Third Degree (24 page)

My body shakes with laughter. “We’re not the same blood type, so don’t even think about eating me.”

I turn my head, my mouth finding his, and let him have his way with me. Giving in is not a very difficult task, that’s for sure.

Chapter 19

First I hear a soft knock, but my sleeping brain doesn’t think much of it. Then the knock turns into a bang. I’m tangled up in Marshall’s limbs. He finally fell asleep two hours ago, and now the sun is bright through the space between his two curtains. I give him a little shake, but instead of waking up, he feels around under the covers with one hand until he finds my ass and spreads his fingers over it, pulling me in tighter. I’ve been in his bed for a few days now; I guess he’s used to me.

The sound of more than one voice echoes from the hall, which is startling since we’ve been alone all weekend. It’s only nine in the morning, and I can’t imagine that anyone’s back at school yet. I shake Marshall harder and whisper, “Someone’s at the door.”

His eyes open, he listens for a moment, and then he releases a frustrated breath. “Goddammit.”

“What?” I ask, but before he can answer, the doorknob is turning. Marshall’s made too many trips to the bathroom to remember to lock the door every time he returns. I sit upright, tug my T-shirt down, and pull the covers to my chest, knowing we’re about to get caught—resident and resident advisor fornicating behind closed doors.

Marshall rolls off his side of the bed and stands up in his blue checkered boxers at the same moment two teenage girls, one little girl, a slim middle-aged woman, and a beefy-looking guy who is like a fifty-year-old version of Marshall’s brother Jesse come tumbling inside.

“Happy birthday!” all five of them shout together.

Marshall glances at me, rolls his eyes, then turns back to the strangers in the room. “You guys suck,” he says, looking more amused than angry or concerned with the fact that it’s pretty obvious we were just in bed together.

I reach across the bed and grab his arm, pulling him closer. “I’m not wearing any pants,” I hiss into his ear.

“That’s Izzy,” the tallest girl whispers to the second-tallest girl, both of them sporting Marshall’s dark hair and slim figure.

Marshall grins and kisses the top of my head, then turns to the people. “See why surprises can be bad?” He points at me. “She has no pants on. You’re making her uncomfortable. And this is Izzy’s first impression of my family. Nice job.”

Uncomfortable
is an understatement.

Marshall’s mom smacks his dad in the chest with the back of her hand. He immediately
covers his eyes with one hand. “What did I tell you?” his mom says, “Either he’s sick again or there’s a girl keeping him from coming home this weekend.”

“Are you an RA, too?” the oldest girl asks me.

My eyes must be wide with alarm, and all I can do is shake my head.

“She’s not an RA, she’s a doctor, remember?” the littlest girl says, her eyes sweeping over the dresser topped with pill bottles. My gaze travels to her foot, the one that turns in. That must be Allie.

“See? He
is
sick again,” the middle girl says, also taking in the evidence around the room.

“Is that why you’re in his bed?” Allie asks, turning her big blue eyes and blond pigtails to face me. “Did you check his temperature? Are you making sure he’s comfortable?”

Marshall grins again. “Oh, she’s definitely making me feel very comfortable.”

“Marshall!” his mom says, “Be a gentleman.”

My mouth falls open, but I can’t ask how they know who I am or that I’m a doctor because Jesse comes bursting into the room, out of breath. He takes in the situation and tosses a sympathetic look in Marshall’s direction. “Sorry, bro. I got here as soon as I heard they were doing their little surprise routine.”

“Close your eyes!” his mom demands to Jesse.

“Izzy doesn’t have pants on,” the middle girl says, a giggle escaping.

Not only are my eyes wide, but my cheeks are burning.

The oldest girl tosses her long hair over one shoulder and holds her hand up. “I’m Tracy.” She points to the middle girl. “Renee, aka Peppercorn.” She tugs the little girl’s pigtails. “And this is Allie.” Tracy bends over, picks up my flannel pajama pants, and tosses them to me.

I sigh with relief and slip them on under the covers. Finally I stand up, feeling much more comfortable. But then Renee holds up my bra. “You might need this.”

I fold my arms across my chest, remembering that I’m still missing an important undergarment.

