Gemma

While it feels great to know that Penelope and I drove Jake's team into the mud, it's even better to see Reid still stewing over the loss. He's always hated losing to me, and even though it sounds a little sadistic, seeing him pissed off about losing brings me great pleasure. I almost wish I had a crown or something to display on my head just to rub it in.

After going out for dinner, everyone came over to the place Jake and I are renting for a horror movie night. It's been interesting, having Jake, Reid, Cassian, Nolan, Penelope, Morgane, Hanna, and Parker all in the same room. We've all spent quite a bit of time together, but I've learned some very important things about my friends, fiancé, and brother while watching these movies with them. For starters, Cassian is someone you would never trust if you were facing a serial killer; he would push you towards them and take off. And maybe it's unfair of me to come to this not-so-surprising conclusion, but he refused to share any of the blankets with Penelope and Hanna, and didn't touch any of the junk food on the coffee table. He kept that blanket wrapped firmly around his body and head, almost like a hoodie, and didn't move, his brown eyes glazed with fear throughout every movie we watched. Honestly, I'm surprised he didn't piss himself.

Penelope, on the other hand, is a strikingly different comparison. She laughed at a lot of stuff, pointing out how cheesy it was and how ridiculous the storylines ended up being. "There hasn't been a good horror movie in years," she complains, tossing a handful of caramel popcorn in her mouth. She chews thoughtfully, staring at Cassian as she continues. Of course, he's still wrapped in the blanket, glaring at her. "The last one that really scared me was Signs."

"I have to agree," Reid nods, stroking his man-bun. I cringe at the very sight of it. I've told him countless times that he needs to get his hair cut before the wedding. I will not have a man, let alone my own brother, with a man-bun at my wedding. He directs his gaze at Jake. "Why are you guys so scared of Coraline? It's so basic. And it's a cartoon."

Jake releases the pillow he's been holding for the past couple of hours, tossing it to the floor as he squares up with Reid. Sometimes, I worry that the two of them are just pretending to like each other for the sake of my own mental health. Especially during moments like these when they're ready to go into full-on battle mode for an argument. But then I pick out the tiny details between the two of them: the spirited, haughty look in Reid's eyes, the way the corner of Jake's mouth twitches. Personally, I think their egos feed off of each other.

"You," Jake begins, "haven't read the book, have you?"

"No," Reid replies, leaning back against the cushions.

"Well, for starters, the book is always scarier than the movie. There are so many tiny details that manage to worm their way into your head that you can't simply ignore them; your imagination runs wild. When you add that to the movie, fear is impeccable."

Reid rolls his eyes. "Then just don't read the book. It's as simple as that."

Instead of responding to Reid, Jake looks at me, a questionable look on his face. "How did you manage to grow up with him without committing a felony?"

I snort, glancing at Morgane, who recently became single, is staring at my brother like he owns the world. Reid and I got along when we were kids, but we were always extremely competitive with each other. I think the only reason I didn't murder him in plain view whenever he would beat me is because of Morgane's feelings. Especially after his short relationship with Imogen didn't work out. They went on several dates together, eventually breaking things off because they were too similar. Jake and I heard all about it when Reid showed up with a bottle of whisky one night. With both of them sitting here, single, I can't imagine hurting my brother when Morgane could have a chance with him. 

As if she can feel my eyes on her, Morgane exchanges a glance with me, quickly directing her gaze down to her hands when she realizes I've caught her staring at my brother. I've always tried to be encouraging – yes it would be strange to have her date my brother and potentially get married (you never know how a relationship is going to turn out, trust me), but I don't have the authority to dictate who someone develops feelings for. If it ever came down to it, I would fully support the two of them. Morgane, however, is a problem. She's too headstrong; whenever I try to tell her to go for it, she shuts me down and tells me that dating my brother would be crossing a line. What line, I'm not exactly sure. If that's how she feels, though, I have to respect it.

"While Reid is very adamant about his opinions, I prefer to stroke his ego and build it up," I reply, tracing the rim of my wineglass. My gaze flicks over to Reid, a wicked smile on my face. "The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Isn't that right, Reid? How did it feel to be the on losing end today?"

My brother scowls at me. "You got lucky, Gemma."

Penelope bursts out laughing, her face plastered with a look of disbelief. "We got lucky? Reid, we annihilated you and the rest of the boys. You couldn't aim worth a shit – Cassian said so." Playfully, she smirks at Cassian. "And this oaf spent more time hiding than shooting. I think Nolan and Jake were the only two who made a difference."

