All Pepped Up (Pepper Jones) (17 page)

Even
Claire has loosened up. And Jenny, only a freshman, doesn’t seem the least bit intimidated by the Barbies. I drag Jace up from the couch to dance with me, and pretty soon the girls have gotten all the boys to join in our dance party.

Apparently no one has to worry about driving because Jace told people ahead of time they can crash at his house.

It’s two in the morning when the energy starts to wind down. I guess I can be a bossy drunk because I demand that everyone get into their pajamas so that I’m not the only one in mine.

“You sure you want me in mine? You know I only sleep in
my underwear, Pep,” Jace says softly in my ear.

“I think I’m ready for bed anyway,” I tell him, turning to snuggle into his arms. I’ve tried not to
give in to my urge to be in his arms all night so that I can spend time with everyone else. But I’m really looking forward to being alone with him.

“Al
l right, party people,” Jace announces. “The birthday girl is ready for bed. Find any couch or floor space to crash on.” He scoops me up and carries me downstairs as our friends cheer and whoop.

“Are they going to be okay on the floor? I can send people to my apartment.”

“I knew you’d be concerned about everyone else, so I told them ahead of time to bring sleeping bags. We’ve got it covered, Pep, don’t worry.”

Jace plops
me on his bed and places kisses along my legs as he takes off my yoga pants. I prop up on my elbows to watch him as he takes his own pants and shirt off.

“Are you tired?” he asks softly.

“No,” I whisper. And judging by the smoldering look in his eyes, he likes my answer.

Jace pulls my hips to the edge of the bed and settles onto his knees. He gently kisses my stomach, and I continue watching him as he slowly slides my underwear down my legs. He’s never touched me there before.
I’m completely exposed. But I don’t feel shy. I trust Jace like no one else.

“I’m going to make sure you don’t forget this birthday, Pep. Are you ready to feel really good?” he asks, his hand gently massaging my inner thighs but not touching my most private place.

I nod, wide-eyed. He reaches to move a pillow behind my head. “Just relax,” he instructs. I let my head fall back as I give myself over to Jace’s caresses.

My eyes drift closed and I simply let myself feel every wonderful sensation. Is it possible to be any happier?

***

The rest of the weekend is just as blissful. Except when Jace asks about my race, and I’m reminded about the
spikes-stealing incident. I hate keeping things from him but he’ll just get angry and it’s not an embarrassment I want to rehash.

Jim stayed out with Sheila and we have the house to ourselves Sunday morning. Jace and Wes team up to make everyone pancakes. After a short jog with Dave, I meet Jace at a park with Annie and some friends she’s made
since she moved back. It’s kind of strange playing Frisbee and grilling burgers with people twenty years older than us. They act like we’re just their buddies, not kids.

My bias against Annie starts to break down when she stops by my house later that week after my birthday dinner with Gran and Jace. It’s a Wednesday night, so we
keep the celebration low-key.

Gran hasn’t seen Annie since she returned. Annie actually breaks down crying when Gran gives her a hug. When she declines the alcoholic beverage Gran offers, Gran is not shy asking about her addiction recovery.

“So, what exactly were you addicted to, dear?”

Annie can’t hide the small s
mile at Gran’s boldness. “Oh, just about anything I could get my hands on. It changed for periods of time depending on what was available, who I was hanging with. I kept moving to new towns, thinking if I got away from the people I used with that I could stop. But it would start all over again.”

I glance at Jace, curious
how much of this the two of them have already discussed. His expression doesn’t give anything away but he takes my hand and squeezes.

Gran nods. “You look a lot better than you did at 25, or however old you were when I last saw you.”

“Thanks. I feel better too.” She looks down at her hands. “I wish it hadn’t taken me so long to get here, but I’m glad I’m back.”

“Well, let’s make sure you stay then,” Gran says sternly. “Are you in a recovery group or seeing a counselor?”

“I go to NA meetings. Narcotics Anonymous,” she clarifies. “And Helen’s been really great. She was one of my only sober friends in college. And she’s been real supportive.”

Before heading home, Annie hands me a wrapped gift. It’s a double frame with two photos of Jace and me. One is crumpled and worn, but it’s me as a little girl, with my face covered in
chocolate ice cream. Jace is trying to lick it off my cheek and I’m laughing. The photo next to it was taken on Saturday after the game. Jace has lifted me off my feet and we’re grinning at each other. We look totally in love.

“I’m sorry the older one isn’t in great shape. I’ve had it for a very long time,” Annie says nervously.

“Thank you, Annie. This is a really amazing gift.” I try to convey gratitude in my voice. When I give her a hug, my gaze catches Jace’s from the door. His eyes are filled with some deep emotion that I can’t identify. I’ve never seen him look so moved.

He walks out with Annie after
giving me and Gran kisses on the cheek.

When Annie showed up at the Wilders’ back in February
, I never could have predicted this is how things would work out. It’s not what I expected, but it doesn’t matter. Jace has never been so content. The turmoil that’s always simmering deep in him has disappeared.

I notice Gran’s cheeks are wet when I give her a hug on my way to my bedroom. She feels it too.

It shouldn’t surprise me that Dorothy takes it upon herself to ensure that my blissful state doesn’t last too long.

“Oh, hi Pepper,” she says dismissively, as though she didn’t purposefully plant herself in front of my locker on Monday morning.

“What do you want, Dorothy?”

“I heard you didn’t quite have it on Saturday in the mile.” She looks down at her nails before flicking her eyes up to gauge my reaction.

I stare her down, refusing to give a response.

“You know, you wouldn’t have to deal with inconveniences like misplacing your spikes if you just ended things with Jace. He’s going to college soon and it’s not going to last. You might as well save yourself some trouble.” She smirks. “Because there’s bound to be trouble.”

