Page 55 of June: Jess' Story

She’s good.Not sure how she caught on so quickly, but this is believable. I fucking believe it, and for a moment that scares the shit out of me.

She’s giving me a smile and looking at me like she loves me. Fuck, I wish she did.

I look down at where our hands are threaded together and make a vow to not let her go until we’re walking out of this place together. She wants to talk to her mom? Great, me too. Brit wants a hug? Same. Tommy wants to have a chat? He can go fuck himself.

Before my impromptu announcement, I’d stepped outside for some air because, well, little kid birthday parties still get to me.I know it’s been 13 years, but it’s never gone away completely. Still think about Tally at times like this.But when I entered the vestibule, I overheard Tommy and Jamie standing outside the entrance.

“Hey, just a few more months.” Jamie was consoling Tommy. “Just a few more and then we’ll file a modification to the custody arrangement, and this time next year, Eden will be living with us full time. Second birthday party will be at our house, okay? Edenisn’t even going to remember this time in her life. She’ll remember her life with us, okay?”

I got fucking chills. It was a declaration of war. It felt obvious what needed to happen. It was time. Jess needed top cover, and that's something I can do for her.

I look at the faces all staring at us in varying arrays of shock. Her mom, May, looks confused. Damian is smiling, but not meeting my eyes. My nieces are clapping their hands together in excitement. My sister looks sad. Her fiancé isn’t looking at us, but instead at her. Then there’s Blanks who’s staring at me in a weird sort of awe, like when the last piece of a puzzle gets snapped into place. He’s figuring it out.

And then there’s Tommy, looking red-faced and pissed, hands clenched tight while Jamie is looking between Tommy and Jess trying to understand how this could’ve happened while they were busy playing house in Taiwan. I fucking love that I’ve just thrown their little plan into chaos.

They think they’ve got a lock on custody because they look good on paper. Fuck them. Jess and I will look better. It’s amazing what money can do. I’ll hire the best. I’ll bury them in litigation because my pockets are deeper than theirs. They think they can pick on Jess? They’ve thought wrong.

With our hands still linked, Jess pulls me so that my back is to everyone else and I’m facing her alone.

She whispers, “What is this?”

I whisper back, “Trust me, okay?” I can see her thinking. She searches my face trying to fully understand if she can.

“Okay.” The smallest of smiles shows on her face.That’s my girl. I reward her with a gentle kiss.

May is the first to approach. “Well,this,” she motions between us, “is a surprise. JJ, care to explain?”JJ?

Jess looks to me, unsure what to say. Top cover, got it. “When we caught up in Spearhead this summer, it all sort of clicked for us.” I brush a nonexistent piece of hair off her face, noting the way her cheeks splash pink when I do. It makes the blood rush to my groin. “I don’t know if you know, but Jess and I were together. A long time ago. This time it just felt like we were both in the right place at the right time. Finally past all the pit stops and land mines that we’ve been navigating the last five or so years.” I know Tommy can hear me. Felt him moving closer, and that last bit was for him.

You’re a fucking pit stop, bud.

“Well, Jessie, if you’re happy…I’ll be happy for you?” May looks at Jess.

Jess puts on a smile and says, “I’m actually really happy.” She sounds almost surprised. Like she might possibly be quite happy.

“You guys used to be together?” Tommy asks, voice laced with disbelief. His question is directed at Jess, but he needs to get used to going through me now. I position myself slightly in front of her.

“Yeah.” I give him a shit-eating grin. “She’s the love of my life, and I let her go foolishly. Won’t make the mistake again, Tom.” He hates that.Tom. I can feel Jess holding back a laugh, and the warmth I get from pleasing her snakes up my spine, hitting me in the chest.

I won’t give him the satisfaction of having this conversation here, in front of all the people she cares about. Never had any sort of beef with Tommy until he started fucking with Jess. Now it’s easy to spar with him. It’ll be even easier for me to crush him.

“We should probably get a move on. Car’s waiting for us, baby.” Her cheeks turn from pink to crimson. Would have loved having her alone the first time I called her baby. To see what it does to her. Does she turn pink all over? Is she wet?Fuck me.

The cariswaiting. I planned and waited till the party was almost over to drop the bomb, then planned for a quick escape. Tactics I can absolutely do. We might not be in a knife fightyet, but psychological warfare, yes. And I can excel here.

I motion for Blanks to start taking gifts and bags down to the car, then look at Jess. I have to let her go so I can get everything in the car, but I squeeze her hand tight for just a second, telling her with my eyes,“Be strong, don’t take any shit.”She nods even though I’m certain she has no idea what just passed between us.

Her mom’s girlfriend moves in, carrying Eden over and when I pass my sister she gives me the cold shoulder.Fuck. I grab a pile of boxes and quickly move them into the trunk of Blanks’ Escalade waiting at the curb.

He’s waiting for me by the trunk.

“So that’sher?”

“Yeah.”

“You know how to pick em’.” I give him a murderous look. I know he thinks Jess is attractive. Probably hired her on looks alone.

“Find your own ride home,” I tell him, and he scoffs at me.