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“Really? I am.” He puffs out his chest.
I’m scared to ask. “What are you going as?”
“A pimp.” He starts laughing. “Gracie found some cheesy ass costume online and ordered it for me. It’s fucking fabulous. I can’t wait to wear it.”
I laugh too because that is going to be something to see. “You got gold chains and shit?”
“You know it.” He nods, still smiling. “A cane. A hat. The shirt doesn’t even have buttons, so my chest is completely exposed. Wish I had a giant fur coat. That would be a nice touch.”
“You’re ridiculous,” I say, shaking my head.
“And I’m sorry.” His expression turns serious again. “Seriously. I feel the need to say it again because I was a dick out on the field, but I was just trying to lighten the mood.”
“Way too soon, bro,” I say, my voice quiet.
“Totally realize that now.” He rises and takes a few steps closer to the bed, holding his hand. “We good?”
I take his hand and we perform some elaborate handshake that’s automatic. “We’re good.”
I whistle low as Jackson takes us onto the third-floor deck of the house they’re staying in for the weekend. The scent of pine trees hits me hard up this high, and the sky is a crisp blue, the sun shining on the water just in fron
t of us. “This is pretty fucking nice, Jackson.”
“Right? I don’t ever want to leave.” He takes a deep breath and holds it for a moment before exhaling loudly. “Kind of big for just two people, though.”
“Plenty big for a party,” Caleb says as he goes for the black metal railing that lines the entire deck. “This view is unbelievable.”
“I know.” Jackson wanders around the deck, his head tilted back as he takes in the towering trees surrounding the house. It’s quiet outside, the wind whispering through the pines. There are a few birds chirping in the distance and I can hear the low hum of a boat’s engine on the water. “I need to write for my next album and I haven’t been able to concentrate long enough to work on lyrics. Ellie suggested staying here for a few months.”
I don’t want to get my hopes up at the thought of having Jackson here for a couple of months. Having him around always makes me miss the fucker. “You seriously considering it?”
“I am,” he says with a nod. “This place could end up covered in snow in a few weeks. Talk about beautiful.”
“I hate snow,” Caleb says, turning to face us. “Wait, I take that back. I loved a good snow day when we were kids and didn’t have to go to school.”
“I have nowhere else to be for the next few months,” Jackson says. “And I owe the label an album.”
“The pressure’s on,” I tell him, and he nods in agreement.
We’re all dealing with pressure. It’s not just me and the football team or Jackson and his record label. Caleb has his own pressure, trying to figure out what to do with his life. Or Tony and his dad trying to convince him to join the family business. I’ve always had suspicions they were involved in the freaking mafia, but maybe that’s just me being overly dramatic.
I remember my dad telling my brother, a long time ago, that everyone has stress, it’s how you handle it that makes the difference. Most of the time, his advice is bullshit and I can’t take it seriously. Mostly because he never follows his own damn advice. The way he handles stress is running away from his problems. My brother is much the same.
I frown, realization hitting me. I don’t run away from my problems. I blame other people and can’t admit when I’ve done something wrong.
That’s kind of fucked up.
No, that’s actually really fucked up.
“Where are the girls?” I ask, wanting to get it out of the way. I have a suspicion Ava is with them.
“At the day spa at Tenaya Lodge,” Jackson says with a grin. “All the ladies are getting special treatment today, thanks to me.”
“Showoff,” Caleb mutters. “Making me look bad.”
“I doubt that. Gracie looks at you as if you can do no wrong,” Jackson tells him, shaking his head. “Still can’t believe you two are together.”
“I love her,” Caleb says simply. “She makes my life better. I don’t know why I denied wanting a girlfriend for so long.”
