23. Drew
TWENTY-THREE
DREW
Jules and I have fallen into a rhythm since she’s moved in. We’re usually up around the same time and we have coffee together, then we take Bailey for a walk in the park. By the time we get back, it’s time for me to head to hockey camp.
So far, we’re doing an excellent job of getting along.
So much so that I’m surprised we haven’t been able to do it before.
Obviously, neither of us tried and we weren’t forced to live together.
We’re still not forced to live together.
Jules can pack up and leave at any time if she wants, which I hope she doesn’t.
It’s starting to worry me how much I like having her here.
As I step out of my room, I can already smell the coffee. Music plays softly downstairs, ABBA singing about being a dancing queen. I head downstairs, still in my pajamas and find Jules in the kitchen, dancing as she sings along to the music and makes coffee.
There’s a tray of blueberry muffins on the counter which wasn’t there last night. I look around for any indication that she’s baked these and find none.
“It’s too early for you to be this chipper,” I grumble.
I’ve been up for an hour and a half, right around the time I usually wake up. Not that it gets any easier or enjoyable. I’d do anything to sleep in for once, but my body wakes up before I’m ready.
“It’s never too early to be chipper,” Jules says, shimmying her shoulders.
Bailey woofs softly, her tail thumping against the floor where she’s lying in front of the patio doors. I walk to her first, greeting her softly.
“Good morning, Bailey girl.”
“Do you know what I’m thinking?” Jules asks, when I stand. She’s wearing sleep shorts and a shirt so large it’s hanging off one shoulder.
She pushes the coffee cup towards me, milk foaming perfectly at the top. She’s used my fancy espresso machine more than I have.
“Thankfully, almost never,” I reply. “I can’t imagine what the inside of your head is like.”
Probably sunshine and rainbows and a lot of music from the nineties. The song finishes and a new one starts, Natalie Imbruglia coming on.
“It’s a hellscape,” Jules says. “You wouldn’t survive a day.”
“That I believe,” I agree, taking a sip of my coffee. It’s perfect. I should keep her around for the coffee alone. On second thought, she’ll expect conversation and music so early in the morning. Is it really worth the coffee?
It’s almost seven in the morning, sunlight streaming in through the window. It lights up Jules’s hair so it looks like spun gold. The short hair looks great on her and I look away before I can say the words out loud.
“I have a crazy idea,” she says, pulling my attention back to her.
“I didn’t know you’re capable of any other kind,” I grumble.
Her blue eyes shine brightly. “Let’s start a cult.”
I pause mid-sip. “Oh, you mean literally a crazy idea. I thought you were being facetious.”
“I’m never facetious about my crazy ideas,” she says. Grabbing a plate, she puts a blueberry muffin on it and pushes it towards me like an offering.
I look down at the muffin suspiciously. “Is this like Hades’s pomegranate seeds? If I eat it, will I be forced to participate in your harebrained schemes?”
“You haven’t even heard my idea yet!” Jules protests.
With a sigh, I pull the plate toward me and head to the breakfast table. Jules grabs a muffin for herself and follows me.
“It doesn’t have to be malicious,” she says. “Just a cutesy little nature cult. We’ll buy a bunch of land somewhere and we’ll convince people that the city life is rotting their brains and what they really need is to come out into the middle of nowhere and be one with nature.”
“That sounds like a retreat,” I say. I can’t believe that I’m actually participating in this.
Jules’s eyes light up and she holds up a finger.
“That’s where the clothes come in. Everyone will be required to wear the same clothes because at our very essence, we’re all equal.
There will be very strict rules and guidelines.
They have to leave their phones and they each have to meet with a counselor who will guide them onto the right path.
And we will have Silent Sundays, where we communicate with each other from our inner selves. ”
I eat a bite of my muffin, looking at her in concern. If there’s one person I know who can actually pull off starting a cult by sheer will and magnetism, it’s Jules. There’s something about her that draws people in and I have no doubt that if she really wants to, she can start a cult.
“What do you think?” Jules asks, blinking at me hopefully.
“I think this is a really good muffin and that I should be worried about me and my dog.”
Jules laughs, waving off my concern. “No, you’ll be my partner in the cult.”
“I never agreed to that.”
One bare shoulder raises in a shrug. “You don’t have to do anything. You’ll be my silent partner whom I refer to as The Partner. You’ll just be there to add some sinister value.”
I’m living with a madwoman and I should be extremely concerned about my sister and my family, who love her dearly.
“I thought you said it’s not malicious.”
“It’s not, but it’s still a cult. We’re not robbing people or lying to them.”
“It worries me you’ve thought about it so much,” I say.
“My imagination is the reason I’m so successful.”
That, I don’t doubt. Getting on bestseller lists isn’t easy and she’s accomplished it a handful of times. It helps that she’s built an army of loyal readers.
I finish my coffee and muffin and carry the dishes to the sink to wash them. The music continues to play softly and between pauses, I can hear the birds chirping outside. Jules hums along to the songs softly, a little off key. I smile to myself as I set the plate and cup on the drying mat.
