Something About You Read online

  Then slowly that friendship had grown to family.

  The bakery had also grown in that time.

  Christine had hired on more people just to come in and help. As it was, Jill came in at 8am after she dropped Jamie off at school and worked till they closed at 4pm. Then she would go pick up Jamie at his after-school program.

  It was a chaotic schedule, but it was what she had to do if she was going to raise Jamie on her own. It seemed to work out well, no matter if she was tired or not.

  The only day that was always up in the air were Saturdays, but she still didn’t have that hard of a time finding a sitter for Jamie. Down the street was a nice family that had a younger girl that was itching to make some money of her own.

  It was a bonus that she was great with kids and Jamie loved her.

  And if the babysitter wasn’t available, she was lucky to have a whole host of other people that would bend over backwards for her.

  Her chosen family.

  It wasn’t the family that a person normally thinks of. With a mom and a dad and siblings that you argue with. No, this was a family that she had built around herself.

  A family that actually cared about her.

  And Danny was part of that, which was the reason why she needed to get her head on straight and realize that it was never going to happen between them.

  She couldn’t risk it.

  Shove it down.

  Eventually, she would get the hang of it.

  Four years and counting.

  She shut the door behind her and walked down the steps to where Danny already had Jamie buckled into his car and was waiting at the passenger door for her.

  She could protest, demand that they take her car. But it wouldn’t matter.

  She had tried before.

  If there was one thing that she had learned about Danny, it was that once he set his mind to something, there was no changing it.

  It was better for her to pick her battles.

  And letting Danny drive them to school, especially if it made Jamie happy, well that wasn’t a battle that she wanted to fight.

  Jill

  Don’t cry.

  Don’t cry.

  Don’t cry!

  Jamie had hopped out of the car like nothing was happening.

  Like her life wasn’t changing abruptly.

  Like this wasn’t his first day of kindergarten.

  Jill hadn’t been the only one teary-eyed, but she was sure that she had been the only sister that had been. She was often mistaken for Jamie’s mom. Another young pregnant teen that had kept her baby.

  Most of the time, she didn’t worry about it.

  Sometimes, though, it was harder to pretend.

  Like right now.

  Watching all the other moms and dads standing there together, most of them wrapped in each other’s arms, watching their children go off to school.

  And here she was alone.

  Danny had stood with her till Jamie was gone, then said that he had to do a quick thing before he disappeared inside the school building.

  So that’s where she was.

  Alone.

  You would think she would be used to it by now.

  All the other cars were starting to pull away from the drop-off circle, and Danny still hadn’t come back yet. She was leaning against his car, watching the door, wondering if she should just go in and look for him, when he finally came strolling out.

  He was in his usual jeans and t-shirt ensemble, the one combo that seemed to be her weakness.

  Or maybe that was just him.

  His jeans were molded to his long legs, and the t-shirt pulled over his muscular body just right. Her eyes traveled down to where the short sleeves of his shirt were showing off his tattoos, the swirling designs around the skulls so beautifully done. She felt the familiar low throb between her legs, a sensation that she wished she could ignore.

  He smirked at her when he saw her waiting, his dark brown eyes solely focused on her. Those eyes were always her weakness. So dark that she could almost feel as if he were staring straight to her soul.

  Push it down.

  “What was that about?” she asked as he opened the passenger door, ever the gentlemen, and waited for her to get in.

  She just stood there at the door, waiting for him to say something. A little smirk stayed on his face, his eyes twinkling as if he found the whole thing funny. She hoped that he would let her in on the secret, but this was Danny after all. So eventually, she gave up, dropping her eyes and ending the staring contest. With a resigned huff, she climbed into the car.

  As he climbed in, he set some papers on her lap.

  “I added myself to Jamie’s emergency contacts.” She sat stunned as his words tumbled around in her head without purchase for a minute.

  “What?” she whispered, looking down at the papers.

  There was a copy of his ID, and all the other information that she knew the school always requested as well.

  He had really put a lot of thought into this.

  Did that mean something that it shouldn’t?

  Of course, it didn’t, she scolded herself.

  He was doing what every member of the Mancini family did when it came to her. They protected her and Jamie, treating her like the little sister.

  For some reason, the thought alone made her mad.

  And why was he still smirking?

  She took a deep breath, as her anger over the moment started to fill her.

  “Why?” she said, fighting to keep her tone even.

  “Because then I can pick him up if needed. I know that you are always busy, so this way, we don’t even have to worry about it.”

  She was gearing up to tell him that it wasn’t his place.

  That she didn’t need any more help from him.

  That having him around was too painful.

  All of this was floating around in her mind as she flipped through the papers, till something caught her eye.

  On the corner of the top page was a number.

  It wasn’t the school’s number because she knew that one by heart. Add that knowledge to the little heart next to it and her heart sunk.

  That’s why it had taken so long for him to get back.

