Nice Shot (John Luke Robertson Book 2)

Chapter 5

Here's to MARVELgirls03 and I hope everyone enjoys!!! feedback would be appreciated.
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"Sadie! Hunter's on the phone!" I yell, holding the telephone over the counter. Sadie comes barreling down the stairs, swiping the phone from my hand and walking outside. A smile pulls across my face as I slice the cucumbers. Miss Kay and I are preparing dinner for us all. We are making Reed's favorite, because he just broke up with his girlfriend, and he's away to college in a few months. Miss Kay doesn't want him saddened when he moves. So, we are making salads, chicken casserole, breadsticks, biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy, and sweet potato soufflé. Miss Kay's sweet potato soufflé is the bomb, I know that, and so are her biscuits and mashed potatoes with gravy. But I have never had her breadsticks or chicken casserole, and I'm making the salad.
I wash the cutting board off in the sink, looking up through the window above. I spot John Luke chasing after Bella and River, Cole and Lil Will playing in the sand with Mia and Lily, Priscilla and Merritt clawing at Reed as he holds their dolls above his head, and Sadie hugging a tree with one arm as she spins around it, holding the phone to her ear and smiling like crazy. Korie, Missy, Jessica, Jep, Jase, and Willie left an hour ago, right after JL's speech to me, for some Duck Dynasty premier thing at the warehouse. Phil, Si, and Miss Kay are leaving later while us teens go grocery shopping. What fun. The kiddos are staying at Miss Kay's with a babysitter Miss Kay hired a few weeks ago. I haven't met her yet, but I've heard she's amazing with kids, and if somebody can get Mia, Lily, Merritt, River, Bella, and Lil Will sound asleep by eight then she must be a miracle worker.
"Well, dinner's ready. I think they're eating over at the warehouse, but Phil and I will eat with you kids. Phil sure ain't gonna pass up sweet potato soufflé. Let's gather the family," Miss Kay says. I finish up the salad and walk outside while Miss Kay prepares sweet teas and waters.
"Dinner's ready!" I yell through the door. Kids come running from all directions, barely giving me a chance to step out of the way. John Luke is last to enter, pressing a kiss to my forehead. My cheeks hear as I close the door and follow in after him. We pick up plates and begin scooping dinner onto them. John Luke scoops mine out for me and places it on my plate instead of letting me do it myself, but who cares?
Once we have our dinners, we sit at the table and say our blessing before digging in. As soon as I stand to gather the plates, the doorbell rings- or squeaks since Lil Will threw the volleyball at it earlier and it broke.
"I'll get it," I say. It must be the babysitter. I brush my hands off on my clothes and open the door, staring shocked at the girl on the doorstep. She wears a pair of slim blue jeans with small tears in the knees, a camouflage tank top under a black Columbia jacket, and a pair of dark brown Justin boots. Her skin is perfectly tan and smooth, her hair blonde and layered, bright green eyes popping out, and a wide smile. She stands at about 5'8" and looks to be around my age, sixteen.
"Hi. I'm Claire Maverick, but I go by Maverick. I'm here to babysit the kiddies," she has a sweet, sugary, southern accent.
"Hi. I'm Kaysie Ty. Come on in," I open the door a little wider and allow her to step in. I notice a grocery bag in her hands. "What ya got there?" She looks back and notices my eyes on the bag. She looks down and grins.
"Oh. I brought some frozen yogurt. The kids love it, and it's my favorite snack." I nod and lead her to the living room where the children are watching a show. I lean against the wall and watch as the kids notice her and begin to squeal. Miss Kay stands next to me.
"I have to clean up," I remember, walking to the dining room and picking up what's left of the dishes John Luke and Reed didn't get. I carry then to the kitchen and place then in the sink JL is hovering over. Reed leans against the refrigerator chewing on a piece of hard candy and scrolling through his iPhone.
"We're off," Phil calls, waving and walking out. Miss Kay follows, kissing our cheeks and following her husband.
Once the dishes are done and put away, we all decide to sit in the living room for a few minutes.
"I can't believe John Luke finally has a girlfriend," Maverick comments, punching JL's shoulder. I furrow my brows. JL notices and chuckles.
"Sadie and Maverick have been friends for ten years, but Maverick has been on your with Taylor Swift for the last year. She has been homeschooled on a tour bus, how cool is that?" JL shakes his head. Whoa.
"How'd you manage that?" I ask her.
"My older siblings met Taylor Swift at a summer camp one time and all became friends as little kids. They stayed in touch and then she became famous and invited my siblings on your. Unfortunately for him, my older brother had to go to college and couldn't miss his senior year, so I took his backstage pass and my parents hired a tutor for me," Maverick explains and I nod. Why can't I do things like that?
"How'd you meet Sadie?" I question.
"When I first moved Louisiana, Sadie was the only girl who would talk to me. I was the girl wearing her older brother's hunting clothes- camouflage pants and shirts, orange vests, yada yada- and Sadie came up to talk to me on my first day of first grade. We've been friends ever since," Maverick shrugs with a smile.
"Oh. Cool," I say. Sadie walks in at that moment with the phone to her ear. She Beginsto jump up and down at the sight of Maverick. They hug and squeal and chat about boys and Taykor Swift concerts. After the calm, they take seats. Maverick begins to laugh.
"I remember when I hit ninth grade, and I had the biggest crush on John Luke. It passed, but I was infatuated with him for the longest time," she recovers from her laughing fit and I see John Luke laughing with her. I smile too, though I don't feel it.
"Yeah, well. We must be going now. Shopping," I elaborate and stand, grabbing John Luke's hand and dragging him out with me.
"Bye!" Maverick calls as we all walk out of the house. The summer breeze kicks at my face, bringing tears to my eyes. Why the heck am I crying? I blink the tears away and swallow the lump in my throat. She's just a childhood friend. Not an ex.
After I've calmed, I slide into John Luke's truck and squeeze in between Cole and John Luke. Sadie and Reed hop in the back. Sadie is still on the phone with Hunter, however she's moved into her cell.
"Can we stop by Hunter's apartment after shopping?" Sadie asks, taking the phone away for a second. John Luke makes eye contact with his sister in the rear view mirror.
"If we have enough time," he says, nodding as he backs our of the drive.
"Okay. I want to be back in time to chat with Maverick some too." Maverick seems like an amazing person. She seems outdoorsy and carefree, not a girly girl. But there's jealousy within me because she liked John Luke, and she's beautiful and wonderful. Nothing compared to me.
"I love you," a warm chill spreads through me as the truck stops at a red light. JL seems to know what to say at the right time. Always. Just what I needed.
"I love you, too," I whisper back, closing my eyes when his lips meet my temple. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer to him.
"I know you're jealous of Maverick," John Luke says, stepping on the gas. "But you shouldn't be. She's just a friend. I have a girlfriend. An amazing one. I don't have time for another one, because the one I have is way too demanding-" I slap his chest and he chuckles. "I love that she's demanding. She can demand my attention all she wants as long as she keeps me," he kissing the crown of my head as he pulls onto another road. I smile up at him as he focuses on the road. It's dark out and I can see headlights flashing across his face. I kiss his chin and lay my head back on his chest, closing my eyes.
JL pulls into the grocery store parking lot moments later, pulling me out of the truck with him and starting a race between all of us teens.
"Ready...set...go!" Reed calls and we all take off, zooming past cars and grocery carts and squealing ladies and angry men and laughing children. In the end, Reed and Cole have a tie and we have to have another race to the truck when we get out of the store. We'll see who wins that one.