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Jenae had always been Jake’s biggest fan, but she was direct with him, especially as they got older. She looked at Rakell. How could she explain that her brother had no right to judge anyone but not make him sound like a jerk? “Listen, I think he just…he just needs time to process this…”
Rakell shook her head. “It is…well, there’s nothing I can say to him…so I, I can’t say anything to make him feel better about me, I don’t think I can make him understand…but thank you for reaching out. Jake and you seem really close. I’ve enjoyed meeting you all. I do have to go, though. Matt and his boyfriend Jonathon are heading to Austin later today. He’s worried about me, afraid I’ll jump off the 360 Bridge or eat my weight in Chuy’s queso…I need to meet up with them soon.” She gave an amused huff as she stood.
“Matt’s a good guy.”
“Yes, he is. I feel lucky to have him. He’s like a brother to me, and I don’t want him hurt.”
“Listen, like I said, none of us would say anything.” Jenae stood, cocking her head at Rakell. “I’m not sure how Jake communicated the information to you, but I know he thought about it and he, well, he had good intentions. Let’s face it: he’s not exactly an altar boy. Don’t let that little boy's smile fool you.” Jenae let out a short chuckle that ended in what seemed like a sigh to Rakell. “He’s had his share of experiences.”
Rakell lowered her glasses, peering at Jenae over them, a wry grin crossing her face. “I may have pointed that out in a not-so-delicate way. I may have used the phrase ‘fucking pathetic’ when referring to other women…not very mature, but he took me off guard.”
Laughing, Jenae said, “I’m sure he handled it with amazing control and maturity.”
“When I calm down long enough to think, instead of cry, I think he was trying.” She paused. “It just felt overly patronizing and judgmental, and I just freaked.”
“I hope we see you and Jake together,” she added as they said their goodbyes. “And you need to know, from his big sister, he wants that, too.”
“Um, thank you, but I’m just not sure about that…” she uttered as she turned to leave.
Chapter Eighteen
She settled into one of her art deco chairs after they finished the Chuy’s takeout Matt and Jonathon had picked up on their way to her place. Matt handed her a glass of water and sat on the couch next to Jonathon.
“Okay, time to do that talking thing you love so much, Princess,” Matt said.
She dropped her head back against the chair. “Noooo…I fucking suck at this.”
“I know, Jonathon and I already made a conscious decision not to get between you and your queso. Now it’s time, Princess. I know how much this is twisting you up,” Matt pushed.
“Kells, you keep saying it’s over, but I don’t think…” Jonathon jumped in, his hand on Matt’s knee as he spoke.
“I don’t know where to go from here, after everything we’ve said,” she uttered, staring up at the ceiling. “It was so icky.”
Taking a sip of wine, Matt cleared his throat. “Icky? Can you elaborate? Because from what you told me, I don’t think he was using the information to break up.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ugh, no, just to pass judgment as if all the girls he’s been with before had somehow made better life choices than me working as an escort. Fucking double standard. It was just icky.”
“Wow, such an extensive vocabulary from a woman who speaks five languages,” Matt teased. “As I said, elaborate,” he coaxed with a demanding edge.
“I can speakfourlanguages and I’mlearningItalian, but I can say ‘icky’ in lots of languages.” She smiled, putting Matt off,not knowing how to explain her feelings about Jake or what had been said between them.
“Princess, if not with us, then who? Come on.” Frustration crept into his tone. “He was trying, don’t you think?”
She took a long sip, her eyes closing briefly as the memory of last night crept into her mind. “Matt, he saidlove and prostitutein the same fucking sentence.” She sucked her cheeks into her mouth; she wasn’t going to let the waterfall start again.
Jonathon smiled widely, leaning forward, eyebrows raised as if he were about to reveal something novel. “Just so we are clear…he’s a football player, not a diplomat.”
Rakell laughed. “True that.”
“And Princess…” Matt’s eyes steadied on her, his eyebrows lowering.
There’s his dad-look, Rakell thought, meeting his stare.
“Did you try explaining things to him or get defensive and make it…”
“Ohhhh, I made it worse, for sure,” she said, knowing she couldn’t hide from Matt. She went through the night with as many specifics as she could remember, wincing as she repeated her words to Jake out loud.
“Wow, you were rough on him, and he didn’t drive his truck into a pole?” Jonathon asked.
