Indulgence (390 page)

Jenna simply laughed. “Seriously, you’re a part of this
family. They love you like a brother.”

“That makes you my sister and that just sounds perverted.”

“John and Jason will be heading back to college and Rick
doesn’t need to know.”

I thought about it for a second. That was all I needed to
make up my mind. “Pick you up at seven tomorrow?”

“Perfect,” she replied, leaning in for one last kiss. “I’ll
go out first. Meet you downstairs.” Jenna opened the door and peeked outside
into the hall to make sure the coast was clear. She looked over her shoulder
and said, “Merry Christmas, Jake.”

It turned out to be a merry Christmas indeed.

My reflection looked back at me in the full-length mirror. I
dressed in my jeans and a button-down shirt, and wore a new pair of leather
shoes. I smoothed down my raven hair with a jittery hand. Why was I nervous?
I’d known Jenna for years. Pacing back and forth, I looked in the mirror one
last time. We already got the kissing part out of the way I just needed to
relax and enjoy the evening. Letting out a long, slow breath, I grabbed my
jacket and headed next door.

I knocked on the Welsh’s door at seven o’clock sharp. The
door opened and there stood Jenna. She was dressed in skinny blue jeans, heels,
and a cropped white sweater. “Hi. You look great,” I complimented.

She smiled. “Ready to go?”

I helped her put on her coat and we walked to my granddad’s
car, a late model Nissan Sentra. Thankfully, I was able to drive, since my
right leg was uninjured, but I still had to have the handicapped placard, which
wasn’t cool at all. I drove to Denato’s Italian Restaurant it was quiet and
secluded, the perfect place to take Jenna on our first date. I refused to park
in the handicapped zone; I was young and could walk, albeit slowly.

“I don’t mind if you park closer,” Jenna said.

“I’m not helpless, Jenna.”

“No, but you’re proud,” she remarked back.

I opened the car door for her and offered my right arm. She
happily accepted it and slowly walked with me to the entrance. The waitress sat
us in a corner booth. I laid my crutch on the floor as the waitress handed us
menus.

Jenna took in the scenery. “I like it here. Its quiet. I see
why you picked this place.”

“We won’t run into Rick here, either.”

Jenna reached across the table and took my hand. Our fingers
intertwined and all I could do was smile. I had never realized that her eyes
were green and then faded into brown around the iris when the light hit them a
certain way, or how sexy she looked when silence overtook us and she bit her
bottom lip.

We enjoyed our Caesar salad and baked ziti, talking and
laughing throughout dinner.

“Do you miss Rick and Sam?” Jenna asked, placing her fork on
the table. “You know why they’ve been MIA this week? They’re having sex,” Jenna
whispered.

“Yes, I know, and I don’t want any details. How did you find
out anyway?” I asked, looking at her.

“It’s obvious. Sam’s glowing and Rick has been in a good
mood. How did you know?”

“They told me.”

“That must have been awkward. You guys are like the three
musketeers.”

I shrugged. “What can I do? I love them both. If they’re
happy, that’s all that matters.”

“That’s very mature and levelheaded. Any other guy I know
would fly off the handle.”

“Cripple boys are just more sensitive,” I joked.

“That’s why I think we should keep our relationship a secret
for a while longer. I don’t need Rick breathing down my neck.”

“Agreed.”

After dinner, we went back to my house to stream a movie on
Netflix. Granddad was sleeping, so we had the living room all to ourselves.
Jenna took off her heels and curled up on the sofa next to me. I put my arm
around her shoulder as we watched the movie, absentmindedly running my fingers
through her hair. I wasn’t paying attention to the movie because all I could do
was focus on Jenna. I was on a date with a girl who happened to be my best
friend’s sister.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

“I can’t believe you’re sitting here with me.”

“I’ve had a crush on you for years, Jake. I can’t believe
I’m sitting here with you either,” she admitted.

“I had no idea. If that’s true, why did you wait until now
to act on it?”

“I saw the look in your eyes the other night at the game
when Sam kissed you.”

“It was a friendly kiss. She didn’t mean anything by it,” I
interrupted.

“I know, but you were shocked, then embarrassed like you
thought you could never have a girlfriend.” Jenna took my hand. “I don’t
understand why you would think such a thing.”