Lazily, Cassian wraps an arm around Penelope's shoulder and hugs her tightly. "Sweetheart, I was the mastermind behind why Jake and Nolan did so well."

Penelope flushes a bright shade of pink.

"That's debatable," Nolan mutters, sipping his beer.

"You know," Parker says, raising his voice over Nolan's and Jake's as they argue with Cassian. "This is exactly why I didn't join in on laser tag. Too much drama, too much tea."

Hanna, who's been quiet all day, rolls her eyes. "We don't cause the drama, Parker. We attract it."

While the conversations continue on, I excuse myself to the kitchen. It's late and I've been sipping the same glass of wine for a couple of hours now. It's too fruity for me and ever since I took the first sip, I knew it was going to end up in the sink, trickling down the drain. What I want is a nice cold glass of water. Which is exactly what I grab after I've rinsed out my wine glass. The water is cool and soothing to my throat, remedying all the yelling and shouting I did during our intense game of laser tag.

"I think that's the first time I've ever seen you waste alcohol."

I turn around to see Jake leaning against the doorway to the kitchen, his arms crossed and an empty glass in his hand. Either he's come to get another drink or he's switching to water like me. "I prefer margaritas," I reply, the corners of my mouth curving upward in a playful smile.

Jake's blue eyes sparkle under the dim lighting as he chuckles. A strand of his brown hair falls across his forehead. "What would you say if I said that's exactly what I had planned for tonight before you upped the stakes?"

I set my glass of water down. "I would say I believe you. Though, I'm sure we would have skipped over the margaritas."

"You're probably right," he sighs, sauntering over to me. He sets his glass down beside mine and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against him. Suddenly, I can feel the beat of my pulse throbbing in my veins. Without saying another word, Jake dips his head down and presses his lips to mine. I wrap my arms around his neck, pressing our bodies closer together. He smiles against my mouth and deepens the kiss, and I shudder when I feel the cool sting of his engagement ring against the skin of my torso.

Maybe I'm a little biased, but I love the way Jake kisses me. He's demanding but gentle, passionate and hesitant, but also unyielding. He knows what he wants and how he wants it, and he certainly knows what I want. His lips are soft, too, and his mouth always tastes sweet, like some type of tropical gum. These lips always manage to knock the wind from my lungs.

Suddenly, we're joined by another person, one who has the audacity to press a sloppy kiss to Jake's cheek. "Christ, you two. Why don't I ever get the invitation? We still need to schedule that threesome we've always wanted."

Cassian.

I fight the smile that's threatening to bloom on my face. While Cassian can be one of the most annoying people in the world, you never get sick of having him around; he knows how to keep things interesting – even if it means pissing Jake off.

"Man!" Jake whines, aggressively wiping his cheek. "Why? Why the fuck do you do shit like this? It's a wonder you're still alive."

"Bro," Cassian says, grabbing my glass of water and downing the rest of it. "The love is contagious – I could feel it in the air as soon as I walked into the kitchen. Couldn't control myself. It's alluringly addictive."

I snort, aware that Cassian is currently filling up my glass of water and Jake is behind him, fuming. Cassian pushes the glass in my direction, winking at me before he turns back to Jake. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

A look of disbelief crosses Jake's face. "What the actual fuck? You're the one who barged in on me kissing my fiancé."

Cassian glances between the two of us. "Was that what it was?"

The fake innocence in his voice is what causes me to lose my cool. I'm overwhelmed by an uncontrollable fit of laughter. It happens to me a lot when Jake and Cassian are around each other. As much as Cassian likes to poke at Jake and annoy him, I know Jake loves it – he will poke back at Cassian just as much in order to keep the banter going.

Cassian sidles up beside me, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "Gemma agrees with me, Jake. But that's not what the issue is. The real issue is the threesome. When do I graduate from kitchen to bed?"

"I'm going to kill you," Jake mutters, rolling his eyes at Cassian's inappropriate jokes. "You also disgust me, do you know that? What friend makes a joke about sleeping with his friend's fiancé?"

"Keyword," Cassian drawls. "Joke. I'm joking around, man. Take a deep breath. I know Gemma is undeniably attracted to my good looks, but I can resist her charm. Your woman isn't going anywhere."

