Page 33 of Brazen Mistakes

They both laugh, and somehow their laughs synchronize, different pitches, but the same rhythm.

Surprised, I snort, and then they do it again. After that we all devolve into sputtered laughter, and finally, I manage, “I didn’t know laughs were genetic.”

Trish wipes her eye with her sleeve and finishes up the second to last braid. “I wish they weren’t.”

“I think it’s a nice laugh,” I say, defensive of one of my favorite RJ sounds. Although, there’s a whole host of RJ sounds I haven’t had the pleasure of hearing yet, so it might yet be supplanted.

“It’s our dad’s,” Trish supplies, and just like that, the tension returns to RJ’s frame.

“Does Jade have it too?” I ask, hoping to move things to safer territory.

“Nah. She got his build, but Mama’s laugh, lucky squirt.” She ties off the last braid, then stands, stretching. “You’redone. I left in Clara’s braid. It adds some whimsy. And you, big brother, need some fucking whimsy.”

RJ rolls his eyes and squeezes my shoulder before sliding out from under my head and helping me to my feet. I look him over. I miss his fluff already, but I picked up enough to know that this is only for the worst of winter, so his hair doesn’t get brittle from the dry air. “It looks good, Trish. Different, but good.”

“It should be. I’ve been doing his hair for the last four years, since he went natural after he started here. And I’ve been doing Jade’s hair for almost as long.”

“Who does your hair?” I ask.

“My mom used to. Now I go to my aunt’s, our dad’s sister, but it’s a bit of a haul. Mama hasopinionsabout how adults should look.”

RJ unplugs his laptop and shoves it into his backpack, followed by a bunch of other stuff. “I’ll be back tomorrow. No one has anything planned, right?” he asks me.

“I have work, but everyone else should be free.”

Trish puts away her tools. “You’re really that concerned about some dumb conversation I overheard between Mama and Pops? You just drove down here.”

“Yes, I’m that concerned, and no, I’m not telling you more.”

I cut in, trying to keep the two of them from escalating. “Should I tell the guys? Or do you want to message them? Go downstairs? I think they all should still be down there.”

“You can tell them.” Everything he needs shoved into his bag, he pulls me in for a hug, his citrus and sage smell calming me to my bones. His nose brushes my ear before his whisper registers. “I’ll tell you what’s going on when I get back. It’s justthat Trish shouldn’t have to carry this. But I don’t want you to think I’m keeping secrets.”

I nod against his sternum, his t-shirt butter-soft against my face.

“I can wait in the hall if you two need some privacy,” Trish says, backing toward the door.

One breath later, RJ pulls back. “I’m coming.”

The two of them step out of the room, and I trail behind them until they’re outside, the bitter wind sweeping in and making me shiver as I close it behind them.

Jansen slinks up, wrapping me in his arms. “Where are they heading at this time of night?”

“Back to their house.”

He’s silent.

“I take it that’s a really bad sign?” I ask.

“Probably, yeah.”

Chapter 13

Clara

Jansen’s warm fingers wrap around my wrist, twisting me around like we’re dancing. “Caught you again,” he purrs as he pulls me close.

“I don’t know if I’m cut out for this,” I say, too frustrated to revel in how close we are, his wallet clutched in my fingers.

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