Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
JO
“Here goes nothing,” I mumble as I push open the car door to the sound of six voices talking at once. The chaos goes a long way towards relieving my residual nerves. I grab my massive tote, glad cooler heads prevailed this morning and I brought the big one instead of switching out my bags. I don’t even know half of what’s in here, but I’m sure I need it all. My emotional support tote, if you will.
Closing the car door behind me, I look up to see Jordan in a six-way hug with his parents and brothers. His eyes are closed, and I can tell by the tight line of his shoulders and his clenched jaw that he’s holding in all of his emotion at this reunion that is such a long time coming.
It’s his mom who notices me first.
“What the hell, Jordan,” she practically yells, slapping him across the back of the head and breaking away from their hug, planting both hands on her hips. She’s dressed in a bright pink sweatsuit, red hair curling wildly around her face. She has red glasses perched on her nose, and behind those glasses are bright blue eyes that leave no doubt as to where Jordan got his.
She exudes warmth and sass, and I love her immediately. She is a complete contrast to the tall, quieter man with salt and pepper hair who stands behind her with his sons, looking exactly like what I imagine Jordan will look like in thirty years.
“Ow, what the fuck, Mom?” Jordan looks up with such a disgruntled expression that I snicker. I think I’m going to like Jordan Wyles: Boston Edition.
She gives him a baleful look, tapping her toe in a dramatic show of irritation. “It’s fine, baby. It’s not like you brought a girl home to meet me or anything. This is definitely no big deal. For sure, you shouldn’t worry about introducing me to her. That’s probably not important.”
She turns to me. “I swear I housebroke all my boys, but there’s only so much a mom can do, you know?”
She lets out a long-suffering sigh, and I laugh out loud, turning to grin at Jordan. “You did a pretty good job with him.”
Jordan narrows his eyes at me. “Just a pretty good job? I recall you telling me this morning I was a full-blown ten after I made not one, but two different breakfasts since you don’t decision well.”
I give him a sly smile. “J, there were so many reasons you were a full-blown ten this morning and almost none of them had to do with breakfast.” I realize what I’m saying as the words are coming out of my mouth, but my brain is moving too fast, and I’m helpless to stop them. I slap my hand over my mouth, cheeks heating, as Jordan barks out a laugh, and all three of his brothers collapse into hysterics.
“Fucking shit,” I mutter, giving his mom an apologetic look as all four guys continue laughing so hard they’re gasping for breath. “I’m so sorry,” I say sheepishly. “I’m Jo, and I usually have a better filter. Okay, I actually never have any kind of filter, but I always kind of wish I did.”
Jordan’s mom grins at me. “Oh, honey, what’s the fun in that? I’m Pam Wyles, and this is my husband Rob, and we are so happy to finally meet you.” She holds her arms out to me, and I’ve always appreciated a hugger. I go to step into her arms but am immediately jerked backwards.
Turning my head, I see my bag strap is stuck in the door. I could do the sensible thing, which is to open the car door and free the strap. But I’ve never been all that sensible. Instead, what I do is tug as hard as I can and yank the strap free with so much force that I fly forward. I catch myself before I face plant onto the driveway, but I watch as my bag goes flying, stuff scattering everywhere.
“Holy shitballs,” I mumble, taking in the makeup bag, kindle, wallet, keys, four tampons, two condoms, thong, and, to my absolute and utter horror, my small u-shaped clit-sucker vibrator with the g-spot stimulator that I lost months ago scattered all over the Wyles’ driveway.
My emotional support tote is really doing me dirty.
The driveway goes silent, and I swivel my head, taking in the scene with a weird sort of calm, kind of like I imagine the survivors of a disaster must feel when they disassociate from the horror of it all. But when my eyes snag on a red lace bra hanging from one of the side mirrors of Jordan’s car, no amount of detaching can save me.
Time slows and my head is strategizing the best way to pick it all up, but let’s be honest. There is no graceful way to pick up two condoms, a vibrator, and assorted lingerie from the driveway of your boyfriend’s parents’ house. The only way is to do it and do it fast. I’m making my move when a loud snort sounds from in front of me.
My head flies up, and the second my eyes meet Jordan’s, he explodes into the most gorgeous laughter I’ve ever seen. His mouth is open, and tears stream from his eyes, and I feel tears prick my own eyes as the joy rolls out of him and hits me.
But I still have to save face. It’s a pride thing now.
I narrow my eyes at him and cross my arms over my chest. “I’m sure you’re laughing at something one of your brothers said and not at the most embarrassing moment of my entire life.”
Jordan comes to stand at my side and wraps his arm around me, trying to get himself under control and failing miserably. Instead, one of his brothers steps forward, grinning at me and holding out his hand. “Hey, I’m Elliot, and this is the absolute best meet the family moment of all time.”
