Page 15 of Cherish

ALEX

“I thought she said she wanted us to come over to hang out.” I lean closer to Ananda and continue my loud whispering. “She never mentioned a party. In fact, she made it a point to tell us he was working today.” I look around the first-floor apartment. It’s an older three-family house, but this unit has been renovated with hardwood floors throughout. It’s an open layout, and the kitchen has a large island with granite countertops. The high-end white cabinets complete the look.

Ananda avoids all eye contact with me as she takes an extremely long sip of her beer.

“Did you know about this?”

“Oh my God, Alexandra! It’s a party. Will you relax? It’s not like you had anything else to do today. Let’s get back to work.”

I purse my lips and help her put ice in a huge cooler. Not only did Melanie trick me into coming to her brother’s house for a party, she also recruited my best friend into the deception. Add to the fact that Ananda drove us here, making sure I’m effectively stuck. And to add insult to injury, she’s putting us to work. She left a list of things for us to do while she’s outside fussing with the caterers.

We drag the cooler through the sliding glass door and place it on the side of the deck. The yard is spacious with lush trees blocking the neighbor’s property. You can tell the patio furniture is brand new. I angrily grab the pair of scissors Mellie gave me earlier and cut the tags from the furniture.

“Why is she doing all the work? This is a housewarming and it’s not her house,” I whisper to Ananda, as I finish my task and take the seat next to my lying best friend.

Ananda doesn’t answer. She just shrugs as she leans back into a loveseat, ignoring my question completely.

“I was thinking about the psychic’s words again,” Ananda finally says, changing the subject. She puts down the drink and looks at me. “She said your life will be drastically different by the time the leaves change color. So, whatever’s going to happen, needs to happen now. And remember what they said about his name? A nickname made of initials. Wendy was adamant you hadn’t met him yet. You had already gone out with Dr. Boring and he had already ghosted you. She said there would be confusion. You will mistake him for someone else. She said all of that, but you’re stuck on stupid if you think she was talking about John Doyle.”

This is the part where I would tell Ananda that she doesn’t understand. That Dr. Doyle and I had a moment that night we left the bar. That the two dates we went on were filled with flirting and so much lust, but I don’t. All I say is, “I’m going inside. I saw some hard lemonade in the fridge.”

I stand inside the beautiful kitchen, holding onto the island as if it’s a life raft. I take a deep breath as I think of a plan to get out of here. I tell myself that I want to leave because I hate being manipulated, but the truth is, I don’t want to see Jason. I wanted to be here to get a peek at his home. My plan was to sneak into his bedroom and take a quick glance but having him here changes everything. I can’t think when he’s around.

I finally leave the island in search of alcohol, my knuckles white from the tight grip. Alcohol will help me think. I’ll drink, and I’ll casually walk out and announce to Mellie and Ananda that I’m going home.

As I rummage through the fridge, I hear rapid footsteps approaching.

“Mellie, what else do you need me to—” I turn around to find Jason Dupree approaching me. He’s wearing a pair of brown cargo shorts with no shirt. The shirt that’s supposed to be covering his body is being held in his hand.

I remember how his chest felt underneath my palms the first day we met, but I was unprepared to see it bare. He’s perfectly chiseled, without a single hair on his chest. I will myself not to lick my lips at the sight, but the throbbing between my legs reminds me how long it’s been since I’ve been with a man intimately.

The bottle of hard lemonade slips from my hand, luckily landing on the plush floor mat beneath my feet.

He’s in front of me in two quick steps, picking up the bottle and examining it for any breaks. Despite the intact condition of the bottle, he tosses it in the trash.

“Are you okay?” he asks, his eyes looking over my entire body. I don’t miss the fact that they stay on my chest a little too long. I look down at my V-neck tee, grateful he can’t see my hard nipples through my shirt.

Instead of answering his question, I simply look at his wide and muscular chest. I involuntarily swallow at the sight. Never has the male form worked me up in a state where I can’t answer a simple question.

He’s taller than I remember, but it must be because I’m wearing flats when I typically wear heels.

“Are you okay?” he asks again. He walks closer, opens the fridge and hands me a new hard lemonade.

“Um, shirt,” I say as I stare at his chest.

“Yes. Shirt.” He waves it in front of my face. “These are shorts.” He speaks slowly as he points at his shorts. When I cross my arms, unamused, he throws his head back and laughs before he covers his body with the shirt.

“Better?” He gives me that devilish smile again. Our eyes lock, and I clear my throat as I take a sip of my drink. “We wouldn’t want Dr. Doyle to catch you admiring my body, would we?”

Luckily for me, I’m saved from having to form a response. There’s a loud knock on the door, followed by a booming voice.

“JD, get your ass over here and open the door. You’re giving me a key before I leave here,” the deep voice says. JD runs to the door and opens it to the man responsible for the voice. Next to him, is a beautiful woman dressed in a pink jumper, leaving her long, toned legs exposed. She has beautiful, flawless brown skin, but it’s the wreath of flowers in her hair that make her stand out. They’re both carrying huge bags. Jason takes the bags from the woman and ushers them inside.

When they set everything on the table, the Jason hugs the man first, then the woman. She laughs when JD lifts her off the ground and spins her around. When he sets her down, he kisses both cheeks. The man playfully pushes him away and slips his arm around the woman’s waist, holding her possessively.

“The place looks great, JD,” the woman says. “Are you going to introduce us to your friend?” She turns her focus on me, smiling. I can’t help but smile back.

“This is Alex, a friend of Mellie’s. You two will meet Mellie soon.” As I approach the group, I can’t help but feel disappointed at how he just introduced me. “Alex, this is my best friend, brother from another mother, Jacob Clark, and his fiancée, Sandra Etienne, but her close friends call her Dee.”

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