9781618857958KissMeLikeYouMeanItLeveyNC (22 page)

“Let’s
go before she comes back,” Jackson joked.

They
moved to the main room and walked to the table. Jimmy’s hair was blue and pink
striped as if he couldn’t decide or he thought the baby would be a
hermaphrodite. Scary thought that. Carlie picked up her blue button and went to
stand by her mom, father, Carrie, Jazz and Garrick. Jordan, Shea, Jimmy and
Jackson stood on the other side of the massive three tier cake. An assortment
of family and friends too numerous to all name picked their colors, signed the
picture frame and cast their votes.

Nev
handed out leis to each person. Jackson put on a bright pink sweatband on his
forehead and one on each wrist.

Shea
pointed a pair of bright pink drum sticks at Carrie and winked.

“What
did you bet him?”

“Can’t
tell you but it’s wicked sexy.” Her twin grinned and popped a blue ring pop in
her mouth. Shea’s expression changed as a hint of fire lit his eyes.

“You
two are
so
bad.” Carlie sucked on her
blue candy necklace and put her lei on.

Cameras went off. Carlie hoped her sister sucking on
the ring didn’t lead to a mouthful of blue teeth. The photographer moved around
them and fired off rapid succession of clicks.

“Let’s jump in the air or something fun,” Carrie
suggested. “On the count of three. Three, two, one.” The guys on the opposite
side posed while they leapt in the air posing.

The last shot was an individual of team blue and
team pink with the mama in the middle.

Jordan came in with the flutes of champagne with a
dollop of sherbet and handed them out to the guests. She didn’t miss Jackson
giving his up to her teenage brother right under
Nev’s
nose, who like a hawk, noticed. Jordan had long since sucked it down. She still
pinched him and then turned around and pinched Jackson.
Nev’s
don’t mess with me
look brought
laughter bubbling from her lips.

“I think they’re scared.” She took her drink and
walked around the beautifully decorated room.

The diaper cake looked fantastic with Crimson Rage’s
insignia on it. The guys were good sports. They suffered through name that baby
bingo where they had to unscramble possible baby names and put them together on
the board. Each guest attempted to guess the sex based on old wives tales
clues.

Twenty
minutes later after all the bubbly was gone and trays of food lay empty,
Garrick joined the room with a big box.

“Let’s
take this outside.” All guests moved to the back porch following after the
proud papa. Carlie sunk her hand in Jackson’s back jean pocket and leaned her
head between his shoulder blades. He seemed to be restlessness but it had been
a long day so he was probably getting tired. She could see making babies with
him. He glanced over his shoulder at her and they shared a look before going
outside where everyone was lined up with camera phones on the ready.

“My
sexy fiancé is going to open up the box and release the balloons on the count
of five. I’m so excited to have my family and closest friends here visiting.”
Nev
turned to Garrick. “Count down, Daddy.”

“Five
hundred bottles of beer on the wall. Four hundred and ninety-nine bottles of
beer on the wall. Four hundred and ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall.
Four hundred ninety-seven—”

“Hey
you’re taking too long, daddy,”
Nev
interrupted.

“I
get to start over now, love?” Garrick joked. Carlie sensed he was taking
pleasure in tormenting her as she wanted to know the sex months ago but had
decided to wait.

“Garrick
come on, she is looking a might bit
PO’d
.” Jackson
chuckled. “We’re all gonna be old and the babies will be here before you
release the balloons.”

“Release.
Release. Release,” the mass chanted. Garrick sighed and lifted the lid. Blue
balloons with baby feet on them floated in the air. A giant balloon with the
word
twins
caught everyone’s
attention.

“We’re
having twins,” Carrie squealed. “I knew she was carrying double.”
Nev
and Garrick sported shit eating grins. He puffed out
his chest and took all the back slaps and “Hell
yeahs
,”
from friends and family.

Her
father hugged
Nev
and Garrick and their mom beamed
with happiness. No doubt she was overjoyed getting two grandbabies.

“Wait,
did you know you were having twins,
Nev
?”

“No.
We weren’t told and we didn’t want to see this sonogram. The first one we only
saw one baby. Little brother must’ve been hiding.”

“Let’s
eat some cake people.”

For
the next hour friends loitered, eating cake and chatting. Everyone loved having
the party away from home and getting a mini-vacation from real life. Soon, Carlie
noticed weariness in
Nev’s
face and took her new
sister upstairs for a much needed siesta. After tucking her in, she went
downstairs and found Jackson sitting at the piano playing a difficult classical
piece as if it were an everyday occurrence. He continued to surprise her. She
had no idea he played that well.

“Hey,
play something Sinatra.”

He
changed up without missing a beat, and began the strains to
Someone to Watch over Me
. As his fingers
danced over the ivory keys, his unforgettable voice entered with a ringing
clarity. One minute in, his clean vocals left his close audience breathless.
She wanted to melt in his arms, seeing the twinkle in his eye when his found
hers. She knew he was singing for her. He moved with the music, the piano an
extension of him. Tears prickled her eyes.

Out
of the blue, his hands stumbled on the ivory keys harshly, making blaring off
key notes resonate. A tortured expression took over his entire body. She’d
noticed his mood swinging throughout the day and hoped he’d take some time to
himself. The slight way his hand trembled when he closed the piano lid worried
her.

Carlie
moved to him and sank onto his lap. He draped a hand over hers and turned his
face into her neck. “God babe, I miss them so damn much.” She smoothed her hand
over the back of his hair.

“I
know.” She motioned for everyone to leave them alone in the room until he could
get himself together.