I study him, his light brown hair and eyes so much like Jordan’s. He wears the air of I’ve got this handled like a well-fitting suit despite being dressed in shorts and a T-shirt with some computer pun on it I can’t figure out.
Taking his hand, I grin back. “Elliot, it’s really nice to meet you. I always do like to be the best at things.”
Another brother, this one with darker hair and the same eyes, taller, with a square this man belongs in Hollywood jaw shoves Elliot out of the way. “I’m Noah. Can we keep you, please? I think you’re my favorite person in the entire world.”
I can’t help but smile at the puppy dog energy he exudes. Seeming to recover his senses, Jordan shoves him away. “Get your own girl. This one’s mine.”
“For the moment,” I mutter, giving him a major side-eye.
Jordan leans down and presses a kiss to my head. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to laugh, I swear. It kind of just happened.”
I lean up and kiss his jaw. “It’s okay, J. I really like seeing you happy.”
A low whistle brings me back to the moment, and the quietest of the four brothers steps up between Elliot and Noah. “You must be Cooper.”
He studies me, his eyes the same color as his brothers’ but somehow more intense, more discerning. It’s not unfriendly, just protective. A kind of close the ranks vibe I can appreciate. Nothing about him gives youngest brother. I can already tell that this is the one who holds them all together. So, it means even more when he steps forward and wraps his arms around me in a tight hug.
“You make him happy,” Cooper whispers in my ear. It’s a statement, not a question, but it warms every part of me.
“I really hope so,” I whisper back. “He makes me happy too.” The only evidence Jordan heard the exchange is a hitch in his breath and his arm tightening around my shoulder. I wrap my arm around his waist and squeeze. And despite all my most embarrassing things strewn all over the driveway, there is nowhere I’d rather be than here.
I haven’t even been inside yet, and I already know. This is warmth and love and family in every sense of the word. This is the place where you can be your most authentic self and know that these people will accept every part of you. This is where you lay your secrets, knowing they’ll be safe.
A sniffle comes from behind us, and when I turn, I see Jordan’s parents standing shoulder-to-shoulder, taking us all in. His dad’s eyes are glazed over, and his mom is openly crying and looking at Jordan with so much love that I almost feel like I’m intruding on a private moment.
“Well?” Despite her tears, she glares at all four of her sons. “Pick up all this stuff and take Jo’s suitcase into the house. I set up snacks in the kitchen. She and I are going to get to know each other.”
I smile, wanting nothing more than to know the woman who raised all of these excellent men. As his brothers start picking up all my stuff and I try really hard not to be embarrassed by one of Jordan’s hot brothers touching my spare thong, Jordan turns me to face him, his hands cupping my face, gliding his thumbs over my cheekbones. “I can stay if you want me to. I’m not afraid of my mom.”
I shake my head, bringing a hand up to cover one of his. “I’m fine, I promise. Despite all evidence to the contrary”—I wave a hand over my scattered belongings—“I really do have myself together. Kind of. Mostly.”
Jordan smiles softly and leans down to kiss the spot below my ear. “I’m really glad you’re here, Hurricane. I like the way Boston feels with you in it.”
I lean my head against his briefly. “There is literally nowhere else I’d rather be.”
With one more kiss to my forehead, Jordan grabs his suitcase from the trunk and follows his brothers. My eyes stay glued to him until he disappears into the house.
“You love him.” I turn to see Pam studying me.
I nod, because something about Pam makes me want to tell her all my secrets. “Yes. He’s my favorite person.”
I’m not sure what I’m expecting next, but it’s not for her to wrap me in the biggest, tightest hug I have ever experienced, whispering, “Thank you for making him so happy.”
When she releases me, Rob steps forward, wrapping me in another hug. He leans back, his hands on my shoulders and his eyes steady on mine. When he says, “Thank you for bringing my boy back home,” I know for sure he’s not just talking about how we’re here in Boston.
Looking back and forth between Jordan’s parents, it occurs to me that I’ve been so focused on Jordan that I didn’t stop and think about what this whole family lost. A sister. A daughter. The promise of a future. My heart aches for all of them. “I’m sorry for what you’ve all gone through these past two years. Jordan is the most important person in the world to me, and I promise to do everything I can to make him happy. Thank you so much for having me this weekend. I’m sorry about the chaotic entrance, but I’m really happy to meet you all.”
Pam slings an arm around my shoulder. “Honey, I am chaos personified, so we’re going to get along just fine. Also…” She glances over her shoulder, tossing her husband a grin and lowering her voice. “The AirVibe is the best, isn’t it?”
I cackle, pretty certain I’ve just met my soul sister, and her name is Pamela Wyles. “Sends me into the stratosphere, every single time.”
Pam laughs and Rob bites his lip like he’s trying to keep from laughing and everything about this is perfect.
Pam squeezes me a little tighter and guides me towards the front steps. “Welcome to the family, Jo. You are going to fit right in.”
The funny thing is, I already feel like I do.