The Bad Boy's Dance (50 page)

              “They’re old, who knows?” Derek joked. “This is it.”

              The spot was beautiful. A patch of brilliant green grass (which was rare in a South Dakota winter) neighboring a merry bubbling pond. Derek spread the blanket, and they arranged the food around them.

              “Mm, this smells delicious,” Jodi told him. “Where’d you get it?”

              “Phoebe’s Pastries,” Derek popped a grape in his mouth. Jodi watched his throat work with the fascination of a caveman to fire.

              “I always get a discount there,” she bragged.

              “What? No fair!”

              Jodi shrugged smugly and picked up a sandwich. “She and her husband are Ivy’s best friends, duh. I’m the cute little sister.”

              “Well they’re right about one thing, you’re cute,” Derek agreed, and leaned towards her, tangling a hair in her ringlets. “Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”

              “Happy Valentine’s Day,” she managed to say before he kissed her.

              She loved kissing Derek. He kissed slow and deep, unlike the saliva eager boys at her school.

              They laid on the blanket, Jodi’s head on Derek’s chest and his arm around her back while the other played with her ringlets.

              Jodi wondered if this was the right time to tell Derek she loved him. She’d wanted to tell him ever since they got back together. She wanted to tell him how her stomach tightened and her heart beat fast whenever those little crinkles appeared around his eyes when he smiled, or how she loved it when he kissed her temple absently, almost like it was automatic for him.

              But telling him on Valentine’s Day? It seemed so cheesy. Was it worth it to get this weight off her chest?

              “Derek…”she started hesitantly. Jodi sat up. “I wanted to tell you something.”

              “Mhmm?” He was still lying on the blanket, looking at her with half-lidded lazy eyes and twirling a ringlet around his finger. She wished she had a camera.

              She took a deep breath. She could do this, she could. “Derek, I-”

              The sound of stomping broke her focus. Derek sat up. “Do you hear that?”

              She nodded.

              They both stared in the direction of the noise, and they both stood, with Derek stationing himself in front of Jodi.

              “I
do not
understand how you find this enjoyable, tell me babe, do nails on a chalkboard get your engine running too?”

              Jodi’s mouth formed an O at the same time Derek tilted his head back to beseech the sky.

              Daria entered the clearing, followed by a highly amused Eddie. They skidded to a halt in front of the blanket, and the surprise on Daria’s face was priceless. Eddie looked less astounded, but he did reach over to grab a handful of grapes.

              “Oh my God. You have
got
to be kidding me,” Daria finally spoke. “You’re still going out with
her
?”

              Derek’s hand curled into fists at his sides. “Yes, I am. And I plan on going out with
Jodi
for a very long time, Daria. I don’t give a shit whether you like it or not.”

              Daria’s head whipped towards Jodi, who was still behind Derek. “You just couldn’t wait to sink your claws into him too, could you? No survivors in the wake of Hurricane Jodi Robello.”

              Jodi felt the anger stored in her chest for the last year bubble and spill over. “What. The. Hell!” she snarled, and stepped out from behind Derek to get into Daria’s face. “What the HELL is your problem with me?”

              Daria didn’t so much as blink. “Don’t you get high and mighty with me, you cold bitch.”

              “Did you just call me the b-word?” Jodi gasped.

              “What are you, two years old?” Daria snapped. “B-I-T-C-H. It’s what you are.”

              Jodi had been taught to solve her problems with her words, not her fists, but she took exception this time. She shoved Daria with all her might, sending the athletic girl staggering back several steps.

              “Oh it’s on,” Daria sneered, hurling herself at Jodi.

              “Chick fight!” Eddie cheered in the background.

              They went sprawling into the food. Jodi grabbed the whipped cream and sprayed it all over Daria, who sputtered and slapped Jodi with the nearest sandwich, sending lettuce down her shirt.

              “What is your problem?” Jodi screeched, wrestling Daria back as she reached for the grapes.

              “You breaking my brother’s heart is my problem!” Daria bellowed, twisting and planting her foot in Jodi’s stomach. Jodi released an ‘oomph’ and hit the dirt.

              “That’s enough!” Derek roared, startling both of them into stillness.

              Derek easily pulled Jodi to her feet and Eddie took care of his girl, dusting her off and massaging her shoulders. “You totally kicked her ass,” he said not-so-quietly.

              “I know. Shh,” Daria replied, watching her brother.

              “I am sick and tired of this!” Derek was livid. “Two of the most important people in my life can’t stand each other. Daria, Jodi broke up with me because fighting with you made me miserable. We tried to stay away from each other because you didn’t like her, but we hated it. I begged her to take me back, and we’ve been keeping our relationship a secret because of
you
.”

              “Why do you hate me so much?” Jodi asked quietly. “I haven’t done anything to you.”

              Daria ran her hand through her short brown hair. “I didn’t know that.”

              Derek threw up his hands. “Every time I bring up Jodi, you get this sour look on your face and I know anything I say will just go over your head.”

              Daria turned to look at Jodi. “I didn’t hate you, not at first. I thought you were one of the only cool people at school.”

              “What did I do?” Jodi was genuinely curious.

              Daria studied her. “You really don’t know?”

              “I don’t have a clue,” Jodi said honestly.

              “You dumped Levi Schmitt because he didn’t meet your standards and told the whole school he slept with Petri Peters.”

              Jodi was appalled. “What? That’s a total lie!”

