“What if there was a fire?”
“There wasn’t.”
“But what if there was?” I quickly get out of bed and start to look around for something to put on.
“Then I would have given you a shirt.” I catch his grin as I’m tugging my shirt down over my head, and I roll my eyes.
“I’ll be out after I brush my teeth.” I turn for the bathroom and expect him to leave, but he follows me and leans against the doorjamb. “What time is our flight?” I ask around my toothbrush.
“Two,” he says absently as his phone starts to ring, and he pulls it out of his pocket, looking at the screen. “I have to take this. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
“Sure,” I mumble, and he walks off to answer the call.
I take a few minutes to get myself sorted out so I won’t look as hungover as I feel, then leave the room.
When I step into the kitchen, all eyes come to me, and I don’t know who starts to clap first, but soon everyone is doing it while laughing.
“Thank you,” I groan, pulling out one of the folding chairs that were brought inside after the boys' fight, and I take a seat next to Haylee.
“How are you feeling this morning?” Janelle asks, handing me a cup of coffee.
“All right. Unfortunately, I didn’t drink enough to completely forget everything that happened last night,” I say, and everyone starts to laugh.
“You put on quite the show.” Janet smiles behind her coffee cup, and I rub my lips together. I don’t know when I started liking the old lady, but over the last week, I’ve grown fond of her, even if she is one of the rudest, bluntest people I have ever met in my life.
“I can’t wait to see what you come up with next year.” Haylee bumps her shoulder into mine, and I force a smile, because the reminder I won’t be here next year sucks.
“Help?” Dash asks, placing his coloring book in front of me, and I pick him up to hold him on my lap. As we start to color, Jace steps into the kitchen, and his eyes come right to me, then move to Dash.
“Are you trying to steal my girl, little dude?” he asks, and Dash doesn’t even bother looking at him as he answers with a quick, “Yes.”
“You need to get your own.”
“I have my own.” He turns to look at me. “Right, Aunt Penny?”
“Right.” I run my hand over his soft hair, and he grins at me before he hops off my lap to go to his mom.
“So,” Janelle starts, looking between Jace and me as he maneuvers me so he can sit in the seat and place me on his lap, “Dad and I talked, and we’ll be coming to visit at the end of next month, if that works for you two.”
Oh no. My heart twists painfully inside my chest, and that feeling only intensifies as she continues.
“I thought that while we are there, we could do some of the fun tourist stuff we haven’t had the chance to do and spend some time with your mom.” Her eyes twinkle as they land on mine. “Maybe even do a little wedding planning.”
“That works,” Jace says, covering my hand with his, and I realize then that I was digging my nails into his thigh.
“Good, I can’t wait. It will be so much fun.” She smiles, going to the stove, asking over her shoulder, “How many pancakes do you want, Penny?”
“I’m okay, thank you.” I take my hand from Jace’s and press it into my stomach, which feels sick.
“You should eat, cupcake. It might help with the hangover.”
“Maybe later.”
“All right.” I feel his lips touch my shoulder, and that feeling in my chest that I’m trying to ignore gets worse. A week ago, this all seemed so simple—get in and get out… fifty thousand dollars richer. What I didn’t expect was to have one of the best experiences of my life or to fall in love with Jace’s family and the make-believe life we’ve been living.
God, I’m an idiot.
“I should shower and get packed up,” I say quietly, looking over my shoulder at Jace.
“Okay, I’ll be in to pack up my stuff in a few minutes.”
“Sure.” I get up, and Janelle sends me a smile before I take my coffee and leave the kitchen.
After my shower, I start to pack all my stuff and clean up the room, and Jace comes in to get his things together and helps me. By the time we’re done, it’s close to one and time to go, so he carries our stuff out of the room, and everyone decides to walk us out to say goodbye.
Standing at the back of the Jeep Jace rented, I watch him load my bag into the trunk, and then with a deep breath, I turn to face his mom. As her arms wrap around me in a tight hug, the tears I’ve been attempting to keep at bay all morning spill over. I hate goodbyes, and this one seems worse than most.
“No crying.” She leans back to look at me, grabbing my face in both her hands. “We’ll see you in a few weeks.”
“I know.” I use the sleeve of my sweater to wipe away the wetness from my cheeks.
A move that is pointless, because the moment Daniel hugs me, I start to cry again.
“When we come visit, you and I will go fishing,” he says softly, giving me a tight squeeze before letting me go.
“I’d love that.” I sniffle, wiping my cheeks again before I hug Haylee.
“When you get a second, accept the friend request I sent you this morning,” she says, rocking me from side to side.
“I will.” I let her go, then hug Brice quickly before I pick up Dash. “Be good.”
“I can’t promise that.” His arms tighten around my neck as I laugh, and with one last kiss to his cheek, I place him on his feet and look at Janet.
“Well, come on. Let’s get this over with,” she orders, holding her arms wide, and I walk into her embrace with a smile on my face. “I wasn’t sure at first, but I think you two are going to be just fine,” she whispers against my ear, and those stupid tears fall harder.
“Thanks,” I whisper back, then wrap my arms around my middle as I watch Jace say his goodbyes to everyone. When he’s done, he takes my hand in his, and starts to walk me to the Jeep.
“Hold on, hold on.” Eva shouts and we both turn and watch her run our direction with a trophy that is about as big as she is. “You can’t leave without this.” She holds the trophy out to me.
“Oh I couldn’t.” I start to shake my head no, but she shoves it in my arms leaving me with no choice but to take hold of it.
“We all agreed that you get to keep it for the year.” Janelle laughs and I look though everyone gathered around us, then down at the stupid trophy I’m holding, and burst into tears.
“Oh no.” Eva whispers and the trophy is taken from me so that Jace can turn me in his arms and wrap them around me.
“It’s okay cupcake.” Is it though? I don’t think it is. “She doesn’t like goodbyes.” Jace says over the top of my head and I know everyone is probably looking at him like what the hell is wrong with her?
“I’m alright.” I drag in a breath and wipe my cheeks.
“Are you sure?” He asks as his fingers go under my chin forcing it up so I don’t have a choice but to look at him.
“Yeah.” I nod and without a word he shakes his head then leans down to kiss my forehead.