All That Jazz (Butler Cove #1) Page 8

  “I’ve got it,” I said and held the doorframe, trying to bear weight. I couldn’t. Joey stepped in close, wrapping an arm around my waist and hauling me up against his firm side. “Come on,” he chastised. “Let me help you.”

  I released a breath and let him help me limp to the swing. The wood was cool under my bare thighs. I was literally wearing the tiniest pair of cut off jean shorts known to man. It hadn’t bothered me this morning when I put them on, but now I felt practically naked. I did a quick inspection of my legs to make sure I’d been thorough with my razor. Not that I cared. It was just Joey. But still. Anyway, I might see Chase later, so …

  Joey got down in front of me again, lifting a sardonic eyebrow. “I’m gonna touch your foot, okay? Try not to be a freaky filly.”

  “A filly?”

  “A horse.”

  “I know what a filly is.” I snorted. “I can’t believe you just called me a horse.”

  “Well,” he said and gently palpated up my foot toward my ankle. “Looks like your hoo—”

  “I swear to God, Joseph, if you call my foot a hoof, my other foot is feeling just fine and it will happily meet your face.”

  Laughter erupted out of him, his blue eyes creasing up. The hand holding my foot let go and reached up to run through his dark blond hair. “Fine. Let me go get you some ice. Looks like it’s a slight sprain. You probably shouldn’t ride your bike, though. And we can probably reschedule the CPR training this afternoon.”

  “No!” I yelped. “I really need to get that done. It’s not like I need a foot to do mouth to mouth, right?”

  “I guess not.” He stood up just as Keri Ann came out the door.

  “Nana gave me an ice pack to bring out here. What happened?”

  She came over and inspected my foot as Joey took the icepack from her. He gave her a quick hug, kissing the top of her hair. “Morning, kiddo.”

  Then she plopped down next to me, causing the suspended bench to jolt and then swing.

  I sighed and winced at the ice cold of the pack Joey applied gently to my ankle. “Your brother just called me a horse.”

  “A filly.”

  “A horse. And my foot, a hoof.”

  Keri Ann grinned, looking from me to Joey.

  Joey chuckled and shook his head. “And a beautiful hoof it is too. I need to get this elevated. Be right back.” He unfolded his tall frame, and I noticed how built he’d gotten under his blue shirt. Not that he hadn’t been before, playing football and all, but he seemed a bit leaner, more chiseled now. What was I thinking? This was the third time I’d caught myself noticing Joey as a guy and not my best friend’s brother. My face flamed, and I raised a hand over my eyes.

  “You see? I told you he has a thing for your feet,” Keri Ann whispered.

  At her words, my body had the strangest reaction. My throat and chest snapped tight mid inhale, like I was a drawstring bag and a boulder was just dropped inside it. I hoped the hand over my face muffled most of the odd choking noise I made, and it certainly hid the instant burning heat on my skin. I mashed my lips together. Holy shrimp guts, boulders suddenly dropped into your insides didn’t feel that great. The first time she’d mentioned his comment about my feet, it slid right over me with little consequence. Now, suddenly I found myself wanting to ask her what he said exactly, and when, and whether he was being serious and what had been the context. And my feet? Was she sure he mentioned my feet? And I also never wanted to speak of it again.

  A normal person would have responded to her comment. Now it was weird that I hadn’t said anything.

  Jesus, Mary, and Joey.

  Bright light and cool air hit my face as Keri Ann pulled my hand off.

  “You okay?”

  I nodded and tried to release a breath that couldn’t get past my lips. I ended up puffing my cheeks out.

  Keri Ann reached out and popped my cheeks with a grin. “Seriously, Jazz, what’s up?” she asked again.

  “I, uh, just felt weird for a second.” Had I seriously developed a crush on my best friend’s older brother? I’d known him since I was eleven. I’d had crushes on him throughout the years. Silly crushes. Childhood type hero worship. And I’d also seen him at his worst.

  When he was gross.

  When he was smelly.

  When was annoying.

