Straight Up Love (The Boys of Jackson Harbor #2)(31)

“You know,” he says, “when a boy likes a girl a whole lot, sometimes they do this thing where they kiss, and then they give each other a special—”

I smack his arm. “Shut up!”

“You do know how to do it the old-fashioned way, right?” His face splits into a grin, but his voice is soft. “I mean, it hasn’t just been you and that turkey baster your whole life, has it?”

I can’t believe I’m smiling. He’s talking about us sleeping together, and I’m smiling. And . . . kind of hot. What’s wrong with me? Do I have a fever? Am I delirious? Is this even real? “You’re an asshole.”

“I’m an asshole who’s making you an offer. Take it or leave it.” Then he turns around and walks out of the kitchen, and I’m left standing here trying to wrap my mind around what just happened.





Jake


“This is the dumbest fucking thing you’ve ever done,” Levi says. He folds his arms and leans back against the bar. The place is closed. Barstools have been flipped, and the floors have been mopped. Outside, the streetlights gleam.

I meet my little brother’s eyes and shrug. “I’m not denying that.”

“So what happens when she gets pregnant and carries on with her plan to be a single mom? Then you have a kid out there.”

And at least she’s part of my life. “Lots of kids are raised by parents who aren’t together. But if I have my way, that won’t be what we’re dealing with here. You don’t understand, Levi. I decided a long time ago that I wanted Ava in my life one way or another. That’s why I kept my mouth shut when she married that asshole.”

Levi grimaces. “This is different. This changes everything for you. Have you thought about that?”

“I can either watch her have some other man’s baby, or I can watch her have mine.” I shrug. Honestly, once that became the crossroads in my mind, my decision was clear. Offering to give Ava a baby is the biggest gamble of my life. But is it really a gamble, given the alternative?

When I saw that stack of papers on Ava’s table with details of potential sperm donors, my mind was made up.

“Somebody’s gonna get hurt,” Levi says. “Seriously hurt. And I’m afraid it’s gonna be you.”

“At least I’ll know that I tried.”





Ava


“He said what?” Teagan says.

“He said he’d do it, but only if we did it the old-fashioned way, because that’s the only way I’m going to be able to relax enough to get pregnant.”

Teagan snorts. “Well, that’s a line I’ve never heard before.”

I slap her on the arm. “Come on. This is Jake we’re talking about. It’s not like this is all some elaborate scheme to get in my pants.”

“But isn’t it? I mean, he’s single, and not a manwhore hopping into every available chick’s bed—because trust me, I’ve tried—so you know he jacks off from time to time. What harm would it do to hand over the goods? But instead, he’s all”—she lowers her voice to a low rumble—“It’s better if we do it this way, sweet Ava. We’re more likely to succeed if I’m actually doing the dirty with you. I bet he’ll have an excuse for going down on you, too.”

My cheeks flame so hot at that image. I’ve been trying to ignore the bits and pieces of me that are interested in Jake’s proposal for non-maternal reasons. “Shut up,” I growl.

Teagan winks at me. It’s girls’ night, and we’re sitting in our booth at the back of Jackson Brews. I told Teagan I’d fill her in on my personal drama before the others arrived, but the truth is, I need someone to give me guidance. Since I already know how Ellie feels about my baby-making plans, I wanted to hear Teagan’s take. I’m so afraid I’m going to make a bad decision that I’m paralyzed. “You think it’s a bad idea,” I say.

Teagan’s eyes go wide, and her grin stretches across her face. “Are you kidding me? I think it’s a great idea. I have been in favor of you fucking Jake since . . . I don’t know, since I knew there was an Ava-and-Jake. You two are amazing together. There should be a name for you. Avake. Jayva.”

I grimace. Back in high school, Jake’s sister called us Jayva, and Jake hated it, which always made me think he hated the idea of anyone thinking we were a couple, so I hated it. “Please don’t use those words ever again.”

She chuckles. “Okay, okay, but you know what I mean.”

“I know we’re friends. I know this is complicated.”

“Right, right, and nobody wants to ruin a friendship for a couple of hot nights, but now you have an excuse, and if you get a baby out of it, bonus.”

“What if it makes things weird between us? Can we have a bunch of sex and then go back to being friends?” There’s the rub. It’s the question that’s been haunting me since Jake’s indecent proposal. I promised him I’d think about it, and in the five days since I’ve done nothing but think. And think. And overthink. On one hand, it’s exactly what I want, and the intimacy of lovemaking over turkey basting appeals to me on the most basic level. On the other hand, what if it screws up me and Jake? Am I selfish enough to risk our friendship?