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“Jenae, Winnie,” Jake yelled, opening his front door and moving through the kitchen, excited to see his sister. Jenae and Winnie planned to stay with Jake for the next week. He could see they were both sitting in the backyard. Stepping outside, he said, “So glad you two made it,” opening his arms to his sister and then to Winnie.
They both stood. “Are you kidding? We would never miss this—celebrating with you. So proud of you,” Jenae said. “Have a drink with us.”
“Be right back. I’ll get another bottle.” He returned, sitting in one of the outdoor chairs across from the couch where they were snuggled up, drinking red wine. Winnie had dyed her hair a burgundy-red and cut it into a striking, longish, blunt cut that highlighted her angular jaw. Jake was often struck by how interestingly beautiful she was; knowing she had been a man in the past made her beauty even more intriguing. His sister Jenae resembled a slightly shorter version of their mother with dark hair, dark eyes, and delicate features. She and Winnie made an attractive couple.
“So, Jake, we expected you to be out celebrating tonight, to come home much later or not at all,” Jenae said.
“Well, I was. I mean, Rakell fixed me a nice dinner.”We had mind-blowing sex instead, he thought. “And I was hoping to stay the night, but then she pulled back from me. Honestly, if I wasn’t so wrapped up in her, I’d walk away.”
Jenae’s head popped off Winnie’s shoulder. Clearing her throat, she said, “Jake, just, maybe she’s nervous, and well, she may need time to…”
“Jenae, I’ve given her time…”
“Well, reassurance…”
Winnie turned her eyes to Jake. “It’s hard if you don’t think someone will accept you and your life…” Her voice trailed off.
“I made it clear in New Orleans, she was there, and well, we had a little fun in the bathroom…and then tonight, well, truthfully, we never actually ate dinner, but the alternative plan was sooo much better.”
“Great.” Jenae shook her head. “She probably thinks she’s just another one in the pretty boy’s lineup…”
“No, that’s what I’m saying. I made it clear that I wasn’t just looking for a fuck or head…I literally said, ‘You'rethatgirl’—” He made quotation marks in the air. “I made a point of saying she’s ‘that’ girl and not some ‘call girl,’” he enunciated.
Winnie’s eyebrows flew up, arching dramatically. “You said ‘call girl’?” Her tone was incredulous as her back stiffened.
Jake registered her tone. “Yeah, I made it crystal clear that I wanted her and not just for sex. Like I told you before, it’s always like this…like there’s something I’m not seeing…” He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Winnie looking at Jenae, almost nervously. “What?”
“Nothing, nothing.” Winnie jumped in as Jenae looked at her, her eyes unsure.
Jake leaned forward in his chair. “No, what? Did you guys find something on her? I googled her again, and there was nothing, just RADA, where she went to school. TheSports Illuminatedphoto is circulating, and then the Jumbotron. Still, it’s weird—I mean, what twenty-something person breaking into modeling doesn’t have a social media presence at all?” He registered the uncertain, nervous look on his sister’s face as he spoke. He took a long swig of wine. “Jenae? Come on, what’s going on? Did you all find something? What?”
Jenae looked furtively at Winnie, then back to Jake. “Let’s talk about this after the party on Sunday. Just enjoy your week of celebrations, then…”
“No, fuck no!” He clenched his jaw. “That’s what she keeps repeating to me. No, you never keep shit from me, Jenae. Come on, I’m not some fucking child. What is it?”
He watched as the muscles in Jenae’s neck worked, and her gaze shifted toward Winnie, who offered her an almost imperceptible nod as if giving a green light. “Jake, look. I told you I would see if Winnie could find something out, but honestly, I think you should wait until…”
“Jenae, please, please don’t. I have whiplash from this girl. My neck hurts from my head spinning trying to figure shit out, so please. I can’t have my sister, you…We tell each other everything. Even when I know you’ll be mad, I still tell you. Case in point, the two girls in Seattle, the three girls in Vegas, the…”
Jenae’s hand shot up. “Enough, Jake. You have to tell me everything because I’m the only human who loves you enough to soften the blow from Mom and Dad and knows enough about the law to convince them that although Jake may not make morally good choices, he isn’t breaking any laws by sleeping with…” She chuckled but clipped it short when she heard Jake blow out a growly breath.
“Quit stalling,” he snarled. “Come on, both of you. If you know something…”
Jenae tossed Winnie a glance, twisting her lips nervously as they both looked toward the back door. “Let’s go inside so we can get the computer. We need to…Jake, are you sure?” Jenae trailed off.
“Fuck yes, I mean, what? What!? You guys are freaking me out,” he said, picking up his glass. “Let’s go inside.”
Winnie put her laptop on the kitchen table as she sat on the other side of Jenae. “Okay, Jake…”
“Wait,” Jenae said, her hand cupping Jake’s elbow. “Look at me, Jake.”
“Jesus, Jenae, this is getting ridiculous. What…”
“You have to promise me something. You cannot talk to her about what we found out until after all your celebrations are over. I know this will be hard, but it won’t be an easy conversation, not for you, not for her. I know how much you care about her.”
Jake flexed his arm, pulling his elbow away from her grip. “I swear to God, Jenae, if she’s married, engaged or…I asked her point blank, and she said no, so if she is…I will blow the whole thing up, I won’t hesitate, so no promises…but if that was the case, I think something would’ve come out after she was on the Jumbotron, so it can’t be…”
She arched her back, chin up at Jake. “She’s not, it’s not that…but if you don’t promise me that you can keep this under wraps until next week, we are not going to go into what we found…because that will ruin it for everyone.”
