True North (9 page)

“
You might need to ask me first,” I countered.

He chuckled. “That’s fair. Olivia, would you be my date for the concert tonight?”

“
I’d love to be your date, but you’re going to have to ask my overprotective big—
really big
—brother.”

Jake’s smile was glorious, and I felt a little closer to finding him.

“
OH MY GOD!!!” Jules shrieked and jumped in circles around her room.

I leaped into the air and bounced on her bed, landing on my back, kicking and flailing my arms and legs like a toddler.

“
He really said
ALL
of that?”

“
Yep, he’s out talking to Nate right now,” I confirmed.

“
OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!” she cried.

We both screamed. It couldn’t be helped.

“
Okay, what are you going to wear?” she asked.

“
Oh shit. I only brought the two outfits ‘cause I was going to travel back to school tomorrow. What are you going to wear?” I sat up and hugged a pink pillow. Everything in Jules’ room was pink.

“
I don’t have anything special …” she thought to herself. “Nate’s going too, right?”

“
That’s what he said,” I verified.

“
Let’s go shopping! We’ll have to hurry before the best places close.” Jules threw on her running shoes.

“
I don’t have enough spare funds to just go buy a new dress,” I grumbled.

“
I got it,” she sang, tempting me.

“
I could always pay you back later,” I suggested.

“
Yeah, whatever, let’s go!”

We grabbed our jackets and bags and raced out the door.

“
Let’s go in the back door,” I said when we got back to the house. “I’m too nervous to see him. Holy hell! I didn’t feel like this earlier—now I don’t even know what I’m going to say to him. I’m freaking out!”

“
Calm. Down.” Jules held my face in her hands. “I’ll go first. We are SO going to knock them out.”

“
Their eyes are going to fall out,” I agreed. “Okay—do it.”

We got out of the car and grabbed our bags from the back. Jules started humming the
Mission Impossible
theme song, and I tried to stifle my laughter.

In the house we heard the guys making a ton of noise from the basement level where there was a huge bar and game room with pool tables, foosball and darts. They entertained a lot down there. We booked it to her room, took turns taking showers then fixed our hair and makeup.

“
I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Jules giggled. We’d already had a couple drinks while we were getting ready.

I took another sip. “Don’t judge. I’d never leave the house in this get-up if I wasn’t slightly tipsy.”

“
You look amazing, Livie, and you know it,” she assured me.

“
You too.” We stood together in front of the mirror. “We can pull this off.”

“
Of course we can,” she agreed.

“
Assuming they let us leave the house.”

We had done the unthinkable and gone out of our safe-style zones. She and I were jeans-and-t-shirt girls usually; sometimes we’d branch out and wear a nice blouse. I had a sort of hippie poet style, and she was happy in anything that covered the knees ... this was a big deal. I wore a little black silk dress that had three-quarter length sleeves and fell off one shoulder. It was short too—hiked to the thigh. Jules’ dress was baby pink with long roomy sleeves and a neckline that plunged between her breasts. The hemline was above her knees but just a little lower than her thigh level. We even picked up gorgeous strappy high heels to match our dresses. Yeah, actually, we were glamorous.

“
If I don’t fall and break my neck it’ll be a miracle,” I joked.

“
Tell me you don’t feel like Cinderella,” she challenged.

“
That will depend on if I can get noticed by Prince Charming.”

I loved Jules. She was a shy little Cancer who, like her Zodiac sign dictated, usually stayed close to home. This was a huge way to come out of her shell, and I was proud of her. With her parents sheltering her as their baby girl and with five overprotective brothers, she’d never had much of a chance to spread her wings and push limits.

I really hoped Nate wasn’t a dick tonight.

“
ARE YOU TWO READY YET?” Sam’s voiced hollered through the hallway. “WE’VE GOT TO BE THERE EARLY FOR SET UP AND MIC CHECK!”

“
Should we wear our jackets downstairs and save a little of the surprise for when we
peeeeel
them off at the club?” I acted all seductive.

