"Hi, baby"

My heart warms at the nickname, but I quickly recover. 

"Hi sorry if I took too long," I say before intertwining our hands together.

 She gives me a lazy smile, "It wasn't long at all," she says before putting the car into reverse and backing out of the driveway. 

Once she puts the car back in drive she intertwines our hands again as we sit comfortably in the air conditioning. 

"Did you know about Miami?" I ask and I see Jordy nod.

"Journee texted me about it yesterday," she informs me and I raise a brow, "I told her you and I could share a room," she continues as she maneuvers the car. 

"I'm glad you did but why didn't you tell me?" I ask her and she shrugs. 

"You needed to look actually surprised," she says and I narrow my eyes at her. "Elle I hate to say it, but you aren't that great of an actor," she says and I give her a fake glare causing her eyes to analyze me before looking back to the road. 

"Baby don't take it that way," she says gently and my heart warms again. 

Did she just call me baby again? I hide my smile as she continues explaining, but I know I can't stay mad at her. 

"Look just take today, for example, you almost exposed yourself for not being sick to Luca and Eva," she explains and I roll my eyes jokingly. 

"Yeah, I hate that your right," I shake my head and she chuckles as we pull up to my house. 

She puts the car in park before turning to me allowing our eyes to connect. She grabs my chin gently before pecking my lips, 

"We'll work on your acting skills," she says as she pulls away and a laugh escapes my lips before exiting the car. 

She grabs my suitcase before walking with me to my door. 

I unlock the front door before entering my large house. 

As I walk in, I smell warm vanilla and chocolate, indicating only one possible explanation...

Mom's home.

"Bri is that you honey?" my mom's soft voice echo's the house causing me to look at Jordy with a panicked look, but her caramel eyes are already locked on me. 

How do I play this? Do I lie and not introduce her as Journee's sister? Maybe she doesn't have to know, right? No, eventually she'll have to find out, and will she be mad that I lied? I could always ask for forgiveness and explain why we did what we did. 

She's my mom so she can't be that upset over something that small. Besides this is the only other option that Jordy and I have to be ourselves and not worry about peering eyes. I'll probably regret this, but It's in Jordy and I's best interests to lie for now. 

I break away from Jordy's stare before walking further into the house. I pray that Jordy's acting is as good as she was hyping it up to be, and let's hope that mine got better during the drive over. I walk into the kitchen seeing my mom's back to me as she peers into the double ovens, observing whatever baked goods she's making. 

"It's me," I breathe out causing her to immediately turn around her startled brown eyes meeting mine. 

Her short curly hair is pulled into a low ponytail as she wears a black athletic tank top and matching black athletic capri leggings. She unties her grey apron as she walks toward me with a smile placed on her lips. 

"I've missed you so much, how was the trip?" she asks already asking me questions as she pulls me into a tight embrace. 

"It was really fun, how was your business trip?" I ask her hoping she doesn't notice the stranger standing behind me. 

"Good we branched out further to California..." she goes to say but trails off as her eyes peer behind me. 

"Wait... Who's this?" she asks as a confused look takes over her face, and her dark eyes look back at me. 

"Mom this is Jordyn, Jordyn-Mom," I say introducing them and my mom rolls her eyes as she gives me a slight glare. 

"You can call me Jackie, Jordyn," she says as she holds out her hand to Jordy, and I feel Jordy's presence move closer as she shakes my mom's hand. 

"It's nice to meet you," she says as their hands break apart. 

"Likewise," she says before flashing her a bright smile, and then her eyes look to me, "So Bri when did you guys meet?" she asks and I feel my heart rate spike at the easily answerable question. 

"Not too long ago maybe a few weeks ago," I say nonchalantly in hopes of her dropping the topic. 

She nods while making an 'ah' shape with her mouth as she eyes me, "So you guys are friends or..." she trails off and I feel my cheeks catch on fire. 

