Alive (Mended Hearts #1) (12 page)

“Hi,”
she answers. My stress from the last few hours instantly disappears at the sound of her voice.

“Hi
. You okay?”

“I am now. You?”
she breathes into the phone.

“I am now.”
Maisie’s like my stress release, and she doesn’t even know it.

“Was everything okay in the end? I was worried about you.” The last thing I want
is for her to be worried about me. I bet she’s been going crazy, getting herself worked up, wondering what is happening. I need to make it up to her.

“Everything is fine. I just had some family business to sort out. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m a big boy
, remember.” She laughs her magical laugh down the phone, and my stomach does somersaults from the sound.

“I wouldn’t know
,” she says cheekily. It makes me laugh.

“You will one day
, baby. You just wait. You won’t know what’s hit you,” I drawl down the phone, earning a gasp. Oh yeah, she’s speechless. One nil to me.

“You are so cocky
, Jesse. It’s unreal. And who’s to say I want to see it one day?”

“Touché
, my little firecracker. However, I guarantee you will sooner or later. I’m hoping for sooner. I’m not going to lie. After today’s little taster, I can’t wait for the full package experience.” Maisie gasps again, and I just laugh. I love winding her up.

“For that, you’re never getting the full package experience
,” she states matter-of-factly.

“I’m joking. I said I’d wait however long it takes until you’re ready
, and I meant it, Maisie. I’ll wait forever if I have to,” I say honestly. And I would. Even if I die before I get a taste of her, I’ll die a happy man because I got to spend time with the most amazing woman. And she’s all mine.

“Thank you
, Jesse. It means a lot,” she replies solemnly.

For the next half hour, we talk about everything and anything. We never run out of conversation. It flows easily. We laugh a lot and even have a few serious conversations.

I hear my mom shout that dinner’s here, reminding me that I have to ask Maisie. “I told my mom about you. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not.
What did she say?” Just come straight out with it. The worst she can say is no, right?

“She’s over the moon
, actually. She didn’t think I’d ever get a girlfriend.” She laughs at that. I knew she would. “She wants to meet you.”

“When?”

“Next week. You don’t have to if you’re not ready. I just thought I’d ask.” I hold my breath waiting for her reply.

“I’d love to.” I release the breath I had been holding. Thank God she agreed. Mom is going to be so happy. Now
, I get to let my two favorite ladies meet each other.

“Great. I’ll let
Mom know. She said she’ll cook something for dinner, so make sure you don’t eat after lunch. She makes big portions.”

“Ok. I’ll let you go then. I’ll
talk to you tomorrow. Night, Jesse.”

“Sweet dreams
, Maisie.” I disconnect the call and look up at the ceiling. I miss hearing her voice already. I’m falling for her
hard,
but right now, I don’t even care because I’m happy, all thanks to the beautiful, little Maisie.

“Jesse? Dinner
’s getting cold,” Mom shouts again. I better go and tell my mom the good news. She’s going to be ecstatic.

Chapter
10

Maisie

I’ve been in a relationship with Jesse for a week now. It’s been the best week of my life. We’ve been hanging out, going down to the beach, or sometimes he comes back here and we watch a movie. Jesse and Chloe get along, which is a bonus. Chloe never used to really like Matt, just put up with him for my sake. Jesse and Jake were already friends, so I didn’t have to worry about that. Jake gave him the big brother talk, which I expected would happen. I laughed in Jake’s face when he said he would hunt Jesse down and beat the ever living shit out of him. Jake wouldn’t stand a chance against him, but I appreciate his concern for me. I really do.

Today is the day I’ve been dreading for the last week. I’m meeting Jesse’s mum. I know I told
him I was fine with it, and I am. However, we’ve only been together for a week. I didn’t meet Matt’s mom until we had been dating for three months. This is pretty fast for me, but it means a lot to Jesse. For him, I would do anything.

My clothes are thrown across my bed
, and I’m standing next to it, getting frustrated. I don’t have a clue what to wear. Nothing I have seems good enough for meeting Jesse’s mom. Where’s Chloe when I need her? She’s good at this sort of thing. She would have an outfit picked out in minutes. Me? I’ve been staring at my clothes for the past twenty minutes and still haven’t come to a decision. I’m going to have to cancel if I can’t put something together in the next ten minutes. Jesse’s picking me up in an hour, and I still have to shower. Today is not my day, it seems!

“
Fuck sake!
” I scream out loud.

“
For all that is holy, what on earth are you screaming about?” Chloe asks as she comes through the door.

“Thank God you’re here. I’m having a disaster
,” I say irately.

“Why are your clothes
all over your bed? You having a clear out, because there may be a few things I want to pinch if you are.” At this rate, she can have all of my clothes.

“No, I’m not having a clear out. I’m meeting Jesse’s mom today
, and I have nothing to wear. I’m going to have to cancel,” I say, throwing my arms out to the side in frustration. She just laughs at me, so I crunch my eyes at her, letting her know that I’m not amused.

