by K E Osborn
“You okay?” Tillie asks quietly while everyone else is still cheering around us.
Swallowing hard, I ponder that question for a moment. Am I okay? I’m happy Tillie is here, I’m happy for my best friend’s engagement, of course, but it reminds me of when I proposed to Katie. The thought makes a lump catch in my throat and I swallow it hard and sigh.
“I’m okay.”
She gnaws on her bottom lip furiously and simply nods. I’m fairly certain she doesn’t believe me, but she doesn’t push, which is just another thing to add to the list of reasons to why I like her so damn much.
“Pizza’s here!” Matt calls out as Oliver’s cell rings.
“You people eat, celebrate, and have fun. I have to take this and start scheduling. Once you finish your party I should have a tour start date in mind. Enjoy yourselves.” He swipes to answer the call. “Drew, just the guy I want to hear from. Talk to me. Let’s make this happen.” He walks off down the fire escape, back inside the building as Matt brings the umpteen boxes of pizza up and places them on the ground in between us all.
“Right let’s eat, guys,” Matt says opening the boxes and sitting down cross-legged in front of one of the boxes. Nate takes a seat next to him as Danger takes a seat and Lunar sits in between his legs. I sit down and Tillie sits next to me and we form a basic circle with pizza in the middle. It’s our group and I love it.
“So congratulations, guys,” Tillie says smiling wide at Lunar.
“Thanks, I had no idea this was coming,” Lunar replies.
“Neither did I,” I quip.
Danger smirks at me, his pale face back to a more even tone and his sweats have disappeared.
Seems he was merely nervous about the proposal.
“Sorry, Ry. I only got the ring this morning, I didn’t really know I was going to pop the question today. I was going to do something really cheesy and romantic with candles and petals and shit, but when we got the news of the single going to number one, I got excited and thought, fuck, I wanna keep this good thing going. Sorry if it wasn’t romantic enough for you, babe?”
Lunar leans back into him shaking her head. “You know me well enough to know I’m not really the candles and petals type anyway. Take me for a ride on a hog, tie me to your bed and spank my ass, then drop to your knees and tell me you love me, that’s how this woman likes it.”
I smirk shaking my head as Danger groans and raises his eyebrow. “Yeah, I should’ve guessed.” He leans in closer to her ear. “The tying up and spanking comes later, I promise.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa… we can still hear you, guys!” Matt chuckles as I shake my head and Tillie giggles. Nate frowns and shifts uncomfortably.
“And ah… I live with you, so I don’t want to know what’s going on in my house, thanks. Hearing it is one thing, but knowing what’s actually happening… yeah, just shut your mouth, Danger,” I joke and they both laugh. I smile at Tillie even though my stomach is still twisting and I have this uneasy feeling developing.
***
After spending the next three hours eating, drinking and generally hanging out with my adopted family, we decide the autumn air is a little too chilly and we need to head back inside. Danger and I grab the empty boxes as the girls take the glasses and the twins grab the empty champagne bottles and we all head back inside. We chat and laugh while heading down toward the boardroom where we know Oliver will be.
We all file into the room after depositing the trash in the kitchen while Oliver focuses hard on the screen of his notebook.
“Hope you didn’t want any pizza, we were trying to save you some but Matty the garbage guts ate your slices,” Tillie quips.
Matt smirks at her and nods like he knows it’s the truth.
“Sorry, what?” Oliver asks looking up at us and rubbing his temple. His eyes are slightly red like he’s been focusing far too hard on his screen and he looks tired. He works too hard.
“Oliver you need to go home. Come back tomorrow, the tour can wait one more day,” Tillie offers resting her hand on his shoulder. She really is so caring of others.
He looks back to his notebook seeming to ignore her, clicks on something, takes a deep breath, smiles and then closes the lid as he sits back in the seat and relaxes his posture. “I’m done.”
“Great, you need a good night’s rest. Maybe even have tomorrow off and come back the day after with a refreshed head.”
He smiles at her tilting his head. “You’re kind, Tillie, but no. I mean I’m done organizing. The tour is all set up. We leave in two days.”
