Myles (Carter Brother#3)

by Lisa Helen Gray

  “What’d ya say babe?’’ She says something back, but from the back I can’t hear. “My brother has kids,’’ he shrugs and we all snicker, but then Mason changes the song and we all burst into laughter again. God, my face hurts from laughing so hard. Kayla joins me, shoving her head into my chest when she lets out a snort which only makes her laugh harder.

  “Seriously, Mason,’’ Max glares. Mason put on the Vengaboys We Like To Party, skipping straight to the chorus.

  “Will the wire stretch so I can have a look?’’ I laugh leaning over. Mason passes it back and surely enough it does reach.

  I scroll through the phone at his lists. When I see a ‘do not play,’ list I click on it. On it is every love song and break up song that you can think of.

  “Max? Why do you have a ‘do not play’ list with a bunch of love songs and shit in it?’’

  “Oh, I’d drive you in the fast lane…’’ he finishes as our lane starts moving faster and then turns back around to look at me. “Because I do, okay. Look on someone else’s phone.’’

  “If you don’t like them why have them on your phone?’’

  “Because chicks love that crap, that’s why,’’ he growls and we all snicker.

  “Here, give me the wire,’’ Kayla says pulling her phone out of her bag and I smile passing her the wire to plug into her phone. When she hits an album on her phone I grin at her. It’s one with various artists on.

  Looking down at Max’s phone, it vibrates with a text message.

  Poppy: I thought we had something special. Why are you ignoring my calls and texts? We shared a night together

  I snicker reading it and thankfully Max is in a mood and not paying attention, or even noticing the fact it’s not his phone that is now playing the music. So I decide to text back, wanting to pass the time. Kayla looks over and notices what I’m doing and grins.

  “He shouldn’t mess with girls emotions like that,’’ she whispers.

  I nod my head in agreement and start typing out a reply.

  Max: We did have something special, Poppy bear. I’m not ignoring you; I’m just trying to let you down easy, I’m not good enough for you.

  Poppy: Oh Max, you are. What we shared was the best night of my life. Do you want to be my boyfriend?

  Ash: Want to meet up later?

  “Here, I’ll text Poppy back, you can text Ash. I can’t believe he has this many girls on the go,’’ she scolds, glaring at the phone.

  Max: Poppy, I need you to know something… I’m not good enough because I like boys. What we shared was me getting my frustration out on a boy that I’m in love with. I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you, I’m a complete asshole who doesn’t deserve friendship from you. Please forgive me.

  I laugh hard as I watch her type, loving this fiery side to her. She passes me the phone looking unsure, so I chuckle bumping under her chin with my knuckles. “It’s fine. He deserves it.’’ She smiles and nods her head, her eyes soft and I bend down to kiss her softly before paying attention to the phone. I re-read Ash’s message and can’t think of an Ash at our school. Not that all the girls he meets are from our school.

  Max: I’d love to meet up, but I’m hanging with my boyfriend tonight.

  Poppy: Oh Max, why didn’t you tell me? I would have totally understood? If you ever need to get that frustration out again, just give me a call.

  “What a hussy,’’ Kayla whispers at me, making me chuckle just as another message comes through.

  Ash: What the fuck?

  Max: I know you wanted something special with me, and I dig that you’re into me, but I’m spoken for.

  Ash: Max, dude, are you gay?

  I re-read the message then chuckle. “Do you think Ash is a girl or a boy?’’ I ask Kayla and she shrugs, grinning, her eyes darting to Max, before taking the phone out of my hands.

  Max: Want to find out?

  Ash: Excuse me?

  Max: There’s only one way to find out if I’m gay, care to have a night with the Maxter?

  I chuckle reading the message she sent and ‘Maxter’, seriously? She’s been watching too much American Pie. I take the phone from her wanting to send the next text.

  Ash: Fuck off. I ent gay u prick.

  Max: Don’t knock it till you try it. Every hole’s a goal right?

  A couple of minutes pass with no reply and we end up laughing quietly to ourselves in the back.