“Okay. You’re not going to cancel. I’ll help you. Let me see what you have.” She stands next to me
, looking down at the options. “Well, you can’t wear this or this,” she says, throwing some of my old sweaters and jeans on the floor.

“See… I have nothing to wear. What am I going to do
, Chloe?” I whine, putting my head in my hands. 

“Oh
, stop being so dramatic. You have tons of clothes. Plus, if you don’t want to wear anything here, you can always borrow something of mine,” she replies, lifting her eyebrows at me. Why didn’t I think of that? We’ve always shared clothes. I blame it on the nerves. It’s making me lose my mind.

“Thank you. Can I see what you have?”

“Of course.”

I spend the next ten minutes looking through her clothes
and trying to find something to wear. In the end, we decide on a simple white sundress that has a daisy pattern and my blue Mary Janes. It’s perfect.

“You’re a life saver
, Chloe. What would I do without you?” I ask, giving her a hug. I truly would be lost without her by my side.

“
Be half of the person that you are now,” she says, laughing.

Laughing too, I say, “Probably.
Okay, I’ve got to jump in the shower. I’ll see you in ten.” I make my way to the bathroom, get undressed, and jump into the shower.

I’m out and ready within twenty minutes. That’s a record, I’m sure. Checking the time, I see that I have thirty minutes until Jesse picks me up. I’d rather just get this over and done with, as my nerves are building up, but they probably aren’t ready for me yet. I need something to keep my mind off of it
, and I know the perfect thing. Chloe is lying on her bed, texting Evan probably. I’ll ask how that’s going. “So… How are you and Evan?” Chloe looks up from her cell, a confused look on her face.

“Huh?”
she asks, sitting up and putting her cell down on the bed.

“I
asked, how are you and Evan?”

“Oh, yeah
, we’re good,” she replies vaguely, shrugging her shoulders. That doesn’t sound good.

“Just good?
You don’t seem too happy to talk about it,” I say, trying to dig for information. Hopefully she’ll give me some. Chloe is usually quite secretive and likes to keep things to herself, and usually I don’t push because she always tells me eventually, but this is different. I don’t think she’s happy. She’s just lying to herself that she is to take her mind off of Jake.

“What do you want me to say
, Maisie?” she asks defensively. “Does he make me happy? Yes. Do we have a laugh together? Yes. But do I see him as a long-term boyfriend? No, I don’t think I do, and you know why. Your fucking brother won’t get out of my Goddamn head. I just want to feel loved and be happy. Evan gives me that, Maisie. Is it so wrong for me to be happy for once?” Tears well up in her eyes until she’s crying. Dammit, Jake. I knew this would happen. I knew one of them would get hurt eventually, and it seems that it’s Chloe. She puts on a tough image, but she’s not. She’s not tough at all, and it breaks my heart because I can’t do a damn thing about it. I can’t tell my brother to pull his head out of his ass and sort his act out. He’s nineteen, for crying out loud. And the sad thing? I don’t think he will realize what he could have had until it’s too late. Chloe won’t wait around forever; she’s making that clear now, but she’s doing it the wrong way, settling for second best when she deserves the best.

Rushing to sit next to her, I pull her into a hug. “No
, it’s not wrong for you to be happy, Chlo. But you shouldn’t settle for the first person that makes you happy. You should settle for someone who treats you as his world, and you treat them back the same. You may feel like that won’t happen, but it will. I promise. Look at me and Jesse. I didn’t think I’d ever meet someone I could trust again after Matt, but I have, and you will too. So please, don’t settle for anything more than the best.”

She sniffles, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.
“You’re right. I think I need to end it with Evan then. I mean, he’s a really nice guy, but he’s not for me.” In other words, he’s not my brother.

“I think it’s for the best
, Chlo.” My cell rings, distracting me from what I was going to say. Jesse’s calling. “One minute,” I say to Chloe, answering the phone. “Hi.”

“Hi
, sweetheart. I’m downstairs.” Just hearing his voice brings a smile to my face.

“I’ll be down in a minute.
Just talking to Chloe.”

“Okay. See you in a minute.” Disconnecting the call, I look at a Chloe. Her perfect
ly made up face now has make-up smeared all down it.

“I take it Jesse’s downstairs?” Chloe asks, reaching for the tissues and blowing her nose.

“Yeah, he is. I don’t want to leave you when you’re like this, though.” I want to be there for her like she is for me.

“Don’t be silly. I can look after myself. You go have fun with your boyfriend
,” she says, trying to smile for my sake. I can see right through it, though.

“I won’t be back late. Then we can talk about this more if you want?” I
say, picking up my denim jack.

“Yeah
, okay. You better go, or you’re going to be late,” she says, pushing me toward the door. I laugh at her eagerness to get rid of me.

“See you later
,” I say, walking down the hallway.