We all look at each other and gawk. “Two days?” Danger asks, and Oliver nods.
“Yes, we need to strike while the iron is hot. Your publicity right now is high. Tickets will skyrocket. Your songs will push up the charts. We need to do this now. Sure, there’s less time to publicize the tour, but we can work on that right, Tillie?”
She takes in a deep breath looking slightly frazzled but she nods and swallows hard. “Yeah, we can do it.”
“It’s settled then. But for now everyone should go home, have some rest and we will discuss all the ins and outs tomorrow.”
We all look around frozen to the spot like we’re deer stuck in head lights. Today has been one shock after the other—the number one song, the engagement, a pop-up tour—what’s next?
“Well go on… get out of here,” Oliver snaps, and we all jump slightly and nod rushing out the door.
“Two days, Tillie. Is that possible?” Danger asks.
“Yeah, I’ll work some PR magic. Don’t worry, it will happen and it will be great!”
“Okay, as long as you’re sure? Ry, you coming home?” Danger asks, and I turn to look at Tillie, even though my stomach was funny earlier it’s settled slightly now, and I want to give Lunar and Danger some time, they just got engaged, I hope Tillie is okay with what I’m about to suggest.
“I might go to Tillie’s tonight if she’s okay with that?” I ask glancing at her.
She smiles wide lacing her fingers with mine and nods. “Of course.”
“Thanks, man, I wanna give Lunar all the romance she deserves.” Danger grins widely and wrinkles up his nose.
“You mean the spanking and whipping she wants?” Tillie chimes in.
Danger nods matter-of-factly and shrugs. “You call it bondage, I call it romance. Potato, potahto.”
We all chuckle as Lunar walks over linking her arm with Danger’s. “What’s so funny?” she asks.
“Nothing, Candy. Ry’s gonna spend the night at Tillie’s so you wanna head home?” Danger asks.
“Yeah, can we stop off at that place on Wilks and Third on the way home?”
Danger raises an eyebrow. “What place?”
Lunar’s cheeks start to turn a slight shade of pink. “You know, the place?” She raises her eyebrows high and nudges his side.
“Oooh, yeah that place. Yes… yes, we can. See ya, guys,” Danger says turning them as they scurry off laughing to themselves about their wild night they’re going to have together.
I chuckle shaking my head as I turn to Tillie who’s furrowing her brows and slumping. “You okay?” I ask.
“Just trying to think of what the hell is on the corner of Wilks and Third.”
“A porn shop… dildos, bondage equipment, edibles… everything they’re into,” I reply.
She swallows hard, her cheeks redden and I smirk as she looks away from me seeming slightly embarrassed or aroused. I’m not sure which one, but either way she looks sexy as fuck.
“C’mon, let’s get you home.” I take her hand tighter and lead her away to head for the car.
Chapter Sixteen
As we walk through Tillie’s front door, Piper barks in her usual excited manner and jumps up at Tillie’s legs as we pace through to the kitchen. I can’t help but smirk as I notice Hunter the rat in his cage by the window in the living room.
“God, I ate too much pizza. My doctor won’t be happy,” I say, and Tillie turns to l
ook at me.
“I think having one cheat meal is okay, Ryan. You’ve been working super hard on your diet, you’re allowed to have one night off.”
I shrug. “It’s weird, I kinda feel guilty for eating it.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard that can happen, but just go back to it tomorrow. A few slices of pizza won’t hurt you.”
“Might have been five.”
“Okay… five—”
“Maybe six.”
She laughs. “Really?”
I shrug tilting my head and pursing my lips. She pulls me into a hug wrapping her arms around my waist and shifts her head to rest on my chest. I lean in to kiss her hair.
“Oh… and some garlic bread.”
She bursts out laughing and her body vibrates against mine while I hold her closer to me taking in her warmth. Piper continues to jump up at her legs begging for more attention.
“Not to mention the champagne,” I add, and she shakes her head looking up at me.
“You really know how to make a girl laugh, you know that?”
I furrow my brows in fake confusion. “It’s not funny, this is serious. I could go into a pizza coma and die, Tillie.”
