possible that I’m crazy.
“You always have to win every argument, don’t you?” Drew says.
“Aw, does the big strong hockey player want me to go easy on him?” I pout.
“There’s that confidence again, thinking you can actually win even if you go easy on me,” Drew replies.
I laugh, nodding as I sip my coffee. “Confidence that’s well-earned and acquired from nearly two decades of winning.”
“Are you winning or are people just too polite to tell you when you’ve lost?” Drew asks.
I bite my buttered croissant. Roman made fresh, home made butter and it’s possibly the best butter I’ve ever tasted. He really is the ideal man for Lavinia because my girl loves butter.
“Given that I only argue with you, I can assure you I’m actually winning because you’d never be polite enough to let me win,” I say to Drew.
“Are we supposed to be on Drew’s side? Because I’m pretty sure Jules is winning,” Reese whispers.
Drew shoots him a glare as I sit back and sip my coffee. My audience has spoken and I’m clearly the winner of this round.
“I keep my politeness for people who deserve it,” Drew says sardonically. Behind his glasses, his eyes are as green as the freshly blooming leaves. His reddish hair shines copper and gold in the sun streaming in through the windows and I can almost see the freckles on his face.
All of that tells me that I’m closer to him than I should be.
I frown. “If that was supposed to be a sick burn, I’m afraid you need to work on it more. It didn’t even scratch the surface.”
“You two are uninvited for the foreseeable future,” Lavinia says, throwing her hands up.
“This is free entertainment, Vin,” Reese protests.
“It’s diabolical,” Ford corrects.
I look away from Drew, happy that I got the last word. I’d rather be uninvited from brunch than sit next to Drew and somehow, the universe always has me sitting next to Drew. You’d think it’d know better by now. Maybe the universe likes to remind us that fighting with each other is what we do best.
Not that there’s any possibility of us doing anything else.