MILO’S P.O.V.
“Josh? You’re going to make Josh come?! I don’t even know him anymore, I haven’t seen him in years! I can’t spend a fucking week with him in another part of the country!”
“Milo! Watch your fucking language around Heather!”
She doesn’t even hear it does she? I love Brie but let’s face it, if anyone is going to corrupt my niece it’s going to be her.
Heather chuckles before strolling up and wrapping her little arms around my leg, she’s seven now but she’s still so tiny, or maybe it’s just that I’m so much taller now. She’s just like her mum, a little poppet that I still can’t stop picking up and carrying everywhere. Lee tells me I can’t keep doing it but until she’s too heavy for me to lift, I’m going to keep carrying her, this is why I’m her favourite Uncle. Although I have no doubts she’d definitely shove me off a cliff if May asked her too, those two are something else.
Jayce rolls his eyes at me, trying to clean dishes with one arm still in a sling. I hardly ever come over to their house usually, it’s always too full of people that still think I’m a kid. I’m fucking nineteen but the way these lot act you’d swear I was still a virgin or something.
“Well if you ever came to any of the barbecues or party’s we have here you would’ve seen him, plus it’s not the other side of the country, the camp is like two hours from here. You used to love Josh man, and he hasn’t changed much. You know Mum won’t let you go without anyone after everything that’s happened. Josh won’t bother you, he’s got his own shit to be getting on with anyway.”
Everything that happened. Why don’t they just say it – I got done for reckless driving and lost my licence, they all act like I killed someone. It’s not like I was drunk or on fucking drugs when behind the wheel... Well, I guess they think I was...
Of course Mum freaked, said me having a criminal record meant no decent college would take me. She’s made me re-sit this whole year of high school just to improve my grades and hopefully get me in that way.
It was all bullshit, I’d already had an offer from L.S.U. to play ball even after the crash but she wouldn’t let me go. This year, and not having a car to escape them all, is my punishment.
“Fine. Does Coach know? Can Josh even play? Coach wants all the supervisors helping out.”
Brie jumps up from the couch, almost sending May crashing to the floor with her and making me hold in a laugh. I’d only pay for it later if I let it out, my eyebrows only just grew back in last month from her latest attack. My baby sister is my best friend, but she’s a little psycho.
“He’ll be fine mini Thompson, it’s just throwing a ball, I don’t know why you all make so much fuss about it.”
Brie, I’ve seen her throw a ball and it’s a tragedy. Unless it’s dodgeball the girl can’t shoot for shit.
Jayce tries to start berating her but she just waves him off like always, although I don’t miss the way May looks at her with so much pain in her eyes. May loved basketball, but since she fucked her ankle she just can’t do it anymore. Brie was so upset she gave up dance, I don’t think she realises how much loosing basketball hurt her too.
Brie walks over and ruffles my hair like I’m not half a foot taller than her now. “Come on, I’ve got to get down to the studio so I’ll drop you by Josh’s offices and you can tell him how fucking uncool he is in person... but put a fucking shirt on.”
Only the women in this house would complain about me being topless, it never seems to be a problem outside it. Grabbing my shirt off the side, I follow her out to the bug. This is why I prefer Steve, his bike has more fucking room.
Heather runs out to kiss us both goodbye on the driveway and makes her regular request of a goodbye selfie. She started doing it a few months ago and now my phone is full of them. If she wasn’t so bloody cute I’d tell her to piss off. Unfortunately, even I’m not immune to her charms.
After twenty minutes of Brie’s Disney car vocals, I’m truly lost as to why she has this reputation of being a bad girl. She’s like a teddy or something, she’s never even raised her voice at me, although I’ve heard her tear into May enough times.
“You good to get back or do you want me to pick you up after I’m done with class?”
Shaking my head I look up at the tall glass office building, Josh is doing well for himself huh?
“I’m good, Eli is gonna pick me up so we can practise over on his court. What floor is Josh?”
Brie smiles at me. “Twenty fifth, he’s the back corner office with the sexually frustrated guy in it, can’t miss him. You sure your good with this? I told Jayce I’d go if you want.”
