AllFreeNovel
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I hope he’ll ask me soon.
Track 43
Say Yes
Laurel
After we return to Portland, a different kind of insanity takes over our lives. ACD releasesWishesofficially, propels through every chart, and just like that, Jace is working. At first, after our free-flying summer, I’m unhappy about his unavailability. I want him to be all mine. I always knew he was in a band, but their activities were quiet at the beginning of our relationship. But Jace is a ball of excited energy, and I put my jealousy aside. I love seeing him this happy. He does his best to spend time with me every day. If he can’t, he calls me, no matter how late. I used to think he was so weird for calling. Everybody texts these days, but now I love hearing his voice.
Another thing I have to adjust to is Jace’s family and friends, especially Shane and Juliette. They invite me and Jace for a Christmas morning breakfast. My knee-jerk reaction is to come up with some excuse to not go. I’m still unhappy about what they put Jace through, but I decide to get over myself and attend.
I arrive at Juliette’s parents’ house, across the street from Jace. He waits for me by the curb.
“You stole a bowl of pudding from here,” I say as we climb the same short and narrow porch stairs as Jace’s.
“And I got in a sweet deal of trouble for it.” He grins at me. “It was worth it.”
I raise my hand to the doorbell, but Jace catches my fingers and tugs me closer. “Before we go in.” He sounds more serious than ever. “I need to tell you something.”
“Okay.” I hold off on any emotional response to his words until I hear what’s gotten him so somber.
“Last summer I told you that no one can get between me and Juliette. That she will always be in my life.” He looks at me, sizing up my reaction.
“I do remember that.” How could I not? We had a huge fight afterward.
“It was unfair of me to demand acceptance from you like that, and if my friendship with Juliette bothers you in any way at all, let’s leave. Let’s not go in. I won’t lie. It’ll take me a while to adjust to a different life again, but I can’t be without you, Laurel, and I won’t force you to be uncomfortable or have doubts or anything. I loveyou, and I’m yours, and the rest—”
I grab the handle and push the door open. “Get in there.” I can’t believe he’d cut himself from people dear to him for me.
“But Laurel—”
“I never asked you to change everything about you for me, okay? Keep your friends and your family, and if something ever becomes a problem, I’ll let you know.” I expect him to argue, in typical Jace fashion, but he gives me a long, grateful look, then a single, cautious nod.
We come in, kick off our shoes, and enter a living room that’s a reflected layout of Jace’s. A humongous Christmas tree layered with elegant glittering ornaments takes up a quarter of the room. The coffee table in the middle is heaped with bowls of snacks and a stack of small plates. Low murmuring voices drift from the kitchen, mixing with a mouth-watering sizzle. Jace does one whiff, and whispers, eyes closed in elation, “Bacon.”
Forgetting me, he flies into the kitchen like one of those old cartoon characters, carried through the air by scent alone. Also, it figures. Bacon. Or more like Jace and any food. Guitars may be his foremost obsession, but you can always count on distracting him with noms.
Jace chuckles in the kitchen. A deep male voice responds. Frozen by sudden awkwardness, I linger in the living room. I should join Jace and say hello to the family that lives here, but I’ve hurt Juliette in the past. What if she invited me because she was trying to be nice to Jace, and no one expected me to actually show up?
Juliette comes out of the hallway and looks straight at me. “Good morning.” She’s holding a chunky baby in white pajamas with pink candy canes and tiny black guitars.
“Good morning,” I say. “The pajamas. They’re very you and Shane and Jace.”
Juliette smiles. “Jace is the one who got them.”
“What are you saying about me?” His head pops around the kitchen corner, cheeks full of food. “Are you going to let my girlfriend in or what?”
Juliette adjusts her grip on the baby and waves at their couch. “Make yourself at home, Laurel. And Jace.” She approaches him. “Here’s your favorite princess. I’m going to eat some pie.”
She hands him the baby and faces me again. “Come on, Laurel. It’s pie morning. We have everything. Apple, pumpkin, chocolate pudding, key lime, and quiche. I know you’re not shy. Grab a plate.”
“I will.” I come level with Jace and whisper, “I thought I was your favorite princess.”
“Look at her.” He lifts the baby to my face. Bright gray eyes glower at me, as if questioning my worth, then a tiny, toothless smile sprouts on the girl’s squishy face. “Jacie is the queen of my heart for sure.”
Following Juliette into the kitchen, I call out to her. “Did you have to enable him like that? Jacie. We’re doomed.”
He’s so important to her that she named her daughter after him. He’s that important to me too. We’re both important to him. I can’t demand Jace cut Juliette out of his life, not that I want to anyway. It would be beyond unfair. She is his family. The way they laugh together, comfortable and sibling-like, I know it’d break his heart to be without her.
