“Kingston. Juno’s brother.” He steps aside and Jason walks in.
Our apartment is small. Two bedrooms, a living room, dining area, and galley kitchen. We share a bathroom, but Kingston’s not here for weeks at a time, so that makes it easier. I feel a little self-conscious though. I’m sure Jason has some great place since he’s an eye doctor.
“Nice to meet you,” Jason says before his gaze lands on me. “Hey, Juno. You look great.”
I opted for a spring dress and a jean jacket. It’s nice outside, but the nights still get pretty cold. “Thank you. You too.”
I look at Kingston when he fails to leave us alone. He’s not exactly the intimidating presence he thought he could be. Then again, he’s never been the overprotective brother to me. I never gave him much reason to be one either.
“We should go,” I say, eyeing Kingston.
“Nice to meet you,” Jason says to him once we’re on the other side of the door.
“Can’t say the same.” Kingston taps the edge of the door and it shuts in our faces.
He didn’t just do that. My brother was brought up with manners.
“I’m sorry.” I give Jason an embarrassed smile.
Jason returns my smile and opens the door to go down the stairs to the outside. “It’s okay. I have a little sister too.”
“I’m the older sister.”
“Well, I guess a sister is a sister and you have to protect them.”
I walk down the stairs, careful not to slip in my boots. “Where did you want to go?”
“I made reservations at a restaurant called Terra and Mare. It’s in the downtown area, so we don’t have to drive, and they opened up a garden dining area outside.”
I inhale a breath. I should’ve put some stipulations on this date. “Um…”
He stops us before we cross the street. “Is that a problem? Do you not like the food there? I’m sure I can cancel, although they said if I—”
“Cancel within two hours of your reservation, you’re charged fifty dollars,” I say.
He nods. “Yeah, but if you don’t like the place, I’ll eat the money.”
I don’t want to be a problem, so I tug on his sleeve. “No, but lucky you, you get to meet two of my brothers in the same night.”
He chuckles, but it has an oh shit edge to it, as though he’ll gladly eat the fifty dollars knowing that. “Oh?”
“My other brother owns Terra and Mare. If we’re lucky, he won’t be there.” But it’s Saturday night—I know he will.
Jason falls in line and doesn’t argue.
Walking into Terra and Mare, I spot Harley at the hostess station. This is going to suck.
“Juno?” she asks, looking quickly at my date.
“Hey, Harley, this is Jason.”
Harley smiles and they exchange pleasantries. Her stomach isn’t showing yet and I’m really hoping since she’s here, Rome’s not.
“Rome taking care of the kids?” I ask, showing Jason my fingers crossed behind the hostess stand.
“No. Phoenix and Griffin have them at their house. They’re doing some outside movie thing and we weren’t going to turn down free babysitting. But then our hostess called in and the chef in training isn’t doing things the way Rome wants, so this is our night.”
“Okay, can you sneak us out onto the patio? Jason has a reservation.” I rise up on the balls of my feet and point at his name on her electronic screen.
“You don’t want to be on the patio tonight. It’s so cloudy,” she says quickly.
“It’s beautiful, and I’d much rather be out there than in here.” So close to Rome.
“Nah. I have a perfect table right by the window.” She points to said table for two.
“I think I picked the patio when I reserved online,” Jason says.
Harley smiles at him and glances over her shoulder. “You know we have this special dessert, but it involves fire and it’s so windy outside that those customers aren’t being offered it. Juno loves her sweets.”
“Thanks for that, Harley, but I think we’ll go ahead and eat outside.” She stares at me long and hard, and I try to decipher what she’s trying to tell me. “Oh, is Grandma Dori here?” I whisper.
Harley shakes her head as if we’re playing a game of charades.
Jason’s hand lands on the small of my back because he’s ready for Harley to escort us outside, but she’s yet to grab the menus. “Can we be seated now?”
Harley blows out a breath, and I hope this is just some sort of pregnancy brain thing going on with her. She picks up two menus. “Of course. I’ll have Rome come over and visit.”
“Oh no, that’s okay. He already met Kingston,” I say.
“Kingston doesn’t scare anyone,” she says.
“He can be rude though.”
Harley glances back at me as though she doesn’t understand. She opens up the door to the patio, allowing us to go first.
“Thanks,” I say.
“I tried to tell you,” she whispers.
My gaze shifts from her to the small patio with eight tables—where Colton and Brigette are drinking wine at a table for two.
My feet stop and Jason bumps into my back. I scramble to turn around, my hands landing on Jason’s chest, which is completely inappropriate for a date that only started minutes ago. “I changed my mind. It’s way too cold outside.”
“It’s beautiful,” Jason says.
“I tried to warn you. Now you can have that dessert. Rome made it for me last night. You’re going to love it.” Harley wedges herself between the inside and the patio, holding the door open for us to move back inside, but Jason isn’t budging.
“Yes, and Harley’s right. I love sweets. So much you’d think I’d be a diabetic. But I’m not. Not that all diabetics love sweets. Bad example. But sugar is my kryptonite.” I push Jason, who doesn’t give an inch.
“Juno?”
My forehead falls to Jason’s chest and my hands fist his shirt. It’s over.
I look up and Jason is staring at my hands. I release the fabric of his shirt and smooth it to get the wrinkles out. “I’m so sorry.”
After a second or more, Harley says, “Juno.”
I remove my hands off his chest, turn around, and smile. “Brigette.”
Colton stares behind me, his jaw tense.
“Come and join us. Harley, can we have a table for four?” Brigette doesn’t need Harley though because she’s already taking the table next to hers and sliding it across the concrete, interrupting everyone’s meal with the screechy sound.
I sit down next to Brigette because she’s patting the chair nonstop and I look at Colton. It’s bad enough that we got into a fight earlier this week and haven’t talked. Now I have to share my dinner date with him.
Harley shoots me an expression wishing me luck when she hands us the menus. Boy, do I need it.
Nine
Colton
Juno smiles at Brigette and Brigette smiles back as though this is the best thing ever. She was mentioning to me how we should double date at some point with another couple. I said sure—but the last person I want to do that with is Juno.