Page 30 of We Thought We Were Invincible
“I figured. Are you really that good of a mind reader?”
“No, Jamie called me right after, freaking out. I was surprised because he doesn't exactly come to his big brother for advice. When he said it was about you, I understood. If I had been there, I would have punched him.”
“What did he say?” My voice was small.
“That it was impulsive and stupid because of you and me.”
I felt like someone had punched me in the gut, the breath leaving me in a whoosh.
“Did you tell him we're just friends now?” I asked.
“Hell no.” He growled. “I figured it wasn't a welcome kiss.” He turned to me, his voice low. “He isn't good enough for you, Callie.”
I flinched away from him when he tried to put his arm around me. What he was saying wasn't anything I hadn't told myself, except in my mind it was always me that wasn't good enough for Jamie. Someone like Amelia was much more his speed. I didn't know why my mind went there. I. Did. Not. Have. Feelings. For. Jamie. Daniels.
“Jay, there is nothing between me and your brother except this stupid project we have to do. If there's some way you can help me understand him…”
“You want me to share some big family secret because of a school project?” I could practically hear him grinning at how stupid that sounded.
“It's me, okay. We know everything about each other.”
“You're right. Fine, I'll tell you the sordid details, but this has to go in the vault. My dad is planning a run for US Congress next year.”
“Wait.” I held him back. “Really? You're going to be a senator's son? Rather than just a state senator's kid?”
“Shit.” He rubbed a hand across his face. “I wasn't supposed to say anything. Jamie doesn't even know.”
“And, that brings us to the why. What is it about Jamie that I don't know? Why did he suddenly avoid me after what I said - other than when he kissed me out of the blue? I don't understand him at all.” I threw my arms in the air and stalked further up the beach before plunking my butt in the sand.
Jay lowered himself beside me. “Okay, so you know my dad.”
“Kinda,” I admitted. “Not really. He's never been around when I've been at your house over the years.”
“He's not the warmest guy in the world. When I was two, my parents almost got a divorce. Dad has been in politics in some form my entire life and has always had to travel and spend a lot of time in Tallahassee. My mom told me this full story when I was nine and I've never quite forgotten the look on her face when she did. I was one and Dad was in the capitol for about a month. He didn't come home a lot when he was there. This time though, a woman showed up at our door. She was claiming to have had an affair with Dad.” Jay paused. “I can just imagine my mom's face.”
“Her name was Candice.”
I gasped.
“He told you his middle name?” Jay asked, cocking his head. “He tells no one that.”
“I sort of overheard your dad using his full name. I can't believe he'd name him after his mistress.”
“Candice wasn't just Dad's mistress, she was Jamie's mom.”
My head spun as Jay continued to explain.
“James Candice Daniels was the name she'd put on his birth certificate, but she left the mother blank, wanting my mom to claim him. She left her three-week-old son with us that day. Mom almost left Dad, but she stayed, for his career. He hired a nanny to take care of me and Jamie so Mom wouldn't have much to do with Jamie. She never could bond with him and he could feel it. He was eight when he finally found out why.”
“Mom started to drink.”
I grabbed Jay's hand, knowing small pieces of this next part of the story.
He went on. “They hid it well - for his political career. The world thinks Jamie is her son. Dad has shown nothing but disdain for him when he's not ignoring him altogether.”
He stopped and looked at me. “My brother grew up basically with no parents. When he got old enough to see that, his resentment of me drove us apart as well.”
My throat was dry as his words permeated my heart. I'd been wrong about everything. Now I got it - why he wanted to seek invincibility. Why he wanted to do it with me.
