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AN: this is after Jules and Sam break up and before Lew dies. Sorry JAM fans! :)
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She turned to look at him. Damn he's so sexy, she thought. Those expressive blue eyes, short blonde hair. He said he spends two hours in the gym every day, I'll bet he has a real nice six pack. I hope I get to see it. She smiled at the last thought and looked out the windshield. She pushed her hair behind her ear. Oh please let them like me, she thought nervously.
Sam looked at the beautiful girl in the passenger seat. He watched her smile, then push her hair behind her ear. "You nervous?"
She looked at him, smiled and bit her lip. "That obvious?"
He smiled and gave her a knowing look. He put a hand on her knee. "A little. Don't worry, they're going to love you."
"Are you sure?" She flipped the visor down and rechecked her appearance. She had her long, straight red hair down, but she had an elastic around her wrist in case she needed it. She had gone really light on her makeup. She knew this was a group of very active people so they'd probably be running around at some point. If they did she didn't want her makeup running everywhere. She put a hand up and started to run her fingers through her hair. A strong, warm hand gripped her arm.
"Yes." He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "You look beautiful." He put their hands on the console, his on hers.
She bit her lip again. There was only one person she was going to meet that made her really nervous. The ex. She wondered how they were even able to still work together after breaking up like they did. She didn't know a lot of details, but she knew they had dated secretly and Jules had broken it off when the pressure of the secrecy had become too much. Oh please let her like me and not see me as a threat, she begged the cosmos.
"Mik?" Sam frowned. She was really worrying her lip.
She looked at him. She loved his nickname for her. She'd always gone by her full name, Mikaela since other attempts to shorten it had resulted in horrible nicknames like Mickey Mouse or Kale. Who wanted to be called a lettuce? "Yes?" She looked at him quizzically.
"What's wrong?"
She blew out a breath. She didn't really want him to think she was this insecure, but she answered with the truth. "What if she hates me?"
Sam nodded. He knew which she Mikaela was referring to. "She'll be fine. And if she's not then I'll talk to her. I know it may be a little awkward, but Jules wants me to be happy." He smiled at her and patted her hand.
He was a little nervous about that too, but he'd talked to Jules about bringing a date to their annual picnic. She said was fine with it, but her eyes had said something different. He hadn't pressed her. He didn't want to hurt her and never would intentionally, but he had to try to get over her. It hurt him too much not to try.
Sam pulled into a parking spot in front of the big park. They both climbed out and his heart flipped when he saw her toss her long red hair, the sun giving it a multitude of fiery hues. Damn she's hot, he thought. He walked around the front of the car and put out his hand. She smiled and slid her hand in his.
"Hey guys." Spike ran up to them. "Nice to see you again Mikaela." He smiled at her.
"Hi Spike. How are you?" Mikaela smiled at him.
"I'm good thanks. You?" Spike eyed her. She looks nervous, he thought.
"Good." Mikaela smiled. They chit chatted on their way to the picnic tables where Shelly and Sophie were putting out paper plates and napkins. They stopped at the table and Mikaela smiled at the two women who eyed her.
"Mikaela, this is Shelly Wordsworth, Wordy's wife and Sophie Lane, Ed's wife." Sam introduced them as Ed, Clark, Wordy and Lew moved from where they were standing talking to join them.
"Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm Mikaela Greene." She shook each of their hands.
"It's nice to meet you." Shelly and Sophie said together then laughed.
Sam pointed to Ed and said, "this Ed Lane, team leader of Team One." He pointed to each of the remaining people. "This is Wordy, Lew, and Ed and Sophie's son Clark." He pointed to the three girls playing tag ten feet away. "Those are Shelly and Wordy's girls. The tallest is Allie, she's seven, then Holly with the pink crown is five and the littlest is Lily, she's three."
She shook each of their hands and smiled at the girls who heard their names and came running up to her. When she got to Clark he looked up at her, "you're tall."
Ed said, "Clark" and gave him a look.
"It's ok." She smiled at Ed then turned it to Clark. "That's true. I am." She bent down next to his ear, looked at the girls and said, "I think my dad was secretly a giant."
The girls giggled which caused Clark to laugh and was quickly joined by the others.
Jules pulled up in her black Jeep and stopped in a parking spot in front of the group at the picnic tables. Crap, she thought. She's freaking gorgeous. Tall, redhead, athletic. Damn, why couldn't she be ugly? She did a few breaths of sniper breathing and hopped out of the Jeep. She went to the back, put the cooler on the ground, grabbed the handle and started to walk towards the group.
She'd been impressed that Sam had talked to her about him bringing a date to the picnic. He was always so thoughtful, a good friend. That's all he had to be. She loved him, but they couldn't be together and be on the same team. She couldn't stand to lose either, but at least she could still have him as a friend. She knew it was hard for him, so she was going to do her best and make the best of the situation.
Wordy walked up to her. "Hey, you need a hand."
Jules looked up at him. She had been struggling to try to get the stupid cooler up over the curb without tipping it over. "If you want to grab the buns from the back of the Jeep that'd be great."
He looked at her. He could see she was trying to mask her feelings. He didn't want to get in the middle of her and Sam but he knew seeing him with someone else would be hard so he said, "ok. You know where I am if you want to talk." He went to the back of the Jeep and grabbed the bags of hot dog and hamburger buns.
Jules watched him go to the back of the Jeep. Damn, she thought, guess I wasn't masking well enough. She was glad that he had offered his ear even if she didn't really want or need it. She was fine. She's a big girl, she can handle this. She picked up the cooler, got it over the curb and put it back down. She grabbed the handle and pulled it to the picnic table and group of people.
"Hey Jules." Lew smiled at her.
"Hey guys." She looked at each of them. Her eyes fell on Sam, he was looking at her with concern. Jules looked next to him and into the green eyes of the redhead. Is that fear, she thought. Better squash it right now. She stuck out her hand. "Hi. I'm Jules Callaghan." She smiled genuinely.
"Hi. Mikaela Greene." My voice sounds shaky, Mikaela thought. Show no fear. She gripped Jules hand tightly and pumped it once. "Nice to meet you."
"You too." Jules kept the smile on her face while a surge of jealousy coursed through her. Stop it, she thought. You let him go. He isn't yours anymore. God that sucks.
"So?" Wordy held up the nerf football. "Anyone up for some touch football?" Everyone but Sophie and Shelly agreed. They said they and the girls would be the cheerleaders. They waited until Greg arrived a few minutes later, made introductions and then gathered in the big open area to choose teams.