  And while still annoying, now he was all grown up. And stunningly hot. And I was older, and …

  Oh holy shit buckets.

  I had a legit crush on my best friend’s brother. A massive one. Like huge. And for some reason it was like I’d just discovered something I’d known all along.

  “YOU REALLY DIDN’T have to drive me, you know.” I was sitting in Joseph’s red pickup, leaning as far away from him as possible in case I accidentally inhaled the smell of him and moaned or something.

  “Oh shut up, already. We’re almost there.” He shook his head, amused.

  I kept testing myself. I’d glance at his forearm, or his thigh, or his profile and check my body reactions. It was awful. Every single damn time, my belly clenched or did this weird bubbling thing. And when he changed gears and his fingers closed over the gear stick and his thigh muscles tensed, it was excruciating. God, I needed a Pepto Bismol. What the hell had happened to me? It was like I woke up in Narnia or Wonderland or an alternate reality. Or in Erath. God, I wished it was book world Erath instead, and this was Jack Eversea I was crushing so hard on. But, no.

  I grunted, disgusted at myself. “Well, you don’t have to wait on me, I’ll—”

  “What? Catch a taxi home? Do you know how much that will cost? What’s going on with you?” He glanced at me before concentrating back on the road. “I offered to help you, you accepted. Now you’re being weird.”

  “I’m not.”

  “If I didn’t know any better I’d think you were trying to avoid me. And here I was thinking we were finally becoming friends.”

  “We are. I’m not. I …” I trailed off.

  “Whatever.” He shook his head. “Okay so, look, I’m glad we’re alone so we can talk.”

  I swallowed, my ribcage growing tight. “Yeah?”

  “So is he the guy?”

  “What?”

  “Chase Kennedy?”

  “Who?”

  Joey took his eyes off the road and looked at me, making me feel like a middle schooler who’d just forgotten to hand in my assignment.

  “Oh. Chase,” I managed. “Yeah. So yeah. He’s the guy. The lucky dude,” I finished lamely, looking out the window. “Hey, can we roll these down?” I asked reaching for the window crank.

  “I don’t like it.”

  “What? The windows open?” I asked knowing full well that wasn’t what he meant.

  “No. Him as the guy.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “He’s a player.”

  I shrugged. “Probably.”

  “He was drinking last night.”

  “Aaaand?” I snorted.

  “So did you have any?”

  “Oh my God. Are you serious right now?”

  “Yes. I think he was trying to get you drunk so he could sleep with you.”

  I choked out a laugh. “On one sip of whiskey? Yeah. Right.”

  “There could have been something in it.”

  “Oh for fuck’s sake, Joseph.”

  “What? Don’t be mad at me just for caring about you. You’re like a little sister to me. I’d say the same thing to Keri Ann.”

  My heart thudded heavily. “Well, I’m not. Your sister I mean. So quit it.”

  “Anyway, why do you want to give your virginity to some frat boy player?”

  “As opposed to?”

  “Dammit, Jazz.” He growled, changing lanes as we crossed the bridge over the Broad River Estuary toward Beaufort. “I’m just trying to stop you from making a mistake.”

  I chewed my lip. I felt faintly nauseous. Here I was coming to terms with a massive crush, and he was still lecturing me like I was his baby siste
r. “Too late,” I muttered. I’d managed to inadvertently make the biggest mistake possible. Developing feelings for my best friend’s brother.

  “What is?”

  Taking a breath, I looked over at him. “I did it already.” But obviously he thought I was talking about sleeping with Chase.

  It felt like the transmission in the truck slipped, but I realized Joey had pressed down on the clutch momentarily.

  Why did I just lie to him? Could he tell?

  His hand went back to the gear stick, then he let go and flexed his fingers. Then he put his hand back on the wheel, then back on the gear stick. Movement of his throat swallowing caught my eye. He stared straight ahead. What was he thinking right now? God, why did I just say I’d slept with Chase?

  “Hmmm,” he said finally. “And you’re … okay?”

  “Yep.”

  “And you’re not in love with him?”

  He was referring to his ridiculous theory that I would fall madly in love with the first guy I slept with.