“I’m not going to break up with Jace, Dorothy. So just give it up.” I try to say it like her threats are meaningless. But if she could feel my heart rate, she’d know I’m worried. If it was only Dorothy I was dealing with, it’d be different. But Madeline is behind this.

“You should just let him enjoy some freedom for the rest of his senior year. He will anyway. But why make him feel guilty about it?” She shrugs before spinning around and walking away.

I turn to my locker, but I’m so distracted that I find myself fumbling with the lock. Dorothy’s getting to me. What are they going to come up with next to mess with me and Jace? He’s so happy right now; why do these girls have to put that in jeopardy?

I feel warm breath on my neck and watch tan hands take mine and move them away from my lock. His body is pressed warmly against my back as he turns my lock and opens it on the first try. I turn around, captured between his arms.

“Thanks.”

“What was Dorothy talking to you about?” Jace asks. His jaw clenches as he grips my hips and tugs me flush against him.

I avoid his question. “She’s probably the one who sent those photos. You know that, right?”

He nods.

“I guess she’s doing Madeline’s dirty work. Trying to tell me worse things will come if I don’t just break up with you.” Rolling my eyes, I turn to my locker to get my books. He’s scrutinizing me and I don’t want him to know how much her words worried me.

“Let me handle her.” His voice is gentle but stern.

“Who? Madeline or Dorothy?”

“Both. I thought I’d sent Madeline a pretty clear message already, but apparently not,” he says tightly.

“Don’t do anything yet, Jace. Kayla’s already planning to mess with Dorothy, and I don’t want to turn this into a bigger thing than it is.” I don’t want to think about how crazy it could get if Jace gets involved. He’s never handled things subtly. Talk about disturbing our peaceful happy place.

He narrows his eyes. “I’ll talk to Kayla. Maybe it’s best if the girls handle it for now.”

I kiss him lightly on the lips for agreeing with me.

“Wes is throwing a party on Saturday. Will you be up for it after your meet? The meet’s up in the mountains, right? You might not get back until late.”

“I can come by,” I tell him. He takes my hand as we walk
toward class.

“He wants you there. It’s going to be a big one. But if you’re exhausted, it’s no problem. I’ll come by to hang out with you.”

“Hang out?” I flutter my eyelashes, remembering the way Saturday night ended.

“Or something…” he says with a sexy smirk.

“That’s not going to help motivate me to go to Wes’s, Jace.”

We pause in front of my classroom.

“You know it means a lot to Wes that you’re friends with him again. I feel pretty shitty that you guys stopped hanging for so long because of me,” Jace confesses.

“Well, it’s not like Wes didn’t play a part. He dropped me. I wasn’t even put in a position of having to choose.”

Jace’s eyes darken and his forehead creases at my remark.

I tilt me head at his disturbed expression. “You know I would have chosen you, if it came to it,” I tease.

“Not a joking matter, Pep.” Holding my chin, he kisses me on the head and pats my butt before nudging me into class.

***

This time when we arrive at the track meet, I don’t feel nervous. In fact, I don’t feel much at all about racing the 2-mile today. I’m rather indifferent. Apathetic.

Because
the meet’s far away, we travel as a team in a school bus. I do my homework on the way there while most of my teammates fall back to sleep. I like getting assignments out of the way so I can spend more time with Jace on the weekends. Although he has actually been doing his homework with me more often these days. It’s an odd time to start caring about school, given that he’s about to graduate and already has a college athletic scholarship. I wonder if Annie being around has anything to do with it.

The clouds in the sky threaten rain as Zoe and I warm up for the
2-mile. I usually race my best in cooler weather like this. Maybe my lack of nervousness will help me race better. I’m trying to stay positive, but there’s an icky feeling brewing about this race that I can’t ignore.

The tennis team isn’t playing here, so at least I don’t have to worry about my spikes getting stolen.

The 2-mile is one of the first races of the day. Ryan’s racing it as well, and he and Charlie jog up next to us during our warm up run. As Charlie and Zoe chat about something, Ryan says quietly, “Hey, I haven’t had a chance to thank you for talking to Lisa.”

“Oh, she told you about that?”

“She didn’t say much about your conversation, but she hasn’t questioned me about the photos since.”

“You know, Ryan, I was hoping maybe we could start hanging out and being friends more, but I have a feeling we won’t be able to get away with that now. At least not for a little while.”

I glance at him from the corner of my eye, curious for his reaction. He flashes a dimpled smile, telling me he’s happy I’m hoping we can be closer again in the future. Even if we have to put it on hold for now. I think that my relationship with Jace is strong enough to withstand Ryan and me being friends, but it’s not worth the gossip that will inevitably follow in light of the recent photo texts.

“I’d like that, Pepper,” he says. “I’ve missed you. As a friend, I mean,” he quickly clarifies.

We pass Coach, who calls Zoe and me over while the boys continue on their warm-up run.

“You remember Kendra Smith?” Coach
asks me.

“
The name sounds familiar. Didn’t she win State?” The State cross meet was a bit of a disaster race for me this past fall, but I managed to get by just enough to qualify for the next big race – Regionals – thanks to Jenny who gave up her qualifying spot.

“Yup. Great runner. She usually runs a sound race. I saw she’s seeded right behi
nd you today in the 2-mile. It’d be smart to just settle in with her and let her set the pace.”

I like the sound of that. I won’t have to think about much.

“Unless she’s really off pace, then you’ll probably need to run your own race. I don’t think there will be anyone else for you to run with.”

Coach moves on to talk to Zoe about her race
. Zoe is trying to qualify for State too, but she’ll be a ways behind me. She qualified last year and I bet she’ll do it again, but it’s not as much of a sure thing as it is for me.