Chapter 13.03

“Well, I’d ask Jane,” Paul grinned. “Jay’s usually the one causing trouble in their relationship.”

“Seriously?” Aaron was surprised. I smiled and nodded.

“I suspect she’s been hiding things from me lately,” I laughed.

“You’re not wrong,” Mayoko chuckled.

“You could tell me about this study buddy situation,” I said, making Mayoko glance at Brian. I knew my friend was in trouble, but his nod told me he’d handle it.

“Nothing special,” Paul said. “There’s a guy who’s been hovering around her since last year and doesn’t take no for an answer.”

“Why did she turn him down even when I wasn’t around?” I asked.

“He’s a bit pushy,” Paul said.

“She took a while to say yes to the other three, but this guy practically wants to propose,” Mayoko added.

“You all knew about this?” I asked, annoyed. Everyone nodded.

“Great,” I muttered, frustrated. “Some guy is circling my girlfriend every day, and none of you told me. I guess I’ll have to walk her to school and have a chat with him.”

“See, Aaron?” Brian teased. “This is what we were talking about.” Aaron grinned.

“It’ll be over by the end of the year, relax,” Paul said. “He’s an exchange student—he’ll be going home.”

“So if I don’t know about it, it’s not a problem, right?” I was still irritated.

“Jay,” Brian said, “if she sees you like this when she gets back, she’ll tear into everyone—not just Jessica. That guy never had a chance, even when she was mad at you. Now that you two have lost all sense of time, do you really think he stands a chance?”

“You’re right,” I said, calming down. “She’s an amazing girl, and yet she saved her kisses just for me.”

Paul cleared his throat quickly, stopping me from saying something I shouldn’t.

“Jessica’s in for a serious talk,” Paul laughed after clearing his throat.

“Why?” Aaron asked. “Jane was calm.”

“Exactly,” I grinned. “That’s the worst with Jenny.”

“Pick a menu in the meantime,” I said, handing over the box.

“Scrambled eggs are beneath us,” Aaron joked. “These two should be good, right, Susy?”

“Yes, they’ll be fine. I’ll bake something too,” she added.

“With your family background, cooking must be easy,” I teased my friend.

“You win people over with dancing, I do it with cooking,” he laughed.

“Are you good in the kitchen too, Susy?” Diane asked.

“Yes, she’s very skilled,” Paul said, hugging his sister.

“I’ll be studying here starting in the fall,” Susy said cheerfully. “I want to teach kids too.”

“If you ever need help, just ask,” Mayoko smiled.

Jenny and Jessica returned with a few shopping bags.

“Jessica bought ice cream for everyone,” Jenny announced happily. “Right, Jess?” She looked at her, prompting Jessica to speak.

“Yes,” Jessica said. “Sorry for my outburst, everyone. Susy, I hope you’re not upset—I can be an idiot sometimes.”

“Jessica,” Jenny said, addressing her like she would Mickey, “is that all?”

“Aaron, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again,” Jessica said quickly.

“I’d appreciate that, Jess,” Aaron said, stepping closer and kissing her forehead.

“Messyhair,” Jenny said, giving me a kiss. “Looks like you were a good host.”

“I try,” I teased, mimicking her tone.

“You did pretty well,” she said, giving me another kiss.

Everyone finished their ice cream and left for the night. Jenny cleaned up and washed the dishes.

“Did you know everything about Brian’s plan?” I asked while helping her.

“No,” she smiled. “Brian wanted it to be a surprise, so I just told him to pick a date that didn’t mean anything to them. As you can see, it worked.”

“Did you know about the restaurant, smart one?”

“No. There were a few places Mayoko would have liked, and Brian picked from those.”

“The ring was nice,” I noted.

“Yes, I liked it too,” she said briefly. “It’s not easy choosing from so many styles.”

“I propose a bet, little girl,” I said, wrapping my arm around her.

“What, pretty boy?” There was curiosity in her voice.

“If I guess your dream ring, we’ll get a dog after the wedding,” I said. She laughed.

“Bold bet,” she smiled, turning to face me. “You’re taking on the impossible.”

“You think so?” I asked. “I doubt there are that many options.”

“Have you ever even been to a jewelry store?” she asked, amused.

“Should I have?” I bluffed. “You go in, pick something, pay, and leave. Just like Amber’s shop.”

“Well,” she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously, “in that case, the bet is on, pretty boy. Good luck.”

“And what do I get if you don’t guess right?” she asked, intrigued.

“Then after the wedding, we’ll have a baby instead of a dog,” I said, holding her tighter and watching her face. She was momentarily flustered but quickly regained her confidence.

“Since I’d win that bet, I get to decide—and I choose a cat,” she smiled. I couldn’t read her expression, and she distracted me with a kiss. I kissed her back.

“I won this one too,” she whispered when she pulled away.