Uncharted (Unexpected Book 3) (33 page)

“You failed me.” AJ walks beside me as we leave the airport. “I expected a last minute change of plans. A glamorous proposal with a quartet and doves.”

“Tell me, Princess, in that scenario of yours, was I running toward her professing my undying love and stopping the entire flight?”

“Of course, Prince Charming. Holding a ring in your hand and kneeling down; or is it dropping to one knee?” My sister makes me laugh with that ridiculous idea. “The entire airport will stop functioning as the personnel waits for you to say the magic words and for her to accept. After a true love’s kiss, we all would’ve clapped.”

Matthew, who is on my other side, laughs. “Such a refreshing idea. Never been done before in the history of cheesy events or movies. I should write a novel.”

She sticks her tongue out at him and flips him the finger.

“Thank you, Bradley.” My brother in-law gives me a tight glare.

I owe him big. Among other things he’s done for the past weeks, he had to call in some favors so the entire family could be at the gate to say goodbye to Pria.

“Nine, time to go home.”

“Mind if I drive her?” I fear Mason is going to hit me just for asking. “Need to run a few things by her.”

Like mending our relationship, because with everything that has happened with Pria and her family, we haven’t been able to sit down and talk about my jerk-like reaction toward her and the baby. Then I’ll talk about my plans.

“Home. Not the school or a shopping trip.” I salute him and press the key to unlock my truck. Mason pulls my sister into his arms and their little display of affection washes me with regret. I should’ve said goodbye to Pria.

“Stop manhandling my daughter, punk,” Chris yells from his car.

“You mean my wife and the mother of my child?” Mason doesn’t look at Pops, instead glaring at Matthew who is laughing. “Text me when you get there. I love you.” He bends down and kisses her tiny bump. “Love you, peanut.”

He opens the passenger door of my truck and helps her in, waits for her to adjust her seatbelt, and then closes the door.

“Don’t upset her, Decker, or I’ll break every bone in your body.” He pokes my chest with his finger.

“Fuck you. I know when to push and when to back off.” I push him slightly but I’m unable to move the asshole. “Stop treating her like a China doll or she’ll be the one breaking your bones.”

“Is this the part where you tell me the real plan and how you’re going to win Ana’s heart back?” My sister’s romantic shit makes my head hurt.

“Her name is Pria, not Ana.” I start the engine. “And I’m not here to discuss her.”

She throws her head back, hitting the recliner and making some noises I don’t understand—maybe just mumbling.

“Norah is your Porter.” AJ’s voice carries that edge of desperation and annoyance I muster to pull when taunting her. I don’t understand why it’s happening now and why she compares Norah with the low life she dated for years. “You loved Norah, she’s special in her own unique way—”

“Shut up, you two.” I stop them before this intervention gets out of hand. I was supposed to be the one talking. Not them. “Neither one of you can talk about my shit because you didn’t live it. I pray to God you won’t have to either. FYI, AJ, Porter abused you and cheated on you—for years. Norah died.”

“Yes, I know what Porter Kendrick did to me, but he was my first love. In my head he was the only man I’d ever love. Which is why I worked so hard to keep the relationship going, when in fact, I should’ve ended it. Please listen, Jacky, I have a point.” I growl, because she thinks she has a point, which means hours of discussing who is right and who is wrong until I find a way to shut her up. “The moment someone dies, their faults and imperfections vanish and they become a figure no one can touch. If Porter had died, I would’ve been devastated and forgotten all of the terrible things that he did.

“For you, Norah will forever be perfect, but she wasn’t. She was sick and she should’ve told you. After the accident, you were a mess. After she died, you became a zombie.” Another disadvantage of having my sister living close—she knows what my shit is all about. Not everything. My brother, Mason, and Pria kept certain things under wraps. Like the cemetery visits, which Mason hates because it creeps him out. “Wake up. We know firsthand that true love exists. The kind that warms your heart, brings it to life and creates music. Our parents taught us that if you find it, you don’t toss it away like last week’s take-out. For you, that love I’m talking about is Cypriana Marie Walker, who you just pushed out of your life.”

I slam a hand on the wheel and press my lips because this woman is pregnant and I won’t make her cry—but I could. Just to shut her up.

“You have to give love and life a second chance. I met Norah twice, during her last days with you. There’s no way I can say she was great or terrible. I don’t doubt for one moment that you loved her. Jacky, I won’t talk about what I don’t know, but what I’ve seen. One thing I witnessed is that Ana and you belong together. Since Ana appeared back into your life, the hurt was gone—the music came back.”

“The hurt is gone,” Matthew echoes. “Except when Pria boarded that plane.”

“Yep, that heart twitch wasn’t pleasant, and you noticed, Mattie. He watched her from afar like a sad man losing his other half.” AJ and Matthew are ganging up on me, a unique event that happens only once every other year. “Now, tell me why I’m here instead of the comfort of my car giving my husband a hand job while he drives. It’s fun to see my man exercising that perfect control while under pressure.”

“AJ, I don’t fucking care about your sex life,” I growl.

“Kidding; he wouldn’t allow that. It’s a matter of safety and all that.” She can’t contain her laugh. “Well, talk, or I’ll tell you about my now boring and not-so exciting married life. My pretty lingerie doesn’t fit. Missionary every night—sex only once a day. Being pregnant isn’t all hormones and crazy sex like I’ve read. More like mood swings, puking, poking—not as glamorous. I see doctors on a daily basis—soon we’ll meet our peanut, hurray. Not that you care.”

