40 - Jessica

Jessica

Miles ran like an arrow from a bow—the target being his mother's arms. Audrey held him as tightly as he was holding onto her. Vren smiled and wrapped his arms around Audrey, hugging Miles in the process.

They stayed in their little bubble for a couple more seconds before the couple realized there was a handful of people on their porch waving at them like they'd been gone a year. Not to mention there was a huge banner with the words 'Welcome Home, Newlyweds!'

Margaret's idea. Apparently, the Parkinsons haven't heard of a simple celebration. The whole family is here. Add in the family's closest friends (The Foresters and Lewises)—it's definitely not a small party.

Audrey was a little dumbfounded. Vren, however, looked like he'd seen it coming.

A hundred welcome hugs later, I've had a couple of iced tea, a slice of apple pie, and three of Margaret's strawberry tarts.

I looked around and found Matthew staring from across the swimming pool. There was a barrette on the left side of his head, which means Georgina is close by.

She's already made it to my side of the pool. I have bunny ears over my head, her grandmothers have ladybug hairpins, and Kathie, Chassie, Starlet, and Chandra have sparkly eyeshadows.

Everyone else in the garden has fluffy headbands, cute hairpins, colorful barrettes, pastel eyeshadows, and glittery lipstick.

Matthew is lucky enough not to get the lipstick and eyeshadows. However, now that I think about it, it would just make him more adorable.

Someone clears his throat from behind me. I couldn't take my eyes off Matthew, though. Even more so when he started playing catch with Ethan, Kyle, Coby, and Miles.

"He's always been great with kids." Nicholas' was already standing beside me.

I turned to him and winced. "Oh, God." The words spurted out before I could stop them.

Turns out, Matthew's father isn't so lucky. He got both the pastel eyeshadow and the glittery lipstick. He should've stayed on one side of the pool. By the looks of it, Georgie must've beautified him twice.

Nicholas chuckles. "You gotta love Georgina."

I tried not to laugh. "If it's any consolation, you look pretty."

"He does, right?" This came from Margaret whom I didn't notice joined us.

I let out a soft laugh and turned my attention back to Matthew. The twins were crawling at him trying to reach the ball and Coby was clearly ahead of Kyle. He was on Matthew's stomach while Coby was still on his hip.

Ethan was laughing so hard that he was turning red.

Matthew must've felt that I was staring because we met eyes. For a second, I felt like I'd been caught staring by a high school crush because my cheeks just burned.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, his lips curved into an adorable smile—one where the dimple on his cheek really stood out.

For the nth time, my heart melted for this angel of a guy.

I sighed. Why did I ever think that he was bland?

"Matthew's very good with kids. Really, truly, husband material, isn't he?"

I almost flinched at Margaret's voice.

Nicholas raised his drink. "Ah, that's my son. Do you know that he's single, Jessica?"

"Nicky." Margaret gave her husband a playful slap on his shoulder. "I'm sure Jessica is aware of that.

I tried to focus on the fact that his parents are practically pimping him out. Not the fact that, for a moment, I was considering it. On top of that, I had no idea how much I would miss him now that everything is going back to our 'normal.'

We'll only be seeing each other on family occasions. In fact, I'll be lucky if he'll even make it.

I shove the thought off deep down in my subconscious. I shouldn't be sad that I won't be seeing him on a daily basis. He has his own thing going on. And then there's this engaged woman he's pining for his whole life.

God, what I would give to be Kierra Wayne.

I shake my head.

Nope. I took a huge gulp of my cocktail.

We're not going down that road. But then I looked at Matthew and he looked back with a slow, dimpled smile.

I sighed, feeling my insides just melted.

I heard his parents' soft chuckles.

My cheeks flushed. I murmured an excuse, but their gazes followed all the way across the swimming pool and to the kitchen.

I gambled a glance over my shoulder and sighed in relief.

"Are you hiding or something?"

I yelped, my hand flying to my mouth as if to cover the little scream that almost ripped out.

Audrey arched a brow. If she wasn't holding a pickle jar, I would've been intimated by it. "What are you doing here?"

I walked toward her and rested my elbow on the counter. "I can ask you the same thing."

She knew I was just trying to change the subject and decided to be considerate. "I was craving," she answers. She then took one pickle from the jar and slathered it with chocolate syrup.

I tried not to gag. Instead, I focus on my best friend's pregnancy glow because she's absolutely freakin' gorgeous.

