Friendship, Texas Series: Volume 1

by Magan Vernon

  "Yeah, and that's a good thing. Maybe that's not what I want anymore."

  Sonny grunted. "Dude. Who doesn't want that?"

  "I guess me."

  More clanking of metal.

  "That really doesn't answer my question, Jay."

  "Okay, well, I like your sister. No publicity stunt. She makes me laugh. She doesn't care that I'm an athlete with a past that hasn't been displayed too well in the media. She treats me like I'm any other pain in the ass in the world."

  More clanking of metal and breathing. "Oh, and she has a really nice rack."

  "Watch it. That’s my sister."

  "Hey, easy! I'm just telling you that I'm not here to use your sister for anything, okay? I actually like her. I like her a lot."

  "You'd better treat her right, man. I don't care if you can bench the shit out of my weights or that you're an Olympian. I will fuck you up if you hurt her, capeesh?"

  More metal clanking.

  "I capeesh."

  Jay stood up and I swore his eyes went toward the door. I quickly moved out of the way and into the kitchen, pretending to dry the dishes.

  The garage door opened and both guys sauntered in, hopefully not noticing I was just near that door two seconds ago.

  "Your man may be able to beat me in the pool, but he’s got nothing when it comes to the punching bag." Sonny laughed, boxing the air.

  Jay just shook his head but at least he was smiling.

  "He’s never going to come here again," I muttered.

  Jay put his arm around me. "Maybe next time you can actually come out there with us instead of acting like we didn't notice you spying."

  My cheeks flushed. "I was not spying."

  Sonny laughed, smacking Jay on the back. "Dude, have you ever seen my sister do any physical activity? We played soccer together in grade school and she twisted her ankle going to pick a dandelion."

  I glared at Sonny. "Shut up. Not like you stayed in sports that long either. You only played football for the jersey."

  Sonny took his shirt off, tossing it to the side before downing a glass of water. "And I looked damn good in it."

  "Seriously. Put your shirt on. Nobody wants to see that."

  "Naw. I need it off. Jaybird and I are going to swim in the snow."

  I raised an eyebrow. “Is that even possible?”

  “YouTube says so.” Sonny grinned.

  What. The. Hell.

  It was supposed to be a night of hanging out with my boyfriend, not having him snowed in and stuck with my entire family.

  Capra walked into the kitchen and snorted.

  Well, I thought she snorted until she walked over Jay's feet and a giant pile of goat droppings fell on his shoes.

  Jay jumped back and ended up stepping on another pile of goat poop. "Shit!"

  Sonny laughed. "Shit is right, dude."

  "Capra! Go outside! Bad goat!" I yelled, pointing at the door then turned to Jay, frantic. "Here, give me your shoes and I'll wash them or something. Or. Sorry. I don't know what else to say."

  "You know, that's a first for me. Snowed in and stepping in goat shit." Jay laughed, taking off his shoes.

  Slowly he peeled his shirt off, revealing his sweaty and very toned torso, then he handed me his shirt. "You wouldn't mind washing my clothes too, would you? I didn't expect a workout when I got here."

  "I bet Lia did," Sonny poked at my side.

  "Dangit, Sonny!"

  "Come on, Jaybird, Lia can wash those and we’ll go swimming.”

  "Yeah. Sure. I'll do that," I muttered before the two took off out the back door and jumped into the snow like it was a giant swimming pool, only to roll over when they hit the grass.

  Capra snorted at them and kicked some snow at the two laughing guys, who rolled over to their side.

  “Are y’all okay?” I yelled, horrified that they actually hurt themselves if there was ice under the snow.

  Sonny sat up, shaking the snow out of his hair. “Doing great, sis.”

  Jay smiled and shot a wink at me before grabbing a snowball and throwing it at Sonny.

  Shutting the door, I sighed and gathered up Jay and Sonny’s clothes, wondering how the hell my night with my boyfriend turned into a weird bromance between him and my brother.

  ***

  "Is it still snowing?"

  I turned away from the back patio window to Jay, getting an eye full of the man candy in just a pair of Sonny's gym shorts. I liked this view of less and less Jay. Now only if we weren't at my parents' house.

