All Pepped Up (Pepper Jones) (3 page)

By the time we get to match point, it seems like the entire party is focused on us. People cheer and girls whistle and yell inappropriate remarks at Jace. Match point goes back and forth several times until I finish it off with an ace to the far back corner.

Jace stalks around the table toward me and I stand my ground, grinning like an idiot. He grabs me around the waist on my bare skin, and I love the feel of his big hands on me.

“You are really sexy when you get al
l competitive on me,” he growls low in my ear.

“What can I say? I’ve got a competitive spirit,” I reply playfully.

“Oh? We’ll have a rematch. But without the audience,” he murmurs.

“Promise?”

Wes thumps Jace on the shoulder, snapping us out of our flirtations. “All right, lovebirds, looks like I’m taking on little hot shot here.”

“We’ll see about that
,” I retort, stepping away from Jace. Once out of our safe cocoon and the distraction of the competitive ping pong match, I feel the weight of the eyes from our audience.

Jace seems to notice as well because he tug
s my shirt out of its knot so it hangs below my butt again.

“You know, you can put your shirt back on now,” I remind him.

Jace smirks. “Maybe I like knowing I have your attention.”

Before Wes can serve, Madeline saunters up to him. “Hey! I know! We can play doubles.” She claps her hands excitedly. The beach wrap she’s got on over her bikini doesn’t do much to hide her bouncing boobs. The boys in the audience don’t seem to mind.

Wes shrugs and looks at Jace for approval. Jace nods slowly but he narrows his eyes suspiciously at Madeline.

It isn’t much of a game at first, because Madeline can’t seem to hit the ball over the net and onto the table. Each time it flies in the wrong direction she giggles and touches Wesley to apologize. It’s hard to believe anyone is that bad at ping
pong, especially the Lincoln Academy varsity tennis team captain.

Eventually, Wes gets annoyed and sta
rts hitting the balls that land on her side. But then Madeline gushes at his athletic prowess and rubs herself all over him. She’s putting on a show. But for whom?

I would think that the boys in the audience would lose interest in Madeline once they see she has her sights set on Wesley for the night. But no, apparently they love watching her air-brained flirtations and the way she manages to shake her booty and boobs with every movement. Even I’m a little impressed. The girl knows how to rock her body.

And once Wes realizes the game is hopeless, and that Madeline is seriously coming on to him, he starts to reciprocate the attention. I glance at Jace. His jaw is clenched and he doesn’t look amused.

Is he jealous?

I tilt my head, trying to evaluate Jace’s expression. He glances at me. “You ready to head out, Pep?” he asks. Though he’s asked my opinion, I can tell he’s over it. I am too.

I swallow, and realize there’s a lump in my throat. Madeline’s getting to me, but I can’t let her see it. “Yeah, okay,” I agree.

Jace takes my hand and leads me upstairs, not bothering with goodbyes. He doesn’t say anything until we’re in the car and pulling out of the driveway.

“It was Madeline, wasn’t it?”
he asks.

I glance at him. The sharp lines of his jaw and forehead are silhouetted by the streetlights.

“She was the one messing with you earlier tonight,” he clarifies.

Sighing, I turn my gaze back to the road. “It doesn’t matter, Jace.”

“Of course it matters, Pep. She has no right to play games with you.” He stops the car at a stop sign and looks over at me. “And it’s only happening because of me. That’s not right.”

“I hardly ever run into her. I’ll handle it,” I assure him.

I hope his lack of response means he’s dropped it, but I know him better than that. Jace doesn’t like to leave things out of his control. Especially when it involves me.

Pancakes at the Wilders’ house on Sunday mornings have become rou
tine over the past two months. Now that Jace’s whereabouts aren’t so unpredictable – not to mention morally questionable – Dave and I can count on a hearty breakfast around 10:00 in the morning with Jace and his dad, Jim. Sometimes Wes swings by, too.

The
Wilders have been our neighbors on Shadow Lane my whole life. They live just down the street from our apartment building.

After trudging
the short way to their house in my pajamas and snow boots, I brush off Dave’s paws and open the front door. It smells like coffee and blueberry pancakes.

“Aw, lucky you, Dave,” I coo. “You won’t get left out this week like you did with the chocolate ones last week.” Dave’s ears perk up. “That’s right, no chocolate for doggies.” I shake my finger before pulling off my snow boots. A female pair of boots sits by the door, and
I figure Jim’s girlfriend Sheila must be over.

Dave follows me into the kitchen. My jacket is halfway off when my gaze lands on the woman sitting at the small breakfast table. Those are
Jace’s
green eyes. Unlike Jace and Jim, the woman is petite, even bony. She’s wearing a long sweater and a colorful hippie-style skirt. Her thick black hair flows down to her waist. Though her cheeks are a bit sunken and she has dark circles under her eyes, the woman looks young – at least, young for the mother of an eighteen-year-old.

“Good morning, Pepper,” Jim greets me. He’s flipping pancakes, like it’s any other morning.

