Page 97 of My Turn
“Thanks, Charlie,” Jayce said with narrowed eyes.
“Is it weird?” I asked, quiet enough for the others not to hear.
“No.” With a grimace, she shrugged. “Maybe a little, but it also feels right, you know? I don’t think there’s anyone we’d rather Jayce be with, which might be weirder, but you get it.”
I breathed a laugh. “Your family has always been a little different.”
“Might as well keep the good times rollin’.”
“You might as well buy a wedding dress now,” Jayce murmured in my ear.
My face grew hot at the insinuation. “Let’s not roll that far.”
“Yeah, yeah. You’re all about that slow and steady shit.”
“Not all of us want to charge into things like a raging bull.”
“You’re no fun.”
After throwing him a withering glare, I made my way over to Ron and Alicia. My heart was racing, but I wasn’t going to back down. She was just a kid.
She turned around and my breath caught. She looked so much like them- the blue eyes, her nose, and the color of her hair. I could see Hailey in her too, which I was surprised to feel emotional about. The combination of them, together in one person, didn’t make me feel angry like I’d expected. It was a punch to the gut, sure, but I also felt immediate affection for her. She was a piece of him and I couldn’t be upset that she existed.
“Hi, Alicia. I’m Alana.”
“Both of our names start with A,” she noted with a grin.
“They do. If we’re not careful, we’ll get them mixed up.”
“Did you know my dad too?”
I glanced over at Jayce, who smiled. “Yeah, I knew him for a very long time. Me, Jayce, and your dad were inseparable in high school.”
She leaned in closer. “Were they troublemakers?” she whispered.
With a laugh, I moved my lips to her ear. “They were hellions.”
“Who was worse?”
I hummed thoughtfully. “Your dad. But what you really had to worry about was when they were together.”
Alicia giggled. Jayce came up beside me and slipped an arm around my waist.
“She’s leaving out the most important part.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“You were the one with all the ideas. The mastermind.”
I shot him a playful smirk. “Prove it in a court of law.”
“Are you guys in love?” Alicia asked.
My mouth opened, but I shut it quickly. I didn’t have to come up with an answer because Jayce laughed and pulled me against him.
“We’re more than in love.” He dipped his head so that he could speak only to me. “I’ve been after you for twelve years, baby. You were mine then and you’re mine now. You always will be.”
“Always,” I whispered. My stomach felt odd when I said it, like I was having a moment of déjà vu. When I tried to grasp whatever hidden memory had been unlocked, it was too fuzzy for me to see clearly.