Junior "Eh"

Chapter 4

Stepping through the front door of the Scott's house, I smoothed my palms on the soft cotton of my brand new sundress. Like my bikini, it was a little out of my comfort zone, but I'd been convinced to allow Aunt Susan to purchase them along with a few others on our impromptu girls' day. She'd told me—backed up by Momma Julianna—that since I was now sixteen, I needed to dress a little more my age—but with class.

The black dress with red flowers on it was held up by spaghetti straps, and the neckline dropped into a V around a gold circle medallion between my breasts. The material then split to reveal a triangle patch of skin between the medallion and the waistband of the dress. The bottom of the dress flowed around me freely to my feet. A long slit emerged with each step, but thankfully, although the slit went to my waist, the skirt was a faux wrap around so that it wouldn't reveal too much.

The house was silent as I walked through it, surprising me. Julianna had told me to come in through the front door instead of using the garden gate between the two properties. With each step drawing me closer to the kitchen and patio doors, my heart rate increased. What had they planned?

I slid open the patio as my heart beat frantically. I could hear their voices and the sound of the patio table being set. Breathing a sigh of relief, I stepped through the doors.

"Eeeeeiiiiiii."

Two strong arms wrapped themselves around me, lifting me from the deck, and swung me around. "It's so good to see you again, little sis." The person placed a kiss on my head, gave me another squeeze, and then placed me back on my feet. Continuing to hold both my hands, he stepped back. His practiced eyes slid up and down my body, bringing a flush to my cheeks. "Looking good, Kayla." He wiggled his eyebrows. "All grown up at sixteen. That means you're not jailbait anymore."

I couldn't help the giggle that erupted from my chest. As if. Like I'd ever been considered jailbait. I shook my head as my grin threatened to split my face. "Brad. I didn't think I'd get to see you this summer."

He let go of my hands before wrapping an arm around my shoulder and leading me over to the outdoor seating area where Kris and Ryan sat with grim looks on their faces. "When I heard when you were leaving early this year, I knew I needed to come home earlier. I couldn't go more than a year without seeing my Kayla."

He sat me down on the loveseat and then sat next to me as both Kris and Ryan shifted. Brad chuckled softly beside me, and I realized that I was missing something. Something big and important from the sounds of it. My eyes darted between them, but I couldn't figure it out.

"I think I'm going to push your father this year to allow you to come to one of my Colorado games against Toronto. He can't turn down free tickets. Besides, it's not fair that you've been able to watch these two knuckleheads live while I'm relegated to the TV."

The idea of going to a professional hockey game excited me. But I knew better than to get my hopes up. Even though Brad was Ryan's older brother, there was no way my stepmonster would allow me to go watch his Colorado professional hockey team play against Toronto. I didn't even believe that my father would stand up for me. Not after catching Ryan so close to me on the bed.

Brad kept his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into his side, resulting in the split in my dress opening up wide to my upper thigh. The eyes on both Kris and Ryan nearly popped out of their heads, but I didn't stop to analyze it. I was too busy scrambling to try to pull the slit closed. Brad's chest rumbled with laughter against my side.

Kill me now! I could feel the redness rise as the slit refused to stay closed.

"Kayla." A tall gangly youth stood between the loveseat and the couch. His red hair identified him as the third Scott son. He held out his hand like a gentleman, but I remembered him playing in the mud and pulling on the hair of the girls around him. "It's so nice to see you again. I can't believe it's been a year."