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“Morning, go back to sleep.” He dragged the covers up, and I yawned. Even tucked securely against him, I tried to rouse. “I fed the cats, they’re happy.”
Oh, then I didn’t have to.
“Shut up,” Jake mumbled, and reached past me to thump Coop. “She was asleep.”
“Jerk,” Coop mumbled, and I opened my eyes in time to see Jake smirking.
“You’re only saying that because you’re hiding behind her.” Then his gaze dipped to mine, and he brushed my cheek with a finger. “Shh, he’s right—go back to sleep. We don’t have to be anywhere for hours.”
There was homework. Chores. Work…
Oh, wait, I didn’t have work today. I burrowed again and pressed a hand against Jake’s chest. Somehow, we’d all piled onto the bed and slept after watching the worst movie I’d ever seen.
“I’m glad you won your game,” I mumbled. “That was a very good catch thingy before you slid home.”
Coop pressed his face against my hair, as if that would muffle his laughter.
“Thanks, baby girl. Thanks for being a cheerleader.”
I snorted. Though, I had worn one of Jake’s old football jerseys and painted school colors on my cheeks. Archie and Coop had found it hilarious. Then they fed me plenty of hot dogs and nachos while they made up stories about alien invaders and the resistance to fill in my knowledge gaps about the game.
“You’re not going back to sleep, are you?”
When I cracked my eyes open, Jake had rolled onto his side and studied me. Between the stubble, the disheveled hair, bruises, and pillow wrinkles on his cheek, he seemed the perfectly rumpled rogue. I liked it—well, everything except the bruises. With care, I traced my fingers against the green discoloration still marring his cheek.
“Stop worrying about it,” he murmured. “It’s fine.”
“I just hate the idea that you and Ian were fighting.” I didn’t like it when Jake was in any fight.
“Well, not a fan, but if he’s gonna be a dumbass then he gets what gets.” Dragging his thumb across my lower lip, he said, “Don’t worry about it, baby girl. Today is all about the dance.”
I snorted and shifted, but Coop tightened his arm around my middle. “What happened to going back to sleep?” Despite the hint of grumpiness in his words, no trace of it echoed in his voice.
“Well,” I offered. “I’m not getting up.”
“Good.” The word echoed from both of them, and I laughed. It was barely light outside. We had time.
“I don’t have to be at the nail place until ten, I think, or ten-thirty.” It was on my phone. Rachel had made the reservations and sent me the address. Her running interference for me with Cheryl helped. “What are you guys going to do today?”
“Shower,” Jake said.
“Shave,” Coop tacked on.
“Probably get something to eat,” Jake continued.
“Then you know, maybe watch a game before we have to go put on the suits.”
“Guy spa day.” The smirk on Jake’s face grew. “Gotta get all pretty for our girl.”
A snicker escaped. “Are you guys going to braid each other’s hair and do your nails?”
“Fuck no,” Jake said with a snort. “Probably tell dirty jokes and then compete to see who gets to ask you for the first dance.”
“Oh, damn,” Coop said, thrusting out his fist. “Rock-Paper-Scissors? We decide now, we have the fifty-fifty on that, and Archie and Bubba have to wait.”
Amusement filled Jake’s eyes as he lifted his fist. “I like this plan.”
“It is kind of cheating,” I pointed out, and received a matching pair of “So?” for my trouble.
