At the end of the night, we humbly accepted our fourth place appetizer coupon, even though there were only four teams playing. We all said goodbye to Papa Jack and filed out of the bar. I said goodbye to David as he headed to his car. Sean wrapped me in a hug and dipped me back ballroom style, kissing my cheek. I laughed, my body tightening, afraid he was going to drop me. Drew shook his head and laughed as Sean gave Wiley a goodbye hug.
Sean and Drew started talking about work, and Wiley pulled me a little away from the guys and gave me a hug.
“I was wrong,” she whispered. I pulled back, completely confused. “You don’t want him.” She smiled. I started to tell her I told you so, but she held up a finger to stop me. “You don’t just want him. You’re in love with him.”
I just stared at her. What? How could she say that? Drew was my best friend. I was not in love with him. She was crazier than I thought. She smiled, having already made her point, and walked over to Drew. She gave him a quick hug and headed out toward her car.
My mouth was still agape when Drew slung an arm around my shoulder. “You ready?” he asked. I was too stunned to speak. I nodded my head and let him lead me home.
Chapter 7
Drew (Then)
“What are you doing this weekend?” I asked, dropping down on the bench next to Red.
She turned to look at me, a pen stuck between her teeth as she reviewed her notes. Midterms were in full swing and Red was stressing about her chemistry midterm. She never worried like this about her design classes, but chem was a killer.
She took the pen out of her mouth and sighed. “Drinking.”
“That bad, huh?” I chuckled.
“Why do I need to know this? I’m not pre-med.” The frustration was written all over her beautiful face.
I picked up her notebook and looked over her complicated notes, but it just looked like code to me. “Beats me. I barely made it through myself.”
I dropped her notes back into her lap and focused back on Red. She had her textbook open in her lap, her red hair hanging down like a curtain to shield her face as she read. I reached out, tucking the soft waves behind her ear, and froze when I realized what I had just done. The gesture was small, but intimate.
I waited for her to react, but she was so engrossed in her last minute study session that she didn’t seem to notice. I instantly relaxed, scolding myself for the involuntary slip up. If I kept doing shit like that, I would just end up chasing her away. She had gotten under my skin in a way no other girl had, and I wasn’t about to screw it up.
I sat up straight and tried changing the subject to distract myself from the need to touch her again. “So, how was your date?” I forced a smile. The thought of her going out with that douche made me crazy, but we were friends and friends talked about that kind of stuff.
“My what?” Her eyebrows pulled down, confusion spreading across her face. She was so distracted, I didn’t think she heard me.
“Your date. Didn’t you go out with that guy from the party?”
“Peter? I had to cancel. This exam has made me a nervous wreck all week and I didn’t have time.” She dismissively waved her hand before focusing back on the book in her lap.
I bit my lip to keep my smile from spreading. I was ecstatic that she had blown him off, but I was keeping that shit to myself.
She looked at her watch and slammed her book shut. “Shit! I gotta go. I’m going to be late.”
I got to my feet and helped her gather her notes. She headed toward the science building and I ran to catch up to her. “Meet me at the Brew after, okay? We can celebrate the end of exams.”
She sighed. “Okay, but I may need something stronger than coffee.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” I winked, watching as she headed into the building.
***
Red dropped into the armchair next to me, letting out a long breath. I closed my book and looked at her. She sunk down into the chair, dropped her head back, and looked up at the ceiling. Her eyes were a little wild.
“So, how did it go?” I asked.
“Thank God that’s over,” she said.
I handed her a coffee cup.
“Thanks.” She took a long sip, then choked, almost spraying liquid all over me. “Gah! What is this?” She coughed.
“Something stronger.” I grinned.
She laughed and took another sip. “Why did you want to know what I was doing this weekend?” She sank deeper into the chair, seeming slightly more relaxed.
“I wanted to see if you were up for a road trip.”
“A road trip? With you?” Her eyes widened.
“You can try to sound a little less horrified.” I chuckled. She started to say something, but I stopped her. “Sean is coming too.”
“Is that supposed to be better?” she asked. “Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“Home? Like, to see your family?”
“Yeah.” I took a sip of my coffee, the warm, sweet taste filling my mouth.
“Why do you want me to come?”
I blinked, a little surprised by her reaction. “I figured you could use a chance to blow off some steam, have some fun.”
“With your family?”
“Yes, with my family.” I narrowed my eyes at her. I knew she’d been feeling disconnected since her parents died. I figured spending time with my family would be just what the doctor ordered. Her reluctance to go surprised me.
She stared at me, searching my face for something. “Aren’t they going to think…?”
“Think what? We’re friends, Red. I bring Sean home with me and no one thinks we’re dating.”
“You guys do make a cute couple.” She giggled. Good. Giggling was good.
“Come on, it will be fun. They will all think you’re too good for me anyway.” I shot her a wink.
She smirked and considered it for a moment. “Okay. Yeah, I’m in!”
***
“I gotta take a piss,” Sean said from the back seat. We were only an hour into the three hour trip.