“I don’t want to talk about this,” I said, leaning in to
kiss her. Jenna was very perceptive and it unnerved me. Thankfully, she didn’t
talk back. Instead, she kissed me.

During Christmas vacation, I didn’t see much of Rick and
Sam. Taking their relationship to the next level meant there was less time to
hang out with me. Since Rick was spending so much time at Sam’s house, I was
free to spend more time with Jenna. We would hang out and play video games or
cards. Sometimes we’d watch movies. The more time I got to spend alone with
Jenna, the more I liked her.

Sam snuck up behind me as I grabbed a turkey sandwich from
the cafeteria. I knew it was her the minute I smelled her Victoria’s Secret
perfume. She wrapped her arms around me and whispered in my ear, “Happy
Birthday, Jake.”

I looked over my shoulder at her smiling face. “Thanks, Sam.”

“Rick and I want to take you out for dinner tonight to
celebrate.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Yes, we do! We’ve spent every birthday with you since you
were thirteen years old.”

She wasn’t getting the hint, so it was time to try a more
direct approach. “I have a date tonight.”

“Well, that’s no problem you can…what? Did you just say you
have a date?” she asked in disbelief.

“That hard to believe, huh?”

“Jake, oh my God! Do I know her? Who is she? Does she go to
this school?” I didn’t answer her questions. I continued walking toward the
cash register. Sam followed me to the table and sat down across from me.

“I swear if you don’t fill me in, I’m going to wipe that
stupid grin off your face, Jacob Lewis.”

I laughed. She was so adorable when she was riled up.

Rick found us in the cafeteria and sat down. “What’s so
funny?” he asked.

“Jake has a date and won’t tell me about the girl.”

“What’s with all the secrecy? Since when have you been
dating? I tell you everything. Why are you holding out?” Rick added.

Now I had both of them ganging up on me. I didn’t know what
to say. My mouth was dry, so I took a sip of water. “Her name is Jenna.”

“That’s a coincidence,” Rick announced. My statement had
gone completely over his head. Nothing new there.

Realization flashed across Samantha’s face, her mouth
forming a little ‘O.' “How long?”

“Since Christmas.”

“That was two months ago!”

Rick finally caught on, anger making his face turn red. I
looked at Sam, but pointed to Rick. She understood. Sam grabbed Rick’s forearm
and made sure he remained seated. “My sister,” he seethed.

“I’m not having sex with her,” I told him, hoping this would
calm his temper.

“She’s my sister, Jake.”

“And Sam’s my best friend. How do you think it makes me feel
knowing what you two do when you’re alone?” The conversation had suddenly
become serious. There was an uncomfortable silence between the three of us.

Surprisingly, Rick was the first person to break it. “Okay,
I never looked at it that way. I don’t mind that you’re dating Jenna. Hell, at
least I know you’re a good guy. I’m more angry at the fact that you didn’t
confide in me.”

“I’m sorry. It just happened. Jenna wanted to keep it quiet.
She didn’t want you flipping out.”

Sam reached over the table and grabbed my hand. “I think
it’s great. We can double date!”

“You should both come with Jenna and me to dinner. I can’t
ruin tradition,” I said, more than happy to share the evening with them.

The four of us ended up at Denato’s for my birthday dinner.
Jenna and I had been such frequent visitors to the restaurant that the waitress
just seated us at our usual table.

Rick lifted his glass of water. “Happy birthday, Jake.
You’re the best friend anybody could ever have.”

Everyone raised their glasses to toast. “Here, here,” Sam
agreed.

“I can’t believe you’re being so calm,” Jenna mused, staring
at her brother.

“What? Jake said you aren’t having sex. I believed him,”
Rick defended himself.

“Oh. My. God. What if we were having sex, would you beat the
shit of him?” Jenna huffed.

I placed my arm around Jenna’s shoulders. “Okay, no family
fights tonight. It’s my birthday.”

“I didn’t start it,” Rick piped in.

“I have a black belt in karate. I can take you down, Rick. I
don’t care if you're my brother,” Jenna threatened.

“Which is exactly why Rick has nothing to worry about. You
can certainly take me down a lot easier than Rick. I can’t run away.” I tried
to joke to ease the tension.

