A Discovery of Hope (A Coming Home Again Novel Book 3) (17 page)

JP keeps holding me as he speaks against my lips. “I’m a greedy man and usually take what I want.” A long, uneven breath shudders out of him.

“I’m not denying you,” I say breathlessly against his warm lips.

“You should,” he says as he takes a step back. I look at him and cringe at his expression. It’s a look of regret. He places a kiss on my forehead before releasing me and climbing in his Jeep. I want to beg him to stay, but am speechless.

We say nothing else. I watch as he drives off, leaving me completely frustrated. This man running hot to cold is wearing on me. I stay glued in this spot for I’m not sure how long, just listening to the music and waves echoing up from the beach while trying to figure out what I’m going to do with JP Thorton. I come to no conclusions on the matter and decide to go back to my party, feeling lonely and confused yet hopeful at the same time. Peculiar, I know.

Chapter Twenty

We are back to business at the gallery, but there’s a buzz in the air today. Today is a day I’m anxious yet totally excited about. It’s my first gallery party and JP’s photo spread in the Island Travel magazine is one to be celebrated. The entire issue is covered with his photo walk of the Hawaiian Islands last spring. He flew to Honolulu last week for the cover reveal there, but is having one here tonight. And he is in rare form. Luckily it’s Monday and the gallery is closed. Earlier he barked orders to the cleaning crew about everything needing to be cleaned top to bottom, and then barked some orders to me and Duke to swap all of the photos for the new ones he made of all of the images from the Hawaiian Islands. Almost every one of them has already been presold. If my granny had been here and witnessed his frenzy today, she would have said JP has been running around like a chicken with his head cut off.

I’ve never seen him so nervous. I’ve tried to get him to eat some lunch, and almost succeeded before he decided the photos in the alcove wouldn’t do and began rearranging them all. If he wasn’t being so bossy, I would probably find his behavior pretty hilarious. But I don’t.

The florist just delivered several tropical plants and one enormous bouquet of tropical flowers. It’s lush and extravagant and perfect for tonight’s revealing, except it’s in the wrong spot. The delivery crew is already gone and the arrangement is way too big for me to move on my own. Reluctantly, I walk to the alcove and peek my head in. I find JP fiddling with a photo. He sets it on the hook, second-guesses and takes it back down.

“Hey,” I say to get his attention. “The flowers arrived, but I need your help moving the big one.” His tattered T-shirt and wrinkly jeans lend to his disheveled demeanor, and his hair is unkempt as well. It looks as frazzled as him. My hand reaches over and tries smoothing it down some. It’s amazingly soft yet has such a wild mind of its own. The blond strands refuse to cooperate with me and just keep sticking up again.

He glances at me and then glances back to the photo. I give up on his hair and wait for him to answer me, but I get nothing.

“JP,” I say to get his attention again. Still nothing. Sighing loudly, I walk over to the stack and pick out the photo of the smoldering volcano and hang it in the vacant spot. “There. Perfect. Now please come help me.” I look over to him as he studies the picture I chose. He gives his head a firm nod of approval and ushers me back to the front. “I think it should be placed near the easel,” I state as he looks around for the perfect spot. He nods his head again in approval before lifting the massive arrangement and hauling it over to the easel. This is where the poster-size image of the magazine cover will be on display.

JP glances around the gallery and lets out a long breath that sounds as though he’s been holding it all day. “Perfect,” he says.

We are both admiring the floral arrangement brimming with vivid orange, fuchsia, and yellow flowers, when JP steps forward and slips a gorgeous flower out. It has a vibrant yellow center that subtly merges into the pink petals. The pink is exotic and darkens towards the tips. He allows me to inspect the flower’s beauty before tucking it behind my right ear.

His eyes lose the unfocused crazed-look they have been carrying around all day and he finally looks a bit calmer. “Hawaiian women wear a flower tucked behind their right ear to signify they aren’t available.” He now looks a bit smug as he gently weaves his fingers through my hair around the flower.

“You placed mine behind the wrong ear then,” I retort.

“Nope. It’s right where it’s supposed to be. My own Hawaiian Mama.” JP winks. “All you need is a coconut bra and a grass skirt.”

I laugh at this and he joins in. I’m glad too, because he seriously needs to lighten up before tonight. I’m about to step away from him, when he stops me.

