Cocky Secrets (Cocker Brothers #29)

63. Jett

SIXTY-THREE

Jett

W hen Luna comes out of Jaxson’s bathroom, my jaw drops. “Wow.”

She glances down to the blue, floral print dress she and my mom bought for the wedding, and smiles with a shyness she’s never had before now. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I nod, walking to her. She lets me spin her around. “What is this?”

“Chiffon, I think? That’s what she called it. I like that my huge tits aren’t on display.”

Laughing at her bluntness, I agree, “You look really elegant, baby. Lovely. No, fuck that, you’re a stunner.” Yelling to my brother as he walks in from checking on his ripening tomato garden, I warn him, “Don’t look, Jaxson, she’s all mine!”

He grins and grabs his coat. “You look great, Luna. But I’m more into you right now, Jett. Haven’t seen you in a suit since Grandpa’s funeral.”

Spinning around I ask my woman, “Clean up pretty nice, don’t I?”

She adjusts the strap on her heels and rises up to kiss me. “You’re so fucking hot I can’t even think.”

Laughing, I pull her closer and kiss her deeper. “You go on without us, Jax.”

“Nice try,” he calls back. “Come on.”

As I go, Luna slaps my ass, hard. I grab her hand and kiss her fingers before entwining them with mine.

We ride over in Jaxson’s Jeep, talking easily about his farm. Luna declined milking the cows this morning, but she asks my brother a lot of questions and keeps him occupied. As we get closer I feel tension hit. Soon they both feel it and a quiet takes over the remainder of the ride. No one among us is the talk-when-you’re-uncomfortable type.

The street is jammed with parked cars by the time we arrive. A valet station with four drivers running around is set right in front of the house. There are lavender and white flower petals all over the lawn, and the door is wide open as well-dressed people walk in, most of the faces familiar.

“Here goes nothin,’” I say as we all climb out.

While Jaxson gives his keys over to a valet, Luna tells me in a low voice, “If you want to leave early, we can.”

I squeeze her hand and shake my head.

That ain’t gonna happen.

I don’t run away from anything.

And I’m invited here.

My dad doesn’t matter today.

It’s all about Jake.

I’m a member of this family, goddammit.

Inside is crowded with guests. People I haven’t seen in years greet me. Aunt Anna and Uncle Dave, my cousins, and friends of the family we’ve known since we were born. Everyone’s happy to see me, and the feeling is mutual. Luna says little as I introduce her over and over. She just smiles and accepts the handshakes and compliments. “She’s so lovely!” we hear a lot.

At one point as some people walk away, I whisper in her ear, “Little do they know you could kick their asses.”

She grins. “I so could.”

Under it all is a feeling of unease as I look for my dad around every corner, not wanting to be surprised.

There he is.

He’s outside.

Just saw him chatting with a big smile on his face, to a couple of people I don’t remember the names of. I know they’re friends of my parents’ from church.

My brothers are out there, too. I want them to meet Luna before the ceremony starts. “Baby, come on outside.”

“I’m here with you,” she whispers, squeezing my hand, spotting my father, too.

“I’m good. It’s all good.”

As soon as we walk onto the wide back porch that leads to the lawn by way of a few stairs, Jason and Justin spot me. “JETT!” they yell out over the conversations, so loudly that most of the people look over. Michael Cocker, too. Dad and I lock eyes as my brothers make their way through the crowd. Jason’s in a grey suit, Justin in navy blue.

“Come on, baby.” I lead Luna down the stairs to meet them. They spot her, see us holding hands and at the confusion on their identical faces, I remember I’d never told them about her. “Guys, this is the love of my life.”

“WHAT?!”

“SINCE WHEN?”

Luna blushes, staring back at them and realizing they have no idea who she is.

Justin, the bastard rakes an appreciative look over her and says, “Holy shit.”

I smack his chest hard with my free hand. “Hey!”

Grabbing where I hit him, he laughs. “I couldn’t help it. What is the deal here?”

“It’s a long story,” I grin. “Luna, this asshole is Justin. That’s how you can tell them apart. He’s the dick.”

“Hey!”

“And this is Jason. He’s?—”

“Got terrible taste in music,” she finishes for me.

