Jesse (Broken Hill Boys 5)

“Do you guys need a drink?” a voice calls out from the backdoor, making relief surge through me, knowing that Nate and Tora are here and can help in some way to make this afternoon a little more bearable.

I fly up off my feet as I glance at Tora. “I’ll come help.”

I take off after her through the backdoor, more than happy to put this strange awkwardness behind me.

I get into the kitchen to find Tora reaching for the glasses on the top shelf and I shake my head. She’s been here enough to know that she can’t reach that shelf, hell she even lived here for a while. I reach over her and grab the glasses she’s after. “Thanks,” she murmurs as she heads to the fridge.

I place the glasses down as Tora starts filling them with soda. “I, um…wanted to talk to you,” I say, wondering how to approach this topic.

“I’m not taking your baby if that’s what you’re about to ask,” Tora comments with an entertained smirk.

“No,” I laugh, rolling my eyes. “Nothing like that. Don’t get me wrong, I thought about asking you but I figured Nate would rip me a new asshole.”

“That’s the understatement of the year,” she tells me. “What do you need?”

I pause, studying her out of the corner of my eye. “Kaylah doesn’t think you like her.”

“What?” Tora grunts, stopping what she’s doing and facing me front on, looking hurt. I hope I haven’t offended her, but Kaylah needs this and Tora’s strong enough to deal with everything that comes at her. “I like her. Why would she think otherwise?”

I let out a sigh. Kaylah will never actually admit it, but I see the look on her face and the longing for friendship every time she looks at Tora, yet she’s always holding back. “I know you like her and I told her as much, but she’s not buying it,” I explain, recalling when I mentioned that they’d make great friends. I still stand by that claim, it’s just a matter of making it happen. “She comes from a world where she was surrounded by girly girls who all fawn over each other, and here, you hardly talk to her.”

Tora cringes. “You realize I’m not one of those girly girls who like to compliment other girls on their new hairdos?”

“I know,” I tell her with a grin, imagining it and realizing what a joke that would be. “I’m not asking you to. It’s just…it’s serious with her.”

“It’s okay,” Tora murmurs, pulling me into a tight hug. “It wasn’t my intention not to include her. I didn’t even realize it was happening, but I promise, I’ll stick to her like glue and make more of an effort. I mean, if she’s good enough for you to fall in love with, then there must be something special about her that I haven’t worked out yet.”

I beam down at this girl who has become so much more than a sister to me. “Thanks.”

“Who knows?” she teases. “Maybe I’ll fall in love with her too and steal her away.”

I narrow my eyes. “You wouldn’t?”

We grab the filled glasses off the table and start making our way out back. “Want to find out?” Tora chuckles, looking back at me over her shoulder.

Nate steals the drinks off Tora while he shoves his phone between his ear and shoulder, knowing she’s bound to trip and fall with so many glasses in her hands. We hand out the glasses and as I go to take my place beside Kaylah, Tora jumps in and steals my spot.

“Thanks for this,” Kaylah tells her, motioning to her drink as Nate’s eyes meet mine, pleased to see our girls making an effort with each other. After all, I hope they’re going to be in each other’s lives for a long time to come. “I would have died before the boys thought of getting up and getting drinks.”

“No problem,” Tora smiles as I find it impossible to tear my eyes off the girls. “How’s the baby been all afternoon?”

“Oh, my God,” Kaylah groans and I just know that she’s moments away from launching into her rundown of Jackson and I fighting over how to change a diaper.

Nate finishes his call and leans back against the couch, pulling Tora into his side. “I invited the boys over.”

I nod as Tora looks up at Nate. “Can I invite the girls?”

“Sure, but Maxen will be here,” Nate explains, making me raise a brow as I watch Tora’s reaction to the idea of Brooke and Maxen being in the same vicinity of each other after he cheated on her a few months ago.

“That’s fine,” Tora says. “Brooke can handle it. I think the whole Holly thing kind of sealed it for them. She literally couldn’t give two shits about what he does now.”