Page 126 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

“As a matter of fact, I’ve decided you’re not my chaperone tonight. You’re my servant, and you may find yourself painting our toenails,” Tessa threatens.

“I’m absolutely positive that’s the most I’ve ever heard you say.” Lucas laughs.

“If you would keep your tongue out of her mouth long enough, you may find she is quite a conversationalist.” Jade giggles.

Alex covers his ears.

“I don’t want to hear anymore, but it best not to move any further than that.”

“Seriously?” Tessa snaps at both Jade and Alex as her face starts to turn red.

The poor girl.

Alex sighs and then nods, conceding. “All right, boys. Birthday princess has spoken, so let’s go cook some grub.”

“What’s for dinner?” she asks him.

“It’s a surprise,” Alex answers as we leave.

I glance at Jade, who is looking at me, wetting those thick red lips… delicious.

Outside, a thought crosses my mind. Eating. Never went ‘downtown’ like that, but I would with her; no fuck that, I will with her. I’m practically salivating just thinking about it. I mean, it could be that after the game, we were rushing around to grab gifts and shit for camping, and I am starved. But yeah, I’m gonna do that… one day.

The three of us settle around the fire, getting dinner started.

Alex is working the steaks, Lucas is dealing with the crab legs, and I’m melting butter in a little pan and flipping the foil vegetable packets over the coals.

“You're going to burn those.” Lucas points tongs at me.

“I’m not going to burn anything.” I huff.

“You almost dropped that one.”

“I was flipping it.” I retort.

“You threw it.”

“It landed!” I defend.

Alex laughs as he flips a steak. “Leave him alone.”

“Thank you,” I say.

“I said leave him alone. I didn't say you weren't an idiot.”

“Jesus. Tough crowd.” I flip another vegetable packet. “Speaking of the girls…”

Alex doesn't even look up. “No.”

“I didn't say anything yet.” I chuckle.

“You were about to.”

“I was,” I admit.

Lucas pulls his hat down and chuckles.

I look between the two of them. “So, just so I understand this correctly, we're supposed to act like we aren't feeling the exact same thing about those two girls that you're feeling about Maxwell?”