Just Like That (The Kings)

Why won’t he just do it already?

Yes, I am fully aware that simple thought made me a terrible person. The man just found out his mother was actually dead, and all I could think about were the many, many ways he could seek comfort in me.

When JP’s kiss landed at the corner of my mouth, my knees wobbled. I stood in dazed confusion as he pulled back, and a devastating and sad smile hinted at his lips. He turned and walked into the house as I stared at his back, too stunned to move.

Grief still lingered around his heavy shoulders.

My fingers itched to do a tarot reading or burn some white sage or something.

How could the universe be so cruel?

I needed something—anything—to help me understand.

Olive would know exactly what to say.

From my back pocket, my phone rang, and when I looked at it, MJ’s name flashed on the screen.

My chest pinched. “Hey,” I answered. “I am so sorry for what happened today.”

MJ’s voice was thick, and I could tell by her stuffy nose she had been crying. “Thanks. I’m sorry to call so late. I just wanted to check in on JP. How’s he holding up?”

I leaned against JP’s car and looked at the darkened house. I blew out a breath. “I don’t know. He’s okay, maybe? Honestly, I feel like I don’t know him at all. Everything is just so . . . awkward.”

MJ’s wry laugh hummed through the line. “I’m not going to lie, no one was more shocked than me when he said you two were moving in. He’s always been so closed off. That’s why I’m worried about him. He could really use a break . . . time off from working so hard.”

“You’re a good sister,” I said, my wheels already turning.

MJ sniffled again, but her voice sounded stronger. “He’s different around you and Teddy, you know.”

I fumbled for the right words. “Oh, I don’t know about that. I⁠—”

“It’s true,” she interrupted. “He’s always been so driven. Determined to succeed. I think it was his way of surviving Dad. With you and Teddy he’s a little softer somehow. Like he can’t make heads or tails of you, and instead of taking charge, it’s like he’s along for the ride.”

I chuckled quietly at her assessment. JP had thrown me for a loop too. When I’d come to Outtatowner to find him, I had expected him to be as flippant and dismissive as he’d been to Olive. I never expected our snippy banter to be so much fun, and I certainly didn’t expect the way his eyes softened or how tender he could be.

“Just . . . don’t give up on him, okay?” MJ’s voice was watery again.

“Um . . . okay.” It was all I could do to not cry alongside her. “Hey, MJ?”

She hummed.

I picked at my nail polish and gathered the courage to continue. “Look, I know things between your brother and me are kind of weird and your whole family is going through a lot right now . . . but if you could use another friend, I’d love to be her.”

I could hear her smile through the phone. “I’d like that too.”

I exhaled a sigh of relief. Why was making friends as an adult always so freaking awkward?

“Thanks again for checking on him for me,” she said.

“You bet.” My eyes glanced up to see the soft light glowing from his bedroom.

We ended the call, and I wrapped my arms around my middle as I stared up at the second-floor window.

JP was controlling, demanding, and stubborn, but there was also a fiercely protective side that I was just getting to know. He was surrounded by people who loved him, even if he sometimes forgot to see it.

Just don’t give up on him.

But what could I possibly do?

Resigned, I pushed off his car and started to walk toward the house. My eyes had landed on my skoolie when the ridiculous, reckless, perfect idea popped into my head.

I cupped my hands and peered into the darkened interior of King Tattoo. The shop door was locked, but a soft light glowed from the very back of the parlor.

“What if he’s not here?” Teddy asked as he also tried to peer through the glass.

“Veda said he comes in early.” I looked down at Teddy’s sweet, hopeful face. “This might work.”

When Luna rounded a corner from the back to walk up the main hallway, I knocked on the window, then jumped up and down and waved to her as Teddy grinned.

She waved back, a friendly grin spreading across her face. She pointed toward the door, and I met her there as she unlocked it.

Luna was dressed in black leggings, combat boots, and a cropped Pantera T-shirt riddled with holes. Her black eyeliner was fiercely winged, and her bold red lip was what dreams were made of.

“Morning, you two!” She chirped as she held the door open for me.

Luna’s attention landed on Teddy. “Is it time for your first tattoo? You know, we don’t open for a few more hours.” Luna smiled at me and winked.

“No tattoos today, but it is kind of an emergency—a fun one!” I wrung my hands, excitement and energy buzzing through me. “Is Royal around? I texted Veda and she mentioned he should be here.”

“Hey, boss,” Luna called over her shoulder toward the back. “You’ve got a few visitors. Couple of cute ones.” Luna turned toward me. “Thank you for the tincture. I’ve been smoke-free ever since. You have a gift!”

I grinned. “Happy to help.”

“Your aura is lemony yellow today.” Luna pointed, and her finger was stacked with silver jewelry as it circled in the air. “You’re up to something.”

Teddy stifled a knowing giggle and my eyebrows waggled. “We are!”

Royal King walked out of the first booth and closed the door behind him. He was tall and commanding. Tattoos covered his neck and trailed down his arms and across his knuckles. If it weren’t for his affable grin, he’d be downright intimidating.

