I’m too f**king selfish for that.
So, nodding, I answer, “I’m sorry, too. I probably overreacted.”
Jacey stares at me in shock, light gleaming in her eyes now. “Did you actually just apologize to me? Was that your first time? Did it hurt?”
I roll my eyes. “I was thinking the same thing about you. But hey, I’m not going to question a girl who punches cougars in the face.”
“Whatever.” She shoves my arm. “I didn’t punch it in the face. I threw a rock into its face.”
“Same thing,” I tell her wryly, and with that, the tension between us is lifted.
Just like that. We’re back to pretending again, our stupid little fantasy where we act like we’re got everything under control, that we’re nothing more than friends with benefits.
That’s okay with me.
I’m an actor. I can f**king act.
The problem is, this isn’t a movie. Jacey and I are balancing on a very thin line between a façade and reality. We’re treading on very thin ice. In real life, when people walk on ice for too long, they finally break through.
And when that happens, someone drowns.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Dominic
Being the f**king actors that we are, Jacey and I pretend that everything is fine. We talk back and forth for the rest of the day about nonsense things, gossipy things, things that don’t f**king matter.
When it’s almost time to go home, I’m getting ready to see if she wants to duck out with me and grab dinner when Jake, Tig, and two other boys come walking through the gym with about a million balloons, all of them pink.
All of them say HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
Surprised, I stare at Jacey and find her grinning wildly.
“How did you know?” she squeals as she rushes up to hug them.
“I might’ve said something,” a deep voice rumbles. The balloons part and a guy steps out. Big, dark haired, dark eyed. He’s got Jacey’s eyes and a tattoo on his bicep: DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR.
“Gabe!” she shrieks, running at him in a dead sprint and leaping into his arms. “How are you… why are you…”
Her voice dies off and he laughs, holding her easily in his heavily muscled arms. He and Brand were certainly cut from the same cloth.
“I finally rendered you speechless?” He grins. “Well, that only took twenty-four years. And you think I’d miss your birthday? Really? I called Joe and asked if we could surprise you here. He roped the boys in on it too.”
Jacey pulls away and looks at him. “But Maddy’s due soon. You shouldn’t have left her.”
Gabe chuckles and sets his sister on the floor. “I’m only here for the evening, just to be on the safe side. I’ll fly back home tonight. But Maddy sends her birthday wishes—she’s going to call you tonight.”
“She actually called me just now. She couldn’t wait. And she didn’t let it slip that you were here. Oh my gosh, I miss you guys so much!” Jacey cries, and her eyes actually do well up. Gabe glares at her mockingly.
“Don’t cry on your birthday,” he instructs her with a grin. “You’re so dramatic.”
She arches an eyebrow. “Dramatic? I haven’t seen you in months.”
“Well, I’m here now,” he pacifies her. “I’m going to take you to eat, and I want to hear everything that’s going on. Brand’s picking us up.”
They brush past me, and as they do, Jacey pauses, looking at me. “Gabe, this is Dominic Kinkaide.”
“The actor,” Gabe points out, his eyebrow raised as he stares at me. I can actually see the thoughts in his eyes. The protective big-brother genes have stepped in, and he wants to know what I am to his sister.
“Guilty,” I tell him, holding out my hand. Technically, I’m only addressing what he said out loud. But I’m also admitting guilt to the question in his eyes. Yes, I’ve done inappropriate things with his sister. No, I’m not sorry.
And no, I’m not afraid of him. He probably sees all of that in my eyes, just like I see all of the questions in his.
“Gabe Vincent,” he says politely, shaking my hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Brand’s told me all about you—and how you and Jacey wound up here together.”
Fuck.
But I keep my expression calm. “That was a messed-up night, and I’m sorry that Jacey was involved in it at all. Thankfully, we’ll be done with our community service soon and we can forget it ever happened.”
Jacey stares at me, and there’s hurt in her eyes because it sounds like I’m saying that I want to forget about her, too. I feel a twinge of guilt about that, in addition to the fact that I didn’t even know it was her birthday. But I’m saying what her brother wants to hear. Gabe nods.
“It’s good to meet you.”
And they disappear through the door. I follow them so I can get to my own car and step outside just in time to hear Jacey squeal again.
What the hell?
Brand is driving up in a little red Honda Civic. He looks like Grape Ape in the thing with his head grazing the ceiling, but the situation is clear.
Either Brand or Gabe bought Jacey a car for her birthday.
She’s jumping around like a lunatic, hugging them both and shrieking like a kid.
“Oh my god! I can’t believe you did this!” She’s crying and shrieking and Gabe laughs.
“You thought I’d let you drive that piece-of-shit death trap around forever? Whatever. Happy birthday, sis.”
She hugs him, then hugs Brand. When she stares up at Brand, with her arms around his neck… the way she looks at him, like he’s a f**king hero or something, causes my stomach to clench.
Jesus.
His big hands hold her close, and Gabe catches me staring. I can see in his eyes that he sees what I see. Brand’s in love with his sister.
Whether Jacey is still denying it is unclear.
They stop in the middle of the sidewalk, and neither of them have noticed me yet. Jacey stands on her tiptoes and kisses Brand’s cheek. “I know,” she replies softly. “You always have been. Thank you for an amazing birthday, Brand.”
“You’re welcome.” He stares down at her, and the moment suddenly seems painfully intimate. I can’t take it. I clear my throat and they both startle, staring at me in surprise.
“Dominic!” Jacey exclaims, stepping away from Brand and peering into the darkness toward me. “I didn’t even see your car. What are you doing here?” And then she notices her yard.
“Holy shit.” She breathes, her eyes widening. “Oh my god. Did you do this?”
I nod. “I’m sorry that I didn’t know it was your birthday.”