“May I please take your picture?” Before I can protest, he has whipped his phone out and taken several.

Duke bustles in the back door at this point. “Greyson says to get your butt outside for a basketball game.” I notice he’s dressed in basketball shorts and shoes, so I guess he’s also playing.

JP automatically goes to grumbling as he works intently on his phone. “The dude is as tall as the flipping basketball goal. I consider that cheating,” he gripes.

Duke looks over at me. “Nice flower, Willow.” He winks before redirecting his attention to JP. “He brought every giant he could find from Rivertown. I think you and I at six-one are the shortest.”

“Awesome. Even better,” JP says full of sarcasm. He still hasn’t looked up from his phone.

“Yeah, and two of them are Crowley’s teenage boys.”

This gets JP to look up and glare at Duke as though that fact is his fault. “Great. Now I really gotta watch my mouth. Crowley will kick my butt if I cuss around his kids, and you know basketball aggravates foul language right out my mouth.” He’s just a grumbling, but I think it’s cute that he’s trying so hard to clean up his language. He fiddles a bit more with his phone before pocketing it. My own phone goes off immediately as he does this. “I gotta go change.”

I watch him stomp up the stairs as I pull my phone out. It’s a text from JP saying,
Aloha
. The picture he just snapped is attached. The background is now an ocean and I look to be standing on a beach. Wow. I need to know what program he has on his phone. The man can do wonders with a photo.

I eye Duke suspiciously as I slide the phone back into my pocket.

“What?” he asks.

“Basketball in the midst of today’s chaos?” I question. I have a feeling this is his doing and not Greyson’s. My heart skips a beat at that thought.
Greyson Stone, World Renowned Supermodel is just outside
. I think I’m blushing.

Duke runs his hand through his purple hair and looks to be debating on what to tell me. “JP doesn’t handle stress well. He used to use a liquor bottle to handle it. The dude was a mess. After his dad died and his sisters came home, he set out to make things right. Him and God had a long talking to a while back and he’s been trying to live better ever since.”

“So this basketball game is a stress intervention,” I say with understanding.

“Exactly. Mr. Hot Head needs to blow off some steam.”

I notice my friend has taken his piercings out. “Where’s all of your hardware?” I ask as I tap his bare eyebrow.

“This game gets nasty,” he says seriously. Duke brushes a kiss on my cheek as JP bustles back down the stairs, carrying his sneakers.

JP leans over the rail, punches Duke in the arm, and says, “Dude.”

Duke throws his hands up. “She’s too beautiful not to kiss.” I can tell he’s goading JP, but JP isn’t taking too kindly to it. Duke laughs and heads back out. Duke has been kissing my cheek since the first day I met him. It shocked me the first few times, but I know it’s his way of showing innocent affection. I wonder if it was one those things his family did. It’s sweet regardless. I’m still baffled by how his tough outer appearance totally contradicts his tender inner self.

JP plops down near the bottom of the steps and begins lacing his shoes. He’s swapped his jeans for his own basketball shorts. I take a moment to admire those tanned legs. He’s still grumbling something about not having time for this crap when he stands and heads for the back door.

“I’ve signed up for that action photography class this fall. You think it would be all right to photo you guys playing for some practice?” I ask his back.

“I guess. Put the wide lens on and be sure to switch the settings to action.” He glances over his shoulder. “I’m going to warn you ahead of time, this game ain’t gonna be pretty. We’ll be out back.”

Well. Between his comment and Duke’s, my curiosity is definitely piqued. They are making out like the sport of basketball is deadly. I laugh as I swap the camera lens for the wide one. I flip it on, but have no idea which setting is for action. I give up trying to figure it out and head outside.

I step out the back door and nearly swallow my tongue at the sight of the gathering at the basketball goal. There’s eight head of very determined-looking hotties. Oh my gracious. I’m about to backtrack inside, when the very tall and very gorgeous Greyson Stone catches me in his sights.

Greyson saunters over and offers his hand. “And just who are you, my lovely lady?” he asks, and I feel my cheeks immediately heat. He’s downright beautiful with that dark blond hair and breathtaking green eyes. Nothing rugged about his looks.

“Willow,” I answer shyly.

