The Step Brother

31. Sleepover.

Jace

He's relieved when Liam agrees to being their designated driver, tossing him the keys without hesitation. It's once he stands that he realizes how drunk he actually is. Still able to walk but his head is floating and he feels all warm inside. He hasn't drank this much in a while, even by himself. Because usually it leads to him going down memory lane and it's a domino effect from there when it comes to sorrow...

Except tonight is different. Tonight, there's no possible room for sorrow to exist. How could there be when he's finally got his girl back? Not entirely back, obviously, but she's here and that's all that matters.

"I call shot gun!" Will giggles as they approach his jeep.

"You don't think that seat should be reserved for the owner of the vehicle?" Liam asks.

She stops in front of the passenger door and glances at Jace over her shoulder. There's a mischievous glint to her brown eyes. "Oh, I don't have to ask. I'll always be his passenger Princess. Right, Jace?"

It's the way she says his name. It's enough to tempt the indecent thoughts he's been holding back since he first saw her in that damn red dress.

But even under the influence, he's painfully aware they're not alone. Especially when Liam opens the passenger door for her before he can.

"I don't think I've seen you this drunk since graduation." Liam observes once they're all buckled in and the ignition roars to life.

Will tilts her head back against the head rest. Her eyes drift to Jace, who's purposely placed himself behind the driver's seat so he can keep his eyes on her. Now that he's seen her after six years again, he doesn't want to look away.

"It's a night to celebrate." She shrugs a shoulder.

"That it is." Jace agrees from the back seat.

"I take it Jason didn't show up then?" Liam asks once they're on the road driving towards the high way. Luckily it's not that far of a drive back to the rental property.

"Jason?" Will repeats the name like it's a foreign word.

"Jason your ex...?" Liam lets on, waiting for that recognition to appear on her face.

And it does. Temporarily, Jace can see it even from back here, in the darkness of the car. Her eyes glance at him in her peripheral vision. It's quick, so quick he almost doesn't catch it.

He sits up in his seat and leans forward more in order to hear what she has to say. She doesn't know that he knows who Jason really is.

"Oh, right, that guy," Will shakes her head. "No. No Jason in sight."

"That's a good thing, right? I mean, you've been freaking out since you found out—"

She cuts off her friend. "I don't think my brother wants to hear about my ex boyfriend—"

"I'd very much like to hear about him," Jace says. She's made passing comments all night but not enough for him to know 100% how she feels about him now. It's too good of a chance to let slip by. "Please. Don't stop on my account."

Her lips purse and she nods slowly. There's a beat of silence and then, "No, I didn't see Jason tonight. I'm not sure if he'll be at the wedding. I mean, Ryder and Zoey know it was a pretty bad break up so..."

"I forgot to tell you, I saw him a bit ago. Yeah, I passed him in the mall one day. Poor guy looked like shit. I don't think he ever really recovered from the break up." Jace speaks up. It's 100% owed to the old fashions he consumed earlier. "Maybe you should give him a call?"