  He glanced my way then back to the window before he turned toward me, his eyes widened and a large smile crossed his face. "So...not wearing the tank top to bed tonight?"

  I bit my bottom lip, looking down at the only pair of matching pajamas I had that happened to be a black t-shirt and red flannel bottoms. Nothing sexy about those, but I didn't think my parents would appreciate me walking around half-naked either.

  "You look sexy in anything you wear, so I'll take this look." He turned his body toward me and gently pushed me to the couch, catching my head in his hand as he leaned over me. His breathing slowed as he kissed my lips lightly, his other hand trailing down my back.

  I pouted out my bottom lip. "That was a cheap shot. I wasn't ready."

  I could feel his heartbeat against mine, his lips moved down my cheek and toward my neck. His hands splayed on either side of my waist while his fingers drew small circles on my hips. "You like it…"

  I swallowed hard. My parents were upstairs in their bedroom. I wasn't sure where Sonny or Nonna were, but they could walk in at any minute.

  He was probably used to girls with their own place who could whip out their sexiness whenever they wanted. I was afraid I was never going to be that girl.

  Jay must have sensed my uncomfortableness because he stopped his hand roaming and leaned back, taking one of my hands in his and twirled the bracelet on my wrist.

  "So there was something I wanted to ask you..." His eyes drifted to the floor then back to me.

  This couldn't be good…

  "So you know my sister, Ashley?"

  Of course I knew his sister. Everyone who ever turned on a TV or read a magazine knew who his sister was. She was on this reality TV Show that was pegged as the modern day Golden Girls. Guess which one she was supposed to be? No, it's not the one from the small town, the divorced lady, or the mother…

  "Yeah, I've heard of her…"

  "Well, her wedding is next month back in So Cal and I was sort of hoping you’d go with me…" He drew small circles on my wrist with his fingers.

  His sister's wedding was all over every tabloid. She was marrying a former drummer turned record producer that she met in rehab. Everyone was saying it was the wedding of the year.

  And he wanted me to go with him.

  Me.

  The waitress from small town Texas.

  "I thought you could maybe check out USC while you were there..."

  I swallowed hard, thinking on it. "Well, I guess if my parents say it's okay…"

  "Do you mean it?" His eyes lit up as he snapped his gaze back to mine.

  "I do." I smiled before placing a light kiss on his lips. He pulled me closer, letting the kiss linger.

  I never wanted my lips to leave his but when Capra snorted behind us, I groaned, praying that I didn't have to deal with anymore shit than I already had.

  Chapter 12

  I was very aware that Jay was in the room right down the hall from me, in Nicky's old bedroom.

  I couldn't sleep all night just thinking about it.

  What if he made his way into my bedroom?

  Would I be ready?

  Or drooling?

  Or make a weird noise?

  I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I finally grabbed a blanket and my glasses and headed downstairs.

  I didn't expect the TV to be on or Jay sitting on the couch.

  "Hey." I plopped down next to him.

  He was staring at his phone, b
ut after a minute, he slowly set it down on the end table, shaking his head. "Hey. Sorry. I couldn't sleep."

  "Me neither."

  "I got an email from Coach. He said that the swimming committee came back and said I'll be able to swim at the meet in Charlotte next month."

  "Congrats! But I didn’t know you weren't going to be able to compete." I blinked. Okay, so I had been kind of following what TNC and such were saying about his suspension from meets, but I didn't think it was something he wanted to talk about.

  Licking his lips, Jay leaned back, staring off into space. "Yeah. You know, all I've known is swimming. That's it. Since I was a little kid I've loved the pool, then I found out I could swim for a living. When I didn't make the Olympic team at fifteen, I decided to train harder and devoted my life to swimming. Then, during my first Olympics, I shredded records and I wasn't just the reality TV chick's brother or the son of some guy in LA. I had a name. A name that everyone knew and everyone wanted me."

  He shook his head. I didn't want to interrupt, so I just took his hand and squeezed it. Letting him know it was okay to continue.

