Colbie
"Mom Uncle Reece got me a new bike!!!!"
Will was practically jumping up and down as he showed me the state of the art
bike Reece had bought him.
"Your uncles spoil you." I laughed.
"Of course we do, he's our only
nephew!." Kolton grinned as he ruffled Will's hair.
"He let me try his beer." Will said
with his eyes wide.
"Kole!!" I narrowed my eyes on him.
"It was disgusting." Will made a face
and all the guys laughed as Lila padded into the room, a glass of spiked eggnog
in hand as she handed me a wrapped present.
"Thanks." I grinned.
"You haven't even opened it yet." She
laughed as I ripped open the paper to find a painting of Will and I right after
he'd won his last game.
"Oh my god Lila."
"Did you paint that?!" Will asked.
"I did." She grinned.
"It's beautiful." I said softly,
setting my hand on her leg. "Thank you so much."
"Damn you're good."
"William!" I chided as mom laughed.
"Oh come off it Colbie, if he's in this
family he's destined to have a bit of a potty mouth." I mumbled as Mom
handed me a glass of eggnog too and I sipped on it slowly.
"Who do you keep texting?" Derek nudged Reece who shrugged.
"No one."
"....you're not going to talk about
her?" Josh teased. "You must really like her." He laughed.
"Are you dating someone?" Lila asked,
grinning over at Reece who lets be honest, needed a girlfriend. Of all my
brothers he was the most meddling.
"The only one dating someone is you. And
we're not all happy about that one." Reece shot her a look.
"Yeah I know how you hate it when I'm
happy." She spat back, but I could feel where Reece was coming frome. Lila
hadn't been herself without Travis and it had been a little scary.
"My mom is dating someone." Will said,
looking up from his new remote control helicopter to inject into the
conversation.
"Are you?" Mom asked, beaming over at
me as Lila looked nervous and I felt my face flush.
"I met him." Kolton piped up.
"You did?" Lila's eyes were wide as she
blinked from him to me.
"He took me to Trentons." I shrugged.
"Who is he?" Parker asked, his eyes
narrowed. Reece might be the meddling one, but the oldest Trenton was the most
protective. I had to physically restrain him from finding Nick andd kicking his
ass when he left me.
"He's-"
Lila
"He's a friend of mine." I piped in, saving
Colbie from explaining to our family.
“Is he handsome?” Mom asked, smiling at Colbie.
“Very.” I grinned, since Jax was the second
hottest guy I knew.
“Can’t be better looking than me.” Derrick
grinned. “Did you hear I was on the sexiest man alive list this year?” I rolled
my eyes.
“You were
15th.” I pointed out.
“Still top twenty!” He grinned, high fiving Josh.
“And yet you’re not dating anyone.” Colbie teased
and Derrick laughed.
“I’m dating lots of someone’s.” He grinned,
winking at Will.
“You are all too much like your father.” Mom
said, shaking her head. “He never wanted to fall in love either.”
“Oh? Did you trick dad into it then?” Parker
teased, the oldest remembering our Dad the most. But I remembered enough. He
was crazy about my mom.
“I had my ways.” Mom grinned and Kolton made a
face.
“That tone makes me think I don’t want to know
your ways.”
“You’re probably right baby.” She said, kissing
his cheek and making him wipe it off and shake his head.
“So is it serious with that guy?” Josh asked
Colbie. Uh oh, back to my sister. That was a loaded question too, mostly
because I didn’t even know the answer. All I knew was that they’d slept
together and that he was apparently well endowed, no surprise there.
Colbie
“Um. I don’t think so. I just…..I thought it was
time to start dating again.” I licked my lips, aware that my son was in the
room.
“He makes mom happy.” Will said seriously.
Everyone turned to look at him, including me.
“What do you mean?” Reece asked, narrowing his
eyes.
“I mean she’s always laughing and smiling.” Will
shrugged. “Even though I never met him I know he makes her happy again.” I felt
like I was going to cry.
“What do you mean again baby?” I asked, cupping
Will’s face.
“I mean I’ve never seen you smile so much Mom.
Not even when dad was around…and after he left? You were so sad all the time.”
The room was silent and I took a deep breath.
“I wasn’t sad all the time Will, I just….”
“You were lonely.” Will finished for me. I shook
my head.
“I was never lonely. I had you.” Will rolled his
eyes.
“I love you mom but you need more than just me.”
“Your kid is too smart for his own good.” Parker
said. “I’m going to have to scoop him up for my company as soon as he’s old
enough.”
