[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
“What’s going on over there?” AJ nodded his head in the direction of Nick and Kayla.

The two of them were standing by the door having a hushed conversation. AJ could tell by Nick’s body language that he was nursing some feelings for the attractive redhead, but he wanted to hear it from someone else.

“They appear to be talking.” Kevin rolled his eyes. “What do you think is going on?”

“I think that young Nickolas is trying to get in her pants.” AJ shot back.

“There’s no need to be vulgar.” Kevin sighed.

“I wasn’t.” AJ smirked. “Now, if I had said that Nick wanted to stick his ...”

“Don’t!” Kevin held up his hands in surrender. “I take it back. What you said before was completely appropriate.”

“Thank God.” Howie laughed. “I don’t think that I could handle another conversation involving the term ‘meat locker’.”

Kevin shuddered. “To be fair, I think it was Nick who coined that lovely phrase, not AJ.”

“Seriously ...” AJ turned to Brian. “... what’s going on?”

“Nothing.” Brian shrugged. “As far as I know, anyways.”

AJ studied Brian’s face. “Liar.”

“He took her to dinner.” Brian caved. “He’s into her.”

“He took her to dinner? Or he took her to DINNER?” AJ wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Brian laughed in spite of himself. “Nick swears that it was strictly platonic. Her daughter was with them, so I’m inclined to believe him.”

“Her daughter?” AJ’s eyes widened. “How old is her kid?”

“She’s almost fourteen months.” Brian supplied. “Nick says that her name’s Liliana.”

“Fourteen months?” AJ repeated. “I wonder if she’s talking yet. Ro is all concerned about the fact that Ava is almost one and she still hasn’t said her first word. Do you think Kayla would mind if I asked her how old her daughter was when she started to talk?”

“Mason was like fifteen months before he said anything.” Kevin offered. “I don’t think that you have anything to worry about.”

“Girls are different.” AJ brushed the older man off; his eyes firmly locked on Kayla. “I could ask her, right?”

“I dunno, AJ. I don’t want her to think that we’ve been talking about her.” Brian cautioned. “Nick will be livid if we screw this up for him.”

AJ sighed. “Things would be so much easier if one of you had a girl.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.” Kevin muttered. “As for Nick, I don’t think that he should be getting too close to Kayla.” He turned to his cousin. “Have you talked to him about this?”

“Nick’s a big boy, Kev.” Brian patronized. “He can make his own decisions.”

“I’m worried about you.” Kevin shot back. “This could put you in a bad position. Have you thought about that?”

“Of course I’ve thought about it.” Brian sighed. “Nick and I have an agreement.”

“What kind of an agreement?” Kevin pressed. He looked more than a little sceptical as he took in Nick’s body language.

“We’ve agreed that he will keep things casual with Kayla until my case is resolved.” Brian pretended to be extremely interested in the process of checking his email on his phone as he spoke. “Nick’s on board.”

“You’re telling me that Nick has agreed not to sleep with her until after your court hearing?” AJ resisted the urge to laugh. “You know that’s never going to happen.”

“Why do you say that?” Brian lifted his eyes from his phone and stared at AJ in defiance. “He promised.”

“Have you seen that ass?” AJ’s face broke out into a wide grin. “To quote Shane’s expression, if I wasn’t a married man, I would be all over her like a fat kid on a Smartie.”

“It’s a Skittle.” Brian corrected. “Shane said that he would be all over like a fat kid on a Skittle, not a Smartie.”

“That’s what you’re choosing to take away from all of this?” AJ shook his head. “The fact that I got my candies mixed up.”

“You can’t be worried about upsetting Nick right now.” Kevin continued with his concerned rant. “Maintaining primary custody of Baylee needs to be your top priority. If you think that Nick’s involvement with Kayla is going to put your case in jeopardy, you need to tell him. I know you, Brian. I know that you’re afraid of rocking the boat and driving another wedge between the two of you.”

“Why do you insist on believing that I’m not okay with this?” Brian raised his eyes to his cousin; his expression hard. “I’ve told you that Nick and I have already talked about it.”