She leans on her toes inching her lips right up to mine, the hint of champagne lingering on her breath. “Then I’ll just have to give you mouth to mouth won’t I?”
I groan as I press my forming hard on into her. “Promise?”
“How ‘bout we practice now… just in case?” She licks her bottom lip subtly.
My hand comes up her back, my fingers threading through her hair and I pull her head to mine. Our lips crash together and I kiss her forcefully. My tongue collides with hers as Piper starts barking which is kinda breaking the mood. Tillie giggles into my mouth and pulls back looking down to Piper and finally bends down petting her.
“Geez dog, kill the moment.”
I chuckle leaning back against the kitchen counter. “What are you gonna do with Piper and Hunter while we’re on tour?” I ask.
Tillie winces and stands back up. “Umm… shit. I guess I’ll have to call Roxie. She won’t mind, but the short notice might piss her off.”
“Roxie? That’s your sister, right?”
“Right.” She pulls her cell out of her bag and dials her number making the call.
I bend down sitting on the floor and Piper comes straight over curling up into a ball on my lap letting me pet her. She is a cute dog and even though she’s a mommy’s girl, she still loves attention from anyone who will give it.
“Hey Rox, it’s me.
“So um… the guys are going off on tour for three weeks. We leave in two days. So I’m in need of a pet sitter…
“You’re not pissed by the late notice?”
Piper gives me a cuddle and I run her curls through my fingers.
“Oh yeah, I can do that. Thanks, sis. I’ll leave now. See you soon.” She hangs up her cell and I raise an eyebrow. Tillie looks at me and clenches her lips. “So ah… Roxie wants me to bring them over now rather than in a couple of days as she will be out that day, so… I should take them now. Sorry to bail on you.”
I move Piper from my lap and stand up dusting my ass. “Well, why don’t I just come with you? I’d love to meet your sister?”
Her eyes widen as a smile crosses her face so wide I feel like she’s about to break into a song or something. “Are you sure? I don’t want to pressure you into moving too fast or anything?”
“It’s no pressure… and Tillie, I offered and I want to. We’re not rushing into anything.”
“Okay… I’ll get Piper’s harness.”
***
We pull up out the front of a cute suburban house not that dissimilar to mine. Piper is panting in the backseat next to Hunter in his cage as I turn off the ignition.
“You sure you want to meet my family?” Tillie asks, confusion written all over her face like she thinks I’m going to bail.
I chuckle. “Tillie, it’s not too much. I promise. I want to be here.”
She exhales and nods once, then opens the door of the car getting out. I take a deep breath and mentally prepare myself. Even though I want to meet Tillie’s sister, it’s still a big step in the relationship. I hop out of the car and turn to see Tillie getting Piper out of the back. I open the rear door and grab Hunter’s cage, then press the central lock on my key. We walk toward the white wooden door and Tillie giggles as Piper bounds toward the house like she’s been here a hundred times before.
“So if Roxie says anything inappropriate, I apologize now,” Tillie says making me raise an eyebrow.
I like her sister already!
The front door opens before I have a chance to say anything and a loud squeal comes from the doorway of the house. I grimace slightly as a tall woman, stunningly gorgeous, with wavy chestnut hair rushes out toward Tillie with her hands outstretched. She slams into Tillie embracing her while Tillie laughs, and she grabs her swaying her from side to side dramatically.
“Geez Rox, anyone would think you hadn’t seen me for a year,” Tillie says.
“Well, it’s been nearly three weeks, and it’s too long. I can’t help it if my sister is also my best friend,” Roxie replies. Her eyes drift over to look to me. She raises her eyebrows, stops her dramatic hugging and pulls back from Tillie then tilts her head. “Umm… Tillie… that’s Ryan from Recoil.”
Tillie looks back at me and lets out a small nervous laugh. “Ah… yeah, it is, um… and he can hear you.”
Roxie rolls her eyes. “I know that. Urgh. Anyway, come in. Excuse the state of the living room, Savvy won’t clean it up and I’m too busy trying to sort out the website,” she says as she turns, leading us into the house.