“Jesus dude, you have the bladder of a gnat,” I said, flipping on the blinker to take the next exit.
Red sat next to me in the front seat, her long legs curled under her as she read quietly, ignoring Sean’s whining.
“Look, man, we have two more hours. This is the last stop.”
I pulled off the highway and into the nearest gas station. It was a little run-down. No doubt the bathroom would be less than sanitary. I guess crabs would be his punishment for a small bladder.
Sean took off for the bathroom as soon as we parked. Red and I got out to stretch our legs. She leaned against the hood, watching Sean disappear into what was basically a glorified outhouse.
“What are they like?” she asked without looking at me.
“Who? My family?” I took a seat on the hood next to her.
“Yeah.” She looked down at her hands, nervously picking at the skin around her fingers.
“They’re great. You’ll love them.”
“I’m sure, but will they like me?” She finally looked at me, and I was a little shocked to see the genuine fear in her eyes. My stomach clenched. This trip was supposed to make her happy, to give her a chance to relax, but it seemed like it was just stressing her out more.
“Are you kidding? Of course they will. Is that what you have been worrying about?”
She shrugged her shoulders and looked away.
“Red, you’re worrying about this too much. If they’re cool with Sean,” I pointed a finger toward where he emerged from the bathroom, “then you’re good.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been surrounded by family, anyone’s family.” The sadness in her voice made my chest hurt.
Determined to get her to relax, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and led her back to the passenger side of the car. “Trust me, Red, they’ll love you.” I didn’t doubt it for a second.
We pulled into my parent’s driveway a few ho
urs and three more stops later. I felt like I was going to end up killing Sean on the way back. I was sure Red would help me bury the body in the woods somewhere.
I got out of the car and glanced up at the old, two-story house I grew up in. The paint on the siding was faded and peeling in some places, but it looked cheerful, as usual, with its bright red shutters and Mom’s garden so full of life and color even at this time of year. Dad must have been keeping it up for her since it’s been hard for her lately.
I took a deep breath. Home.
I grabbed me and Red’s bags from the trunk and stepped up on the porch. I was about to reach for the doorknob when it turned and opened.
“Mom,” I said a wide smile spreading across my face.
She opened the screen door and stepped out, reaching for my face with a tired smile. She was thinner than the last time I saw her. Her fingers were cold against my face, but her eyes told me that Mom was still somewhere inside that tiny frame. The green scarf I got her for Christmas was wrapped artfully around her head.
Mom had been diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago. She had already been through two surgeries and five rounds of chemo. Her body was frail and slowly giving out, but her spirit never broke. She was a fighter and the strongest person that I’ve ever known.
I wrapped my arms around her, squeezing her against my chest, wishing I could keep her safe if I just held her close enough. I reluctantly let her go and turned to see Red standing on the steps behind me, eyes wide. I should’ve told her about Mom’s diagnosis, but I couldn’t figure out a way to say it.
Sean bounded past her. “Hey, Mom.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek as he headed into the house. Sean had been a part of the family for years now. That is how we Collins work. Once we claim you, you’re ours for life. I just wished I could get Red to understand that. I hoped inviting her home with me would help to convince her.
After Sean disappeared, Mom, Red, and I stood awkwardly on the porch. I cleared my throat, gesturing for Red to come closer. “Mom, this is Red.”
Red shook her head at the mention of my nickname for her, extending her hand to Mom. “Alex,” she said as mom took her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Collins.
“Oh please, that makes me sound old. Call me Emma.” Mom smiled. “Well, come on in and meet everyone.”
Mom waved her fragile arm toward the door. I picked up our bags and followed Mom into the house with Red following close behind.
As soon as I stepped inside, my childhood rushed back to me. I was lucky. We weren’t rich, but we had enough. My dad owned a bar not too far from home and Mom was a second grade teacher until the cancer progressed too far for her to keep working. Dad worked a lot, but he always made it home for dinner before heading back to the bar every night.
I headed into the kitchen, walking past family photos from over the years of David and me with missing teeth, grinning like idiots. There was one with Dad, David, and me after our little league team won the regional championship. Dad was wearing his world’s best coach hat the team pulled together and bought for him and David and I were in our uniforms holding baseball gloves the size of our heads.
I didn’t realize I had stopped walking until Red said, “You were so cute. What happened?” I smiled and nudged her with my elbow. She giggled and followed me to the back porch.
The backyard looked exactly the same. Mom’s vegetable garden lined the fence on the right side of the yard and our tire swing still hung from the only tree. David and I wanted so badly to build a tree house, but the old oak tree only had one limb strong enough to carry a weight. Dad said we would break our necks and hung the tire swing as a compromise.
There was a small deck just big enough for a patio set and the grill. For years Mom tried to convince Pop to move the grill off the deck because, with a good wind, we all ended up with a face full of smoke, but he said he was the head of this family and would be damned before he was banished from the deck.
Everyone was sitting around the patio table, talking, when Red and I approached them. “Well, look who finally showed up,” David said as he slipped his arm around his girlfriend, Millie. “You were supposed to be here an hour ago.”