“Hey, Jim.” I head toward him for a quick hug, unwilling to deviate from our routine for
her
.

The anger vibrating inside me is startling. I had no idea I felt so strongly about this woman – a woman I don’t even remember. But
she abandoned Jace when he was only four years old, and there can’t possibly be a good enough reason to justify that.

So, I ignore her. “Where’s Jace?” I ask.

“He’ll be up in a minute,” Jim tells me. He sips his coffee before breaking the ice. “Pepper, you probably don’t remember Jace’s mother, Annie, do you?”

I shake my head.

“I remember you, Pepper. And your Gran, Bunny. How is she?” Annie asks from her spot –
my
spot – at the table.

“She’s good.” My voice is monotone. How
dare
she come in here acting like she never left? Does she even know how much her abandonment has affected Jace? I’ve never spoken to Jace about his mother, but there’s a reason he craves power and control, especially in his interactions with other people. He won’t let himself be abandoned again. He’ll control who gets hurt. And it won’t be him.

It’s something I’ve always known about Jace, but never thought about much. It’s just the way he is. And it hurts him to be like that. Whether he’ll admit it or not.

Jace shuffles up the stairs in his sweatpants and a University of Colorado tee shirt. The Wilders live in a bi-level; Jace has the downstairs to himself.

His face is carefully expressionless, but he cracks a smile when he sees me. I walk
toward him and nestle into his chest. Does he share my anger toward his mother? I realize how utterly clueless I am about Jace’s feelings toward her. Until now, we’ve acted like she doesn’t exist.

Dave shoves his head between our knees, trying to
sandwich himself between us. “Hey buddy, you want in on the hug?” Jace asks him. We let Dave wiggle between us for a moment.

When Jace heads over to the table, I follow his lead and sit down at the fourth chair – not my usual spot, thanks to
Annie
.

Apparently Jace already faced his mother this morning, because he proceeds to pour maple syrup over his pancakes without any sort of outburst. I’m craving an outburst. I want him to throw something, scream, yell, let it all out. But no, the Wilders are acting like this is no big deal.

“So, how long are you in Brockton for?” Jace asks.

“Oh, I’m moving back,” Annie
announces. “Living at a friend’s place for now, and looking for a job.”

Jace shovels some pancakes onto my plate, trying to shake me from staring dumbly at him.

“What kind of job?” Jim asks as he takes a seat with another plate full of pancakes. He slides a glass of orange juice over to me.

“Oh, I’m flexible.
I have some experience waitressing, but I’ll just have to see who’s hiring.” Annie brushes her long hair over her shoulder and takes a small bite from her plate.

“Pep works at the Tavern in the summers. Do you think they might be hiring?” Jim asks me.

I shrug. “Maybe.”

Why isn’t anyone else angry with this woman? My appetite has vanished. I tear off a piece of pancake and toss it to Dave, who’s waiting patiently under the table.

“What are you two up to today?” Annie asks brightly.

I flick my eyes to Jace.

“Probably work out, do some homework,” Jace answers casually. He must be trying to impress her, because he hardly ever does homework. Sometimes he’ll watch football at my house while I’m studying, but football season is over now. Why is he treating her like she’s his mother? She doesn’t deserve it.

“It’s just so great that you two are still friends. You spent a lot of time together as
toddlers, you know?”

She went there. To the time when she was around. When my parents were still alive. That time period is not discussed in this house.

Fortunately, Jim starts asking Annie about West Virginia, where she apparently lived for the past few years. Jace places his hand on my thigh and squeezes. It’s absurd that I’m the one who needs reassurance in this situation.

We finish our breakfast, catching up on life as though An
nie is just an old friend, not the mother who abandoned her child. Jace and Jim walk Annie out the door when her friend comes to pick her up while I hang back to stew in frustration.

I load the dirty dishes into the dishwasher, and Dave helps me out with a prewash by licking off the crumbs. A shiver runs up my spine when Jace tugs me back
toward his hips.

“Jim’s got plans with
Sheila, so we’ve got the house to ourselves,” he whispers in my ear.

Wiping my hands on a towel, I spin around. “Are we really going to pretend like that was normal?”

Jace ignores my question and dips his head to kiss my collarbone. “I was so distracted by these pajamas, I wasn’t too concerned with anything else,” Jace mumbles as his lips move up to my neck and brush along my jaw.

“Jace, an ice-
cream-cone-patterned flannel pajama set is just about the farthest thing from seductive – oh!” Jace lifts me up and begins carrying me down the stairs reverse-piggyback style. He somehow manages not to trip while continuing to nibble on my neck.

My intentions to probe about Annie fly out the window when he places me on his bed and hovers over me. He let me be in control last night, at least for a moment, probably sensing that I wanted to prove something to him, or to myself, I don’t know. But now, there’s no qu
estion that Jace is in charge. And with the way he kisses, I’m not complaining.

***

After kissing me thoroughly and working both of us into a frenzy, Jace pulls me onto his chest for a cuddle. He always does this just when I think he might take things further.

