Everly
What am I missing?This evening went from happiness with a twinge of excitement to a raging pile of hot garbage. What total shitbag thing earned me the karma of Jack and Jin being brothers? How would I know any of that? It’s the kind of bullshit hand I’m dealt, just as I find the exact person I’ve been holding back for.
“Adopted brothers? Ev, I’m going to go silver lining for just a second…there’s probably a limited number of women in this world that could check off ‘fucked brothers’ from their bucket list.” The death stare that I throw at my best friend leaves her unaffected.
“G,thatwas never on my bucket list.” I tilt my head back and stare up at the cold night sky. Plumes of white puff out from my mouth as I try to replay tonight’s insanity.
She grumbles. “It was on mine. Ticked that off in college, but they knew it was like a tandem, tag-in kind of thing, so whatever.”
I take another swig of the limoncello and pass it back to her. “I haven’t heard that one. You’ll need to tell me the details when I’m not wallowing in my own bullshit someday.”
“Ladies, are we staying out here for a while?” my dad yells out from the kitchen door. We’ve been out on his patio around the firepit for the last hour. I’m sure we’re keeping him up, but I don’t want to see my brothers right now and delve into their bullshit tonight. There’s something comforting about being at the home you grew up in when your life takes on shitstorm status.
“Ash, are we cramping your style? You have a hot date coming over or something?”
My dad just shakes his head and smiles at her. “Giselle, please. Hot dates are the last thing on my mind. I was only going to bring you girls heated blankets if you’re going to be out here longer.”
“Yes, please!” G yells back at my dad. “Oh! And is there any chance you can make us some of your popcorn? I need something to balance out what I’m drinking.”
“You got it. Anything else, princess?”
“Nope. Love you, Ash!” G is one of few people who can order my father around and have him answer easily with only yeses.
Sitting with silence between us and a crackling fire, my mind drifts to places that make me feel so uneasy.Can Jack really be angry with me?It's not something he has a right to be mad about. Visually, they look nothing alike other than the fact that they’re both tall with dark hair. There is no way I could have known, which honestly is what makes it all the more frustrating. Whatever bad blood is between them, it doesn’t need to involve me. It shouldn’t. Jin and I were over before I even met Jack. It may have happened the same day, but regardless. One door closed and another opened.
“You’re having a big conversation with yourself right now, huh?” G chimes in, breaking my thoughts away.
“Whatever was happening with him tonight wasn’t all about me. I know Callen came in and brought him to the police station, but I have no idea why. I’m angry that he’s not answering his phone. How do you go from feeling like the most important person to someone to just being cast aside?”
“I think you’re jumping to conclusions too quickly. Before you think the worst, just wait for him to call you back or text you. Give him the benefit of the doubt, and go from there, but stressing out over it tonight isn’t going to make anything better.”
“Thanks.” I smile and look up at her.
“You never have to thank me, Ev. You know that, but you’re welcome.” She shifts and sniffs the air. “Oh my deliciousness, I can smell the popcorn from out here.”
A beat later, my dad is delivering two big bowls of popcorn and heated blankets. After depositing a kiss on each of our heads, he turns in for the night. After the success of the evening from his perspective, along with each of his kids having their level of chaos happen during the auction, I’m sure the old man is ready to turn in.
“Honestly, I never looked at the big house and land as something I ever wanted, but this…” G shakes her head and smiles at me. “Heated blankets you can plug into a chair around a firepit in the heart of winter is next level boujee shit right here. I need this whole setup in my life for forever.” We both start laughing. The little luxuries we have sprinkled into our lives are pretty incredible.
“So are we going to talk about it?” I ask as I peek over my bowl of popcorn toward my friend. While my evening was a bit jilting, hers was somewhat unexpected.
“Nope.” She pops thePand carries on drinking limoncello and eating the seasoned popcorn. “You punched Henry. Is he the one that gave you those ridiculous panties?”
“I said no, Ev. I’m not ready to talk about anything regarding your brother. I’d rather not have to lie to you, so let's just leave it. Can we?”
“We can leave it. Tell me when you’re ready.” I lean over and squeeze her hand.
She wipes a tear from the corner of her eye quickly. “But we can talk about how Michael is going to prom with Lenny McKenna’s kid.”
“Oh my gosh, can you believe that? I don’t think I’ve ever seen Michael get more flustered in his entire life. He was practically begging one of us to bid on him. It’s too good!”
“I paid her. Gracie McKenna. I paid her fifty bucks last month to clean out my office, bathroom, and waiting area. She did such a great job, I’m having her do it every couple of weeks. At least I know how she’s spending her money now.” We both start laughing uncontrollably. The look on my brother's face when nobody else would bid against Gracie McKenna was a mix between sheer panic and chaotic embarrassment. For someone who hates to be in front of a crowd or given extra attention, this was probably the epitome of people gawking at the sight of an eighteen-year-old kid bidding for a grown man to take them to prom.
Michael will make sure she has a fantastic time and will be nothing but respectful, but I think he was hoping for someone his own age or older to be his bidder. Not an eighteen-year-old with a very obvious, long-time crush.
“Law is going to end up cleaning horse stalls. Mr. Burwell is still pissed off at him for shaving dicks on his herd of sheep when he was in high school. Every year Mr. Burwell bids, but this year he must have convinced others to cap it off.”
“Law is lucky that it's an old man that wants revenge and not one of the many girls he’s fucked and screwed over in this town.” I just nod, because G is right.