“Thank you for your input, ladies. But I know what I’m doing. You two dickheads don’t think before you act,” I said, taking in the endless poinsettia potted plants on our way up to her front porch.
“Maybe you should stop thinking so damn much. Dumb it down a little,” Jax said over his laughter.
“Dumb it down? That’s your brilliant advice?” I rolled my eyes as a woman pulled the door open and stood in the doorway staring at us.
Mrs. Edington. Everyone knew her. She’s what you’d call Willow Springs royalty. She was pretty, in that rich, stuck-up way. Her dark eyes landed on me and her gaze moved from my feet up to my face. I suddenly felt very underdressed. Adelaide said casual, and this was my idea of casual. Her mom wore a red dress that looked like something a first lady would wear to an acceptance speech. Clearly the jeans weren’t working for her and I wished she’d move her gaze to my two asshole best friends who were dressed worse than me, but instead it settled on the pie.
“Hello, Jett. Addy said you were coming. You must be Shaw and Jax?” she said, moving her icy gaze off of me and onto the two dudes beside me. Thank Christ.
I wasn’t sure why she was giving us so much attention, as she clearly had a houseful of people behind her. The place looked packed from where I was standing, which was still out on her front porch.
“Boys, boys, come on in,” Mayor Edington said, holding a glass of something that made him appear much jollier than the ice queen. “My god, dear. You’ve got them standing out in the cold. And is that a pie?”
Mrs. Edington rolled her eyes and then smiled at her husband before taking the pie from my hands. “Take it easy on the eggnog, handsome. Thanks for the pie, Jett.” Her tone was much softer when she spoke to him.
“Sure. My grandmother made it for you, and she sends her best.” I wouldn’t remind her that they’d known one another their whole lives, as she used to babysit my mom.
“Well, please thank her for me and send her my best.” She turned to face Mr. Edington and he told her he’d join her shortly.
He invited us inside. “You had quite a season. Are you all planning to continue playing ball in college?”
“Yep,” we all said in unison as we stood awkwardly in the fancy entryway.
“Jett, I hear you have a few offers you’re entertaining?” he asked, putting all his attention on me as Coco came up and wrapped her arms around Shaw and winked at Jax and me.
“Yeah, we’ll see what happens. I’ve verbally committed to TU and that’s my top choice.”
“Good for you. That’s where I went,” he said. “They have a lot to offer on top of having a fantastic football program.”
“Oh my god, Daddy. Please, stop. Are you grilling them?” Adelaide walked up behind her father and the air left my lungs. She wore fitted skinny jeans and some kind of wraparound black sweater that hugged her curves in all the right places. Of course, she had on her favorite booties or shooties or whatever the hell she called those things. Her dark hair was in a ponytail with waves tumbling down her back. She looked sexy as hell and she made it look effortless. Her little sister walked up behind her and made googly eyes at me, and I used my hand to cover my smile because I didn’t want her to think I was laughing at her. But she was ogling all three of us and made no effort to hide the fact that she liked the way we looked.
“I’m not grilling anyone, Ladybug. Just making small talk.”
“Okay, Ellis. Let the kids go to the basement. Clementine, stop staring at them like that. It’s not ladylike. Adelaide, you must have some heels you could put on with that outfit instead of those worn boots. And Coco, borrow some pants from Addy. I fear your legs are going to get a bit cold in that short skirt,” Mrs. Edington said when she walked over and tugged at her husband’s arm.
“The definition of ladylike is a matter of opinion, Mama. A woman can appreciate a fine-looking man if she wants to.” Clem winked at me, and I no longer hid my laughter. The kid was hilarious. Adelaide talked about her often but seeing her in action was even better.
Their mother rolled her eyes and pulled her husband into the group of people beside us. Adelaide shook her head and her gaze locked with mine. “Sorry about that. Let’s go downstairs.”
“Um, are we going to talk about the fact that your mama just slut-shamed me?” Coco said over a fit of laughter. “Jesus. I don’t know how you two live under that judgy gaze of hers.”
“Preach,” Clem said in an awkwardly high tone and fist-bumped the sky.
When we got down to the basement, a few of their friends were already there. Gigi came over and greeted us and Ivy and Ty were sitting on the couch. I liked him a lot more when his asshole friend wasn’t around. Adelaide had told me that the Taulsons had left for Florida today as we were officially on winter break. I was relieved I wouldn’t have to deal with him tonight. Maura sat beside them on the couch and waved us over.
“Hey,” Adelaide said, walking close enough that her hand grazed mine as we made our way across the oversized basement that looked more like something you’d see in a magazine.
“Hey. You look nice.” Jesus. Who was I? I sounded like an asshat. But I couldn’t stop myself from telling her. She looked fucking gorgeous, just like she always did.
“Thanks. You, too. Sorry about my parents. I hope they weren’t too nosy.”
“Nah. They were good. Your dad said you told him about my offers. You been talking me up, Ace?”
Her cheeks pinked and I chuckled. I couldn’t help it. She was so damn cute.
She smiled and covered her eyes with her hand, as if I couldn’t see her standing right there in front of me. “I may have bragged on you a little. But I didn’t ogle you the way Clementine did.”
Now we both laughed.
“Did I hear my name?” Her little sister moved beside me and wrapped her arm through mine. “Nice to see you, Jett Stone. You’re looking mighty fine tonight, if I don’t say so myself.”
“Um, I believe you’ve made that very clear already.” Adelaide’s eyes were wide when she looked at her sister.
“Someone’s a bit jealous I think?” Clementine taunted.
“Um, hate to interrupt this awkward family moment, but my mother just texted that your mother said I could borrow some pants. What is her deal?” Coco looked down at her short, tight black leather miniskirt. “They’re legs, not boobs. You show more in your cheer skirt. Why is your mother stirring the pot?”
“Our mother was born stirring the pot,” the two sisters said at the same time.
“Ignore her. You look amazing,” Adelaide followed up.