I'll Be Your Girl

Joe actually jumps for joy when Nick and I show up at their house later that afternoon (my boss was nice enough to let me leave early, claiming that he owed me, as my publicity had doubled his earnings in the past week). The second oldest Jonas Brother takes one look at our linked hands and grins wildly, flailing his arms with his excitement.

“You finally told her you love her!”

“Correction,” I smirk, “he freaking loves me.”

Joe simply screams something about telling the rest of the family, then disappears into another room of the house. Nick sends me a pout, but I poke my tongue out and squeeze his hand. “It’s okay, Nicholas. I freaking love you too.” He cheers up infinitely with that, and then we take a few seconds to brace ourselves before facing the rest of the family.

Hours later, after about a million I-told-you-so’s from Danielle and enough proud smiles to last Denise for the rest of her life, Nick and I sneak away, seemingly unnoticed. We reach his room and as soon as the door is closed, I pounce for another kiss. Sure, we’re acting like horny preteens, but what can I say? I’m in love and he’s every kind of amazing. Who can blame me?

“Ahem.”

We spring apart at the noise and look to its source, only to find Joe lounging in a swivel chair by the desk. He’s watching us with a half accomplished, half disgusted look on his face. “Joe!” Nick groans. “I know the concept of privacy is totally redundant with you, but could you please piss off?”

“Hush with your inappropriate words, Nicky,” Joe quips. “It’s not like I want to ruin your fun - no wait, I take that back. You should’ve seen your faces!” He allows himself to laugh while Nick and I shoot him murderous glares. “But the point being,” he continues quickly, upon seeing that we are clearly not amused, “is that we have business to discuss.”

“Business?” Nick and I ask simultaneously, exchanging looks of confusion.

“The bet,” Joe reminds us flatly. “You said it yourself, Remy: I won, and now you owe me a YouTube video.”

Something in the pit of my stomach tells me this cannot end well, especially as Joe’s cocking his eyebrows at me in a way that suggests he’s got something really devilish in mind. “I - I was traumatised when I sent that text, Joe!” I stutter, but he just chuckles evilly at my suffering.

“Admit it, Remy. You lost,” he jeers, then adds quickly, “and you can’t take it back because we shook on it!”

I groan and move to bash my head against the nearest wall, but Nick catches me around the waist before I get there. So instead I bash my head against his chest; it’s as good as any wall. “So Joe. What - did you - ah - have - in mind?” he says between the thumps caused by my forehead. I gasp and send a shocked look up at him.

“You’re supporting this?!”

He shrugs. “A bet’s a bet.”

“Uarghhh!” I groan again, and fall back into my head-bashing.

“Come now Remy, it’ll be fun!” Joe says happily, taking me by the shoulders and sitting me down on the edge of Nick’s bed. “For us, at least.”

“No shit,” I grumble, then heave a defeated sigh. There’s really no way I can get out of this, is there? “Alright, what am I going to do?”

Joe grins proudly. “That’s a surprise. You’ll find out when the time comes.”

My eyes widen at him. “No fair! You said you came here to discuss business, and now you won’t even tell me what it is?”

“Actually, I just came to rub it in your face,” Joe admits with a giggle. “Sucks to be you, Rem-baby.” He and Nick exchange a high-five while I sit between them, pouting.

“Cheer up, beautiful. You’ve still got me,” Nick whispers in my ear, unsettling about a million butterflies in my stomach. Jeez, I’m such a girl. He dips his head to place a small kiss on my cheek, but just as he does this, my eyes connect with Joe’s. Something tells me the same memory just crossed both of our minds…

“Y’know, while the mood is light, I just want to say something,” I announce, and Joe’s eyes suddenly widen with shock. Oh come on, surely he realises we’ve got to tell Nick at some point? “IkissedJoe,” I mutter quickly, and the room goes completely, dangerously silent. Both of the brothers’ eyes have gone wide, and I immediately regret ever saying anything. Nick’s jaw flexes a little as he clenches his teeth, and he’s just about to form words when I cut in again. “Just kidding!” I laugh, kicking Joe’s ankle as a hint to go with it.

“Ow! Ha ha ha.” Joe gives a fake chortle, sending me a death glare at the same time.

Nick simply looks between us, his expression unchanging. He opens his mouth to speak after our laughter has swiftly died down. “We… are going to pretend you never said that,” he decides, his voice tight. “Joke or not.”

“Good idea,” I agree hurriedly, and Joe stands up.

“I’ll leave you two alone, then.” He fakes a smile then disappears from the room, shutting the door behind him.

I bite my lip and inch closer to Nick. “I love you?” I try, my voice so tiny it squeaks. He gives me a hard look, but I’m pleased to see it faltering as I crawl into his lap and press a kiss just below his chin.

“Fine,” he exhales, and I grin as his arms wrap around my waist, where they’re supposed to be. I snuggle closer, sighing at the feeling of his fingertips drifting in patterns across my back. “Love you too.”

Phew. That was close.