Jordan and Skye are snapping dozens of pics while they can.
“It’s almost a shame for you to drink it,” I pout.
“I made an entire pot, so you might want to share or you could end up vibrating,” Lyle advises.
“If you start to vibrate, just hold yourself against Mels,” Becky calls out from the living room.
“Oh yeah, we ladies do love us a good vibration,” Zoey adds, proving once again how dangerous it is for the two of them to be in the same room together.
“Pfft.” Vince bro-nudges Jase. “My boy doesn’t need vibrations to get his girl off.”
“That’s what the piercing is for.” I shoot Cali the side-eye for the boast, but he only wiggles his tongue at me, making me blush. A quick glance at Jase only gets me a wink, and I heat for an entirely different reason.
“Oh yeah. It’s all about a good piercing,” Tucker brags. The testosterone in the house is creeping toward a gag-inducing level.
“How would you know, Tuck? You don’t have your tongue pierced.” Ella peers over as if looking for confirmation.
“Not the type of piercing I’m talking about.” He shoots a wink at Skye. “Right, Bubble?”
Skye doesn’t deem his comment worthy of a response, but the pinking of her fair skin gives her away.
“All right, assholes.” Jase claps his hands to get everyone’s attention, but before he can continue, two squeaky voices start volleying “Asshole!” back and forth. Jordan smacks him upside the head for her cursing two-year-olds.
“I can’t even.” She facepalms.
“You know I told your brother once I was going to change his text handle to that,” I say in a show of solidarity.
“Oh, that would have been a good one.”
“No-no.” Jase wiggles a finger between me and his twin. “There will be no teaming up of my other half and my better half.”
Jordan and I shrug.
“Anyway.” The look he gives me promises all sorts of dirty things. “Grab a straw and line up to help me finish this. This Cup has things to do and pictures to take. It can’t be doing any of that filled with coffee.”
With eight guys drinking, the coffee is gone in no time, and the Cup is promptly washed and dried for the next task.
There are poses of Jase holding it over his head and Nate feigning sadness. The bromance that has formed between my brother and my boyfriend would disturb me if it didn’t make my life easier.
Unless they decide to use their newfound love of each other against me, I’m keeping my mouth shut.
Jase and Cali eat spaghetti à la Lady and the Tramp to show their Storm solidarity, and then Jase pretends to play tug of war with the Cup against Jake, Ryan, and Tucker.
Before the Cup is used to hold Jase’s hotdogs in their—I kid you not—hotdog eating contest, one of the last pictures is Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head lounging on a mini hockey puck float in the “pool” they created inside the Cup, and in between the toys meant to represent us is my Tony Award.
When I think we’re done, Jase rushes from the room, his footsteps pounding on the stairs on the way to our bedroom. He’s back as quickly as he left and tosses a white t-shirt at me. The move catches me off guard, the material hitting my chest then falling to the ground.
By the time I’ve scooped it up, he’s already changed into his, and I snort when I read the words ‘She’s my Sweet Potato’ written in black lettering. Unfolding mine, I snort again seeing mine reads ‘I Yam.’
Grinning like the corny fools we are, we stand behind the Cup, posing with it and our Playskool counterparts.
Jordan suggests us doing one holding them, and when Jase hands me Mrs. Potato Head, she rattles.
I give her a shake, trying to suss out what could be making the noise but failing. I would say it’s her extra pieces, but neither of us store them inside the toys.
Flipping open the hatch in the back, I turn her over, leaving my palm open underneath to catch the last thing I expected to find inside.
“Shit! I didn’t bring a notebook.” I hear Maddey curse but tune out her and all my fellow Covenettes watching us like we’re the latest episode of The Bachelor.
I look from my hand to my boyfriend and back again, trying to make sense of what I’m seeing.
“Jase?”
He reaches out, taking the metal object from my hand with a wink.
“Mels, baby.” Arms snake around my middle. “Our schedules are busier than Walmart on Black Friday.” I’m hit with soap and ice as he tugs me even closer. “I want to at least know I get to come home to you at the end of the day.”
Is he asking what I think he’s asking?
“Will you move in with me?”
Oh-em-gee! He is!
“Are you serious?” My voice rises an octave with each word. I already have the code, but a key to the deadbolt? That proves the place would be mine too.
“As serious as I take my potatoes.” He winks again, his eyes swirling green and gold in anticipation of my answer.
I jump him, my arms circling his neck and my legs going around his waist. I taste hints of coffee and tomato sauce as I kiss him long and deep.
“Couldn’t have written it better myself,” Maddey cheers.
“Am I going to be subjected to this any time I come visit?” my brother grumbles.
“Don’t worry, you get used to it,” Ryan offers.
“Bullshit, Cap,” Becky says. “You still gag whenever Jake loves up on your sister.”
“Kissing and hearing about the latest way one of your best friends just dicked down your little sister are two completely different things.”
“Can you not use the words dicked down and little sister together in the same sentence ever again? Please and thank you,” Jordan asks.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” I lock eyes with Jase.
“Absolutely.” He cups my ass, holding me up like I weigh nothing. God, his strength is one of my biggest turn-ons. “I want to have you in a place all to ourselves.”
“All to ourselves?” I arch a brow. “Your place is busier than Grand Central some days.”
He nods. “True, but that doesn’t change the fact that I want to go to bed with you every night I’m not on the road.”
Why does he have to be so swoony?
I bring our foreheads together. “Yes.”
His eyes flash the brightest green yet. “Yes?”
“Yes, roomie.”
He smile is so wide it rivals any I’ve ever seen before.
I have a feeling the role of his roomie will be my favorite one of all.
Epilogue 3- Justin
While the rest of my friends are distracted by the most recent cohabitation of the group, I step outside onto the back deck, shutting the doors behind me, and make my way onto the beach to avoid being overheard while I handle some business.
I love my sister more than words, but Maddey’s stubborn streak is going to get her killed—potentially literally.
For months she hid the fact that she has a stalker from me—and make no mistake, it is a stalker, no matter how much she tries to brush it off—then she goes and rebukes any attempts we make at keeping her safe. It’s infuriating.