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I stay silent, enjoying the tension between him and Marcus.
Marcus slides in close to me and drops a kiss to my neck that is so sensual that I can't hold back my groan. "Always so responsive.” His voice is a rumble that sends heat rippling down my spine.
I know what game he's playing at, and fuck, I hope we win. For a few months now, we have been noticing the lingering looks Jack gives us and Jude, but he's fighting it. We can't do anything for him and Jude, but we want them. So, we nudge, we push, and we play. Most importantly, we play for the fucking trophy.
"Marcus!" JJ snaps, jaw clenched and eyes swirling with an array of frustration and lust.
"What,babe?" Stepping away from me, Marc steps into Jackson's chest. Both are the same height; they stand eye to eye... or mouth to mouth.
Grunting, JJ slams his shoulder into him and stomps his way to the diner. Shoulders slumped, Marc slowly turns to me with a disappointed look. My jokester may have won that round, but not without casualties. Rejection sucks. Especially from someone you love. Someone you know in your soul is meant to be yours. The four of us, we are beyond a family of friends. We are more, and sometimes it really fucking hurts to be the only ones fighting for it rather than against it. We may have Jude physically, but the battle he fights every time he yearns to stay overnight is one that will forever break my heart.
I want to know what's going on in his mind. Jude exudes confidence and sexuality. Not intimacy though. He's afraid. Afraid he doesn't deserve to be loved. Our surfer boy is afraid to spend the night after fucking his best friends, because the what ifs are really damn heavy.
"I know, Love. I know." There's nothing else I can say, but what I can do is kiss him. Tugging on his pinky, I pull him to me and swipe my tongue across the seam of his lips. He opens, and we both sink into the embrace.
He pulls away first, grinning at me when I try to capture his mouth again. "Let's go have dinner with our girls."
"That's the second time you have referred to them as ours," I hedge, wanting to know about the developments of today. Just as he opens the diner door for me, he finishes telling me about his time at Rylee's house. If I'm honest, I really wish I would have been there. Maybe after this dinner, I can start spending time with the girls too.
Seeing our group off to the back, we make our way to the table seeing two seats open by Gabby, one at the head of the table. Marcus takes the seat by Gabby, leaving me to take the one at the head between him and Jude. Eyeing the seating arrangements, I see Rylee directly across from me, between JJ and an empty chair next to Gabs.
"Bug, come sit down, please." Rylee's voice is clipped while holding eye contact with Jackson and attempting to drag Layla out from in between their stare down.
"No." She stamps her little foot, eyes glaring daggers at JJ, too. "He made you sad."
If I looked at the other four, I'm sure they would have matching frowns. Watching a little girl stand up for her mom is very unsettling. Let alone standing between her and a perceived threat.
"Come here, sweetheart. Maybe we can share a milkshake."
Layla's attention diverts to Gabby for a split second before it's back on Jackson, who looks really damn pale and scared.
Rylee's gaze flicks to Gabby, then Jude, before she drops to whisper in her daughter's ear, too quiet for anyone on this side of the table to hear. I swear we all release a collective sigh of relief when Layla huffs and marches back to her seat. Gabby and Layla start discussing milkshake options, and even though Layla's gaze returns to JJ every minute, I feel better with her focused on sugar.
Hushed whispers reach our side, and I'm honestly really damn shocked by the look of remorse on Jackson's face when he says Gabby's name.
"Yeah?" She looks up, confused at the seriousness he's aiming her way.
Clearing his throat, he looks one more time at the stern expression on Rylee's face. "I want to apologize for how I acted last night."
I would laugh at the gasps that come out of Jude, Marc, and me if this weren't a monumental moment.Mark the calendars! Jackson Brooks Jones just apologized!
"You didn't deserve to be treated like a teen acting out. I promise to work on my protectiveness towards you. I hope you know I do think of you as a mature adult and that I really do trust you. It's just with ev-everything we have been through, it's hard to let go."
Holy shit.
"Holy shit," Jude and Marcus mimic my thoughts.
Tears track down Gabby's face as she throws herself out of her chair, around the table, and into Jackson's chest. If I'm not mistaken, his eyes seem a little sparkly as well before he closes them and murmurs into her pink hair.
My focus trails over to a wistful-looking Rylee, who I bet is the one who chastised JJ for his behavior. Gabby nods furiously into his neck. We’re all moved by the scene before us. I’m so distracted I don't even notice Layla beside me until she pokes my arm.
Her head tilts, a curious look in her eye. I look to Rylee to see if she knows where her daughter is and find her eyes already lasered in on us. She's very attentive and aware. A good mom.
"Are you the man who owns the coffee?" Oh my, her voice is so tiny and sweet. I think she just swept me off my feet with one simple question.
"Hi, Layla. Yes, I own the coffee shop. We met a few days ago. Do you remember?" I twist in my chair a bit to face her and keep my voice soft, afraid I'll spook her.
"Are you nice?"