  “Hey, where’s my phone?’’ Max calls from the front.

  “Here,’’ I shout back, smiling, making sure to delete the messages before passing it over to Mason to pass to Max.

  We all fall into comfortable silence, listening to the music playing as we pick up speed on the motorway, now that the traffic has disappeared.

  Then Max happens, and Kayla and I start laughing.

  “What the fuck, Dude?’’ he shouts, his phone pressed to his ear. “Why would I want your cousin, Adam’s number for? A date? Please tell me this is some prank right now. What has Ash got to do with anything?’’ he growls, and Kayla starts giggling, hiding her face in my shoulder. Max’s head whips around in his seat and he sends me an evil glare. “No, I’m not fucking gay. I love pussy. Love the taste, love sticking my dick in it and love tits, so you can put that in ya pipe and smoke it. Now tell Ash my brother’s sense of humour isn’t what it used to be,’’ he growls before throwing his phone on the dashboard.

  “Not gay?’’ Maverick asks, his voice filled with amusement.

  “This Adam, he not your type, Max?’’ Kayla teases, and it shocks me that she spoke up and made a joke. I can’t help but staring at her before laughing at what she said. She giggles, hiding her face again, when Max turns around and sends me a glare. Then his phone beeps again and he growls, the noise filling the car.

  “Now fucking Poppy Little is texting me asking me when I want to release my frustration out. That she’ll let me practice in her ass,’’ he snaps. “That bitch is crazy. I spoke to her one night and now she thinks we’re a couple. Apparently I was drunk enough to kiss her. What the fuck did you do, Myles?’’ he snaps while furiously snapping away on his phone.

  “Let her down gently?’’ I laugh and everyone joins me.

  “I’ll get you back for this, asshole.’’

  “Yeah, yeah,’’ I laugh, not worried at all.

  “I need something to eat,’’ he snaps, still typing away on the phone.

  “We’re not stopping again,’’ we all shout simultaneously.

  Chapter Fourteen

  KAYLA

  It’s taken longer than the seven hours it should have taken to get to Glensaugh because of Max and his ever empty stomach. To be honest, out of all of us I think I was the only one who never really complained about all the stops. My legs and back started to ache a bit, but I was too busy enjoying the talk and laughter we all shared along the way. It was by far the best road trip ever.

  Now we’ve just booked into a Travelodge closest to the theme park. It’s still a fifteen minute drive to the park, but it’s the closest we could get, and staying on the actual park would have cost us all a fortune.

  “Did you hear me?’’ Myles asks, and I shake my head. I’d zoned out, staring at the beautiful landscape outside.

  “I’m sorry, what?’’

  He chuckles, his smile bringing out one of my own. I love his smile. “We’re going to have to share a room, is that okay? I don’t fancy sharing one with Max or Maverick and they don’t have any rooms left.’’

  “That’s fine. We sleep together most nights anyway,’’ I grin, and then blush when I hear gasps from beside me.

  “Well, get you two love birds,’’ Denny teases.

  “Myles and Kayla sitting in the tree, K.I.S.S.I.N.G…’’ Harlow sings.

  The boys just grin, waggling their eyebrows and it’s then I realise they think sleep as in, sleeping together, and not sleeping, as in snoring together. Jesus, I sound like a two-year-old.

  “I didn’t mean it like that,’’ I blu
sh, my face heating.

  “Now, now Kayla. No need to get all shy on us,’’ Maverick laughs and I send him my best scowl. I like Maverick. He’s the quietest of the bunch of brothers and that’s saying something if you’ve ever met Malik, that lad is just straight to the point. The most I ever hear him talk is with Harlow and it’s so goddamn sweet. Maverick, though, is a mystery, always has been to me and everyone who is close to all the brothers. Denny even mentioned one night she’d like to get to know him more, and Harlow said the same. I think he likes it this way. He’s close, but he still keeps people at arm’s length.

  “Shut up,’’ I grumble pouting, making everyone laugh.

  “Come on, you,’’ Myles grins, giving me a wink.