“Like I said, Brian, I know you.” Kevin repeated. He picked up his jacket from the back of a chair and shrugged it over his shoulders. “I know when you’re hiding something.”

AJ knew that things were about to get ugly. Ever since his return, Kevin had picked up exactly where he had left off; treating the rest of them like they were still helpless, inexperienced teenagers. He wondered how long Kevin intended to keep trying to be the father figure that the rest of them no longer needed. Couldn’t Kevin see that Brian was desperate to know that the rest of them had his back?

“We should get going.” Howie interjected. “Brian, are we still meeting at your place later to go over the schedule?”

Brian nodded; grateful for Howie’s interruption. “Yeah, I just have to swing by the school and pick Baylee up. “Come by around five o’clock.”

Kevin shot Brian one last worried look as they gathered the rest of their things and moved towards the door. Nick and Kayla fell quiet as they approached.

The look on Nick’s face only served to make AJ even more convinced that Nick had been lying through his teeth when he had promised Brian that he was going to keep things casual with Kayla. He would have to have a talk with Nick at some point.

“Are we taking off?” Nick accepted the hooded sweatshirt that Howie offered him and pulled it over his head.

Brian nodded. “I have to pick up Baylee in like forty-five minutes.”

“Don’t worry, Nicky.” AJ slapped him on the shoulder as he pushed open the door. “We’re coming by Brian’s place later, remember? You don’t have to worry about missing us.”

Nick scowled at AJ’s mocking as he held the door open for Kayla. They stepped outside into the chill of the afternoon and AJ immediately lit up a cigarette. He stepped back from the group before taking a drag; making sure to exhale only when the wind was blowing in the opposite direction.

“Well, thanks for letting me stay.” Kayla grinned. “You guys looked great!”

“You should come back and watch us again.” Howie offered. “Hopefully, Brian will actually be able to remember the routines next time. The dances tend to look better when he isn’t assaulting me with his gigantic feet”

“I don’t have gigantic feet.” Brian frowned. “They’re average size. Aren’t they?” He turned to Kayla for confirmation.

“It’s kinda hard to tell when you’re wearing those shoes.” Kayla quipped. “There’s so much pink.”

“See!” Nick cried. He draped his arm around Kayla’s shoulders and pulled her against his side. “The lady agrees with me; those shoes are ridiculous!”

Brian’s frown deepened. “I don’t have big feet.”

Kayla shook her head in amusement and gently pried herself out of Nick’s grip. She ignored the slightly injured look on his face as she stepped towards Brian. “I brought something for you.”

Brian didn’t attempt to hide his surprise as he watched Kayla rummage around in her purse. She pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to him, her eyes meeting his as their fingers touched.

“I feel that you deserve to read this before it’s read in court.”

“Is it – Is it bad?” Brian worried.

Kayla shook her head. “It’s very much the opposite.” She released her grip on the paper and began backing away from the group, towards her car. “Thanks again for letting me watch.”

“I’ll call you.” Nick promised.

Kayla’s face broke out into a huge smile as she opened the door to her car. “I look forward to it.”

AJ stayed quiet, enjoying his cigarette until he could no longer see the red of Kayla’s tail lights. He watched Brian carefully unfold the paper that Kayla had given him as he took his final drag. Nick was also watching Brian unfold the paper as if the process were an Olympic event. With his eyes still firmly trained on Brian, AJ flicked the remainder of his cigarette onto the road and rejoined the group.

“What does it say?”

“It’s a character reference.” Brian replied. “From Howie.” His southern drawl was laced with emotion as he slowly refolded the paper and placed it in his jacket pocket. “I don’t know what to say, D. It’s – it’s – well, it’s ...” Brian trailed off and cleared his throat. “It’s time for me to pick up Baylee.”

“I hope it helps.” Howie offered. “Kayla seems to think that it will.”

“Even if it doesn’t ...” Brian choked, but the look on his face said it all. “Thanks, Howie.”