Page 105 of Touch Me

“Oh my god, you guys are so fucking adorable.” Ella claps and bounces in her chair.

She and Jess share a look, and I have so much more I want to say, but I just sigh and lean back in my chair, crossing my arms in a defensive position. I was so worried a second ago about her being mad, and now I’m mad at being set up. But am I really mad?

Do our two mads cancel each other out?

I don’t even know. She looks at me and smiles. I smile back.

Okay then.

I hand her menu back and that’s it. Then she steals a glance at Jace and looks back at me. A quick nod and a look of pure glee is what I get. She’s happy. She’s happy that he’s happy. I guess that’s the best case scenario.

“Oh my god, you guys are gonna be sisters for real.” Ella slaps the table. “How great is that? It’s like a real life Hallmark movie.”

I was about to protest and tell her to slow down when a chair screeches across the floor.

“Are you still watching those?” Max walks up and takes a seat at the end of the table. “Didn’t we already talk about that?”

“Very funny, asshole.” Jace smiles and shakes his head. “Max, this is my sister Jess, Ella, and you know Cassie. Girls, this is Max, my friend from college.”

Everyone says their hellos and Jess just looks at me again, her eyes shining. An unspoken conversation between us. Jace is talking, and out at a bar. She’s thanking me. I thank her back for the sister cupid act and all is well. I’m sure there will be a more extensive conversation at some point, but for now, we’re good.

A bottle blond in a white Knockout t-shirt, with the boxing gloves logo accentuating her huge, obviously paid for boobs, and black leather pants comes over to take our order. The boys immediately put their heads down in their menus and pretend they didn’t notice the way her boobs arrived at the table two steps before she did.

Smart boys.

We all give our orders, and I notice how Max cranes his neck over Jace’s head to watch her walk away.

“I wouldn’t be too eager there, big guy,” Ella says, watching her hips sway back to the bar. “Those pants she’s wearing,” she exaggerates her finger up and down, “fastest road to twat rot.”

Max rears his head back and stares confusingly at Ella.

“Ya know, yeast infection? You want no part in that, my friend.”

“Right.” Max loosens his tie and swallows nervously. “Got it.” All us girls exchange glances and grins.

“So, you come straight from the office?” Jace asks Max.

“Yeah, my mom had Mattie for the day. Oh, that reminds me.”

He pulls out an envelope from his inside pocket. The outside is decorated in pink and blue hearts. Jace opens it and smiles. He turns it around to show us all a homemade birthday card with a picture of what I’m assuming is Jace and Henry done in all pink and blue with a birthday cake, giant candles, and balloons. And Henry is wearing a crown. It’s signed,love Mattie,in her own handwriting.

All the girlsoohandahhover it and Max beams with pride. Jace sets the card down on the table and smooths it out. Just the way he’s looking at it makes my ovaries want to climb out of my body and run straight to extract his man seed.

But Jace has a look of apprehension on his face. A small grin plays on his countenance, but the way he’s staring at the card makes me think something else is going on. Is he afraid to have children? Scared he won’t be able to touch them? Or that he’ll pass something down to them?

A pitcher of margaritas for us girls and beer for the guys is set on the table and there is no time to dwell on it.

“Happy birthday, big brother,” Jess says, raising her glass for a toast. We all cheers and drink.

Jess leans down and picks up a basket to slide across the table. “This is from us girls.” Jace tears into the basket, pulling out sunscreen, sunglasses, board wax, beach towels, ear plugs, and a leash for his board. Jess raises her hand to signal the bartender to bring out the item she had brought over earlier.

Jace turns around and watches as the bartender grabs it and rounds the bar. His face lights up when he sees the surfboard, covered in some of his photographs. Down the middle of the board are his four pictures of the sun and moon under the pier. Jess, Ella, and I had it custom made.

Lord knows I couldn’t afford it on my own and they were all too eager to help. Looking back, I now understand they were playing matchmaker this whole time, but their willingness to make sure I got him the perfect gift is still appreciated.

He stands in front of the board, hand over his mouth, and the bartender, a cute Italian guy, slaps him on the shoulder. “Let me know when you take her out, man. I’d love to join you. I’m Enzo, just ask Tomi for my number before you go.” He hands the board to Jace and heads back behind the bar.

“Ah, look at you, Jace. Making friends already,” Ella teases. “And I’m assuming Tomi is Bimbo Barbie over there.” She nods her head toward our waitress.

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