Jason laughs loudly. “Oh oh!! I see how it is. Trained her, did you? Bet you didn’t have her actually LISTEN to any of it.”

“I didn’t want to scare her off,” I smirk. “Where’s Jake?”

“With grandma.” Justin points past the people.

“Can’t see him from here. I’ll head over. Want him to meet you,” I tell Luna, leaning down to give her a kiss.

“What the hell, Jett, seriously,” Jason says.

“Yeah, man. Were you joking, or…”

Luna answers for me. “He’s joking. I just met him outside.”

Choking back a laugh, I nod. “Yep.”

They stare at us, not sure what to believe. But then Mom hurries over and ruins it.

“Luna! Oh, look how pretty that dress is. It’s perfect! The dressing room did it no justice. Out here it just shines!”

I steal a glance to Jason and Justin and they’re glaring at me, the first with his hands in his pockets, the latter crossing his arms.

“Thank you, Mrs. Cocker. I’m sorry about last night.”

Mom loses the smile for a moment, but being such a seasoned hostess, it comes back as quickly as it left. “It’s an ongoing feud, honey. Nothing to do with you. I’m just happy you both came.”

I let go of Luna and give Mom the hug she wants. “Sorry, Ma. Lost my temper.”

“I know. You both always do that. You’re just too alike is the problem, in all the wrong ways.”

Justin asks, his voice weighted, “Run in with Dad?”

“Yeah. Probably won’t be talking to him today.”

“Oh!” Mom cries out, seeing kids eyeing the wedding cake like they’re going to stick their fingers in it. She runs off to stop them.

“Let me introduce you to Jake, Sunshine.”

“We want the story, Jett!” Jason calls out.

“Well, then don’t just stand there with your panties in a bunch. Follow us!” I tell him, taking Luna’s hand and leading her across the grass. We nod and smile to people as we make our way through.

Jake’s kneeling in front of Grandma and since she’s pretty deaf, we overhear her loud voice telling him, “You just have to forgive each other. Talk things out, but not everything. Some things you just let go!” He’s nodding, soaking it all in when he sees me coming. His eyes dart to my hand, and at how it’s not empty, then cut to her face. He rises up with a frown, the same confusion they had.

“Giving him marriage advice, Grams?”

She looks over from her chair and explodes into surprise. “Jerald!!”

She’s the only one who can call me that and I’ll never mind. It’s her husband I was named after. I miss the guy. He was good. A quiet man. Served in World War II. Sure did love our Grandma.

I give her a hug and lift her from her chair, then set her back down. “I’m gonna cuss up a storm, Grams. Just warnin’ ya.”

“Don’t you dare!”

Reaching for Luna, I say, “I want to introduce you to my lady.”

Luna with her dark beauty and that beautiful dress complementing her olive skin, steps up and gets the once over from my grandma…three times. “Hi, Mrs. Cocker.”

“Well, aren’t you a pretty thing?”

After he received only irritated shrugs from the twins, Jake is done being patient. “Jett…”

I turn to him. “Luna, this is the man who’s getting married today. Jake, Luna. Luna, Jake.”

He shakes her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

“He does look like Nancy,” Sunshine tells me, glancing to the brothers.

Justin and Jason have ice-green eyes and blonde hair like mine. Only they’re more model-handsome. I’m more kick-the-shit-out-of-you.

Jake, he’s darker skinned and brown-eyed, just like Ma.

“Jeremy looks more like Jake and Ma, too, baby.”

Grandma demands, “Jett, did you get married without telling us?”

“Not yet, Gorgeous,” I grin, grabbing her fragile hand and kissing it, with a wink. “But if we do, we’ll probably elope. Luna and I aren’t the big-wedding types.” I look to her for agreement and she nods with a look that says, no fuckin’ way are we doing this shit.

Jake crosses his arms as the twins walk over to stand on either side of him, like an interrogation is about to happen. Jaxson strolls over and sees this. “Surprised?”

The three of them look over and realize he already knows.

Just for the fun of it, Jax rubs it in. “They’ve been staying with me.”

“WHAT?!”

My older brother and I start cracking up. “Shit, your faces!”

“Language!” Grandma cries out.

The three left outside the joke, stifle grins. Jake finally exhales. “Okay, come on. Enough is enough.”