“Do you want to come with me to camp?” I ask, turning to face her. “I know hockey isn’t your thing, but Sage will be there as well.”
“Yeah, absolutely, I’d love to come!”
An hour later, we’re at the camp and Jules jumps out of the car. I open the back door for Bailey and she jumps out, waiting for me to put her leash on.
Ford and Holden are already here, leaning against Ford’s car. They watch with interest as Jules rounds the car and comes to stand to me. She’s wearing a long skirt and a strapless top, her golden skin gleaming under the sun.
They both lower their glasses, looking at Jules and me over the top of them. I frown, already anticipating what’s coming.
“Do my eyes deceive me?” Ford asks, leaning toward Holden to confirm he’s seeing the same thing.
I roll my eyes. I should have expected this when I suggested Jules come with me.
“No, I see the same thing,” Holden says.
“It’s so unique,” Ford replies.
“A thing of beauty never seen before,” Holden confirms, nodding.
“Alright, enough with the peanut gallery comments,” I say. Next to me, Jules giggles.
She’s completely unfazed by their surprise and the fact that they’re making fun of us. I don’t care either way, but our relationship isn’t that curious. We have a truce.
“If the NHL thing doesn’t work out in the long term, you two can take your two man act on the road,” Jules says. She props her hip and places her hand on it.
“Nah, we want to keep our talent close to home, where it developed,” Holden says.
Jules hums. “Probably for the best. It’s hard to say how a wider audience will react. At least you have home court advantage here.”
It’s strange to think that now I’m not on the other side of her quips, I’m actually getting to appreciate the way her mind works more than before. She’s always ready with a comeback and now that I’m scrambling to reply to her, I can just sit back and enjoy her. It. Her mind.
Not her.
I don’t want to enjoy her. I frown at the direction my thoughts are taking. Jules and I are trying to date other people and even if we weren’t, I shouldn’t be having these thoughts about my sister’s best friend.
“How come the two of you aren’t on vacation?” Jules asks them.
“We rotate helping with the camp,” Holden explains. “It was our turn this time.”
“I’m very excited to see this,” she says. “Where are the girls?”
“Inside,” Ford says, pointing his thumb over his shoulder.
I told her about Sutton Fox joining us for the summer and Jules is very excited to meet her. This woman loves making friends.
I lead them inside and notice that some kids are already here, on the ice with Sutton. She straightens when she sees me, waving excitedly. She’ll get on great with Jules. Sage is standing off the side with one of the Titans PR interns, taking photos of the kids on the ice.
She looks up when we walk in and comes over to us.
“Don’t worry, I met with the parents earlier and I had them sign a waiver that we can take photos of the kids for the Titans social media pages,” she says to me.
“Thanks for checking,” I say.
I knew most of the parents wouldn’t have an objection, but wanted to have them sign a waiver since we’re posting their kids on the internet.
I meet with the parents when they come to pick up their kids and most of them are really nice people.
There’s always the one or two parents who think their kid deserves more attention because they’re definitely going to play professionally.
“And who’s this?” Sage asks. She crouches down, offering Bailey her hand to sniff.
“This is Bailey,” I say.
“Can I pet her?” Sage looks at me and I confirm she can. I always appreciate when people ask before petting her.
While Sage is petting Bailey, I turn to Jules.
“You’re going to be okay?”
“Yep, I’ve got Bailey and my book. I’m all set.” She’s already distracted, turning to talk to Sage. I leave Bailey in her care while Holden, Ford, and I put on her skates and get on the ice.
I clap once to draw the kids' attention to me.
“Today we’re going to learn how to fluidly pass the puck to your teammate without creating an opening for your opponent and then we’re going to practice taking some shots,” I say. I point to Sutton. “Sutton is going to teach our goalies how to block a goal. We’ll start with two laps.”
While the kids run laps, I look over at Jules and see her deep in conversation with Sage and the intern.
“Is that your girlfriend?” Sutton asks.
I nearly choke on my own breath as Holden bursts into uncontrollable laughter and Ford smirks knowingly.
“No!” I say vehemently. “She’s Jules.”
Which I realize wouldn’t make any sense to her and I can see that with the way she frowns.
I might be developing a strange fascination with her, but dating her?
I glance back at her as she laughs at something, her head thrown back.
No, I’ll be crazy to want that, for more than one reason.
She’s also made it perfectly clear that she never wants to date an athlete so it’s completely out of the question.
“She doesn’t like athletes,” I say. “She’s also my sister’s best friend, actually her soulmate.”
“Way too complicated,” Sutton agrees. “She’s beautiful, and I don’t blame you for not going there.”
The kids finish their laps and we divide into groups, each of us spending time with our group teaching passing tricks and wrist movements. It reminds me of teaching Jules the same thing just last week and the way she looked at me, an eager student picking up everything.
As the kids pass the puck back and forth, I glance at Jules again.
Since Sage is technically working, Jules and Bailey are sitting off to the side, and Jules has a book in her hand.
It’s a familiar sight. What isn’t familiar is the way she looks up and smiles at me brightly and the way my heart slams against my chest.