  "I went a little nuts. I'll admit it. Too nuts. I didn't swim for weeks and that had been my first time taking a break since I was ten years old. I think getting caught was almost a wakeup call. Like, this is what I do. I swim. I'm not a partier or even really like the spotlight. I'd rather just be underwater. That's where I can forget about everything. Even if I'm having the worst day of my life, I can just jump in the pool and disappear for a while."

  He ran his thumb along the bridge of my knuckles. "Except from you."

  "I knew what you meant. I think at least."

  "No. I'm not even sure I know what I mean. I think the chlorine may have gotten to my head after all of these years and maybe that's why I'm kind of an idiot and just do these stupid things. Or it's some kind of child star syndrome."

  I laughed. "Is that what you're calling it?"

  "Do you think I'm a douche?"

  Slowly I shook my head. "No. Not at all. At least you haven't been to me."

  "I guess that's what matters then. As long as you don't hate me."

  I shrugged. "Does my opinion matter?"

  Jay put his arm around me, pulling me closer. His hands were so warm that I just wanted to curl up with him forever. "Of course it does. It should be obvious by now but I'm pretty crazy about you."

  "Eh. I think you're kind of okay, too."

  He smiled. "At least you know the real me. I feel like half the people I meet expect me to be some kind of rock star. Like the guy on TV. I look at old interviews and think 'who the hell is that? That douche needs to sit down.' I also can't believe I had dreads for my first Olympic tryouts. No wonder no one took me seriously."

  "Hey. I liked the dreads. I think. I mean I saw them in pictures." Way to sound stalkerish and let the guy know you were checking out pictures of him from five years ago.

  "Yeah, not the greatest thing in the world to be able to be Googled and find old pictures or mugshots." He grimaced.

  "Do you see the old pictures of me around this house? At least you were a cute pre-teen, if not dudish. I had braces and a mustache."

  Jay picked up a picture on the end table. It was one from high school graduation. At least by then I'd started waxing. "I don't know. If you're at least eighteen in this picture, I'd say it out loud what I'm thinking about you in that dress."

  The heat rose to my face and I stared at him with my eyes wide before he laughed, shaking his head and setting the picture back down. "So, you can call me dudish but if I call eighteen-year-old Lia a hottie, then you're going to give me a look like I just killed someone?"

  "I did not give you a look like that." I wrinkled my nose.

  "You looked at me the same way you looked at your goat."

  "I think you're seeing things. Are you sure the chlorine isn't affecting your eyesight?"

  He shook his head. "I think the chlorine can do a lot of things, but I can say that my eyesight is just fine. It's how I know I'm looking at one of the most beautiful girls in the world."

  I couldn't look at him as he pushed a fallen strand of hair behind my ear. He sighed before speaking. "Do you want to watch a movie or something?"

  I nodded, not looking at him. "Oh. Yeah. Sure. Anything you're in the mood for?"

  His arm slid around my waist, pulling me closer. "As long as you'll stay here and watch it with me. I don't care what it is."

  I didn't want to move from that exact spot and almost forgot we were sitting in my parents' house. The guy who I'd watched from afar for so long and just thought was a hot dumb jock had depth to him. The more I got to know him the harder I was falling and it was too early to tell if that was a good or a bad thing.

  Chapter 13

  The sound of Capra's hooves on the hardwood floor woke me.

  Hardwood floor?

  I jumped off the couch, realizing that I'd fallen asleep on Jay's chest.

  He looked so peaceful, with his head leaning against the back pillows and his long body spread out along the leather. I wanted to curl back up with him, but I glanced at the grandfather clock. Everyone would definitely be up soon.

  And I was right.

  Footsteps sounded on the second floor.

  Shit. Don't panic. Don't panic.

  I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the first pan I could before both my parents came downstairs, arguing in Italian.

  "Rosalia, you're up early," Ma said, raising an eyebrow.

  "Shhh. Jay's sleeping on the couch." I put my finger to my lips before placing the frying pan on the stove.

  "I'm awake," he muttered, waving his hand over the couch.

  Ma looked between the two of us and before she could say something, I opened the fridge. "I decided to get up early and make breakfast. Jay, do you want espresso?"