“Give me that.” Marshall’s mom snatches the bra from Renee and opens a desk drawer, stuffing it inside. She turns to me, smiling like I didn’t just roll out of her son’s bed. “I’m Elizabeth. It’s nice to meet you, Izzy. Marshall’s told us so much about you.”

I shoot Marshall a look that says,
Really
?

He shrugs. “I refuse to be teased or subjected to an inquisition on my birthday.”

“Are you decent yet?” Jesse asks, his eyes still covered.

“You can look now,” Allie says, and both men uncover their eyes.

Marshall’s dad, who I remember used to be in the military and is now a football coach, surprises me by grabbing Marshall, hugging him, and rubbing the top of his head until his hair is
sticking up even more than usual. “Twenty-one! I can’t believe it. Are you feeling okay? You look sick. Are you sick?”

Marshall pulls away and the grin finally drops from his face. “Yeah, a little.”

The room goes quiet for a total of three heartbeats, and then all four females are in motion, walking around, picking up loose items, talking all at once, asking him about his symptoms, whether he’s been eating or drinking.

Jesse’s leaning against the door frame shaking his head. Finally he speaks loud enough to carry over all their voices. “Hello? And you guys wonder why he wanted to stay away from home this weekend.” Jesse lifts a hand, gesturing at Marshall. “Marsh, do you need their help? Do you need Mom to wipe your ass and Allie to sprinkle magic healing fairy dust all over you?”

“I do not,” Marshall says, then he reaches for his littlest sister and gives her shoulders a squeeze. “I don’t mind the fairy dust,” he whispers to her.

“He’s got a freakin’ doctor in his room.” Jesse gives a nod in my direction. “A hot doctor, I should add.”

Marshall’s dad smacks his oldest son in the back of the head.

“Are any of you doctors?” Jesse asks, shrugging off his dad’s reprimand.

“No,” they all grumble in unison.

“Then let’s stick to the plan,” Jesse says. “Birthday brunch. Presents. Bowling.”

“Bowling?” I ask, and then wish I’d kept my mouth shut, because I’ve managed to say two things to his family thus far:
I’m not weaing any pants
and
Bowling
. Can’t get more charming than that.

“It’s Marsh’s favorite ‘family-time’ activity,” Renee says, using air quotes and rolling her eyes at the same time.

Elizabeth says in her sympathetic-mom voice, “We shouldn’t go out with your brother not feeling well.”

“What did I just say?” Jesse reminds her. “Marsh? Do you want to go out?”

My mouth falls open in protest, but I close it the second I see Marshall nod eagerly.

“I think,” I say, “I’m gonna head over to my room.…”

Allie jumps up and down, clapping. “Can I see your room, please, please,
please
?”

“You’re coming with us, right?” Renee asks. “You have to come with us.”

I’m honestly not sure I can handle an entire morning of this family. I look to Marshall for help, but I can see he’s pleading with me silently to say yes … I think.

“Um … okay.” I head through the door, and realize that all the females are following me to my room. Maybe so Marshall can get dressed?

“I’m not even allowed to date, and Marshall’s allowed to have s-e-x in his dorm room,” Tracy whines to her mother.

Renee wrinkles her nose. “Gross.”

Allie turns around in front of us, arms crossed, foot tapping. “I know you just spelled
sex
. I’m not a baby. I know that’s why Izzy didn’t have her pants on.”

Oh. My. God.

“All right,” Elizabeth concedes, patting her oldest daughter on the head. “You have permission to have sex when you’re twenty-one.”

Tracy groans. “Thanks, Mom. Thanks a lot.”

“You’re very welcome.”

Renee walks up beside me and whispers loud enough for everyone to hear. “Just think, if you marry Marshall, we can all be
your
family, too.”

Finally I crack a smile. I like this girl. She’s made sarcasm an art form.

I unlock the door to my room and quickly head for the closet to find an outfit.

Allie heads straight for Kelsey’s cheer costume, hung neatly on a hook outside her closet. “Awesome!”

Tracy flops onto Kelsey’s bed, and Renee lands on mine. “Sorry about your parents and the divorce stuff,” Tracy says.

