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“The Jacobs kids are back from UT.”
My heart rate spiked at my dad’s not-so-casual observation. Mama sliced her gaze to me, though I pretended not to notice.
I hadn’t spoken to Mitch since our fight. He’d been a stubborn pig, but I’d been wrong too. I still hadn’t decided if I never wanted to see him again. Just the mention of him already had me a bundle of nerves.
“Who are the Jacobs?” Alfie asked.
“Nobody,” I said too quickly.
He gave me a strange look, but didn’t press.
“They’ve invited us over tomorrow.”
I opened my mouth to protest and then registered the knowing look on my mother’s face. All the months in Paris I’d spent trying to convince myself I was better off without Mitch Jacobs were useless. I hadn’t any more forgotten him than I had Burdett.
I folded my arms over my stomach and stared out the window. Tomorrow I’d have to face him and his family. I’d missed them so much, even if they were nosy. They probably hated me for what I’d done. Even though I deserved it, the thought made my insides churn. The way things had ended…it hurt to think about, so much so that I tried not to. Time and distance had highlighted my mistakes, but I didn’t know how to fix them.
Dad turnedthe SUV down our long dirt driveway. When the house came into view, my eyes stung. For every minute I’d loved Paris, I’d missed home. These four months were the longest I’d ever gone without laying eyes on the place. It was funny how all I’d wanted to do was get away, but once I did, all I’d wanted was to come home.
Christopher flew down the steps to the front porch, and Nana hobbled behind, greeting us at the car.
My brother stopped short, shoving his hands in his pockets as I got out of the back seat. “Hey.”
“Hey, Squirt.” I threw my arms around him. “You got taller.”
“Shut up, Jules.” He hugged me back.
I squeezed his bicep, and he wriggled away from me. “You been working out?”
“I made varsity,” he informed me.
“I heard. How’s it going?”
“Lead scorer on the team.” His chest puffed out.
“We’ll see.” I grinned at him.
Nana ambled over and held out her arms. “Give your Nana a hug, girl.”
She folded me in her embrace, familiar rose-scented powder filling my nose. “I missed you.”
She put me at arm’s length and examined me carefully. “Look at you. All sophisticated now.”
My cheeks burned. “Nana.”
She glanced behind me. “Who’s this?”
“That’s Alfie.” I flashed him an affectionate grin. In a short period of time, he’d become so ingrained in my life I couldn’t imagine it without him. He’d helped me ignore the problems I’d left behind.
“The one from California?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, moving beside me.
“Ever had a Texas sheet cake?”
He tilted his head. “Can’t say I have.”
“Let’s fix that. Come on inside before this wind blows us away.”
