UNEDITED
Gemma Alder is used to being the unlucky one in the Alder family: from a nasty rumour about her back in high school to inexplicable mishaps, she seems to be the comical target for unfortunate situations. But if there's one thing she's good...
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Gemma
Jake and I don't rent out a cheap motel for the night. Instead, just to abide by the boundaries we've set, we decide to have a game night with Hanna, who is over the moon about me being back in their lives. Half an hour after our small walk – and after a quick stop at the grocery store to buy snacks and something for dinner – we're seated in the living room of Jake and Hanna's house, legs crossed, and a game of Monopoly in the midst of being set up. Jake and I are both sipping glasses of red wine, while Hanna is drinking some kind of soda vodka, which I applaud Jake for letting her do – in moderation. When we were teenagers, we started drinking at seventeen, which Hanna now is as of last week. Besides, I think we're all warranted for a drink at this point.
"I'm so sorry I missed your birthday," I repeat for the hundredth time.
Hanna waves it off, taking a small sip of her drink. As much as she wanted to have a drink with us, she appears to be uneasy about drinking it. She also grimaces every time she takes a sip. Honestly, I think the girl is trying to choke it down just so she doesn't disappoint us.
"Han," Jake says softly. "You don't have to drink it if you don't want to. There's no shame in not liking alcohol."
"Good," Hanna sighs, getting to her feet. She walks over to the kitchen sink and dumps the contents of the can down the drain. "Because I'm not a fan. I'll stick with lemonade for now."
I chuckle softly as I deal out the money into three separate piles, starting with the ones. In a lot of ways, Hanna reminds me of Jake. And maybe that's just because he took over raising her, but aside from similar mannerisms and the same colour eyes, both of them are very vocal about what they like and dislike. They're also very dependable; no matter what happens, they're always going to be there for you.
I'm counting out the one-hundreds when Jake sidles up next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. Instantly, I melt into him, soaking up the warmth of his body and breathing in the scent of sun-drenched linen from his cotton shirt. "I'm trying to set up the game," I mutter.
"I know," he replies, nuzzling his nose against the corner of my jaw. "I'm just trying to make up for lost time."
"I'm going to run upstairs and change into some sweatpants!" Hanna calls from the kitchen. "I'll be right back."
"Take your time," Jake replies.
I suppress an eye roll, knowing exactly where this is going. I'm not complaining, but ever since we got here, Jake has been all over me – not in a creepy, obsessive Olive-type way, but just holding my hand, making sure his shoulder is touching mine, kissing me on the cheek. The small things that really matter to me. The ones that make my heart feel warm and content.
Sure enough, Jake's mouth crashes down on mine, and even though I was expecting it, I'm frozen and stunned for a moment. That being said, my body seems to know exactly what to do even if my brain is lagging. Tossing aside the fake money, I crawl onto Jake's lap and straddle him, my hands cupping his face. The stubble on his jaw scratches my palms. His tongue strokes the inside of my mouth, stoking the fire that's burning in my blood. There's no place I feel safer than where I am right now, wrapped in his strong arms and knowing that out of all the ups and downs we've been through, he's kept on choosing me.