My fingers freeze on a pair of skinny jeans hanging in my closet. I turn around to face her, my eyebrows lifted.

“I need to get something from the car,” Marshall’s mom says, hurrying out of the room, obviously wanting to make this less intrusive for me.

Tracy’s expression fills with guilt. “Sorry. He tells me stuff. Like everything. But it’s no big deal.”

“If you keep a secret in our family, it gets dragged out of you and then made into this big deal even if it isn’t,” Renee explains. “So we’ve been trained to spill our guts all the time.”

“So Marshall never told you that he was helping a foreign exchange student or a socially inept home-schooled kid?” I ask.

Tracy and Renee shake their heads.

“What’s
inept
?” Allie asks, smoothing Kelsey’s cheer skirt with one hand.

“Bad,” Renee says at the same time Tracy says, “Incapable.”

“Oh my God …” Tracy flops onto her back, stretching out across Kelsey’s bed. “You are so lucky, Izzy. You’re allowed to have a boyfriend. You can kiss him whenever you want.”

“Ew,” Renee says, then adds, “Marsh is your boyfriend, right?”

I clutch the jeans and a sweater to my chest, my gaze bouncing between the three of them who all seemed to be waiting patiently for my answer. “I’m … I’m not sure. I haven’t actually used that word before,” I say, stalling, “And I don’t feel comfortable using it without getting a second opinion first.”

“Whatever.” Renee rolls her eyes again. “You spend all your time with him and you’ve kissed him and told him about your parents. And you’re taking care of him while he’s sick.”

“She has to help him,” Allie says, returning her attention to the cheer uniform. “Because of the hippomatic oath.”

“Hippocratic oath,” I correct.

“We let her watch
Gray’s Anatomy
,” Tracy admits. “Don’t tell my mom.”

“Yeah, because there’s tons of s-e-x,” Allie sings.

Okay, two sarcastic sisters might be a bit much.

I just rode in the back of a minivan. For thirty minutes. Now I’m standing in line with Marshall’s family at someplace called Old Country Buffet that was apparently chosen because Elizabeth Collins had a coupon. I attempt to pay for my meal, but both Marsh’s parents wave me away like it’s an insane idea. I stand beside Jesse watching Marshall as he reaches for Allie and lifts her up in his arms. I immediately wince, thinking about the pain he’s in right now.

“Is your head about to explode?” Jesse asks me, keeping his voice low. I nod, and he laughs and adds, “Don’t worry, me and Dad snuck him outside to smoke a joint while you were getting ready. He’s probably feeling okay now.”

That would explain the recently dilated pupils. I guess his mom isn’t too keen on the marijuana use. Or maybe she doesn’t know?

Marshall moves toward me when it’s time for us to be seated at a giant round table. Elizabeth makes sure I get first pick of seats and then says to me apologetically, “I hope this place is okay … I’m sure you eat at much nicer places.”

“Her dad’s a heart surgeon,” Renee says. “Of course she eats at nicer places.”

“Right.” Elizabeth’s face goes red, and I’m not sure what to say to make her feel at ease. Luckily Marshall rescues me.

“Give it up, Mom.” He stands behind me, rubbing my shoulders. “Izzy eats in the school dining hall. This is like five steps up.”

“He’s right,” I add. “I got a pre-made salad at Walmart yesterday, and it was like eating gourmet.”

I finally get some breathing room when all of us scatter to various sections of the buffet. Marshall walks behind me, filling his plate with whatever I choose. “Thanks for coming. I’m low on energy and I needed someone else for them to focus on.”

“So you threw me under the bus.” I look up at him and smile, hoping he knows that I’m
joking. Yes, I’m overwhelmed with all these people and meeting them when I had no pants on, but I can’t say that I’m not at least a little bit excited that Marshall talked to them about me. And that they aren’t looking at me like I’m the weird girl he’s stuck dealing with. These are all positives that I can’t ignore.

Marshall leans down, his mouth close to my ear, giving me instant goose bumps. “I’m sorry.”

I shake off the urge to start kissing him in the middle of a family restaurant and continue selecting my breakfast. After I fill my cup with iced tea, Marshall stares at the dozen or so beverage choices looking as overwhelmed by this one decision as I am with his family.