“Morning, Hazel.” He nodded in greeting. “My lady mentioned you might be swinging by.” He crossed his thick arms and smiled. “What can I do for you?”

I straightened and hoped I didn’t sound certifiably insane. “Well, I’ve been thinking. JP’s always so focused on work. Teddy is still trying to get to know him, so . . . so we want to do something to help him loosen up a little. Maybe have some fun.” My arms spread wide. “Kind of like a last hurrah before Teddy starts school.”

His eyes glowed with excitement as his eyebrows crept up his forehead. “Like a prank?”

My brow furrowed. “Um . . . not a prank, no.” I looked at Royal and hoped he didn’t think I was losing my mind. “More like a . . . kidnapping?”

Royal’s hearty laughter burst from his chest, and he pulled me into a tight hug. His shoulders shook as I struggled to breathe around his bulky frame. He released me, holding me at arm’s length. “I love you.”

I blushed and returned his grin. “So you’ll help us?”

He turned toward the desk where Luna was typing on the computer. “Luna, I’ll be back in time for my one o’clock.”

She shot him a bland look, followed by an eye roll and a nod before returning her attention to the computer screen.

He nodded in her direction, unfazed by her bratty dismissal. “Perfect.” He turned toward Teddy and gently tugged on his bow tie. “Let’s go mess with your dad.”

Later that day, as I stood outside my skoolie in a forest clearing near a bluff, nerves simmered beneath my skin.

This might not have been my best idea.

My toe tapped as I impatiently waited for Royal to show up with JP. Teddy was inside the bus, reading his book while I checked my watch and my phone for the eleventh time.

Royal was later than we’d agreed upon, and I worried that JP had refused to come along. My chest pinched thinking about how I could break the bad news to Teddy that JP had chosen work over us.

The crunch of dirt and rocks under tires whipped my attention to the trailhead, and Royal’s huge truck rolled into view. I’d sent him a location pin so he could find us and was relieved when he pulled to a stop in front of me. Royal hopped out of the truck, but his mischievous grin gave me pause.

I frowned. “Where’s⁠—”

He held up a finger and rounded the truck before pulling open the back seat. To my horror, JP’s suit was rumpled, and there was a black mesh bag over his head.

“Cut the shit, Royal. What the hell is going on?” JP was angry.

Very, very angry.

Royal only laughed and leaned in, dragging his little brother from the car. His hands were loosely bound with a thin black cord.

“Oh my god!” I surged forward, untying the bindings. My eyes narrowed at Royal. “I didn’t mean an actual kidnapping!”

Royal laughed. “Oh, come on. It was fun.”

When his hands were free, JP whipped the black bag from his head and threw it at Royal. “Would it have killed you to wash the bag? It smells like your sweaty nutsack.”

Royal caught the bag and sniffed it. “Ugh. Sorry, man.” He pointed at me. “This was her idea.”

Royal shot me a look before he rounded his truck and climbed behind the wheel. It roared to life, and he pulled a U-turn in the clearing, waving and grinning like a fool as he drove away, leaving JP stranded with us.

JP’s eyes whipped to me and narrowed. “What the hell is going on?”

With my back to the skoolie, I spread my arms. “Surprise?”

JP pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have work to do, Hazel.”

“Veda and I discussed everything. One day and one night away won’t actually kill you. She’s handling everything while you take some much-needed time off.” He tried to interrupt, but I raised a finger. “MJ also thought you looked like you needed a break from work.”

My arms were still spread in a ta-da position, but my bubble of excitement was slowly leaking air.

JP looked around the remote campsite. “Time off?”

“We’re camping!” I hoped my smile didn’t waver. “Well . . . we have the skoolie, so it’s more like glamping, but you get the idea.”

I was fairly certain he was about to call the whole thing off when Teddy realized he’d arrived.

“Dad!” He bounded down the skoolie’s steps and launched himself at JP.

JP’s arm wrapped around Teddy’s back and he softened. “Hey, kid.”

“You made it! Are you surprised? We packed you a bag and everything!” His excited words tumbled over one another.

One eyebrow lifted as he looked at me. “Packed a bag?”

Teddy nodded. “Yep! Hazel had to touch your underwear!”

My cheeks heated as JP looked down at him and chuckled. “Well, that’s very helpful.”

I smiled and fought back a laugh. “Teddy was curious why your boxers looked so tight.”

For the first time, I could barely make out tiny red splotches forming from beneath the collar of his rumpled dress shirt.

I lifted his duffel bag from the ground and tossed it to him. “Go on, get changed. First thing we have planned is a hike.”

JP frowned at Teddy, but there was humor dancing at the edge of his mouth. His eyes narrowed playfully at Teddy. “I’m not getting out of this, am I?”

Teddy grinned. “Nope!”

JP sighed and climbed into the skoolie. “If you say so, but only if there are s’mores later.”

I opened my arms, beckoning Teddy to me. He hugged my middle and I squeezed him back, relieved that my haphazard plan hadn’t completely blown up in my face.

Yet.