When Troy and I met with Emerson for the first time, she informed us that Jay had only one bodyguard her entire life, Bass, but he’d really been more like a second father to her than a bodyguard. He’d had a part in raising her. He was family. Emerson wasn’t exactly sure how Jay would feel about having strangers around the house or why she needed the added security.
The neighborhood itself is pretty secure. No one gets through the front gates unless they’re a resident or on the guest list. No exceptions. My uncle goes to great lengths to keep the residents of Heritage Bay safe, screening everyone including the lawn and pool service companies. Not even the mailman gets through.
But that’s not why Emerson hired us. Jay had been pretty sheltered her entire life, and she was finally getting a chance at being a normal teenager. As normal as a rock star’s kid could get, anyway. Emerson was giving Jay her wings, knowing she would definitely fly, but she needed backup.
She’d asked us to lie low for a few days until she had a chance to talk to Jay about her new situation. Unfortunately, it only lasted a day.
It was our first overnight shift on the property. Troy and I were set up in the guest house, which had been converted to a security room, complete with a living room, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a fully stocked kitchen. The building sat opposite the pool area with a wide stone path running between, leading down to the lake. It was well after midnight. The cameras were on, and there was a beep warning us that the alarm had been deactivated at station 21, which was the french doors on her balcony.
“Is she sneaking out?” Troy had asked with a snicker.
I stood up and watched with narrowed eyes out the window as Jay descended the steps from her balcony and down the path toward the dock overlooking the lake, stopping beside a large figure. Grabbing my binoculars, I aimed them in the direction of the dock. She was with Bass.
“No.” I set down the binoculars and made my way over to the sofa, where Troy was kicked back watching the highlights from the Tampa Bay Thunder game.
It wasn’t five minutes before we both heard a scream that could wake the dead.
“What the fuck?” I shouted as I bolted up from the couch, hitting the switch for the exterior lights before rushing out the door. With Troy right behind me, we charged toward the two figures running our way. Jay was screaming, hands flailing in the air as she raced toward us.
“She’s okay,” Bass bellowed as he trailed behind her. He was… laughing.
Jay bolted right past us, swatting at her hair and tugging on her shirt as she ran into the house through the back patio door, which had been unlocked. I figured maybe Bass had gone out through that door. I’d made a mental note to ask.
“She hates bugs,” Bass informed us as he jogged past, clutching his side as he continued to laugh. We followed him through the back door to find Emerson staring wide-eyed at Jay as she did a full-body shudder. Troy snorted beside me, and I brought my fist to my mouth to hide my smile.
“She’s okay,” Bass choked out through a laugh. He leaned against the massive island countertop separating the kitchen from the great room. “She….” He laughed. “A bug….” Another laugh.
Jay whipped around with her face twisted into a scowl. “It’s not funny, B,” she practically shrieked, her hands balled into fists at her sides.
She was a mess. Hair everywhere, shirt ripped, and bottom lip swollen. I looked over at Troy to see his shoulders shaking in silent laughter, and I had to look away. The girl was fucking hilarious.
“I’m sorry, princess, but that shit was so damn funny,” Bass argued through another fit of laughter as he wiped his eyes. “Em… I don’t even think her feet touched the ground.”
Jay turned back to face her mom. “I was attacked by a flying roach,” she screeched. “It crawled on my face and then fell down my shirt.” She shuddered again.
I literally had tears running down the sides of my face. This was the funniest shit I’d ever seen in my life.
Emerson rolled her lips between her teeth, clearly fighting back her own laughter. “It looks like it,” she sputtered before a loud laugh burst out of her.
My stomach hurt.
Jay scanned the four of us, lips pursed. “I’m glad you all find my traumatic experience hilarious.” Her gaze bounced between Troy and me, and she raised a brow. She narrowed her eyes on Bass. “We’ll see how it goes, huh?” She swung her hand in our direction. “It looks like you’ve already made that decision.” She turned on her heels and stormed toward the stairs.
“I’m going to take another shower.” She threw her hands in the air. “You’re all fired,” she called over her shoulder, and we all burst into another fit of laughter. “Except Grace,” she added. “She feeds me.” Grace was their cook, which made the whole situation even funnier.
Once Jay was out of sight, Emerson gestured to Troy and me as she said to Bass, “She wasn’t supposed to see them until we talked to her.”
Bass shrugged. “They were doing their jobs.”
“Well, this job just became interesting,” I said.
Interesting is an understatement. She became more than a job. I care about her. Troy does, too. Over the past two years, Troy and I have had front row seats to many pivotal moments in this girl’s life.
Some great, some hilarious, and some just downright fuckin’ terrifying.
It’s been a learning experience, and one of the main things I’ve taken from it is that if I ever get married and have a kid, I really hope it’s a boy.
I push the button on my overhead visor, and the garage door opens. I steer into my designated spot beside Troy’s company-issued SUV.
Zach and Troy are in the kitchen laughing about something as Zach shoves his books into his backpack.
Zach is Jay’s childhood sweetheart, now husband. Yep, you heard that right. While on a spring break trip in St. Thomas, the little shits eloped right under my fuckin’ nose.
“Me and Zach are going down to the beach by ourselves.” That was her way of saying “Don’t follow me.”
The beach was secluded, and there was extra security trolling the property, so Troy and I stayed back and hung by the pool.
She’d had it all planned out.
Technically, you can’t just elope in St. Thomas on a whim. There’s an application process you have to follow. Believe me, I checked. But leave it to Jay to find a way around it. It truly is all about who you know.
It was a goddamn miracle Troy and I didn’t get our asses fired.
I wasn’t always Zach’s biggest fan, and a few times I wanted to plow my fist in his face for being a jackass, but he’s actually a good dude, and he’s proved himself to be a good husband. He grew up with my younger cousins and played football with them all through high school. Now he’s Gulf Coast University’s superstar quarterback. He’s only a sophomore, but he’s a great football player, and he’ll without a doubt go pro.
“What’s up?” I greet as I slide the drink carrier across the counter and place the cellophane bag beside it.
Zach reaches for the protein smoothie without the half-melted whipped cream. “Thanks.” He jerks his head toward the great room and grins mischievously. “My wife has something for you.”