  Jay slowly stood up from the couch and sauntered over to the kitchen. He was even more adorable with his messy hair and sleepy eyes. "I've never had it."

  "Never had espresso?" Ma's eyebrows shot up practically to her hairline. "I'll make you a cup. Sit. Sit. Rosalia, make the boy some food to go with his coffee."

  "I can help," Jay said, taking a few steps toward the stove.

  Ma put her hands up, stopping him. "If you're going to be with my daughter, you have to learn one thing: never bother a Sicilian woman while she's working in the kitchen."

  Jay's face turned from a look of confusion to a slight smile before he nodded. "Okay. I can understand that one."

  Dad came over, patting Jay's back. "Come. You sit with me in the dining room. We'll get the paper and the women will bring us espresso."

  "I can probably get my own espresso," Jay replied.

  Ma held up her coffee mug, flaring her nostrils. "What did I say? Out of my kitchen."

  "Okay. Okay." Jay put his hands up.

  "Sorry," I mouthed and he winked in my direction.

  Mom whipped up the espresso as I got the eggs out of the fridge.

  Before I could even grease the frying pan, Ma handed me two steaming cups. "Here, go take these to the boys and then yell for Sonny to get up. The snow's melting and we need to get into the restaurant."

  "Okay."

  "And Lia?"

  I turned back toward Ma. "Yeah?"

  Ma smiled. "Jay's a good boy. I just thought you should know that."

  "I know he is, Ma. That's why I'm hoping he'll keep me around."

  She shook her head. "It's not about him keeping you. You know you hold the power here and the way that boy looks at you, he's not going anywhere for a while."

  I felt the blush creep back up my cheeks so I turned toward the dining room where Dad and Jay were in some sort of heated debate. I held my breath, afraid of an all-out angry Sicilian man, but then my dad laughed, patting Jay on the back. "Oh, Jay, my boy, you're a funny man."

  "Am I interrupting?" I set the cups down in front of each of them then sat down next to Jay.

  Dad shook his head and ble
w on the steaming mug before he took a sip. "Not at all, Rosalia. Just talking to Jay about the trials of dating a Sicilian woman."

  I nodded, my eyes roaming toward Jay who took a sip of his cup then set it down, his face twisting into a scowl. "That's espresso?"

  My eyes widened. "Did Ma make it too strong?"

  He shook his head rapidly. "I don't know. Whatever it is, sorry, but I'm not a fan."

  Dad laughed. "You have to sip on it. It'll put hair on your chest."

  "I'd have to shave it off even if it grew there."

  Dad practically choked on his espresso and my eyes widened.

  Could things get any more awkward?

  "Hello? Is anyone home? Oh do I smell bacon?"

  I winced, hearing Dana's voice carrying through the room.

  Not only did Dana appear in the doorway but my brother Nicky stood behind her, his face skewing into a half-scowl, half-smirk when he saw Jay.

  Nicky was a big guy. Like over three-hundred pounds. With his gravelly voice, he could intimidate anyone who crossed him, or just looked at him funny.

  "Ey, who is the medigan over for breakfast? Did we get new neighbors?"

  Dana elbowed Nicky. "That's Lia's boyfriend."

  Jay stood up, putting his hand out to Nicky. "Jay Morningstar."

  Nicky shook his hand, his eyes narrowing. "Good to meet you. Nick Conti."

  I couldn't breathe, looking between my oldest brother and the guy who was currently making my heart beat rapidly.

  Jay sat back down. Nicky and Dana took the seat across from him.

  Nicky looked over at Dad. "So, we're just letting Lia have boys spend the night now?"

  "Nick!" Dana smacked his stomach.

  Ma came into the dining room, carrying a tray of espressos that she sat down at the table before giving Dana and Nicky each a kiss on the cheek. "Nicky! Dana! What are you doing here? You shouldn't be driving in this weather!"

  "Don't worry about it, Ma. The roads are all clear. It's in the 50s out there and we'll probably have a lake in the yard soon," Nicky said before grabbing a mug.

  "I guess since the roads are clear, I should head out." Jay began to stand but Ma was over at his side, putting her hand on his shoulder.