Without looking away from me, he asks, “JP, did Savannah finally get you a mail-order bride?” He winks at me and my face really feels like it’s on fire at this point. He releases my hand and chuckles in amusement. I try to discreetly touch the top of my ear to make sure it’s not up in flames.

“No. She got me a photo intern for the summer,” JP rebukes before tossing the ball and knocking Greyson in the back with it playfully. Well… almost playfully. “Now, leave her alone. She’s gonna practice action shots while we make fools of ourselves.”

“About that.” I hold the camera out and JP automatically takes it. “I’m having trouble figuring out the settings.

He flips a few switches and hands it back to me. “Try this.”

At this point, the rest of the guys have strolled over. Duke takes to introducing us. “Willow, this is Crowley Mason.”

Crowley steps forward and takes my hand. “What tropical island did you sail in from?” He winks. “And why on earth would you want to be stuck with this jerk?” He nods his head over to JP and JP takes to punching his arm. Oh my. They are about to give poor JP a hard time. I bite my lip, trying not to laugh as the ribbing continues.

Duke puts his two cents worth in. “She picked me up in art class, but JP stole her from me. Obviously, she’s into jerks.” He shrugs.

JP lets out an aggravated growl as the guys roar out in laughter.

After they settle down, Crowley introduces the two teenagers, who are sure enough a little taller than JP and Duke. “These two are my oldest boys, CJ and JC.”

I shake their hands. “They grow ’em big in Rivertown,” I blurt out to my own embarrassment, wishing my stop sign would start working again. They all chuckle at this. “Those names sound like they could get confusing.”

The oldest nods. “Yeah. Especially in a house with six kids.”

I look over at Crowley. “Wow. Six children. That’s umm… a lot.”

He laughs with his vibrant blueish-green eyes twinkling. “Keeps life interesting.” He motions to the other two guys. “These are my friends, Matt and Jake. If you want a change from jerks, Matt is single and he knows how to play nice.”

JP punches Crowley in the arm at this. I’m beginning to think he’s just going to take all of his aggression out on these guys by beating the mess out of them. “Y’all are the ones who are the jerks. Now, are we playing ball or what?”

With this, they all head over to the basketball goal and divide themselves into teams. Crowley, JC, Matt, and Duke against Greyson, JP, Jake, and CJ. They fuss a little bit about the teams before getting down to the business of playing the dirtiest game of basketball I have ever seen. They’re constantly taunting each other and stealing the ball left and right. They don’t hold back with the pushing and shoving, either. They are slamming into each other with brute force and it’s downright violent. Their bodies are like boulders colliding with ruthless force. They are not holding back in the slightest. Matt, has somehow acquired a long scratch down his left cheek and JP has a small cut on his hand. They are all sporting red blotches in various spots that will probably be purple tomorrow.

Poor JP only slips a few times, but covers the cuss word with one of his sub-words before completely letting it slip out. Lots of drawn-out
hellos
and
aces
and
shoots
are muttered. It cracks me up at how serious they are taking this game.

They huff and yell and keep calling each other out on not playing by the rules. Funny, the one that is yelling is normally breaking a rule himself. It’s fairly aggressive and I’m wondering if this is what street ball truly looks like. Duke and JP are on opposite teams and I swear it looks like JP has been targeting my friend the entire game thus far. Duke has been shoved flat on his behind several times. At one point, the two guys get into a shoving match until Greyson gets up in the midst of it. This time Duke and JP both end up on their butts.

Pansy
,
jerk
,
grandma
, and
punk
are some of the names that keep being spit out as they fight to score. The team that includes Greyson definitely has an advantage. The guy has to be close to seven feet and he seems to score easier than the rest. Obviously, JP is on the winning team. I keep trying to snap pictures, but their movement is so quick and nimble that all of the photos are coming out fuzzy. I obviously have the camera on the wrong setting. That’s my fault because after JP set the buttons I sort of accidently hit one, thinking it was the zoom button. I give up and just watch the fiasco of a game before me. It’s quite entertaining.

Halfway through, they are all washed down in sweat, and I can literally see steam escaping their bodies. They pause long enough to grab water, then commence to shucking off their shirts, with the exception of Greyson. Hope decides to pop up and keep me company while the shirts are being discarded.