Page 37 of My One

She studied my face. “Are you sick?”

I looked over at Nic and then back at Jane. “Don’t think so.”

“Okay.” She patted my cheek. “We don’t need another one of you getting sick.”

“I agree.” I tried to smile, but I could barely get my mouth to curve.

The front door opened, and I heard Easton somewhat yelling, “I don’t care what Erin’s parents let her do. I said no.”

“God!” Cheyenne shouted. “You’re so unfair.”

I looked at Nic as if she knew what was going on. She shrugged, and Brooke and Easton walked into the kitchen.

“What’s wrong with C.C.?” I asked as I sat at the kitchen table. Cheyenne had apparently gone up to her room.

“Stupid high school shit,” Easton replied, giving Jane a hug. “School hasn’t even started, and already she’s giving me gray hair.”

We all looked to Brooke for clarification. “Homecoming dance is two weeks after school starts, and Erin’s parents are getting the girls and their dates a limo. Chey wants to go,” Brooke replied as she hugged Jane.

Easton went to the fridge and grabbed four beers, handing them to us. Everyone except Jane sat with me at the table. I had no idea where Jimmy was.

“Let her go to the dance,” Jane chimed in, stirring something on the stove.

“It’s not the dance I’m concerned about. It’s the limo,” Easton stated.

“What’s wrong with a limo?” Nic asked.

Easton glared at her. “Kids alone in a limo? What could go wrong?”

“Yeah, what could go wrong?” Nic continued to question, either not hearing the sarcastic tone of Easton or not understanding.

“East thinks they will have booze and it will lead to an”—Brooke dropped her voice to a whisper—“orgy.”

I choked slightly on the big gulp of beer I’d just taken as I laughed. It was the first time I had laughed in days. “I needed that laugh. Thank you.”

“It’s not funny,” Easton groaned and then took a long pull of his Fat Tire.

“They’re what? Thirteen and fourteen?” Nic asked. “I’m sure nothing will happen.”

Easton cut his gaze to me. “What were we doing at thirteen?”

My own gaze moved to Jane as she still stood at the stove. Did he really want me to answer that while she stood there?

“Shit.” He rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Mom knows we weren’t angels.”

My gaze moved back to him. “And you think that C.C. wants to—”

“If you finish that sentence, I will beat the shit out of you,” Easton warned.

I held up my hands in surrender. “I won’t utter another word.”

“Now, if you boys are finished, dinner will be ready in ten minutes,” Jane stated. “Avery, do you want to tell us what you need to tell us now or after dinner?”

Easton and Brooke both turned their attention on me and I downed the rest of my beer. “Where’s Jimmy?” I asked.

“Upstairs in his office,” Jane replied. “Jimmy! Get your ass down here! The kids are here!”

A few seconds later, footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. “Dinner better be ready,” Jimmy stated.