“What’s that?” I asked with wide eyes.
She gave me a wink and a grin as she rubbed her nose. “That’s candy.”
“I like candy,” I shrugged.
“This is adult candy, but when you’re older, I’ll share.”
I gave a nod, wondering how much older I needed to be before I got to try it out.
The day seemed perfect. Right until I exited the bathroom and Jewel was nowhere to be found. My head dropped with disappointment, but not surprise. It wasn’t the first time she’d taken me somewhere then forgotten about me.
I knew the drill. I had to find the gate and an adult. Then I’d have to tell them what happened and watch as they gave me pitying looks while they called my dad.
I sat in the chair once Dad was called. All I could do was wait. Waiting made my tummy flip and my heart feel like it was galloping. I gnawed on a nail while my foot tapped the floor. I fidgeted in the chair to the point I knew it was driving the lady behind the desk crazy.
Lost in my own thoughts, thinking of the trouble I’d caused by going with Jewel, I never noticed the door open and more people file in. My anxiety and guilt so consumed me I didn’t see the girl that sat next to me until she spoke. “Are you okay?”
I turned my head to see the palest of blue eyes and animated face framed by long dark hair, the color of chocolate hanging in waves to her waist. I was mesmerized, especially by eyes so similar to my mom’s. Then she smiled, warming me from the inside out, making me feel less alone.
“My aunt forgot me,” I said honestly. There was no point in lying, after all.
Her face scrunched in confusion. Not surprising. What kid would expect an adult to forget a kid? “Forgot you?” she asked.
My face heated to my roots with embarrassment. I could only nod, turning my gaze to the floor. She reached across, grabbing my hand. “I’m sorry,” she said, eyes glassy with unshed tears.
I didn’t know what to think about that. The simple gesture of having my hand held or the sympathy on display. It wasn’t something I’d seen before.
“Come on, Zoey,” a woman called out before I could respond to the girl’s kindness.
“He’s all alone, Momma. Can we stay with him?”
The woman looked at the girl. Then at me, her eyes softened in understanding. I should have been more embarrassed, but I was too busy trying not to cry because all I could think about was how much I missed my mom.
“Stay here,” the woman told Zoey. “I’ve got to take your father his phone, but I will be right back.”
Zoey nodded vigorously with a smile.
Her mom looked down to the two boys on either side of her, telling them to come along. The dark-haired boy glared at me like I’d taken his favorite toy. “I’m gonna stay with Zoey,” he declared like he was an adult instead of a kid.
Her mom quirked a brow, but I saw the corners of her mouth twitch in amusement. “Want to try that again, Jaxon?”
”MayI stay with Zoey?” he huffed.
Jax was so fucking protective—possessive of her even back then. It’s pretty funny if you think about it. Or it would be if I didn’t understand it. He was born to protect her like a knight protects the queen. I just wish I wasn’t the villain he was always protecting her from.
“You can stay,” her mom nodded, then turned to the blond-haired boy. “What about you, Zane?”
He rolled his eyes petulantly. “I’ll stay,” he grumbled as he trudged behind Jax. “He follows her. I follow him.”
Jax sat next to Zoey. Not in the vacant chair beside her, but in the same seat, like some type of territorial dispute.
“I’m Zoey,” she smiled wide and sweet. “That’s Zane,” her head tilted to the other side of me, where Zane had taken a seat. “He’s my twin. And this is our best friend, Jax.”
I ignored Jax because his glares were getting on my nerves. Instead, I looked at Zane. His annoyance had quickly faded into a wide, lazy grin. “You don’t look like twins.”
They both rolled their eyes with annoyance, and my stomach plummeted with worry that I’d said the wrong thing. “Yeah. Everyone says that,” Zoey replied with a huff.
“Do you live around here?” Zane asked as he leaned back in the chair. Apparently, he thought he was the coolest kid in history. He must’ve been born with that cocky arrogance.