“Have fun!”
she shouts down the hall, closing the door behind her. Now that I haven’t got anything to focus on, my nerves are back full force. My body is shaking, and my palms sweating when I open the door downstairs and step out into the breezy air. At least if I do sweat from nerves, the breeze will be able to dry it. Not a very lady like thought, but it’s all I have right now.

“
Hey, hey, sexy!” Jesse catcalls out loud. Damn him. Now, I’m bright red as well as sweaty.

Jesse is st
anding in his usual spot, leaning against his bike, but something’s different about him… He doesn’t have his leather jacket on. He has a red and white flannel shirt that is unbuttoned, showing the white top underneath. Everything else about him is the same, but my heart still beats fast like that first time I saw him. Snapping out of my Jesse haze, the heat in my cheeks reminds me of what he’s just done. I give him the stink eye, take the helmet from his hands, and climb onto his bike, ignoring him the whole time.

“Are you ignoring me
, firecracker?” he asks, standing next to me and laughing. I don’t find it funny right now. Usually, I probably would, but my nerves are making me tense.

“Yes,” I say, still not looking at him.

“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you,” he says, touching my arm. My bad mood instantly vanishes, just from his touch. It’s like he has magical powers. He probably does. Feeling bad about the way I acted, I take the helmet off so I can see him better.

“No
, it’s okay. I’m just nervous to meet your mom. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. You were only joking around.” I give him a smile to let him know I’m sorry.

“Don’t be nervous. I know
it’s scary meeting the parents, well, in my case, parent, but my mom is excited to meet you. She’s not scary. Trust me. She’s the most amazing woman, and you will love her. I know you will. If you’re not ready for this, though, just tell me. I can explain it to my mom,” he says seriously, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I lean my face into his palm, reveling in his touch.

“No, I want to meet your mom. I’m just scared. I’m sure as soon as I meet her, I will be fine. Come on
. Let’s go before we’re late,” I say, moving my head from his palm. I miss his touch straight away.

“As soon as I do this
,” he says, moving forward and placing a kiss on my lips. Oh God, I’ve missed his kisses. I just saw him yesterday too. The kiss ends way too soon and, before I know it, he’s moving to straddle his bike and wrapping my arms around him. If I could have my way, I’d kiss him forever. His lips are so addictive. At least, I still get to touch him. Feeling his ripped abs through my hands, I sigh in contentment. He is my home. I feel whole again, now that I’m with him.

****

All too soon, we’re pulling up outside a two-story house. I’m guessing this is Jesse’s home. It’s nice looking, not too huge or too small. It’s just the right size for the two of them. They obviously take good care of their home, as the garden has been decorated beautifully. Flowers of all colors are spread around the outside of the grass.

“Welcome to my humble abode,” Jesse says, pointing me in the direction of his home.

“It’s beautiful,” I tell him, and I mean it. I can see myself living in a house just like this when I’m older.

“Come on
. Mom’s probably got dinner ready,” he says. He grabs my hand, and we walk toward the front door.

It opens just as we reach it. Standing there is a woman
roughly the same height as me, who looks to be in her forties. I’m guessing it’s his mother. She has brown hair shaped in a bob, dark brown eyes with flecks of gold, and gentle facial features. I wouldn’t be able to tell that this is Jesse’s mom if it wasn’t for her eyes. They are the spitting image of Jesse’s. It calms me instantly, looking into eyes like the ones I love so much.

“You must be Maisie. Aren’t you just beautiful
?” she says, pulling me into her embrace. I awkwardly hug her back. I’m not used to this sort of affection from strangers. As I pull away, I try to smile my bravest smile, though I’m sure I just look deranged.

“That is me
,” I say, laughing awkwardly. Why the hell did I just say that? Obviously, I’m Maisie. I’m such an idiot.

“Come on
. Let’s get you inside. Don’t want you standing here all night,” she says, obviously ignoring my stupid comment. Great first impression, Maisie.

Jesse’s mom shows me to the couch, where I
awkwardly sit down on the edge.

“You have a beautiful house
, Mrs Cohen,” I say, trying to show her that I’m normal.

“Oh
, please, call me Anna,” she says, waving her hand in the air.

“You have a beautiful house
, Anna,” I say, testing her name out. I’m sure I will get used to it after a while. 

“Thank you. Jesse helps keep it maintained. He’s such a good boy.”
I can see pride beaming in her eyes as she talks about her son. She obviously adores him. It’s a lovely thing to witness. Looking over at Jesse, I see the same look in his eyes, directed at his mom. I knew they were close, but this proves just how close they are.

“Yes
, he is.” I smile at Jesse. My earlier nerves have vanished. He was right. I already love his mom, and I’ve only been here five minutes. I don’t know what I was worrying about.

“I hope you like spaghetti and meatballs. I know it’s not very adventurous
, but it’s my specialty,” Anna says, standing up and walking into the kitchen.