  “Nope,” I sang, forcing levity to my tone.

  “I usually hate to be wrong, but in this case I’m glad,” he said. “We’re here.”

  Pulling into the parking lot, he found a spot. As soon as he killed the engine, he jumped out the car and slammed the door. Was I imagining he’d slammed it harder than usual?

  JOEY CAME AROUND to my side of the truck outside the YMCA. “So how’s your ankle?”

  “I took painkillers, but I can feel it still.”

  “We could have rescheduled this. You should be keeping it elevated.”

  Before I realized what he was doing, he’d scooped me up effortlessly from the truck seat, his arms around my back and under my knees.

  I yelped in surprise. “Don’t you dare friggin’ drop me, Joseph.”

  “Ye of little faith. Just hold on,” he said and kicked the door shut behind me.

  “Of course I’m freaking holding on. If your arms give out, I plan on hanging from your neck.”

  The scent of his warm skin and traces of laundry detergent invaded my senses, and I didn’t like the way my instinct was to breathe deeper. I held my breath and clung to him as he shifted and gathered me up against his hard body.

  “Ahh. So there’s a chivalrous side to Joseph Butler,” I said.

  His chest vibrated as he chuckled, maneuvering across the parking lot and toward the entrance of the YMCA.

  He grunted as he reached the door. “And you’re not exactly light as a feather.”

  “Joseph!”

  Joey chuckled. “I’m kidding. Sort of.”

  Luckily someone exited just as we strode up—an older guy in workout gear, his eyebrows raised in surprised amusement and held the door open for us.

  “I’ll have to carry you all the way to your class.”

  “Good.” I looked up at him innocently, “coz … Oh, Joooooeeeey, I forgot I had to visit the little girls’ room? Would you mind?”

  He scowled at my sing-song tone and studied my expression for a second, then rolled his eyes. “Seriously?”

  I really did need to go, but his suspicion was priceless. I stretched my mouth into a wide smile and nodded. “Seriously.”

  “Fine.” He huffed and rolled his eyes. “I didn’t get to work out yet today anyway. Come on.”

  I pointed out the signs for the bathroom as he strode past the check in desk and the amused expressions on the staff members’ faces.

  “I’m not going in there with you.” Joey huffed. “Just so we’re clear.”

  “Oh,” I said, disappointment lacing my tone. “I thought—”

  “You thought what?” Joey reared his head back and then seeing my expression pursed his lips. “You’re kidding.”

  “Yes, I’m kidding. You should have seen your face though.”

  “Funny, ha ha.” He let me down, sliding me gently to my feet.

  I let go, and grabbing the doorframe, hopped inside. Spinning on my good foot I went to close the door. Joey leaned up against the wall opposite the bathroom to wait for me. He took his phone from his pocket and one hand casually scrolled the screen, the other shoved into his jeans pocket. His dark blond hair was curling over his ears and the collar of his white shirt, teasing his forehead and looking artfully messy.

  Oh shit buckets. I had it bad. So, so bad.

  I quickly closed the door before he looked up.

  AFTER MY CLASS, Joey gave me an arm rather than carrying me to the truck.

  I tried to squash the disappointment. “What did you do while you waited?”

  “Not much, went for a coffee, caught up on the news, and all my friends’ Facebook posts. So how did it go?”

  My phone buzzed in my back pocket. I pulled it out with my free hand.

  Chase: Plans tonight?

  I put it back without answering. “Good,” I answered Joey. “I passed.”

  “Congrats,” he said. “You’re coming to school here in Beaufort, right? Let’s ride around and check it out.”

  I glanced up to see if he’d read my text, but he was looking ahead to the truck.

  “Sure,” I said, surprised at Joseph being so friendly to me. This was us hanging out again. “That’d be good.”

  We rode down Boundary Street, heading toward the water and taking the curve to the right. The buildings got older and more beautiful. Old clapboard houses with double porches and moss swaying in the trees. Little alleyways strewn with crushed oyster shells ran between them. Boundary Street took us right past the University on the left. “You gonna find a place in town? These old houses are awesome. I bet you could find tons of them that have been converted to student apartments.”

