Page 44 of Just You & Me

Jude: Don't make me come over there, baby girl.

Me: Or what? ;)

Jude: SHE FLIRTS! Respond to my man, or else...

Me: Or else what? Really Jude, your threats are weak. Wait... YOUR man?!?!?!

Jude: Maybe if you didn't shun us from your presence for basically a year, you could have had some fun with all of us. ;)

Gaping at my phone, I silently thank my child for dragging Gabby away before she can demand dirty deets.

Jude: So you coming to hang out with us this weekend, baby girl?

I nibble on my lip, debating my options. We start planning our next move soon, and I'm worried about how much I enjoy these people.

Marcus: Don't make me cry.

Me: No tears... I'll be there.

The dramatics of these two rival my five-year-old.

Me: Same rules apply.

Jude: Are you sure...?

Me: Yeah. What's the plan?

* * *

"You better not have invited me over to watch some old men sport." Bowl of popcorn on my lap, I glare at the black TV screen.

"What?"

"I don't sport," I defend, narrowing my eyes on a frowning Jackson standing by the kitchen table. "Please don't make me watch it."

My sweatpants tug when Marcus plops his ass onto the cushion beside me, but I don't divert my attention from a genuinely confused Jackson. "Aren't you an author for a living? I feel like that is grammatically incorrect. Or I'm just stupid."

"Probably the latter!" Jude's holler from the pantry makes me laugh.

Goosebumps pebble across my skin, Leo's gentle fingers trailing across the back of my neck, making me shiver. "He's not stupid, and Beauty is just being silly."

"I am not!" I toss a piece of popcorn at him as he rounds the couch. "All my grammatical energy goes into my books. So don't be surprised if I stumble over words and don't make any sense sometimes."

"Samesies," Marc says proudly, leaning his head on my shoulder. "But no, sweetheart, we aren't going to make you watch sports tonight."

The smirk on Jude's face when he waltzes his way into the living room doesn't bode well. "Video games, baby girl!"

"Oh, sweet!"

"Wait really?" In front of me, with grey sweatpants in my line of sight, Jude halts all movement.

"Yeah, I used to love watching my brother play video games when he got old enough for them. It was our time together, and he even let me play a few times." My chest warms at the memories filtering through my mind, even as my shoulders feel weighed down by sadness.

"What's your brother’s name?" Jude kneels before me and places a heavy palm on my knee.

I gulp, hoping to swallow the emotion trying to make itself known. "His name is Tate. He's eighteen now." The tender look in Jude's eyes makes mine burn uncomfortably. "I haven't seen him since he was twelve."

"What, why?" Jackson's rumbly voice causes my spine to stiffen. "Sorry. How old are you, Rylee?" Taking the love seat on the other side of the living room, I feel better with him not hovering over me.

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