A Holland Family Dinner, Part 1

Jace pulled his car into the driveway and him and Dana climbed out of it. Jace opened the back door so they could grab their bags, and Dana brushed past him to grab hers first. She bent over to grab her backpack, and Jace swallowed and hastily pulled out his phone so he wasn’t admiring his twin sister’s ass. It was just so perky and enticing, but Jace kept his hands to himself, and his eyes too.

On his phone, he saw Anastasia had created a group chat for their team of 10, for the fundraising competition. The group chat contained her, Jace, Amy, Skylar, Isabelle, James, Jasmine Thompson, Violet June, Ginny Green, and Audrey King.

Jace wasn’t particularly close with Jasmine, Violet, Ginny, or Audrey, and of course, James was new to Amethyst Shore, but the others he was good friends with.

“Something interesting?” Dana asked, standing up on her toes to read over Jace’s shoulder.

“Yeah, Ana just made a group chat for our fundraiser team.” Jace explained, pocketing his phone and grabbing his own backpack. He shut the door of his car and locked it with his keys, then him and Dana approached their front door.

“Dad’s home. And he’s not parked in the garage.” Dana observed curiously, and Jace frowned in similar befuddlement.

“So, I don’t think we’ve had a chance to discuss the fundraiser thing. Who’s on your team?” Jace asked.

“Well, I’ve got David and Brooklyn, which is great.” Dana said cheerily, “Um, Sam Wayne, Gabby and Emily, these three girls from the volleyball team, they seem nice, oh, and Evan, of course.”

Jace’s eyes widened at her naming Evan, but they reached the front door and Jace was spared having to comment just yet by him having to unlock the front door.

“Evan, huh? You’re not worried he’ll try and sabotage you guys or something?” Jace asked grudgingly.

“God, you’re just like Daisy! Why do you both hate him so much? He’s a really nice guy.” Dana tried to appeal.

“Sure, a nice guy.” Jace said in complete sarcasm.

“C’mon, J. You know I’m good at reading people.” Dana huffed as the twins kicked off their shoes at the entrance and set them aside.

“Of course I know that. But Evan’s not really people, he’s hell incarnate.” Jace reasoned. Dana scoffed and threw up her hands, making Jace laugh.

“You look just like Mom when you do that.” Jace shook his head, smiling.

“That’s what Uncle Aaron always says.” Dana laughed.

Uncle Aaron wasn’t really their uncle, just like how the women they sometimes called Aunt Rachel and Aunt Claire weren’t their aunts. The twins’ mom, Danielle, had had a tight knit group of friends growing up, Aaron, Rachel, and Claire, and to this day, their families were close.

Rachel, of course, was Valerie’s mom, along with Gabrielle and Ariel.

Claire was David’s mom, and she was by far the sweetest mother of the three.

Then Aaron had two sons, one who was a junior this year and 18 next week, while the other was 20 years old, along with a daughter who was in Jace’s year. He and his wife Lucy lived in a different part of Amethyst Shore, so they came over a little less than Rachel’s family or Claire’s did.

Jace liked Lucy, and not just because she was very, very hot with blonde hair, dark blue eyes, and some large breasts. She was also a very kind and nurturing woman.

Jace and Dana walked into the kitchen, and found a surprise guest sitting at the kitchen island.

“Daisy!” Jace exclaimed, and bounded forwards to grab his older sister Daisy Holland in a hug. The 20 year old college student barely had time to stand up before Jace got to her, and she laughed.

Daisy’s arms slipped around him below his arms, which were wrapped around her neck.

“Jeez, Jacey, it’s only been three weeks since I we last saw each other.” Daisy laughed, but she hugged him back just as tightly. Her very large breasts smushed against his chest, but he shoved that traitorous thought aside. Her blue-green eyes, a trait from their mother’s family, the Franklins. Jace, Daisy, and Dana all had the Franklin eyes, along with their mom, of course.

Daisy, as always, looked perfectly put together, not a strand of hair out of place and hardly a wrinkle in her emerald sundress, Jace reflected as he stepped back from the hug to let Dana have a turn, only Dana didn’t exactly jump on the opportunity. Dana gave Daisy a small wave and moved around the island.

