Cocky Roomie_ A Bad Boy Romance Novel(34)
Blinking at him, I slowly pick up the remote and turn off the movie. “The one I wore to the farmer’s market?”
“Is that where you went?”
“Yes, the Saturday you were making a mushroom omelet.”
His brain scans the memory, and he nods. “Yeah. That day. That dress. Go put it on.”
“Where are we going?” As I pass him, I take in how good he smells. Like charred coals and freshly cut grass.
“BBQ,” he says, simply.
I freeze. “Your family’s BBQ?” He nods with a look that says arguing is out of the question.
When I resurface from putting on a little makeup, combing my hair, changing clothes and wracking my brain over how this happened, Jake appraises me. “Beautiful.”
My body lights up as his gaze lingers on my hips. A flush rises to my cheeks. He notices and his eyes narrow. “C’mon. They’re holding dessert for us.”
In his car, we are silent for most of the way. I can feel my heart beating in every part of my body, even my hair. I can’t stand the question racing around my brain a second longer. “Why’d you change your mind?”
“About bringing you?”
“Yeah.”
He shoots me a look before focusing on the road. “You’re the one who said you didn’t want to come, Drew.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t want to. I said—” A wicked smile flashes from him. “Oh, you jerk.”
He laughs then reaches over and lays his warm, wide palm on my thigh. “I didn’t like the thought of you sitting at home by yourself when we were having fun. Didn’t feel right.” He releases my leg, and I stare at the spot where his hand was.
“That’s very sweet.”
“It’s just decent, that’s all,” he mutters like it’s no big deal.
Truth is I was feeling lonely. I’d tried to study some of the self-help books I got, but my mind kept wandering. Then I went to check out that movie, but a slow-moving period film isn’t a good idea when you’re feeling like you don’t have any friends.
“Thank you.”
He glances over and holds my grateful look a hot second. He shrugs, but a smile is in his eyes as he turns back to the road.
“Am I going to meet all your brothers today?”
His lips go tight. “Jett and dad don’t get along. Jeremy, he’s the youngest.”
“I remember.”
“Well, he just finished the thirteen weeks of training in Parris Island.”
“That’s right. He joined the Marines.”
“Right. We saw him at family day right before you moved in, then he got deployed to Syria.” Jake glances over to me with pride. “He’s going to be a hero.”
“He already is.”
Jake nods. “You’re gonna love Mom’s chili.”
The house is immense and gorgeous, yet homey. From the deep front yard and grand expanse of windows, I expected to find a museum-like décor, but it’s not that way at all. It looks lived in. The furniture is welcoming you to sit down and take a load off. I guess with boys you wouldn’t want a place you can’t get rowdy in.
“Is this where you grew up?”
“It is. They’re all in the backyard. This way.”
He leads me through a kitchen that bears signs of a feast being made. It’s fairly tidy though. Now I understand where Jake got his urge to clean up right after cooking. The smell alone causes my stomach to growl. Jake smirks at me.
“Guess I was hungrier than I thought,” I whisper.
“Nah, that’s my mom’s cookin.’ Your stomach would make that sound here even if you’d had a seven course meal before you came over.”
He opens the back door and the view hits me like a sunset you accidentally catch during a drive in the mountains. I fight the urge to go wide-eyed and awestruck. The yard is beautiful with trees as the frame, rather than a fence. Flowering bushes are tucked under a canopy of huge trees. There’s a stone dolphin fountain to the right. The perfectly cut lawn has several walking paths through it. It slopes down the further you go in. In the forefront, on the flattest surface of grass, is a long table where everyone sits, talking easily amongst themselves under strings of lights held up by four poles. Some people are laughing, others are deep in serious debate. Off to the left sits a half-devoured buffet, all the dishes covered in pretty, little, netted tents to keep the bugs away.
As Jake and I arrive on the back porch, everyone looks over. The discussions are abandoned as they rise to meet me.
I am beyond terrified.
I don’t know if Jake can tell, but he takes my elbow and leads me down the steps to the grass, where everyone is heading to meet us halfway. I use his support and force a smile.