“
That’s a perfect idea, and I can do one step better. I’ll be right back!” Jules went into her mom’s room. When she returned she had two full-length coats over her arms. “Mom’s got real good taste, as you know, and these are brand new from Nordstrom!” she sang.

“
You’ve got it so rough,” I teased.

“
Try on the black one.” She stood behind me and helped me shimmy into the coat. “HA!” she burst out. “And if we’re already there they won’t be able to play the smothering brothers and insist we change.”

Now I was laughing. I buttoned it all the way down to my knees.

“
Hot damn! This is going to be fun!” I exclaimed.

After we got her in the navy zip-up that fell to her calves we were ready for our head and feet debut. We went downstairs to meet the boys.

“
Well, thank God!” Sam said, not bothering to look at either of us twice. “Let’s go.” He ran out to start the car.

“
Hey.” Jake came up and took my hand. “You look beautiful and your hair looks great.” Then he leaned in to my ear and whispered, “You smell amazing and those shoes are sexy as hell.”

I bit my lip as my felt my face flush. His breath tickled my ear, and I remembered his lips there earlier today.

Jake was wearing a pair of black jeans and a tight fitting burgundy button up. He had his sleeves folded up to his forearms and his tattoos were visible.

“
You look … great.” The word
yummy
passed through my mind and made me blush worse. Oh, for fuck’s sake, I wished I’d stop doing that!

He bent his arm at the elbow and invited me to take it. Giddy doesn’t even come close to describing my euphoric insanity. It was like there was a hamster doped up on crack and running like a maniac in an exercise wheel with flashing lights and whistles behind my ribcage.

Even in my stupor I made sure to check Nate’s reaction to Jules. He looked like he was on freaking Mars and never even noticed her. I really wanted to smack him, but Jules had made me promise I wouldn’t say anything. That promise was getting harder to keep. But she’d kept my crush from Jake for years. I understood how badly she wanted to have it happen naturally.

So it was me and Jake. Jake and me. Jake and I …
Is this really happening???
We rode in the backseat of Sam’s Mustang Boss while Caleb took co-pilot. I couldn’t have been more thrilled. Nate took Jules in his badass custom Dodge Ram.

HOLY SHIT!
When I looked over he was holding the door for her and holding her hand to help her with the step up.

Jake caught my excitement and leaned closer to share the view out the window. “Really? Do they
both
know?”

“
I’m afraid Nate might be clueless,” I said, shrugging. “Julia wants to let fate take over.”

“
Fuck fate.” Jake twined his fingers between mine and lifted my hand to his lips.

We held hands on the way and listened to Sam plow on about tonight’s show and the bands that were playing.

It was perfect

Chapter Eight

“
Animal I Have Become”

Three Days Grace

I knew the only reason I was getting into the club was because I was with the Norths. There were a few sleazier spots in town that wouldn’t card me, but Wild’s was a really cool place. The speakers were blasting Trapt songs—uncensored—while the musicians readied their instruments at the sides of the stage.

Bouncers stood at the door and patrolled the club. Strip lights ran the length of the ceilings—both white and colored. The floor was hardwood slat board stained a honey color and contrasted with the small square tables with their black tops. It was still early and the place hadn’t filled up yet.

The guys went straight to work in the front of the room by the dance floor and stage, pushing tables together until we had one big enough to hold us and any other friends that were coming by. All the tables were set up in the center of the floor. Along the walls were areas set up as comfortable lounging spaces, with plush red sofas and chairs around black magazine tables.

“
I’ll help you off with your coat,” Jake offered.

Oh shit!
All of a sudden I felt very shy about exposing so much skin with all of these people everywhere.
What had I been thinking?