“I’m not feeling like a hug right now.” Dana said snidely, making Daisy scowl.

“God, can’t you girls stop feuding?” Danielle Holland threw up her hands, “You’re sisters, you two should be best friends.”

“Well, we’re not.” Daisy huffed. She slipped an arm around Jace.

“We all know you’re my favorite twin.” Daisy winked to Jace, making no effort to be quiet. Dana exhaled through her nose, and Danielle threw up her hands again.

“No more arguing, you two.” Danielle pleaded, “You two are going to be around each other way more now, and this can’t happen.”

“Flunk out of college?” Dana asked innocently.

Daisy started towards Dana, but Jace quickly wrapped his arms around Daisy’s waist, and she sighed, leaning back against him with a grumble.

“I guess you’re why Dad wasn’t parked in the garage.” Jace commented to Daisy as he let her go.

“Yep. Had to keep my baby from getting too warm.” Daisy remarked with a smile. Daisy drove a Honda Civic, a silver one, and she adored that thing. Jace had never seen Daisy get her hands dirty anywhere but under the hood of her car. She performed frequent maintenance on it, making sure it was in perfect shape.

Jace chuckled, and he dropped his backpack to the floor.

“Don’t leave that there, I just cleaned this house for your sister’s arrival.” Danielle pointed at Jace with a wooden spoon she had in her hand.

“It’s not like I lived here 18 years or anything. You’re right, I’ve never seen this house dirty before.” Daisy said dryly, and she sat back down at the island, and Jace sat in the chair beside her, while Dana stood at the opposite corner of the island, beside Danielle.

“So, what’s for dinner?” Dana asked, “I’m ravenous after cheer practice.”

“How’d that go?” Daisy asked brightly, clearly trying to extend an olive branch, though Jace knew from experience it wouldn’t last through tonight, if that.

“It went good.” Dana said cordially, “Ana’s working us hard this year. I miss Maple.”

“Yeah, I remember Maple. She was a sweetheart… I expect she was far too lenient a cheer captain.” Daisy recalled.

“She wasn’t particularly strict.” Dana agreed, making Danielle snort.

“I had girls practically scream at me for being too strict a captain.” Danielle reminisced, almost gleefully, “Yet, we won every single competition we attended and the crowd loved us.”

“That’s how you know you’re a good captain.” Daisy laughed, and Danielle joined in.

Dana, the only of the three Holland ladies not to be a cheer captain their senior year, shifted a little on her feet. Jace gave her a sympathetic smile, and she smiled back at him, tucking a bit of her blonde hair behind her ear.

“Hello, all.” Jeremiah Holland, Jace’s dad, said as he entered the kitchen.

“Hey, Dad.” Dana smiled.

“Hello, sweetie. Work up a sweat at cheer?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.

“It’s insanely hot out there, of course I worked up a sweat, and now I’m ready to eat. What are we having? You didn’t answer last time.” Dana asked her mom.

“Oh, sorry, got sidetracked with old cheer stories. We’re having spaghetti and meatballs, keeping it nice and simple.” Danielle said.

“You and David can be like Lady and the Tramp.” Daisy suggested, “Is he coming over?”

“David’s not my boyfriend!” Dana snapped. That was something Daisy brought up repeatedly, and only because she knew it irritated Dana. The two Holland sisters were very sweet women, and separate, they acted entirely differently than when they were in the same room. Since they were children, they’d quarreled over everything. Jace didn’t think there was any particular reason why, they just couldn’t stop arguing and snapping at each other.

“Calm down, girls.” Danielle warned.

Dana closed her mouth but she was clearly stewing.

“So, who all’s coming to dinner? Is Amy coming?” Danielle asked, directing the last question at Jace.

“Nah, she’s giving a tour to her new neighbor. He just moved here.” Jace explained.

“Lucky guy.” Daisy commented off-handedly. Jeremiah muttered an agreement, unseen and unheard to any of his family members.

“I think that-“ Dana began, but was cut off by a knock at the door.

“Wonder who that is.” Daisy said, and slid off the chair so she was standing, and walked down the hall so that she could open the door.

“Oh hell no!” the Hollands heard Daisy exclaim.