  He had been in there doing what he always did.

  Flirt.

  The caption under the number said, ‘See you soon.’

  Clearly, she was the only one that was having a hard time pushing through her feelings. Her feelings for a man that thought of her as nothing more than a little sister.

  How many times was she going to be slapped in the face with that fact before she moved on?

  The thought burned through her heart, but it helped to center her. She had to remember who she was.

  Yes, she was important.

  To Jamie and to the Mancini family.

  But this was where she was at, and she couldn’t change that.

  So, she needed to grow up and stop pushing it down.

  She needed to push it out.

  Permanently.

  It wasn’t the first time that Danny had been hit on in front of her, but for some reason, this time hit deeper.

  As if it felt final.

  “Jill?” Danny asked, the concern in his voice bringing her back to reality.

  “Sorry, what?”

  “You okay?” His brow was furrowed, and he was staring at her.

  “Sorry, yes, of course. Just thinking of everything I need to do today.”

  He didn’t look convinced, but he turned and pulled out of the lot.

  She needed to get herself together.

  It wasn’t the first time that she had been broken, and with how her life was, it wouldn’t be the last.

  But it was time to move on.

  Jill

  “Hey you made it!” Christine called, waving her over, as Jill weaved between the tables, walking toward where the girls were sitting.

  The empty drinks scattered around the table, and the huge platter of
nachos in the middle, said that the girls had already gotten started before her. Winter smiled and gestured to the seat next to her as she pulled out the chair and sat down. Her feet aching from the long day.

  “Everything go okay today?” Christine asked, before taking a sip of her drink.

  “Yah. It was all good.”

  “Sorry you had to fill in for Angela.” Christine smiled sadly at her. It hadn’t been the first time that Angela had called in sick and it probably wouldn’t be the last. She wasn’t turning out to be the most reliable employee.

  “It’s all good,” she muttered, looking over the drink menu. She really wanted something strong, but she had to drive home and take care of Jamie. So, a diet coke was going to have to work.

  “Angela called in sick again?” Winter asked her, and she nodded.

  It had only been a couple of months since Winter and Mark had come back to live in Florida, and she was slightly surprised to find Winter there tonight. She didn’t come out very often.

  After everything that had happened in the last year, Winter was having the hardest time fitting in with everyone. Although no one blamed her, she had good reason to set them all aside after the way that everyone had treated her and Mark.

  It’s also why Jill felt the most connected with Winter.

  They were both the outsiders of the group, so to speak.

  Looking around, she realized that the only reason that Winter had come was that she wasn’t alone. Mark was sitting back in a far corner table, his fingers typing away on his phone. Rick was sitting next to him, with Dominic on the other side.

  She gestured to the table with big eyes and Christine rolled her eyes back, while Alice and Winter just smiled at her.

  Dominic, she could understand. Alice was only a couple of weeks away from having her baby.

  Mark, she could see too. He and Winter were always close, and you hardly ever saw one without the other. Both of them were very protective of each other. Rick, though, she didn’t get that.

  She sat down, her gaze bouncing between Rick and Christine.

  “So, what’s up with that?” Jill asked, giving Christine big eyes.

  “I don’t know,” Christine muttered, rolling her eyes again, before she rubbed at her belly.

  Her small belly was just starting to show. She was just over a few months pregnant, and Rick was being more protective of her than normal, but this seemed a bit much.

  Then again, this was the Mancini family.

  She really shouldn’t be surprised.

  “I don’t know what’s up with him. Ever since he came back with Mark and Winter, he’s been really clingy. At first, I got it. But now, a few weeks later, I’m not sure what’s going on.” Christine shrugged and went back to her menu.

  She knew it would only make Christine uncomfortable if she pushed, so she let it go and turned to Winter, all the while picking up her menu, acting like she didn’t know exactly what she would order.

  “How about you? How are you and Mark settling in?” Winter smiled at her.

  “Really good. We finally got the living room painted.”

  “That’s great! I know you hated that color,” she said, eyeing the nachos and garlic bread, trying to figure out which one she wanted more.

  “Hey, I was the one that picked that color out.” Alice huffed while shoving another piece of bread in her mouth.

  “Hungry?” Christine chuckled and Alice glared at her.

  “What?” Alice mumbled with her mouth full.

  Neither she nor Winter said anything.

  When in doubt, it was best not to get between the two pregnant women. Alice was more than a little cranky lately, and Christine had gotten even more pushy after she had found out she was pregnant.

  It made for some interesting dinner dates, and it was one of the reasons that she loved having them as her friends. These little breaks were often just what she needed.

  Just the girls.

  No drama.

  Just friendship.

  Other times, she still felt like the outsider. These women were all settled with men. Having babies, growing their families, and here she was, knowing that no man was going to be willing to take on her baggage.

  “So how did it go, dropping Jamie off yesterday?” Christine asked after they had ordered another round of drinks and bread.

