Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Jordy

“Chill, baby,” I whisper into Lola’s ear then slide her off the table and hold her tight to my chest.

“We’re just leaving.” Lucia bursts out laughing. “We’ll let you get back to, eh, dinner.”

“Sounds delicious,” Sofia adds, making them both cackle like a pair of witches.

Twin sisters are the worst. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” sounding embarrassed, Lola mumbles against the fabric of my shirt.

“Stay where you are,” I bellow, stopping Lucia and Sofia from tiptoeing out of the kitchen with their hands full of food they’ve stolen from my fridge. “We need to set some new rules.”

Looking sheepish in their pink scrubs they stare at me. “Okay.” They nod in harmony, which they always do, dirty blonde buns wobbling on top of their heads, dark circles under their eyes. I worry about how hard they work.

“You can’t let yourself into my apartment anymore,” I say firmly.

“I agree.” Sofia scrunches her nose up at the same time Lucia’s mouth makes the shape of an O in surprise.

Drifting my thumb back and forth against Lola’s back to comfort her because I can feel her heart beating like a trapped wasp in a jelly jar against my stomach, I add, “I will have groceries delivered to your apartment every week and arrange for security to put it away for you.”

In their fifth year of specialist training to become pediatricians, my sisters are two of the most intelligent people I know, but between them, they have zero skills in organizing their day to day lives. They’d rather save lives than plan their own. Which is pretty fucking awesome when you think about it.

“Why didn’t we think about doing that?” They look at each other in amazement, asking the same question.

“Because I’ve let you raid my fridge for far too long, but that stops tonight.”

“Deal.” They say together, both sounding the same. It’s fucking weird how similar they are, but I can tell them apart. That’s my brotherly superpower.

“And one last rule. You’re not to ask me fifty million questions when I introduce you to Lola.”

Sofia winks at me. “Promise.”

At the same time, Lucia replies, “I can’t guarantee I won’t have questions.”

Lola pulls in a breath. “What the hell, Jordy? Why are you introducing me? We’re supposed to be keeping us a secret.” She snaps her head back, looking up at me and I’m momentarily stunned by how beautiful she is.

Regardless of how much she’s cried over the last couple of days, I know my sisters won’t point out how puffy her face looks.

“They’ll only text me as soon as they leave, asking who you are if I don’t introduce you.” I point at my sisters, who are smiling back at me, looking smug as hell. “Because they never do as they are told.” I feign exasperation when secretly I love them and would do anything for them.

“He’s got a point.”

“It’s true.”

They nod excitedly together.

Ten years between us, I was the whoopsie my parents never expected. The whoopsie that confirmed my parents were still having sex after fifteen years of marriage, which my sisters hated, and said was embarrassing to have a baby brother when they were at elementary school.

I’m the whoopsie that made them want to puke.

Top girls.

Growing up with them, it was always two against one, but they were and still are always there when I need them. They were here for me when Sienna and I broke up and they always defend me when Mom decides to try and talk me out of being a hockey player, which she’s been trying to do since I was drafted.

“I will protect you from Thing 1 and Thing 2,” I promise Lola.

“Hey,” Lucia scolds, shoving a piece of soda bread into her mouth.

“Sorry.” I stare blankly. “I mean, I will protect you from The Grady Sisters.”

“From The Shining ?” Sofia yells.

Lucia shakes her head in disgust. “That’s just mean. We’re way prettier.”

Lola giggles, drawing my attention back to her.

“I apologize for my sisters in advance.” I bow my head and kiss her pretty lips I can’t seem to get enough of.

“Oh, wow. I can’t look.”

“Yuck. I need an eye sanitizer.”

My sisters both say in tandem, making Lola smile wide, breaking our kiss. I think she likes my silly sisters. I hope she does.

I keep my voice low. “They swear like pirates, but they’re awesome, I promise. They’re real and grounded and face life and death situations every single day.”

“I like them already,” Lola whispers back.

I want my sisters to like Lola too. It’s something I shouldn’t want because Lola’s only expecting this to be a two-night thing, but I want more and I’ve been trying to figure out a way to ask her.

“Ready?” I whisper.

Lola grabs my hand and moves to my side before she gives Lucia and Sofia a shy finger wave then says, “Hi.”

“Wow, you are way too pretty for our brother.”

“That’s Lucia,” I inform Lola.

“God, yeah, you’re like a solid ten and he’s a weak three, at a push.”

“And that’s Sofia.” I introduce her twin.

“I’ll never be able to tell you apart,” Lola says, sounding overwhelmed.

“Oh, that’s easy.” I point at Lucia. “Mean.” Then at Sofia. “Meaner.”

“That’s not helpful.” Lola laughs, and I’m so fucking glad she can, given the day she’s had.

“It’s not.” Sofia drops the food in her arms clumsily onto the counter.

I point at the food she drops and then to the door. “Oh no, you’re not staying. Pick your food back up and go.” They are like a pair of fucking starving squirrels foraging food for winter, and gossip.

“It’s okay.” Lola squeezes my hand reassuring me she’s fine.

“Great.” Lucia copies Sofia, putting her food down and following our sister over to the dining area.

Fuck’s sake, they are never leaving now. Next, they’ll be inviting themselves for dinner.

Sofia shakes Lola’s hand introducing herself. “It’s easy to tell us apart.”

“It’s not.” Lola bounces her gaze between her and Lucia.

“I have a mole, here.” Sofia points to the darkened area under her eye.

“Which I don’t have.” Lucia holds her hand out next for Lola to shake, pumping her arm a little too enthusiastically.

“Ah.” Lola holds her hand to her chest. “I’m so relieved that I’ll be able to tell you apart. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Lola.”

“It’s lovely to meet you,” they chorus.

My twin sisters wink at her, then look at me, then back at Lola, like a pair of synchronized meerkats.

“You’re very pretty.” Sofia beams at Lola.

“So you’ve said and way too pretty for me?” I ask deadpan.

“You learn fast.” Lola’s sweet voice giggles, which makes me point at her.

“Don’t you start. I have two troublesome women in my life. I don’t need a third to make it a trying trio.”

I can’t tell Lola, but I think I would like nothing more than for her to be a permanent fixture in my life.

“I have another rule,” I say, looking up at my sisters. “You can’t tell anyone Lola was here tonight because she works for the Eagles, and she shouldn’t be here.” I trust my sisters more than life itself. They were the first ones I told when I was drafted and when I signed my eight-year extension. When they aren’t working, which is all the time, they come to every game they can.

Lucia and Sofia walk back to the kitchen and begin picking up the food they still plan on stealing.

“Never heard of a Lola.”

“My lips are sealed.”

“I was never here.”

“Lola who?”

I love my sisters.

“Would you like to stay for dinner? I made a turkey and lentil casserole,” Lola pipes up, surprising me. “If you’ve been working all day, which it looks like you have, then it’s important that you eat properly.”

Instantly laying their stolen food down in acceptance, Sofia sets two extra places at the dining table, while Lucia grabs a bottle of wine and four glasses.

Settling myself at the table, I watch Lola laugh and joke easily with my sisters as they serve up dinner together.

This is what she needs. Distraction.

I’m not kidding when I say that every cell in my body wants to do everything in my power to protect that tiny tornado of a woman with a body made for sin.

Content, I smile, knowing that I’m a lucky bastard getting to spend the night with three awesome women.

Which will go back to two tomorrow night.

But that’s not what I want.

I have to figure out a way to keep her.

How the fuck do I do that?