Nestling my head into his chest, I
listen to his heart beat as his chest rises and falls, wondering if he’s going to say anything about Annie. I desperately want to spill my opinion, but Jace knows me well enough that I’m sure my feelings on the matter came through without me articulating them.

Jace’s phone beeps and
he reaches to his bedside table to check the message. “That’s Wes. We’re meeting at the gym in twenty.”

Jace’s hand draws circles on my back, and I’m in no mood to get up. “But I’m comfy,” I mumble.

I feel his chest rumble with a chuckle. “You should come lift with us.”

“I’m lifting with the girls tomorrow. And Dave will be sad if he misses his Sunday run with me.” I just started a three-
days-a-week weight lifting routine. “Besides, it’s distracting having all those girls gawk at you and Wes. I swear they don’t even go to the gym to work out.”

Jace scoffs. “Use the negative energy
toward the workout. That’s what I do when I catch meatheads checking you out.”

I giggle. “Yeah
, but first you give them a death glare.”

Jace squeezes me tighter to him. “Sometimes they need to know that looking is all they’ll be doing.”

UC lets Brockton Public varsity athletes use their gym on certain days of the week. When I started going to lift weights a month ago, it quickly became clear that the place is just an ogling-fest for most people. 

We drag ourselves out of bed and I plop a quick kiss on his lips before scurrying out the door. Last time I lingered, Jace stripped
down to change into his workout clothes right in front of me. Don’t get me wrong, seeing Jace stripped down is a fine sight indeed, but the rush of lust that accompanies the view is a bit overwhelming – particularly when I’m not sure the rest of me is ready to follow my body’s desires.

The wind’s picked up by the time I head out for a run, but I know I’ll warm up quickly. My favorite dirt trails are too snowy today so I take the bike path, which gets snow-plowed each morning. 

Coach had me take three weeks off from running after Nationals in December. Since then, I’ve started both the weight-lifting program and building a base for track season. It’s an easy five miles or so on most days, with a ten-miler once a week. The low-key schedule is enjoyable for now, but I’m sure I’ll get restless soon. Track workouts don’t start for another few weeks.

When we cross the bridge that takes us away from the residential streets and along the river, I let Dave off his leash. There’s hardly anyone out here this time of year, and Dave likes to explore.

As expected, I heat up after several minutes. I’m wrapping my windbreaker around my waist when Dave takes off in a sprint toward an approaching couple. 

“Dave!” I call
out. It’s not like him to do that. Hopefully these people won’t get mad at me.

Fortunately, the guy crouches down to greet Dave, who eagerly licks his face like they’re best friends. I jog over to apologize and see that the girl is Lisa
Delany, a senior at Brockton Public.

“Oh, hi Lisa. Sorry about Dave, here. He doesn’t usually approach strangers.”

The guy looks up and smiles. “I’m not a stranger.” Ryan.

“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t recognize
you!” It’s probably because his gait was different from jogging slower than his usual pace with Lisa. Plus he’s wearing a hat.

An awkwardness settles around us. Lisa was going after Ryan all fall, and probably while he was with me. Ryan told me he wasn’t especially interested in her. But now they’re running together. I feel like an intruder.

“So, I didn’t know you were a runner, Lisa,” I say in what I hope is a pleasant voice, trying to ease the tension.

“I’m just getting into it. Ryan’s helping me. I figured it’d be good cross-training for tennis.” That’s right. Lisa is captain of the
Brockton Public tennis team.

Her long
blonde hair is pulled into a ponytail and she has a hot pink ear warmer around her head. “Nice. I’ll let you guys get going before we start to freeze up.”

Ryan stands up from petting Dave and waves before jogging off with Lisa. I head off in the other direction, Dave leading the way,
and realize I hardly spoke to Ryan. Does he know about Jace and me? Is he with Lisa now?

I don’t like the idea of Ryan and Lisa together. But it can’t be jealousy. I broke up with
him
. But I still care about him, and he’s too good for Lisa. That must be it.

I recognize the Burton family’s minivan parked on the street when I finish up the loop, and I know Zoe must have stopped by. Jogging up the stairs, I kick off my snowy sneakers in the hallway and head inside.

“Yo!” Zoe calls from the couch. She’s made herself comfortable with a mug of tea, her feet propped up on the coffee table.

“What’s up?” I plop down next to her. “What are you watching?”

“HGTV. You know anyone can come in here and just take whatever they want, right?” Zoe asks.

I shrug. “I was only out for a little bit. We hardly ever lock up and nothing’s happened yet.”

“Go take a shower, you stink,” she tells me.

“Yes ma’am,” I reply with a salute. Fifteen minutes later I find Zoe painting her toenails in my bedroom.

“I saw Ryan on the bike path,” I tell her as I unwrap the towel from my head and rub my wet hair. “Guess who he was with?”

Zoe looks up
. “Lisa Delany?”

I pause with my hairbrush in hand. “How’d you know?”