  “Good. Walked right in like it was nothing. I’m the one that had a hard time.”

  “Did Danny go?” Alice asked

  “Yah, Jamie was excited.”

  “So…” Christine said, drawing her words out.

  “Christine,” Alice scolded Christine, giving her a side-eye.

  “What! I want to know!” Christine shrugged.

  Jill looked to Winter, who looked to be just as confused as her.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, eyeing Christine. She had that look in her eye that said she was up to something.

  “We are just trying to figure out when you are going to let him in?” Christine said nonchalantly, but she was eyeing her like the answer was more important than she was letting on.

  “Let who in?” She tried playing it off. This would not be the first time that Christine and Alice had tried to bring this up.

  “Who else? Danny.” Christine rolled her eyes, and Alice shook her head. Winter just smiled and picked up her drink.

  She sat in silence, a mixture of frustration that they were bringing it up again, and bafflement that they actually thought there was something between her and Danny.

  “There is nothing to talk about,” she muttered, taking a big sip of her diet coke. Now, she was really wishing she had something stronger.

  “Please, we’re not blind. We can see how much you two like each other. At first, we understood. I mean, you had a lot going on, and Danny needed to come to terms with everything. Now, though, we just want to know how long you two are going to keep circling each other.”

  “Christine. Sweetie, Danny does not feel that way about me.” Christine gave her big eyes and shook her head.

  “Yes, he does.” She just shook her head at Christine’s baffling words and turned to give questioning eyes to Alice. It wasn’t like any of them could actually control Christine, but Alice was the only one that ever tried.

  “I’m sorry, but I have to side with her.” Alice confirmed that she was going to be no help this time.

  She looked at Winter, who just shrugged. “If I wasn’t staying out of it, I would side with them.” Then she held her hands up as well.

  Crap.

  “You guys, he doesn’t like me like that, okay? I’m the little sister or something. Besides, I’ve got too much going on right now. I’m not the right girl for him.”

  “Honey, ever since we moved down here, we have known that you are Danny’s,” Alice said softly.

  “I’m Danny’s? You make me sound like an object,” she huffed out.

  “That’s not what I meant,” Alice said.

  “He does seem to really like you,” Winter said, eyeing her cautiously.

  “You guys just don’t get it. Danny does not like me in that way at all. I’m not the kind of girl that a man like him goes for.” Winter frowned at her, but when she shook her head, Winter gave her a sad smile and let her be.

  While all of them were varying degrees of shapes, she was the one that was the biggest.

  Lots of curves.

  Lots of red hair that never cooperated.

  And to top it off, white skin that didn’t tan at all.

  That was not the type of girl that Danny went after.

  “Sorry, we didn’t know you didn’t like him,” Alice said, giving her a look that she couldn’t place.

  “Is it his job?” Winter asked.

  “Of course not.” She scowled at them all. “I know who he is, who they all are. It doesn’t bother me.”

  “Is it because of what he used to do?” Christine asked, tilting her head as if studying her.

  “No. Like I said, it doesn’t both
er me.” She could understand their concern. Not everyone would be.

  “Is it because of his tattoos?” Alice asked, joining the interrogation.

  She felt her cheeks heat and knew that she was bright red.

  God, she hated being so light-skinned.

  “No,” she said shortly.

  “Oh, it’s definitely not that.” Winter chuckled.

  It was definitely not his tattoos.

  All of the men had some form of them, but Danny was the one that had the most. They covered him from his neck down. She had only seen the designs peeking out around the edges of his shirts, the bands and designs twisting down his arms and up his neck. But what she had seen, she really liked.

  One of the many reasons it was always hard to keep her eyes to herself.

  She was afraid to say that she had imagined those arms and tattoos more than once. When she was at home late at night and her hand was the only thing she had to get the job done.

  “Oh, boy! No, it isn’t that! Based on those red cheeks, it’s sooo not that!” Christine laughed, and Jill couldn’t help it, so she chuckled with them.

  Then she stopped, realizing where this was going. She couldn’t let them get carried away with this. They just didn’t understand. She sighed and decided to just go for a little bit of honesty.

  “It’s not that I don’t like him, okay…”

  “Oh, we know,” Christine interrupted her with a chuckle.

  “But I’m just not the type of girl that Danny goes for. So, it’s better that I don’t get my hopes up. And I have Jamie to think of. I can’t just jump into something.”

  Christine got a look in her eye. A look that she had seen a time or two. It always meant that she was about to get them into some trouble.

  She just hoped that the woman wasn’t going to drag her down with her this time.

  Highly unlikely.

  Last time Christine had gotten a look like that, they had ended up behind a bar, puking their guts out with a scowling Rick standing over them.

  “Fine. But you need to get out there.” Christine was probably right, but her words didn’t sit right.

  They left a bitter taste in her mouth and had her gut twisting.