“He got the brains from me.” Kolton grinned.
“Ha.” Josh laughed, but I was barely listening. I
hadn’t known how transparent I had been.
Lila
“I have to go to the bathroom. Colbie come with
me.”
“You don’t have to go in pairs at home you know.”
Derrick pointed out. “What is that about girls?” Josh and Reece shrugged and
turned back to the epic lego set one of them had gotten for Will. I dragged my
big sister upstairs.
“Okay so spill, what’s going on with you and
Jax?” Colbie licked her lips.
“Um….I think we’re dating. Like trial dating.” I
blinked.
“What does that mean?” She shrugged.
‘He want’s to prove me something…I’m not really
sure what it is.”
“Coblie. This is Jackson we’re talking about.” I
reminded her. “I mean he’s a lot of fun but-“
“Stop.” Colbie shook her head and held her hand
up to my mouth.
“Mmm?” I spoke against her hand and she sighed as
she sat on the edge of the tub and set her head in her hands.
“I’m crazy right? I’m being a terrible person and
a terrible mother and-“ It was my turn to stop us.
“Hold on.” I sat down on the top of the toilet
and turned towards my sister. “You are not terrible, and you’re certainly not a
terrible mother. What the hell Colbie?”
“I know I shouldn’t have gotten involved with Jax
in the first place, but god Lila, he makes me feel-“ she stopped and sighed as
she looked up at me. “He makes me FEEL.” I nodded. The Cole men had that effect
on women.
“What is it that he wants to prove to you?” I
asked slowly, thinking I needed to have a talk with my friend myself.
“That he can be with me.” She said softlly.
Colbie
My sister stared at me for a second.
“Like….like a boyfriend?” I shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
“Do you want that?” She asked, ignoring the
glaring problems. Like how Jax had never committed to a woman in his whole
life, or how I couldn’t make decisions based solely on myself I had Will to
think about. But when she asked me all I could say was the truth.
“Yes.” I liked everything about Jackson and
everything I learned made me like him more.
“And you’re sure this isn’t some rebound thing
from Nick?” she asked.
“No I mean, I wanted it to be, honestly…” I
groaned. “Thank god you’re back with Travis or we’d both be a mess.” I sighed.
Lila
“True….Colbie are you falling for Jackson?” She
blinked up at me.
“No it’s too soon for that….”
“I think you should give him a chance. I mean as
long as you’re not just using him.” Colbie shot me a look.
“What?!”
“Jackson is hot, he’s charming I’m guessing he’s
good in bed.”
“Oh god.” Colbie moaned and I laughed.
“I’m just saying he’s still human. If you’re not
serious about him too you should cut things off now.” Colbie swallowed as she
looked at me.
Colbie
Lila was right. I was trying not to take this too
seriously for my own sake, but I didn’t want to hurt Jax either. I didn’t trust
relationships but that didn’t mean that he didn’t have real feelings for me.
And I think he might.
“I think I am.” I admitted. Lila looked like she
was going to burst.
“That’s amazing Colbs.” She leaned in and kissed
my cheek.
“Please tell me things in your life are less
complicated.” I smirked. We’d both been spending so much time with work and our
boys that we hadn’t had time for each other and that was rare. My sister was my
best friend.
“Travis gave me a key to his place.” She smiled.
“What? Seriously?” She nodded.
“I’m trying not to make a big deal about it but-“
“Damn my recipe got you much more than laid!” I
teased and she rolled her eyes. “See I can say things like that without being
jealous because now I’m getting laid.” I winked.
“Thank god for that.” She laughed.
“Hey!” I poked her left side which I knew was the
most ticklish and she squealed.
“Sorry but come on it had been like a year.”
“Longer.” I grimaced. “Can I ask you something?
Lila
Colbie’s face had turned serious and I softened
to take in her question.
“What’s up?”
“…do you think I was ever really in love with
Nick?” I licked my lips and sighed.
“I think you loved the idea of being a family. I
think he begged you to marry him and you both thought it was the right thing,
but Colbie….you always deserved so much more.”
“I did.” She nodded. “I deserved more.”
“And Will knows that too. You heard how he was
talking downstairs. He’s thrilled someone is actually making you happy for
once.”
“I’m glad someone is making you happy too.” Colbie
smiled at me and I nodded.
“We’re two pretty lucky bitches huh?” I shot my sister a suggestive look and the sound of her laughter filled the air.
“Must run in the family.”