We follow her to the living room which is chaotic with a barrage of Lego scattered all over the floor. Piper nuzzles the pieces with her nose as Tillie closes the door behind her. Roxie continues through the mess, kicking blocks to the side as she goes. I glance at Tillie and she smirks as we continue to follow. Piper picks up a Lego block in her mouth and carries it with us and into the kitchen.
“I’m so sorry, about that. If I knew Ryan was coming I would have made an effort,” Roxie says stopping where a man and a young little girl are sitting eating cereal, even though it’s probably past her bed time.
“I don’t mind. Really. It’s nice to meet you,” I say putting out my hand to shake Roxie’s. She takes it then looks from me to Tillie and raises her eyebrows with another smirk. A message to her sister, but I don’t miss it.
“Wait! Did you say his name was Ryan?” the man asks through a mouth full of Cheerios.
I turn around facing him and he finally gets a good look at me, his spoon falls into his cereal making a splash of milk erupt all over the bench while his mouth opens and milk and Cheerios fall out of it.
“You’re Ryan… from Recoil!”
“I am,” I say.
“Fuck! If I knew I’d be meeting you, I would have… fuck! I don’t even know.”
“Cool it, Donny,” Roxie chides.
“It’s fine, Donny, just think of me as any normal guy.”
He nods. “Right, will do,” he says as Savvy laughs at her father’s fangirling over me.
“So Savvy, I need you to take care of Piper and Hunter for me. Can you do that?” Tillie asks and Savvy jumps from her seat at the breakfast bar and rushes over.
“Yes! I’ve always wanted a rat. Thanks, Auntie Till,” she chirps looking down into the cage that I’m holding.
“Anytime, sweetheart.”
She looks up at me and smiles. “You’re a musician, right?” Savvy asks. She must be all of about six years old, if that. I’m surprised she even knows the word musician.
“Right?”
“Can you teach me how to play the drums?”
Tillie watches me with her niece. “Hmm… I’m not so good with the drums, but I’m pretty mean at Lego.”
Her eyes light up and she grabs my free hand. “C’mon then, let’s go!”
TILLIE
“So, he seems great.” Roxie leers as Donny walks over to us.
“He is.”
“Tillie…”
“What?”
“He’s a musician.”
I scoff. “So?”
“So they’re not the most loyal type of boyfriend, are they?”
“What do you mean?”
She inhales through her nose and slumps her body. “Well, they are… loose with women.”
“Oh Roxie, Ryan hasn’t had a girlfriend in ages.”
“Exactly, he doesn’t have girlfriends for a reason. It’s so he can flick from girl to girl.” I purse my lips. “Are you even his girlfriend?”
I pause and bite down on my lips. We haven’t had this talk. Sure, we spend all our time together and everyone knows about us, but we’ve never made us an official thing.
“Well, a label doesn’t matter,” I defend.
Roxie sighs. “Just be careful, Tillie. Please don’t give him your heart, okay?”
“Mooom, Auntie Till, come see,” Savvy calls out, and we all rush to the living room to see Ryan holding a Lego guitar. He hands it to Savvy and she rushes around the room playing the guitar making sounds from her mouth.
It might be hard to not give him a piece of my heart seeing as he just stole some of it.
“He’s amazing,” Donny whispers making me laugh.
Roxie’s harsh stare softens and she slants her stance with a “Ha.”
“Yeah, he’s such a lady-killer,” I murmur, and she rolls her eyes at me.
“Ryan’s so cool, Mom. I wanna learn guitar now, not drums.”
Roxie chuckles. “Well, praise the Lord for that. A guitar I can handle.”
“Can you teach me, Ryan?”
“Savvy, no. He’s too busy!” Roxie chides.
“I’m sure I can come by once in a while to give you some pointers,” he says.
“Yes,” Savvy exclaims and launches into Ryan’s arms. He embraces her tightly and there’s not only contentment on his face but his eyes are a little misty like even though he’s happy right now he’s a little sad too. I’m not sure what that’s about, but seeing him with Savvy is adorable. She pulls back from him and continues to play her little Lego guitar around the room.