I straighten my posture, wiping away the tears staining my cheeks. My stomach muscles are in pain from how hard I was laughing. "Okay, okay, you two. Take it down a notch." I pause, glancing at Jake. "You know, you give him power when you react."

The corner of Jake's mouth twitches, giving me the answer I need. He really does love it when Cassian pokes at him.

"So, what were you two doing before I joined in on the make-out session?" Cassian asks.

"The usual," I reply, leaning against the counter. "I was grabbing water and Jake was stalking me."

Cassian snorts.

"I don't know how much longer I can handle you two ganging up on me," Jake sighs, shaking his head to hide the smile on his face. He turns around and begins heading to the living room. "Let me know when you come up with a date for that threesome."

Cassian howls with laughter, slapping his knee. I shake my head, chuckling to myself.

As soon as Jake is gone, Cassian turns to me. "Any luck with the anti-child man?"

I sigh, wondering how he can go from being silly and annoying to serious and concerned. "Nothing yet," I shrug. "I really hope he makes up his mind at some point, though. I'm almost twenty-five, Cass. I want to have at least one kid before I'm in my thirties. He has said that he wants to have kids one day, but what day is that going to be? As much as I hate to admit it, every year that passes reduces my chances."

Cassian stares at me for several seconds. "I brought it up when we went out for drinks."

I blink in surprise. "Really? What did he say?"

He adjusts the collar of his shirt and then grabs my water, taking a long gulp. "Well, he admitted that he wants kids – four of them at least. I think he's batshit crazy, but hey, if it floats his boat...Anyway, he's scared, Gemma. He's worried about what kids will do to your relationship, but he's more worried about that moment you're in the delivery room and he stands there, helpless and unable to do anything for you."

My heart strains for Jake. After hearing this, I want to find him and cuddle him, reassure him that it's okay if he just stands there, so long as he holds my hand through it all. 

I stare at Cassian, hoping he can see the thankful look in my eyes. I know he's going behind Jake's back and telling me classified information, which could greatly affect their relationship. But even Cassian knows how difficult it has been for me to have a conversation about possible kids with Jake. He's elusive and continues to give short-lipped answers that leave no room for conversation. It frustrates me beyond belief, but I have to be thankful that he discusses the topic with me at all.

"Hey," Cassian says, taking my hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. He sends a weak smile my way. "He'll come around. I know he will. Just give him some time. Talk to him if you want to. Hell, you're even allowed to rat me out and tell him that you don't mind him standing there and being able to do nothing in the delivery room."

I raise an eyebrow. "You want me to rat you out."

"Why not?" Cassian smirks. "If it annoys Jake, I take great pride in it." He pauses, sighing. "For what it's worth, Gemma, I don't care if you tell him you got this information from me. He'll be pissed, but he'll get over it. In the end, this is me, a friend, looking out for another friend. And don't be offended that he wasn't able to tell you this. It's been hard for him."

This is exactly why Jake has kept Cassian around for so long – he sticks by your side no matter what.

"You know what?" I smile. "Maybe we'll have to schedule you in for an appointment."

"As much as I appreciate that," he laughs, "I'm sorry to say that I have my eyes on someone else."

"Penelope?" I tease. Secretly, I have my fingers crossed. I want the two of them to give romance a try. They always get along and work so well together.

Cassian shakes his head. "No. The girl Penelope and I are meeting with in August about potentially pairing up with a winery here in West Kelowna. Her name is Ophelia Henry."

"How are you attracted to her if you've never met her?" I frown. I could be wrong, though. Maybe they already had a meeting or contacted each other over social media. 

"Pictures, Gemma," he smiles. "Social media. You always have to know who you're working with."

"I see," I nod, unable to hide the disappointment in my voice. I don't think it's smart for Cassian to judge a woman based on how she looks or the words she writes in her Instagram posts, but I bite my lip. 

He nods, completely oblivious to my tone. "Well, I'm going to see what else I can do to piss off Jake before the night ends. Are you going to come and watch the show?"

"Yeah," I reply. "I'll be there in a minute."

As Cassian leaves the kitchen, I can' help but shake my head. How can he not see the way Penelope feels about him? How does he not understand that they would be the perfect couple? The two of them feed off of each other when they're at work, and they get along as friends. But maybe that's the issue here. Maybe that's all Cassian can see Penelope as now that they've gotten closer.

Filling up my glass of water, I follow Cassian back into the living room, hoping he doesn't say anything in front of Penelope about this Ophelia woman.