I was about to walk over to the fridge when I almost tripped on something. I murmured a curse and looked down at a pair of beautiful legs sprawled on the kitchen floor.

"Summer? Shit, what happened?" I glanced at Audrey, hoping to find some sort of explanation.

However, she only placed a finger over her mouth. Still confused, I crouched to Summer's eye level. "Are you okay?"

She was staring blankly over my shoulder.

"I'm okay. I'm just," she nervously toyed with her necklace, "hiding."

"Hiding from whom?" I chuckled. But then, I caught sight of Nathan's brother and it all made sense. "Oh, from Jett."

She cupped her head in both hands. "Chassie told me he's not going to be here. I can't believe she lied to me."

"I'm sure there's just been a little mix-up," I reassured. Although it was mostly a white lie. We both know Chassie can be a little obsessed with matchmaking—I think even more lately.

I only know half of Summer and Jett's story. Whatever the whole story, it must be pretty big because I've never seen a grown and independent woman crawling on someone's kitchen floor just to hide the way Summer did.

"Do you need a drink, sweetie? Something to eat?" I smiled. I'm betting she hasn't left the kitchen floor since Jett came with Chassie and Nathan.

She shakes her head, eyes wide. "I can't stomach anything right now."

"Are you sure? Not even the sight of his handsome face?" I teased.

She didn't even blink.

Okayyyy, bad joke.

"Still, I'll get you some iced tea. And maybe some strawberry tarts? They're to die for," I said like I was talking to a reluctant kid.

Halfway out of the kitchen, my phone pinged. I never thought I'd hate getting a text from Taylor Watkins. She's gathering everyone for an emergency meeting. ASAP. Someone must have screwed up something.

"Let me guess, work?"

I glanced at Audrey. My face must've shown it because her lips curved into a smile.

"I'm just going to get Summer something to eat, then I really need to go."

Audrey lifted her manicured fingers and made an 'it's okay' gesture.

I walked toward the snack table and made Summer a plate.

"Hey, I've been looking all over for you."

The sound of his voice made me smile from ear to ear.

God, what's this man doing to me?!

He looked down at the pile of strawberry tarts on my plate. "Hungry?"

"It's actually for," I leaned into his ear and whispered, "Summer."

Matthew gave me an understanding look. "Oh. She's hiding, isn't she?" He whispered back.

I tried not to laugh. He's more in the loop than I thought.

"Do you need a hand with that?" He gestured at the plate and the two glasses of iced tea (I decided to get one before I went). I was going to tell him I would make it work somehow. But this could be the last time we will be at the same party.

"Sure." I smiled. "She's hiding in the kitchen with Audrey."

On the less-than-one-minute walk back to the kitchen, I was smiling like an idiot even when I had no idea what he was talking about.

Audrey's arched brow made me tone down the moronic smile I had on. I didn't want to give her the wrong idea.

Or was it a wrong idea?

I shake my head and crouch down to Summer's eye level. "You have to eat something."

"Thank you." She smiled and took the plate.

Matthew laid our iced teas carefully on the counter. I gulped mine down because I was in a rush. "Well, I better get going."

"Oh. You need to go?"

I could've sworn I heard disappointment in his voice, but I might have imagined it.

"Yeah. Work stuff."

He gave me a small smile. "Okay. Can I walk you out?"

"Nah. I'm good. I might need to sprint my way out anyway." I paused for a moment, thinking that this might be the last time we were going to see each other. Plus, we have many planned things that will never be carried out.

I stood there and stared at him like an idiot.

He stared back. "Okay."

No, it's not okay!

I can only nod. "I'll, uhm, see you around?"

I wasn't sure if it was ever going to happen again, so I decided to step forward as he was leaning in.

For some reason, the kiss on the cheek became a half-a-mouth kiss.

I heard two huge gasps in the background along with a plate clattering.

Matthew must've been as surprised as I was because he just stared at me with wide eyes and red cheeks.

Motherfreaking hell.

I think he might've just been leaning in for a hug, but I ruined it with a stupid goodbye kiss on the cheek.

Out of panic, I mumbled goodbye and fled the embarrassing scene. In my car, my fingers trace the right half side of my mouth where my lips touched his.

There were slight little tingles in the pit of my stomach.

Ugh. Butterflies.

I suddenly feel like a high school girl.