Page 45 of The Magical Tea Shop

“And now mine.”

“It’s good to have a friend again.”

“Really?”

“Sure, don’t you want to be friends?”

Malory, stone-faced, dour Malory, appeared really vulnerable for an instant. She nodded.

Chapter Sixteen

Jaxon was mystifiedas to how he got roped into chaperoning a paintball party for a thirteen-year-old’s birthday. But when Alden’s dad Garrett got called into work, and Alden’s mom Priscilla claimed a migraine, Jaxon got recruited to fill in. He shook his head. He could’ve said no, but Alden was a great kid and someone had to show up as the responsible adult or the party couldn’t happen. So, paintball, really how bad could it be? A dozen middle school boys running like lunatics through the brush while brandishing paint guns—dear lord, who was he fooling?

“Okay,” he said to all the faces not looking up at him. He let out a shrill whistle and raised his voice. “Pay attention. Who are the team captains?” Ronnie and Alden raised their hands high.

“Well, that means I’m on your team.” Alden’s pretty, fifteen-year-old sister sidled over to Ronnie. The three boys who were gathered around him cheered, then, embarrassed by their enthusiasm at a girl joining their team, shuffled their feet, eyes downcast. Jaxon, understanding the awkwardness of the age, hid a smile.

The rest of the boys divided themselves equally, and Jaxon was grateful that it happened organically and he’d avoided the choosing of teams. He counted. Perfect. So far, so good. First hurdle jumped, maybe this wouldn’t be complicated. “Okay, we have an even number of players on each team.”

Alden raised his voice, “But we’re missing someone. I know she’ll be here. She promised.”

“She?”

Alden jumped up and down. He pointed down the hill. “There she is!”

Jaxon turned and couldn’t believe his eyes. Ivy Wayland was strolling over the rise toward them. Hair in her signature high ponytail, she was dressed in a red, faded Community Projects sweatshirt. Black yoga pants hugged her hips, revealing lush curves. Jaxon’s mouth went dry. It took a moment before he could speak. When she drew near, he asked, trying not to sound too hopeful, “Are you chaperoning, too?”

“Chaperoning?” She gave him a long perusal, and he couldn’t help standing a bit straighter. “Hardly.” She gave a sassy sidestep. “I’m a party guest. Right, Alden?”

“You came,” Alden breathed, starstruck.

“You bet. Happy birthday. So whose team am I on?”

Shouts of “mine, mine, mine!” rang out. Jaxon wanted to chime right along with them, even though he wasn’t playing.

“I guess I better stick with the birthday boy.” She stepped closer to Alden and reached out for a fist bump.

Alden regained his composure enough to complete the fist bump with Ivy before proclaiming, “That’s right. You’re on my team.”

Ivy grinned at Jaxon.

“Hey, they have more players,” wailed Ronnie. “That’s not fair.”

So much for uncomplicated. Before a riot broke out, Jaxon raised his arms, and said under his breath to Ivy, “Troublemaker.”

“Who, me?” She batted her eyelashes.

“I’ll join a team to make it even. Ronnie, I’m with you. What do you say?” The boys on Ronnie’s team cheered. “Let me go get equipped. Better watch out,” he told Ivy.

Ivy watched Jaxon stride down the hill to collect his own paint gun, his long legs eating up the distance. Oh, my, what had she gotten herself into? Today’s confidence was all bluster. She had never in her life played paintball or even planned to. This started out as her just being nice to a boy with a crush, and now Jaxon was here? And playing for the other side? She had zip idea what she was doing. Her original plan, as she’d picked out what to wear, was to hide as much as possible. Paintballs hurt when they hit, or so Holly had gleefully told her, and bruises were not her go-to style.

She was so not the adventurous one. The fact that she considered paintball adventurous probably said more about her than she cared to admit. With Jaxon on the opposite team, she feared hiding might be challenging. She had a sneaking suspicion he might just hunt her down. Or maybe she would hunthimdown. She found the idea of blasting Jaxon Langford with a paintball surprisingly appealing.

While the boys milled about, shoving and aiming at each other, she scoped out the grounds. Trees and shrubs provided a modicum of cover, but a tremendous amount of open space remained. How was this game played, anyway? Was it a free-for-all? Surely not, if they had teams. That, at least, meant only half the participants would be gunning for her.

She could do this.

Jaxon returned and started speaking. He looked amazing, armed with a paint gun and dressed in blue jeans and a collared tee, muscled arms bare. He’d obviously not planned to be a participant, not with how he was dressed. Despite the warm weather, Ivy had layered her clothes. Her sweatshirt hid a halter top and a long-sleeved tee. A girl needed to protect herself. She had no illusions she could escape being hit. “First off, everybody, helmets on.” Jaxon waited until they’d complied.

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