Page 13 of Bordeaux Bombshell
“I’d rather talk about anything else than this.”
“Too bad. And hurry up before your mom comes back.”
“Jackie, I really don’t want to have this conversation.”
“Listen, my little Hellcat—”
I wince at the nickname, but she misses it as she sips her water.
“—enough is enough. We’ve all let this drag on for far too long. I thought letting you two fight it out would be best, but obviously, I was wrong. I never thought for one second my little tiger-girl would give someone the silent treatment for almost two years.” Jackie tips her head and grins at me. “I’m actually a little impressed, but I will deny it in a court of law. You have to talk to him, figure out a way to move forward.”
All the “have-tos” and “shoulds” Jackie is tossing my way burrow under my skin and scratch at me. If I had fur, it would be standing on end while I hiss and spit. Just like my old cat Amelia used to.
Except, instead of Nate and me being the only ones who could soothe her, now we’re the ones who set each other off.
Thankfully, the conversation cuts off as my mom stumbles back from the bathroom. Her short-sleeved dress sways as she walks, the blue fabric swishing around her ankles.
“Brr, it’s chilly out here.” Mom’s hip bounces off the edge of the table when she attempts to slide back into her seat.
“You’re the one wearing a sundress, Mom,” I point out as she dramatically rubs her arms. Jackie is wearing a thick sweater and cropped pants, while I am toasty warm in my oversized hoodie and jeans.
“It’s not a sundress, Sydney. But it was so lovely and warm earlier this weekend, I couldn’t bring myself to pile on so many layers. I’m so ready for it to be summer.”
Containing my desire to roll my eyes yet again—my mother has never once in her life checked the weather before getting dressed—I stuff my mouth with one last bite of French toast instead of being snarky.
“Greg and Nate have been watching the weather like nervous Nellies. There’s a chance of frost tonight, and this late in April, it would be a disaster.”
That would explain Nate coming to find Kel last night. Vaguely, I wonder how his head is and if I left a mark. “Is there something we can do to help?” Reaching across the table, I take Jackie’s hand, my irritation vanishing in the face of something so much bigger than my grudge.
My whole childhood was spent at “the Ridge,” running around after the boys, helping Jackie and my mom make charcuterie boards, playing with my cat, learning how to fix things from Greg. Just because it has a new name and I hate Nate’s guts, doesn’t make it any less mine.
Jackie pats the top of my hand. “You know.”
I do know. And I hate the answer.
Sydney
ages 17 and 20
Ihidagrinbehind my cup, the red plastic taste mixing with the rum and Coke Josh had poured for me.
I couldn’t believe I pulled this off.
All it took was my parents going out of town and Kel having a double date with his girlfriend June, but I finally managed to have a real, honest-to-God party at my house.
Since my sophomore year, I’d been to plenty of them—more since Kel and Nate graduated—but this was my first time hosting. Red plastic cups and everything.
Josh bumped the top of his head against my chin, his lips sucking on the soft skin of my neck as I tried to drink. For a second, I thought I might choke, but I held my breath andthe liquid in my mouth until he released my throat and let me swallow easily.
“Don’t kill me, dummy.” My laugh was a little too loud, but everything felt so good I couldn’t help it.
A house full of friends, loud music, and the boy I’d been flirting with for weeks feeling me up against the kitchen counter. As a late seventeenth birthday party, it was perfect.
Josh’s hands were a little sweaty while they roamed over the exposed skin of my back, but I didn’t care. All I wanted was to finally get my first kiss over with. It was ridiculous that a girl as pretty and popular as me still hadn’t kissed a boy on the lips yet. I was so tired of having nothing to say when the other girls talked about having sex with their boyfriends—even though I was pretty damn sure Kelsey and Madison were both lying. There was no way their dorky boyfriends were that good.
Thanks to my “brothers,” I couldn’t even fake it. They’d made sure that no boy at school came within touching distance of me. Even three years after they graduated, the threat of the Ridge Runner boys was enough to keep most of the guys’ hands to themselves.
It was so annoying that I had contemplated slashing Nate’s tires last week.