              Derek glanced at her. “Didn’t you go out with Levi freshman year?”

              “Yes, but-that’s not why I broke up with him!”

              “Oh yeah?” Daria didn’t look convinced. 

              “Of course not! I broke up with him because-” she cut herself off. The clouds had covered the sun again, and Jodi was beginning to feel the cold seep through her clothes. She wanted to step into Derek’s warmth, but it wasn’t the ideal situation for it.

              “Because?” Daria prompted, arms crossed over her chest and pixie face expectant.

              “He wanted me to have sex with him and I wasn’t ready!” She stared angrily at the ground. “Happy?”

              Derek pulled her into the circle of his arms, but she remained stiff.

              “Then how’d the rumor get started?” Daria pushed.

              “I don’t know! Wait a minute…” Jodi paused, and a wave of realization hit her. “This was in January?”

              Daria nodded.

              Jodi groaned and buried her nose into Derek’s collar. “Damn it, Mindy.”

              “Your friend, Mindy? What does she have to do with this?” Derek wondered.

              “Levi had told the whole school I was a kinky and weird in bed and that’s why he broke up with me. Total hogwash, basically. I was willing to let it roll of my shoulders, but Mindy is like a Rottweiler.” It was ironic, really. Nobody who looked at the tiny Asian girl had any idea she was had such a huge bite. “She wouldn’t let it go. I’m willing to bet my sister’s baby she was the one who spread the rumor.”

              “Sounds pretty accurate, babe,” Eddie added to Daria. His girlfriend stroked her chin thoughtfully.

              “So you aren’t an uppity cold gold-digger?” Daria double-checked.

              Jodi huffed.

              Daria shrugged a shoulder. “Oops.”

              She and Derek exchanged a glance. “That’s all you’re going to say? ‘Oops’?”

              “Sorry?” Daria ventured. “Please and thank you?”

              Jodi rolled her eyes and snuggled into Derek, pressing her cold nose into his collarbone.

              “But,” Daria interjected, drawing Jodi’s gaze back to her. “If you screw over my brother, so help me God, I will tie a brick to your ankles and throw you into the Hudson.”

              “You’re insane,” Jodi informed her.

              “So I’ve been told. Hey, are those cupcakes?”

              The sound of leaves crunching drew everyone’s attention back to the wood path. A park ranger materialized, a flashlight in his hand. “Everything okay over here?”

              They affirmed no one was being attacked (anymore, at least).

              “Y’all should be gettin’ on home, roads hard to drive at night. C’mon, I’ll take ya down the trail.”

              They speedily packed up the blanket and food and followed the big guy. When they reached Derek’s car, Daria put her hand on the door and said, “You guys mind if I catch a ride to Darwin? We parked Eddie’s car there, since he’s a freak of nature and wanted to walk here.”

              “Hiking involves walking, love,” Eddie repeated, not even sounding the least bit annoyed. Maybe that was the secret of their relationship. Eddie had the patience of a saint.

              Derek smiled and gestured for her to proceed. The two climbed in the backseat under the watchful gaze of the park ranger, who was weirdly still surveying them.

              Derek cupped Jodi’s face. “Now am I allowed to walk up to my girlfriend in the hallway and kiss her as much as I want?”

              Jodi wagged her eyebrows. “Why wait till then?”

              Derek slanted his smiling lips over hers for a quick kiss and rounded the car to the driver’s seat. Jodi was about to climb in as well when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. The park ranger was watching with a slight smile.

              “Um…excuse me,” Jodi said, starting to feel panicky.

              “You look just like your sister,” the guy observed. “Hair’s different though.”

              Derek looked like he was ready to come back to her side, but she signaled for him to stay put.

              “You know my sister?” Jodi asked sarcastically.

              “Ivy Robello, about 5’8’’, talks a mile a minute and married to Asher Grayson?”

              A current of shock ran through Jodi’s body. How did this guy know Ivy?

              She was about to ask, but he spoke first. “You be sure to tell her I said hey, and congrats on the baby. As for you, tell him tonight.”

              Jodi couldn’t get her mouth to form a response. The ranger tipped his head at her and the deaf occupants of the car. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

              She was flabbergasted all the way to Darwin. Derek kept trying to get her to tell him what the ranger said, but she refused. She did discreetly shoot her sister a text, however.

             
Jodi:
Some random park ranger knew everything about you and told me to tell you congrats on the baby?!?!

             
Ivy:
Holy cannoli

             
Jodi:
SO CONFUSED

             
Ivy:
He’s still around. G2g tell Asher. Do whatever he told you to do. TTYL

             
Jodi considered making the drive over to her sister’s just to throttle her, but decided she wanted her niece or nephew too much.

              They finally reached Darwin. It looked strange at night. Eddie and Daria started making their way to their car before Daria stopped and hurried back to Jodi. She halted in front of her.

              “I’m sorry. This doesn’t mean I like you or anything, but I’ll lay off the frogs in your locker.”

              Jodi saluted. “Much appreciated.”

              Daria arched a brow and shook her head. “Still don’t get it.” With a sassy pivot, she bounded back to Eddie and they headed home.

              It was just Derek and Jodi. Derek walked over to her, arms outstretched, but she placed her hands gently on his chest to stop him.

              Derek’s brow furrowed. “Everything okay?”

              She nodded and took a deep breath.

             
Just do it.