Fuck no, I could do without a week of all the boys telling me how they want to bang her brains out. It’s hard enough to control them when Brie comes to my matches, that’s why I made her stop.
“I’m good. See you later.”
Walking through the foyer of this place, I’m pretty sure I’m the only guy not in a suit.
Josh... Fuck... Okay, just be cool. You were a kid back then and he was just the guy that was nice to you, it’s not like that anymore. You’ve probably built up the way you felt towards him in your head. Kids do that, they make things feel bigger than they are, it’s fucking normal. I was kind of obsessed with the guy when I was younger, always trying to make him laugh or smile, I just really wanted him to like me. He probably hated me, it would annoy the shit out of me now having a little kid following me around like that, it was pathetic. He was just my brother and sister’s best mate but... he was my friend too.
Then one day he fucked off and I never saw him again.
My phone buzzes just as I get in the elevator, the person I really wouldn’t mind seeing most right now lighting up my screen.
‘Z – My folks are out on date night at seven Friday... house is all mine 😉🍆💦 x’
Zoe. Captain of the cheerleaders, too gorgeous for her own good, sexy as fuck and finally my fucking girlfriend. We’ve been on and off for months but after everything with Eli and the crash she’s been there for me whenever I’ve needed her. It’s been going good, really good. She’s applied for L.S.U. too, so I hope to fuck we can go together.
‘Me – I’ll be there, but I’m not holding back this time 😉’
Last time I was at her place I had to sneak in through the window and practically smother her face with a pillow to muffle her screams. Her Dad’s a cop, so with my record obviously he fucking hates me, not sure him walking in to find his daughters ankles around my neck would fucking help matters.
Floor twenty-five. Walking in I’m immediately caught in the visual clutches of the flirty receptionist. Okay gorgeous, I see you.
Walking over slowly, I lean on the desk and make sure to smile at her the way Jayce taught me back when I was scrawny and just trying to get any girl to pay attention to me. Now it comes more naturally than breathing.
“Hi beautiful, can you tell me where Josh..” Fuck, what’s Josh’s last name?
She smiles back at me, twirling her honey blonde curl around her finger and leaning over so much I’m sure if I give it a minute longer she’ll be out of that blouse completely.
“Joshua Jones? He’s in the corner office... Do you want me to walk you there?”
I glance over to where she’s pointing and can see some guy, who definitely isn’t Josh, practically pushing himself up against the glass to get a better look at me.
It still makes me laugh, I wasn’t used to it but I was getting there. Puberty hit me fucking hard, I wasn’t exactly the coolest kid growing up. I was a small, skinny science club geek who loved video games and just wanted to make everyone happy. Then the summer before I turned fifteen everything changed. I grew like twelve inches, developed muscles in places I didn’t know you could get them, lost all my baby fat and watched my balls drop further than my voice.
Then people started treating me differently. I got onto the team, then made captain. Girls actually noticed my fucking existence, and not just because I was Jayce Thompson’s brother for once. Everything just got fucking better.
Looking back at the receptionist, I’m sure she didn’t have that many buttons undone a second ago, the sheer black lace of her bra showing just enough that I’m glad these pants are so tight they can hold me down.
“I’m sure I’ll find him...”
I wink at her and watch the blush creep up her neck as she chews on her bottom lip before smiling up at me through her fake lashes. That was too easy.
Her glare follows me as I walk away but all memory of everyone else in the room disappears the moment my eyes fall on the man sitting behind the desk in that office.
Fucking hell... I know it’s been a few years but did he always fill out a suit like that?
Right Milo, it doesn’t fucking matter. You ain’t a kid and he isn’t your older brothers cool mate. He’s just a dude, a dude you need if you want to get to camp and prove your place at L.S.U is still solid.
Opening the door, I’m thrown slightly by how blue his eyes are... but I pull it back.
“Hey Josh.”
There we go. Now keep your shit together...
It’s just Josh.
This is a duel view book so there will be a lot more jumping between points of view than the previous two installments of this series beauts 😍
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