The car goes quiet and I remember why I wanted to chat with her.

“Princess, I’m sorry for being an ass with you. I love you and I support you.”

“I expected it. You don’t handle fatalities well.” She gives me that rolled eye exasperated glare she only delivers when I upset her and have to apologize. “However, there’s no guarantee that you won’t lose me, but I’ll do my best to stick around.”

“AJ, you told me you have a team and they know what they’re doing, right?” She gives me a squeaky affirmation. “Well then, I won’t worry. I’m sure they have everything under control. In fact, Matthew and I will be there for you. The kid is a Decker. We Deckers survive everything. Plus, he or she has the badass genes of a Bradley.”

“I love you, Jacob.” She gives me that evil smile. “Which is why I won’t give up until I see you happy.”

I disregard her last comment and continue with the important stuff I wanted to talk about. “I want to start recording again.”

I look in the rearview mirror and Matthew crooks a brow and tilts his head, waiting for me to continue. Without A Compass isn’t getting back together. Trent and Grayson, our former bandmates, formed a duo, and they’re doing their own shit.

“Princess, all your shit is amazing and I’d prefer to play most of it than I would to sell it.” AJ has continued to write music. Some angst because that comes out naturally, but also romantic shit she writes for Mason. “Matthew has awesome crap too.”

“Because I’m awesome like that.” Matthew bobs his head, attempting to look all suave.

“Some songs are just for him—Mase,” AJ whispers.

“You mean we can’t take what you created, arrange it and play it?” I can’t help the sarcastic tone.

“Let it go. It was a great song,” Matthew growls, the cool in his voice gone. “When do I complain about you taking my shit?”

“Shit, not songs. It wasn’t just the one. It’s been more than one.”

“Children, children. Stop or I’ll send you to the chair and set the timer for thirty minutes.” She claps her hands while yelling Gabe-style. “Unbelievable. You two will never grow up. So, uh-hmm, you composed more shit?”

I have, and I’ve beaten myself up each time because I shouldn’t have. Pria unleashed it and I’m in a sublime and blissful hell of grief and guilt. A hell I’m fighting to escape, and in order to do so, I had to fire Pria and send her out of my life. It was for us both. She had to go on her quest, and I have to repair my heart.

“That doesn’t matter. I want to start a band. Plus, record a solo album.” I cut to the chase and forget about my demons. “There won’t be any major changes. The band will play here in town. That’s the second part of my plan: opening a venue to play and scout from the comfort of our own town. I’m about to buy the building for that purpose. Perhaps we dare to head south—Portland. We’ll record at Pop’s new studio; it’s at a walking distance from your house so your husband won’t freak-out as much. I haven’t tried it but it looks cool.”

“Its rad, isn’t it, AJ?” Matthew has played there, but I didn’t know AJ had too. I hate to be left out.

“Ugh, stop saying
rad
.” AJ’s annoyed and I’m starting to love it. “Why does it matter that I live next door?”

I input the gate code and enter her driveway. As I park in front of the main house, I turn off the ignition and move my body slightly to face both of them. My brother gives me that knowing bob of the head. We talked about having a Decker band. It happened the night Mason proposed to AJ, after we had this perfect gig at the studio. Without practicing, our four songs became flawless. But back then, it wasn’t the right timing. Matthew headed to California in only a few months and AJ had her own thing going on.

Now, Matthew’s about to graduate and will start traveling from Cali to Vancouver to Seattle, so we’ll have more time to practice, play, and record. I’d warned him that I’d spring this without notice, and here we are.

“Because I want this to be our band, AJ, the old man included.”

“Have you told Chris yet?” She gives me a sidelong glance.

“Not until you agree, baby. You’re in or it doesn’t happen.”

She points at her small bump. “I’m pregnant and I can’t tour; tours are draining, and have I mentioned there’s a child growing inside me?”

“There won’t be tours,” I announce. “Maybe a few dates along the West Coast here and there, but I want this to be a local band.”

“Babe, say yes. I’m incomplete without a band.” Matthew never fails to exploit her weaknesses. “You want me to die slowly? The baby is getting out of there soon. In the meantime, we can start choosing shit to record. Release an EP. Do it for me.”

“Oh God, why is he so dramatic?” She raises both hands and waves them. “Let me discuss it with the father of my child, then the doctors, and we’ll give you a date on when I can start. Maybe it’s a no go until the peanut is born.”

“Is that a yes?” My smile broadens. This is the best news I’ve received in a long time.

“Maybe,” AJ responds. “With two conditions. For Mattie to visit more often.” She looks at him and blows him a kiss. “And for you to stop that walking dead performance. It’s quite annoying.”

My sister touches my forearm and stays quiet for a few breaths. “I get it. I know inside it feels like the best option—stay away and never gamble your heart again. But it’s not. You have time to sort your shit out before she’s back.”

“Mrs. Princess, I love you. Go rest.” I hug her.

“I love you both.” She opens the car door and jumps out. “I’d invite you in, but I’m going to take a long nap before I start working.”

We wait for her to get in the house then head to our parents’ place.