Boarded by Love (Bellevue Bullies 1)

Pulling back, she smiles at me and says, “I have to admit, I didn’t expect to ever see you again.”

I laugh as I nod. “Yeah, apparently no one did! Jayden bet Jude that he wouldn’t last two weeks with me.”

She tsks as she sets Jude with a look. He shrugs his shoulders. “It was an easy hundred bucks, Mom. I knew she was a keeper,” he says, hugging me tightly before kissing my temple.

I smile, warmth spreading throughout me and then sit down, scooting over so he has room too. Sitting down beside me, he takes my hand in his and rests them against his thigh. I love how he has to touch me when he’s near me. I know that his need for me is just as strong as my need is for him. It’s very reassuring, not that I need reassurance. I know he loves me. More than he loves himself and that makes me giddy with happiness. Especially since I love him just as much, maybe even more.

“Sorry I’m late,” I start, but she holds up her hand.

“Jude told me you had a wedding rehearsal. It’s completely fine.”

I let out a breath, my cheeks warming. “Yeah, tomorrow is my uncle and aunt’s wedding. We’re pretty excited, but it’s a circus since Reese thinks she can do it all and be in the wedding. I think my uncle is going to hire a girl for tomorrow ’cause today was hell.”

She laughs and Jude chuckles beside me. “So you’ll be busy for the next couple days?” she asks and I nod.

“Yeah, I plan on sleeping all day Sunday.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Jude says and we share a grin. I hope he knows that I very much want him to nap with me, and by the look in his eyes, I think he does.

“Jude, are you going with her tomorrow?”

Jude’s eyes leave mine to meet his mom’s. “Yeah. I’m her date.”

“That’s nice. Are they coming to the game tonight? To watch you dance?”

“Yup, and to watch Jude play,” I say with a grin.

“Well, hopefully I’ll run into them. I’d love to meet them.”

“I’ll try to make that happen. My uncle is being a jerk right now,” I say, but as soon as the words leave my mouth, I wonder if it was a good idea to mention that.

“Why?” she asks like I knew she would.

I glance at Jude for help, but he’s just grinning. Looking back at Mrs. Sinclair, I say, “He’s crazy overprotective of me.”

“And doesn’t like me,” Jude adds. “But that will change.”

“Sure, it will,” she says with a grin. “That’s the thing with parents. In our eyes, no one is good enough for our babies.”

Her eyes meet mine, and I know that she thinks that about me. That shocks me a bit because I thought she liked me, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was so caught up in my feelings for Jude that I didn’t realize that his mom could see me as some tramp out to steal her son from her. While that hurts my feelings a bit, I know she’s right. I’m nowhere near good enough for Jude, especially with the secret I’m carrying. Looking down, I wring my fingers together and let out a breath.

“As parents though,” she says, and I look up to meet her gaze, “we have to trust what our children want. When Lucy brought Rick home, I wanted to gag. He was a creep.”

“Yeah, he was,” Jude agrees.

“But he was what she wanted, so we all put aside our thoughts and let her be. When it all came crashing down, we were there to catch her. That’s what family does.”

“I agree, but Phillip doesn’t see it that way. He just hates anyone who wants to date me.”

She laughs as she shakes her head. “That’s a man for you, but it will get better,” she says, almost like a promise, and it honestly makes me feel better. “You know, I thought I wasn’t going to like you either. I figured the girl who bagged my Jude would be a train wreck. Since I threw every good girl his way and he didn’t want anything to do with them.”

“Wow, thanks, Mom,” Jude says, and she reaches over to take his free hand, grinning at him.

“But I was wrong. I knew the moment I met you that you were right for my Jude. It was the way you looked at him. Like he was the flame and you were the moth. It’s a beautiful sight to behold. So obviously, you weren’t looking at her in front of Phillip the way you do when you’re around me,” she says and inside I turn to mush.

She likes me!

Jude laughs. “I couldn’t look at her ’cause he scares the crap out of me. But don’t worry, I’ll stare at you all day tomorrow,” he says, looking over at me.