I held my hands up. “Don’t blame me. Sean had to pee every five minutes.”
I dropped a hand on my dad’s shoulder. “Hey there, Pop.”
He placed his giant paw over my hand and gave me an affectionate pat. Jack Collins was not a cold man, but he was not much of a hugger.
“Who do we have here?” David asked, nodding toward Red.
Everyone turned their attention toward her and her cheeks began to turn pink. I’d never seen her blush before. It was cute. It seemed to bring her entire face to life.
“This is my girlfriend, Alex,” Sean said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
“In your dreams. I-I mean, I’m not,” she said as she fought against her natural instinct to be sarcastic.
I laughed. “Relax, Red. No one here believes anything Sean says.”
Mom came out of the house with a couple of beers. She handed them to Red and me before taking a seat on the arm of Pop’s chair. He wrapped an arm protectively around her waist, pulling her in tight against his side. Mom’s diagnosis was hard on all of us, but it was devastating to him. He hid it well, but we could see the toll her illness was taking on him.
I took a sip of my beer and started the introductions. “The big guy there is my Pop. We call him Papa Jack.” Pop nodded at Red with a smile, which she returned. “This is my brother, David, and his girlfriend, Millie.” They both smiled and waved at her. “He is older and maybe a tad wiser, but I am definitely better looking.” I winked and Red giggled, waving back at Millie and David.
We sat down, easily joining in on the conversation. After a while, Red started to loosen up and really enjoy herself. It felt right to have her here. She was easily fitting into my family’s rhythm, which was both amazing and terrifying at the same time.
We ordered pizza, ate, and laughed ‘til long after the sun went down. Papa Jack got up and lit the citronella torches surrounding the deck to keep the bugs at bay. When he was back in his seat, David got to his feet, hitting his fraternity ring on the side of his beer bottle to get everyone’s attention.
“I have an announcement to make.” He paused, waiting for all of us to get quiet. “Millie and I are getting married.” He looked happily down at Millie, who beamed back at him.
We all jumped and cheered. “It’s about time,” I said, looking at mom, who had tears in her eyes as she stood to embrace them both.
Papa Jack shook David’s hand. A smile spread wide across his face. “You don’t deserve her.”
“I know, Pop,” David said, kissing Millie’s hair.
We all took turns congratulating them, and soon Mom and Millie were heading into the house to look at Mom and Papa Jack’s wedding pictures. Papa Jack took the empty pizza boxes inside. Sean and David followed behind with plates, while Red and I gathered the empty beer bottles.
“Why does Jack think David doesn’t deserve Millie?” Red asked me, her hands full of empty bottles.
I laughed. She furrowed her brow at my reaction, looking even more confused. I grabbed another bottle and tossed it into the recycling bin just off the deck before turning to face her. “He doesn’t actually think that.”
“Then why say it?”
I looked out into the yard and did my best to explain. “When we were kids, Mom always told us that when we fall in love, we should never stop trying to be the man that she deserved. Papa Jack just likes to remind us to be that man.”
When I looked back at Red, she had tears in her eyes. The look on her face made me desperate to pull her close, but I resisted.
“I hope I can find someone to love me like that,” she said, her voice low and hoarse as she fought back the tears. I gave her a sad smile, hoping someday I could be that man.
Chapter 8
Alex (Now)
Friday afternoon, I walked i
nto the office with an arm load of wallpaper samples and coffee. I wasn’t two steps into my office when I almost collided with Wiley.
“You’re avoiding me,” she said. She folded her arms across her chest, letting me know I was in trouble.
“No, I’m not. Madeline has me slammed with errands for tonight.” I breezed past her to drop the samples on my desk.
“This is about what I said at the bar.” She leaned a hand on my desk.
“What? Of course not.” I was getting good at playing dumb. Too bad Wiley was getting better at figuring that out.
She straightened up and let out a frustrated sigh. “Look, I get that you want to be in denial.”
I started to protest. It wasn’t denial. It was avoidance. There is a difference. She held up a hand, her fingers splashed with a deep purple paint. “I will drop it, but let me just say one more thing.” She took a deep breath. “It’s obvious you have feelings for him that extend beyond friendship.” I opened my mouth again, but she lifted her chin, warning me that she wasn’t finished. “But it’s just as obvious that he feels the same way about you.” With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.
What was with that woman dropping bombs like that on me, then walking away? I love Wiley. Really, I do. We’re night and day different, but no matter what, she has my back. God bless her for that, but this was nuts! She only met Drew once. Only saw us together once. Talk about a snap judgment. Yeah, of course she’s heard all about our shenanigans over the years, but that isn’t much to go on.
I dropped in my chair as Gwen stomped down the hallway toward me, bringing me out of my thoughts and back to reality. Her stomping was like a warning sign. It always made me think of the theme music for the wicked witch of the west. Ooh, I should make that her ringtone. Previously, I had the shower music from Psycho. Nah. Drew always said go with your gut.
Somewhere In Between (Madison Square Book 1) Page 7
