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Shenever touches me like this.I’malways the one who touches her first.Inpublic.Whenit’s appropriate.WhenI’mallowed to.Notevery other second likeIwant to. “Wejust need to be done in forty-five minutes.Jacksonwants to be at the hospital right when visiting hours open.”
“Withso many people, that might be hard…”Imutter.
“I’msure it’s not a problem.JustgiveDoloresone of your big oldHollywoodtips, and she’ll run that food out to us lickety-split,”Jaspersays, smiling at me like he knows how much theHollywoodshot pisses me off.
“Watchyour words.Noone wants to seeDoloresdo the splits!”Jamesonsays, shaking his head.
JarrethitsJamesonon the back of the neck beforeIget the chance.Thenhe leans forward towardsSelena. “Notto be sexist or anything.It’sjust thatDoloresmight be older than this whole town.Ibet she’d break her damn hip if she tried to do the splits.”
“Well, maybe she can just drop it low or something instead?”Selenaasks with a grin. “It’sreally nice to meet all of you.Iwish it was under better circumstances, obviously.”
There’sa chorus ofyou twosandreal nicestossed out.Mybrothers are really amping up the country charm forSelena.
“Andwe didn’t really get too much of a chance to talk at the hospital yesterday.So, it’s great that you’re joining us.Becausethere is somethingIwanted to talk to you about…”WhenSelenaleans forward, it takes everything in me not to haul her ass back against the booth, grab her dress in my fist, and pull it up to her chin.
“Andwhat’s that, pretty lady?”Jasperasks, leaning forward.
“Iwill punch you,”Imutter under my breath, loud enough for every single one of my brothers to hear me.AndSelena, who frowns at me before turning her attention back to my brothers.
Sheflutters her eyelashes at them. “Oh,Iwas just hoping to hear aboutJackson’smost embarrassing stories, if that wouldn’t be too much trouble.”
“Noneat all.Noneat all,”Jarretsays with a grin that looks just like mine.
Mybrothers all look at each other and start talking at once.
“Thechicken thing?”
“Thebedwetting?”
“No, no, the barn thing?”
“Thething withMr.Alton’struck?”
“WhataboutMrs.Roerig’sflower garden?”
“Halfof those things weren’t even me.Itwas you jackasses!”Inearly shout.
Selenaturns to glare at me before she has the nerve to actuallyshushme.Inmy own damn town, the woman has the nerve toshushme.Thenshe flashes me a grin that is downright possessed.
Sheleans forward again, resting her face on her hands, elbows on the table. “Ican’t wait to hear each and every one.SinceJacksontold the entire world all about my… incident, let’s start with the bedwetting.”
Andthat is howIalmost die eating breakfast in a diner inWesternSprings.Butat leastIwould have had my arm aroundSelenawhen it happened.
Selenaeats her tofu scramble, hash browns, and fruit salad like it’s the best thing she’s ever tasted, telling us every three bites how good it is.Meanwhile, she doesn’t let up pressing my brothers for every detail of every embarrassing thingI’veever done in my life.Theonly good things about this entire meal are howSelenagiggles at every part of every story, and how she’s snuggled into me, my arm wrapped over her shoulders, my thumb stroking her bare arm.I’mnot sure what’s acting anymore and what’s not, butI’mpretty sure thatI’mnot this good of an actor.
“Ihate to break this up whenI’mhaving such a great time.Butwe should get going to the hospital and seeDad.”
Selenapicks up my wrist again to check the time.Herwarm fingers light my skin on fire. “Ooh, he’s right.Weneed to go.Doyou think we can pay at the front?I’mworried if we need to wait onDoloresmaking her way back over here again that we’ll be late for your dad.”
“I’vegot cash.Don’tworry, we won’t be late,”Itell her, squeezing her against me quickly. “Therest of you can feel free to worry.Let’sgo.”
Oneby one, my brothers slide out of the booth.WhileI’mbusy grabbing my wallet out of my back pocket and throwing down enough bills to cover ten times what we ordered,Jasperbows toSelenaand offers her his hand to help her stand up.
Shereaches out to take his hands and starts to stand up, butI’mfaster.Islide along the booth seat and stand up so quickly behind herIhave to grabSelenaaround the waist to steady her.Onlywith our height difference,Icatch her right under her breasts.
“Getyour own girl!”Itcomes out more growl than words.
Selenabursts into a giggle fit, andIknow exactly what she’s thinking.
