Page 52 of Before You
“Si tu lui achètes des fleurs, alors je suis confiante sur le fait qu’elle le sera,”16 she responds.
“They’re flowers, not an engagement ring.”Except in my family, flowers are essentially the equivalent to an engagement ring.
“Bullshit. You know it means the same damn thing. I thought you had to be smart to get into Beaumont?” Mom teases, causing a bark of laughter to sound from me. Hilarious coming from her when she’s asked me since middle school how much to tip at restaurants.
“Iamsmart.”
“If you’re so smart then why haven’t you proposed to the girl you want to marry? If it’s because you don’t have a ring, I’d be happy to let you use mine.”
I hear Dad in the background ask Mom who she’s talking to, and then I’m placed on speakerphone to hear him more clearly. “Why is your mother offering to give you her wedding ring? I really hope you didn’t knock some girl up because you didn’t glove up first. We’ve talked about how condoms are important for more than one reason, including protecting both you and a partner from STDs and pregnancy,” Dad says and I groan loudly, earning me a couple of looks from other people out enjoying the nice weather. It’s hilarious, considering knocking someone up requires having sex, which hasn’t happened.
“Because she’sdelusionaland wants me to propose to a girl I’m not dating, who isnotpregnant,” I whisper-yell because the last thing I need is for it to get around campus I’ve knocked a girl up and I’m proposing.
Oh shit, I probably shouldn’t have called her delusional.Mom’s quick to argue, “Bash, he’s bought her flowers! I am not delusional!”
“Why is this the first we’re hearing about her?” he asks, and I start thinking of ways I can get revenge on Mirabelle for opening her mouth.
“Maybe because I knew you guys would react like this,” I drawl out. Honestly, they shouldn’t be surprised I haven’t told them, but maybe I should have after hearing how excited they are.
“Well we’re coming to see your game in three weeks so make sure you invite her to dinner so we can get to know her,” he says, immediately causing me to smile. I’d hoped they would, but between all the football schedules we juggle this time of year, I didn’t know where they were going to end up.
“You guys are really coming?”
“We are! It’s the same week as Hunter’s bye week, so he’ll be with us. Mirabelle’s coming too, but Henry’s going to fly out to meet us after since he’ll play in Arizona Friday night,” Mom says, and I really,reallycan’t wait.
~
A couple of hours later, I jog up the stairs to Marley and Bria’s apartment, already preparing myself to die while we run these intervals. A breeze kisses my bare chest as my shirt is preemptively tucked into the waistband of my shorts, knowing I’m going to sweat through it, so I might as well maintain my tan from all the surfing I did this past summer.
I knock on the door, glaring at the goddamn doorknob I’m hoping is locked. One twist tells me it’s not, and I groan, walking in with every intention to pick another argument about how the door needs to be locked. Bria says it annoys her when she has to come let me in.If the door is unlocked, just walk in,she’s said multiple times during the last two weeks since I started meeting her here for our runs instead of at the track. Mycounterargument is they’re two girls living alone, and then Bria usually flips me off as Marley laughs.
This time,sixsets of eyes meet mine, and I freeze in my tracks as the door shuts behind me.
“Who the fuck are you, and why are you walking into our daughter’s apartment half-naked?”
My eyes nearly bug out of my head as I look down, realizing my preemptive plan was an awful idea. “Oh shit,” I swear, pulling my shirt out of my waistband.Did I get the day wrong?“Um, hi, I’m JJ,” I stammer, my eyes finding Marley, but she’s staring at my abdomen, as are both of the women who look around my mom’s age, their eyes widened in shock.
Bria gasps, drawing everyone’s attention thankfully to her. “Oh my fucking god. We’re supposed to run intervals. I’m so sorry, let me change and grab my shoes!” She mouthssorryto me on her way to her room, pulling her hair up quickly.
They’re clad in expensive clothes that make me feelextremelyunderdressed. Everyone knows who Hayes Benson is, but even if I didn’t, his eyes that match Marley’s are a dead giveaway, and they’re narrowed at me like I’m his next meal. I’m assuming the other one is Bria’s father, and while his demeanor is slightly less terrifying, I’m wondering if I need to be afraid for my life.
“Dad, this is our friend, JJ. He’s here because he and Bria run together, and she probably forgot to tell him you guys were visiting,” Marley says, and all I can do is nod like a fucking bobblehead after tugging my shirt over my head.
The woman leaning against the counter with dark long hair tilts her head at me, a low whistle coming from her lips. “Hot damn, maybe I should have gone to college. None of the models I ever worked with looked like that,” she says, and my face is on fire.
“Tessa!” The other woman laughs, and Marley covers her face with her hands.
I take a brave—or stupid—step toward Marley’s dad, doing my best to look him in the eye as I hold out my hand. “Hello, sir, I’m JJ. Very sorry to be meeting you this way, but it is nice to meet you.” It’s a good thing I’m the biggest liar I know, because my voice doesn’t shake once to reveal how terrified I am. He takes my hand, squeezing it tightly, and I’m highly aware of the threat it promises.
“Benson, be kind,” a soft voice says, and he releases his grip on my hand.
“You as well,” he says, and I turn to Bria’s dad, offering him my hand as well.
His shake is firm, but at least he offers a slight smile. “Grayson, it’s nice to meet you, JJ.”
Bria hops out of her room, pulling on her shoe. “Fuck, sorry, JJ. I knew Marley’s parents were coming, but I thought mine were in Italy, because that’s what they told me last week. Ready to go?” she asks, giving me an escape I’m desperate for.
“Yeah, after you put more clothes on,” her dad says, and Bria rolls her eyes.