Sam burst into laughter, covering her mouth to stop from
spewing water all over the table. I cracked a smile, winking at Jenna. Soon she
was laughing, too.

“The four of us should go somewhere for spring break. What
do you think?” Sam asked.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Let’s go to New York City,” suggested Sam.

“Couldn’t you pick somewhere a little warmer, like Mexico?”

Sam scrunched up her nose. “Why would I want to go to
Mexico?”

“Sun, sand, water,” Rick rattled off in no particular order.

“Do you want to go with us?” I asked Jenna.

Jenna placed her hand on my thigh under the table. “My mom
and dad aren’t going to let me go. I’m still in high school. Our spring breaks
aren’t even at the same time.” She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. “You
guys should go and have an awesome time. I’ll be here when you get back.”

“Yes, we’ll share a hotel room, take in the sights, see a
Broadway show!” Sam said.

Rick groaned at the last suggestion.

“Fine,” Sam huffed. “Jake and I will see a Broadway show.
You can go to the Knicks’ game.”

“I’m in.”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll book a hotel online when we get
back to your house, Rick.”

Sam got a killer deal on a hotel suite at the Marriott in
Times Square: not only was she brainy, she was also thrifty. We took off after
dinner at the Welsh’s home on Friday night, boarding the train in Philadelphia.
We arrived in Penn Station at 10:00 p.m.

“This is bigger than my bedroom back home,” Rick admitted,
turning around in a circle in the middle of the suite to take it all in. The
lounge had a black leather sofa and a big comfy upholstered chair. The flat
screen TV was mounted on the wall and there was a mid-century modern floor lamp
in the corner. The bedroom was furnished with two queen-sized beds outfitted
with snowy white linen. They looked like fluffy marshmallows. Rick couldn’t
resist stretching his arms out wide and falling back onto the bed.

“Don’t get too comfortable. We’re only here for three
nights,” Sam warned, placing her suitcase on the luggage rack.

I gazed out the window, looking down on all the excitement
New York City had to offer. Neon lights were flashing on the oversized billboards
that dotted Times Square while crowds of people, looking like ants, swarmed
along the sidewalks below. “I want to go explore,” I said, turning to face Rick
and Sam.

“I’m in!” Rick agreed wholeheartedly.

“I’m having a bath and going to sleep,” Sam informed us.
“You two stay out of trouble, will you?”

Rick arched his eyebrow at her. “I am deeply touched by your
unwavering faith in us,” he said, placing his hand over his heart.

“Get out of here, both of you, so I can enjoy my hot bath in
peace.”

“We’ll be quiet when we come back,” I promised.

Rick and I took to roaming the busy streets. Soon we spied a
bar called El Caliente
.
“Come on, Jake. I could use a beer.”

“How do you propose to do that?”

Rick reached into the front pocket of his jeans and pulled
out fake IDs.

“Where did you get those?”

“Jason. We used one of your photos from Facebook.”

“You’re unbelievable! Sam is going to kill us.”

“Not if she doesn’t find out.” He opened the door and pulled
me inside.

The minute we entered the bar, I felt as if I were in an
alternate universe. It was packed with loud people and even louder music. My
shoes stuck to the beer-soaked floor. My eyes scanned the room to find scantily
clad women dancing on the bar and pouring shots down drunken men’s throats.
“Yes,” Rick said, pumping his fist in the air.

I followed him to the bar and hung back as he as he ordered
two beer from the barmaid wearing a bikini top. Rick made sure to ogle her ass
when she turned around to grab the glasses. “Got ID, honey?” she asked before
placing the beers on the bar.

Rick produced the forged drivers’ licenses. The barmaid
glanced at them, then winked before handing over the beers.

I leaned against the bar and took in the spectacle. “This is
so ”

“Amazing,” Rick interrupted.

“Surreal was more what I what I had in mind,” I finished.
“We’re not going to tell Sam about this, are we?”

“No,” he smiled, clinking my glass. “Cheers.”

We stumbled back to the hotel around 1:00 a.m. and entered
the room quietly, hoping to not wake Samantha. All the lights were still on and
we found Sam curled up in the oversized chair, fast asleep.