“I
think that the world is ready for the real Jackson
Laurant
.
The smart, talented man who takes care of everyone behind the scenes. And I think
the real Jackson
Laurant
, who I love, needs to accept
help himself. It is okay to miss them, to grieve no matter how much time has
passed, and to even cry. I don’t know who taught you to lock away all emotion
but they were wrong. No one can survive and be healthy that way. I have the
same problem you know, and this really sexy man is forcing me to take notice.
Any time you need to let go, I won’t tell anyone. I’ll just sit here with you as
you let it all go.” She wiped a tear from his haunted grey eyes.

“I
had no idea you were so talented on the piano. It’s a shame the world has
missed out on hearing your music being played with such passion. Promise me
you’ll play again. That our children will one day sit here at this piano and
learn the legacy your mother left you.”

“My
dad thought playing the piano was for girls, until I was offered a full
scholarship to the top music school in New York. Right after I got the letter,
my mom was diagnosed. After she died I quit playing, Gram quit playing too. Sitting
at a piano without her by my side hurt too much for both of us. God, I’ve
missed playing but hearing her voice in every song, her laughter was too much.
She would’ve loved you and made me promise to do right by you. She was a woman of
conviction and faith with so much love. I look like my father and when she
should’ve hated the permanent reminder of his betrayal, she didn’t. Even when I
did.” Her heart broke at his gruff voice, locked tight in overwhelming sadness.

“You,
Jackson
Laurant
, are not your father and it’s high
time you realize the bastard that sired you has no bearing on the man you’ve
become. In short, you get it from your mama.”

Jackson
snorted and shook his head, then looked around. “Where is everyone?”

“Around.
They left us alone.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “You good now?”

“Yeah.”

“Good,
then let’s go. See what everyone has gotten into. The house feels quieter. I’m
guessing a lot of people left already.”

Chapter Ten

Jackson
sucked up the onslaught of grief and reeled it back in. They moved to the main
room and found everyone quietly talking. Looking at the clock, he realized
hours had passed. Garrick was the first to put a hand on his shoulder, and then
move in for a half hug. He’d been there for him during his out of control drunk
days, at the new school he’d been enrolled in and became the lifeline he needed
to regain his footing. In his eyes was understanding. Shea and Jimmy brought it
in too. He appreciated their nearness.

Surrounded
by everyone in his home he felt like he had a real family, that he wasn’t alone
anymore. The last time the house had been this full was before his mom passed.
Having everyone over though put an unexpected overload on his system. After
seeing so much love and happiness in everyone’s eyes during the reveal party, he’d
fought to keep it all together. Shit got too real. Then someone asked him to
play his mom’s favorite musician. If he’d thought for one second he wouldn’t be
able to handle it he’d have removed himself from the situation. Thank God for
Carlie. It seemed she really did know him better the he did himself. That his
true family knew him just as well too.

“Did
we pick names?”

Nev
made her way down the stairs, hair mused and wearing a T-shirt and yoga pants.

“Have
a nice nap darlin’?” Garrick helped her to the couch.

“
Umhm
. Babies are moving a lot. Now I know why I feel like
my insides are being beat to a pulp now. Two pairs of hands and feet.”

“What
is everyone doing?”

“Waiting
to hear baby names.” Garrick took a seat and pulled her feet onto his lap.

“Oh,
are we telling now? I thought we were going to wait.” She yawned and rubbed her
belly.

“Don’t
be mean, we’ve been waiting forever already.” Carrie frowned and kneeled before
her. “Auntie Carrie and Uncle Shea want to know your names. Tell Mama to give
up the 411 before we take away her ice cream.”

“Hey,
no blackmailing the babies before they arrive.”
Nev
laughed.

“We
wanted to choose names after those we are closest to. We chose Cassandra Shea
Stevens for a girl, but we’re not having a girl so Shea you’re out.”

“For
a boy we chose Camden Jackson Stevens after
Nev’s
grandfather and Jackson. We’re hoping you’ll be a godfather to the boys.”

“I’d
be honored.” Choked up with emotion, Jackson leaned over to kiss
Nev
on the cheek.

“Do
you have another name picked already?”

“Yes,
we do Carlie. We decided on Ducati James Stevens. C.J. and D.J for short.”
Garrick grinned.

“Really,
after your motorcycle?”

“You
know us artistic types and our baby names. At least we didn’t go too far out in
naming number two.”

“Are
you going to throw a press party to announce the names?”
Sameera
asked from the couch with Jimmy.

“Nope.
This is for us only. We’d appreciate it if no one mentioned them on any social
media. We’ll let the world know after they’re born.”

“I
am so excited to be a grandmother and your dad is overjoyed to be a grandpa. Just,
please can everyone in this room make sure we all practice some safe sex. I
don’t think my nerves can handle any more babies this year. Let me get used to
the twins first.”

“Mom,
can you imagine if all of us gave you twins.” Carlie laughed at her mom’s dazed
expression.

“Carlie,
stop freaking your ma out.” Jackson grinned. There was nothing he wanted more
than to fill
Carlie
up with his seed. But from a
business stand point, all of them having kids at the same time wasn’t a good
idea.

“Carlie,
I hope you’re practicing safe sex with Jackson. Shea you and Carrie too. Jordan
you better not be having sex yet. If you can’t afford condoms you can’t afford
to have sex.”

“This
is unreal. Jordon’s face is beet red,” Jackson whispered into Carlie’s ear.

“It’s
like we’re in a time warp. How many times has she preached safe sex and
protection, and here I am smiling and shaking my head yes while that’s the last
thing we’re doing,” she whispered.

“
Shh
before she
hears us with her bat ears,” he joked back.