I Swear It: Herophine

Chapter 16

I've been standing in the backyard of my mum's house staring at the gate for about 20 minutes now. When I had invited Josephine to come and she asked me to send her the information I didn't really think she would come. I was just hoping maybe maybe we would chat for a little bit after I texted her, maybe she would agree to seeing me again after she made me work for it. Maybe. So when she texted me 20 minutes ago saying her and Taylor would be coming over shortly I went into a bit of a panic mode. I told Mercy to please not mention anything about how huge of a mistake I made, I told my mum to please not make a big deal about her because she'll get uncomfortable and leave, and I told every guy at this party between 20 and 35 that if they flirt with Jo I will personally kick their ass in front of everyone.

So here I am, caught between hoping she doesn't show up and praying that she does. Until I see her. And then I am beyond happy that my prayers were answered. Her hair is curled in loose waves hanging down her back, she's in a forest green sweater that hugs her hips beautifully and jeans tucked into her heeled brown boots. Light makeup adorns her face and when her eyes lock with mine and I see those beautiful shining eyes I can't help the smile that breaks across my face.

It's a shockingly beautiful day for this late in fall, which is why we're sat outside my mum's house. Can't waste a day like this sitting inside she'd said as she put my friends and me to work setting up the garden outback for our small gathering. She'd asked me about 100 times if Josephine would be coming and I avoided the question as much as I could until I got the firm yes from Josephine, not wanting to believe her agreement to come and get my hopes up before I knew for sure.

"Oi FT, I hope Jo isn't the blonde, otherwise it might be worth the ass kicking to give her a go" Jack calls to me and I see a blush erupt on Josephine's cheeks before I look away to glare at Jack. He's smiling like an ass and I think I'll kick his ass just for making her uncomfortable before she's even stepped foot in the party.

"Hate to break it to you handsome but she sure as shit is!" Taylor calls to Jack, the blush on Josephine's cheeks deepening and she turns to yell at Taylor who simply laughs and guides Josephine towards me. Taylor, ever the extrovert, comes right up and hugs me hello and thanking me for the invite before excusing herself to check out her options as she put it. Josephine laughs as Taylor walks away towards my group of friends sat around the drink table.

"Thank you for coming Jo, Mercy is going to be so excited to see you," I say leaning in to hug her and I hold her, maybe for a second or two too long, enjoying her in my arms again after all the shit that happened between us. I feel her hands ghost down my arms as we pull away and I can't stop the shiver that runs down my spine.

"Thanks for inviting us! Taylor hasn't stopped talking about it since I told her and I figured even if the party was lame watching her flirt with all your friends would be entertainment enough." Jo says with a smile and then looks over my shoulder to her friend who is now surrounded by my friends in what seems to be a chugging contest with Morgan.

"I promise I'll get her out of here before she starts making people take body shots off each other, I've been out with her enough times to know my warning signs. Trust me..." she says and by the laughter coming from my friend I know Taylor beat Morgan in their little race and I absolutely believe that Taylor is someone who would make people take body shots at a family party at 2pm.

"Depending on who she assigns me to take a body shot off of I think I can get okay with that" I say bumping Jo's shoulder, testing my limits, seeing if she'll flirt with me or not.

"Oh I wouldn't be too excited, last time she blindfolded our guy friends, telling them they'd be taking body shots off of us and paid her 68 year old neighbor to do it. She thought it was the funniest thing in the world and my guy friends refused to go to her house again for a month."

"Damn, she's good." I say, trying not to think of guys taking body shots off of Josephine, someone else's lips touching her body where mine touched her. The thought makes me irrationally angry, especially considering the fact that I ruined whatever we were with a video of another girl grinding on my lap. Trying to get my mind off of it I pull Josephine into the house for a tour where we also find my parents, Mercy, Felix, and the baby sitting in the kitchen. Mercy is feeding Josh a bottle and my mum is finishing up the food she's about to serve.

"OH MY GOD YOU MUST BE HERO'S JOSEPHINE!" my mother all but screams as soon as we're through the back door. Jo is a good sport about it, although I think she's a bit confused why my mother would refer to her as my anything, but I don't correct her, I just put my hand on the small of Jo's back and lead her further into the kitchen where my family attacks her with hugs, compliments of how beautiful she is, and Mercy retelling, again, how amazing Jo was and how she never could've done it without her. I sit next to my dad and Felix while Mercy hands the baby to Jo and the girls chat about how perfect Joshua is while I look on watching Josephine nestle her way further into my family. Settling there like she's meant to be here with us, part of us.

I eventually pry Jo away from my mother who took it upon herself to give Jo a tour of the house and then spend 45 minutes talking to Jo about what a wonderful man I am. To her credit Jo smiled through the whole thing and nodded her head along with my mother's praise.

"I'm sorry about my mum, she gets... excited easily I guess."

"Are you kidding she's amazing! She told me I'm as beautiful as an angel, I could've stayed in there all day just letting her compliment me!" she says as she squeezes my arm and laughs loudly when I pull her into my body with one arm.

"Well she's not wrong. Like I've said, good taste runs in the family. Now you know where we get it from."