  I sighed. “I wish. I have to live at home and commute. Maybe sophomore year. Anyway, I haven’t been told yet whether I’m assigned to this campus or the Hilton Head gateway campus in Bluffton.”

  “That would sure be closer to Butler Cove if you’re driving.”

  We passed a few cool looking little cafes and restaurants and a shop called the Chocolate Tree. There was a gathering of people outside. “Stop!” I yelped as I saw the sign.

  “What?”

  “Farmer’s strawberries are in. I’ve heard about this. Turn around!” I added when he didn’t seem to be obeying my command.

  “I’m just looking for a safe place to turn.” He chuckled. “Hold your hormones.”

  I stuck my fingers under my bare thighs and bounced in my seat as he turned the truck around and found a parking spot next to a law building across the street. He got out and came round to my side, but I’d already opened the door.

  “Okay, spill. What are we doing here?” he asked as he helped me down. “You look like a kid on Christmas morning.”

  “So they get a delivery of fresh strawberries from a local farm and dip them in fresh chocolate.” He looked unimpressed. I went on, “And when they’ve run out, they’re out.”

  “Chocolate covered strawberries? That’s it?”

  I smacked Joey’s bicep. “Trust me. They’re not just chocolate covered strawberries.” I made quote marks with my fingers in the air. “Do you think there’d be such a fuss if they were just chocolate covered strawberries?”

  He exhaled patiently, his lips curved up, and waved his hand out. “Lead on, then.”

  We waited in line, but it moved quickly. “So are you excited about next year?” Joey asked as we shuffled forward closer to the prize.

  “Of course,” I said. “I’m excited to learn something again. We’ve been going over and over stuff at school for the exit exams. It’s been mindless.”

  “Most people are excited for college life, not learning.” He laughed.

  “Well, I’m looking forward to that too obviously. Making new friends and stuff. But it’ll be different for me not living near campus.”

  “Yeah, I can see that.” He frowned.

  “So you’re done, right? Your undergrad?”

  He nodded. “I start the med program in September.”

&
nbsp; “I can’t believe you did undergrad in three years. I’m planning on doing that too.”

  “Really?” He looked impressed. “I had a bunch of credits from senior year. I didn’t realize you did too.”

  I folded my arms. “I’ll try not to be offended at your surprise. I probably don’t have as many as you, but enough that if I work hard I can probably get it done.”

  “So you know your major already?”

  We shuffled forward again. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the lady behind the counter bring another tray of strawberries through from the kitchen. “I do. Hospitality. I mean I’d like to do photojournalism too. And I really want to travel. But for my major, for sure hospitality.”

  “So Keri Ann wasn’t kidding when she said you wanted to work in the hotel industry.”

  “I want to own an inn or small boutique hotel one day.”

  “That’s cool.”

  We finally got to the front. I’d insisted on paying, but only had a few dollars on me, so I ordered us one strawberry each. I handed Joey his.

  “All that, and you only ordered one?” he asked.

  I raised my shoulders as we moved back outside and stood in the dappled sunlight. “You may hate them.”

  “Unlikely. And you obviously don’t.”

  “Bad for my figure,” I quipped and bit down, the cool chocolate cracking softly and sweet strawberry juice flooding my mouth. I moaned and closed my eyes.

  Joey made a sound like a groan.

  I opened my eyes as he dropped his gaze from my face to his own strawberry. “You were right,” he said. “Spectacular.”

  “Told ya.” I grinned. We finished up and I leaned on him as we headed back to the truck. “Let’s ride down to Bay Street and drive along the water, it joins back up with Ribault Road and then we can head home.”

  “You want to get something to eat first?” he asked as we got to the truck. Seriously, this wanting to spend time with me thing … I wasn’t sure what to do with it.

  I was starving, that strawberry had barely hit the spot, but also poor. “Sounds good, but I don’t have any cash. Can we just grab a snack bar or something from a gas station?”