I scratch my neck awkwardly not knowing exactly what we are, "I-uh" I look to the ground figuring out how to answer the question. 

"We're feeling it out right now," Jordy answers the question causing my head to snap towards her, meeting her side profile. 

"Ah okay well hopefully it all works out well, you seem nice Jordyn," my mom compliments her causing me to turn back to her. 

"Thank you, you as well Ms. Monroe," Jordy says returning the compliment and my mom shakes her head at her. 

"Call me Jackie," she says correcting her as her sharp brow raises earning a chuckle from Jordy. 

"Only if you call me Jordy," Jordy bargains, and my mom nods. 

"Deal," she says sharply before walking back over to the oven, "But only if you have one of my freshly baked cookies," my mom says as she opens the oven, and pulls the pan filled with cookies out.

"How can I say no to that?" Jordy asks causing me to turn to her seeing a smile playing on her lips. 

I look from her lips back to her eyes, and she quirks a brow at my actions before walking over to the kitchen island. 

I follow her over as we take our seats and my mom sits out a plate of chocolate chip cookies in front of us. Jordy and I both go to grab one but end up grabbing the same one causing us to turn to one another. She holds a challenging smile on her lips and I immediately can't help but reciprocate the smile. 

"Guest's choice," I say as I let go of the cookie while our eyes lock. 

She shakes her head as the smile that once played on her lips turns bigger. 

Those very kissable lips are hard to pull my eyes away from. 

I look away quickly shaking the urge off as I look at my mom. 

She holds a smug grin and I immediately shake my head at her before grabbing a warm cookie. 

"Well..." my mom claps her hands together earning Jordy and I's attention, "I have errands to run since I just got back into town, so I'll see you guys when I get back," she says as she walks towards the garage door. 

"Jordy, you don't mind staying for dinner?" she asks causing Jordy and me to turn to her. 

"Of course," Jordy says as she munches on her warm cookie, and my mom flashes us both her warm smile before she opens the door leading out into the garage.

"Perfect, see you two when I get back," my mom sing-songs before we hear keys jingle and the door shut. 

We hear the sound of the garage door opening before hearing her car turn on. I turn to Jordy who's focused on eating her cookie.

Her caramel eyes lock with mine, "Dinner really?" I ask and she shrugs. 

"I couldn't say no," she explains and I shake my head before standing from my chair. 

"Is it that bad that I'm staying for dinner?" she asks as a serious tone fills her voice, and I walk to the fridge before grabbing a water. 

"I just don't know how to go about lying about this, I mean if I was going to introduce you as Journee's sister then I should've already done it, so now I have to keep this lie up. I don't want to lie but this is really the only place we could have privacy and not have to hide, but what if she-" I ramble all my thoughts aloud as Jordy quickly rises from her chair and walks towards me. 

"Woah, woah," she says before gently grabbing the water bottle that I was once squeezing tightly and promptly sitting it on the counter behind me. 

"We'll figure it out okay? Remember one step at a time, not the whole staircase," she says calmly as her hands gently grip the side of my shoulders, and her caramel eyes peer into mine. 

"Okay," I say as I wrap my arms around her waist pulling her closer to me. 

"Take some deep breaths with me," she says and I automatically match her breathing. I feel my heart rate calm, and the small problems disappear. 

"I don't have to stay for dinner if you aren't comfortable with that," Jordy says gently as one of her hands comes up to grip my chin softly, aligning our eyes together. 

I instantly pull her closer to me into a tight hug, and her hand goes from my chin to the back of my head. 

Her other hand wraps loosely around my waist as I feel her closer against me, "No I want you too," I say as I hold onto her. 

"I guess I just don't know how to handle this situation, but you're right. We can figure this out," I whisper gently and I feel her nod before she pulls away. 

"We got this, no need to worry," she reassures me again before pecking my lips, and a smile tugs at my lips causing her to reciprocate it. 

"Alright, alright let's get you unpacked," she says and I nod as she pulls away completely heading towards my suitcase.