Be brave, Liv. We’re breaking out of our little good-girl shells.
The idea didn’t stick until a couple of girls walked by with their eyes glued to the gorgeous North brothers, giggling. They were wearing short sequin skirts and black leather hooker boots. I hated to admit it, but the bitches looked hot. Of course Sam smoothed out a “Hey, ladies,” and winked. They wiggled their fingers at him in a flirty wave. Caleb was ogling too but didn’t exert himself. Nate hadn’t seemed to notice them and Jake still had his hands on my shoulders. As they shook their asses walking past the tables, it was hard to ignore the whistles they got.

I looked over at Jules, whose face had fallen as she watched them walk away. She looked terrified.

I had a moment of clarity as Trapt’s “Headstrong” crashed through my senses.
Perfect!

“
Hey, Jules!” I called, mouthing the lyrics as they played.

A huge smile swept over her face. She got it.

I heard her sweetly say, “Nate, would you help me off with my coat please?”

I froze to watch her during
her
moment.

“
Um, sure.” Nate fumbled out of his seat.

Smooth.

She faced him head-on, took the zipper in her fingers and slowly lowered it to the end of the fabric.
HA!
Nate was transfixed. She lowered the shoulders of the coat down around her back to reveal her dress to only him.

Hell, yes!
Talk about jaw drop! I hoped to God she’d noticed it.

She turned enough to allow him to catch the coat. He held it in his hands and didn’t move. I had to stifle my laughter at my tough, hard-ass big brother because he looked like he’d been reduced to mush.

“
Nate!” Jake’s voice beside me called out.

Nate tilted his head just the slightest, as if only his subconscious had heard his name being called, but he couldn’t tear his eyes from Jules. “Pull out her chair.”

For a second, Nate collected himself enough to scowl at Jake, but recovered to bring his attention back to Jules as he gripped the chair in front of him with white knuckles. She sat with a smile. He caught himself gazing down her shirt, so he quickly looked to Caleb, who wasn’t paying any attention. Nate then scoped the area around Jules, as if challenging any guy in the place to do something stupid.

Mission-freaking-accomplished.

For one of us anyway.

“
Are you ready?” Jake asked.

I unbuttoned the coat. He was still behind me, which I appreciated. My unveiling wouldn’t be as nerve-wracking.

The coat came off my body, and Jake held it in his arm as he moved around me, slowly devouring me with his eyes.

“
Holy
fuck
!” His eyes were locked as they drew over my heels and legs, to my shoulders and back to my eyes. His reaction was perfect. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly and suddenly. “I mean … you look … amazing. Beautiful … Olivia, you’re beautiful.”

I flushed. “I knew what you meant. Thanks.”
Thank you, gods, for this song!!!
The courage was heady, and his eyes taking me in like they were was making me delirious.

He pulled out the chair for me. As I sat and crossed my legs, the dress hiked further up my thighs, and I heard Jake blow out a deep breath.

“
Can I get you drink?” he offered.

I remembered sharing the beer bottle just this afternoon with him and realized we were technically on our very first date together.

“
I’ll have what you have,” I said from under my lashes.

His eyes were soft. “I’ll be right back.”

Nate joined him as they went towards the bar. They put their heads together for a second and both turned back to look at us. Jules and I played it cool … until they turned back around and we squealed, elated!

“
Did you
see
Nate’s face?” I wanted to make sure she had.

“
YES!” She blushed and laughed. “Jake looked like he was going to die!”

“
I know!” Yeah, we were hopelessly, crazy in love.

The guys returned with glasses and pitchers of a local brew.

“
Who’s up first?” Nate asked Sam.

“
A band called Fury. They start in ten,” Sam replied. “We’re up third.”

“
Cool.” Nate turned his attention to Jules and they started talking. I noticed that every now and again he’d turn to catch a look at Caleb, who looked like he couldn’t care less.

Was Nate really that worried about Caleb? Why?

I didn’t have much time to contemplate because Jake leaned over and breathed against my ear, “You do realize how guys like me are going to look at a pretty little thing like you in that kind of dress, right?”

That’s the point, Jake.
“How’s that?” I asked innocently.