  Damn him! He looks good doing that too.

  We get to the room and put our stuff down on the bed before taking a quick look around the room. It’s pretty basic. There’s a double bed, a dresser with a mirror above it with plug sockets along the wall and a kettle with cups in the corner. On the wall at the end of the bed is a plasma TV and the bathroom is the door to the left as we walked in. There’s also a little place by the door where you can hang clothes, but only enough for about six, seven items.

  “This is great,’’ I smile looking over at Myles who is staring at me with a huge grin. “What?’’

  “You look like I’ve walked you into fairyland and not a basic Travelodge,’’ he chuckles.

  “I’m just happy to be here,’’ I smile, telling him the truth. I can’t wait to explore the town and the park tomorrow. It says on their website they have an Enchanted Forest, and I love Disney, so I’m so going to be checking that out. I also checked with everyone if we were hanging around for the firework display and boat parade they have going on later on the night, and they said yeah.

  “Good, now which side do you want?’’ he asks looking at the bed.

  “I’ll take the right,’’ I smirk.

  “The right?’’

  “Yeah,’’ I blush and he looks at me curiously.

  “Now, tell me why the right side?’’ he grins back, stepping towards me.

  “I’m not telling you, you’d think I was evil or something,’’ I chuckle, my face turning red.

  “I’d never think that of you,’’ he says seriously and I shake my head rolling my eyes at him.

  “Okay, but remember you asked for this,’’ I tell him, giving him a pointed look. “I don’t like being the closest to the door.’’

  “Why’s that?’’ he asks curiously.

  “Because if a murderer with a chainsaw or something comes barging in then they’ll see you and get you first, and I’ll have time to escape,’’ I shrug like it’s no big deal.

  He bursts out laughing and I have to look at him. His head is thrown back and he’s roaring with laughter and I can’t help but smile at him.

  “You’d seriously run out of this room and leave me to get murdered?’’ he chuckles, his face red from laughing.

  “Yeah, but I’d set the fire alarm off and call the police. I certainly wouldn’t run and hide until they came to find me,’’ I shrug and he starts laughing again.

  “You, sweet Kayla, are something else. Come on, the rest will be waiting downstairs for us. Max is hungry.’’

  I giggle at that. When is Max not hungry? I’m surprised he looks the way he does with what he eats. If I ate even half of what he does I’d be the size of a house and needing a crane to lift me to and from my bed.

  I grab my handbag and take Myles’ hand when he offers it, smiling big when he doesn’t let go, even when we get to the gang.

  Dinner goes over a treat. I slouch back in my chair and groan. Stick a fork in me, I’m done. The table falls into silence before everyone roars in laughter. That’s when I look up to find everyone staring at me, laughing.

  “I said that out loud didn’t I?’’ I groan, feeling my face heat up.

  “Aw, she’s going red,’’ Mason teases and I cover my face in my hands.

  “She’s going redder now,’’ Maverick laughs and I know he’s telling the truth. I can feel the heat radiating off my face.

  “Well, if you stopped pointing it out I wouldn’t be so red,’’ I scold, pouting.

  “So cute,’’ Myles says from my left and I turn giving him a smile.

  “You finished then?’’ is all Max contributes before polishing off the leftovers on my plate.

  “Myles says you’ve never been to Exhilaration before, that right?’’ Maverick asks me.

  “No. I’ve never been to one at all,’’ I smile, happy for the subject change to something other than my reddened face.

  “What you excited to try out?’’ he asks and everyone starts talking about some new rides that have opened.

  “I want to see the Enchanted Forest, the fireworks and boat parade sound awesome too. I’m not keen on that ghost ride, it looks scary as hell, but Myles said there’s a boat one that takes you around the park or something. That sounds good too.’’

  “Such a girl,’’ Max laughs. “Don’t think I’m walking through a prissy Enchanted Forest,’’ he scoffs, with a mouthful of food.

  “Shut up, Max. We’re all going together. If she wants to go, she’ll go,’’ Myles snaps, giving his brother a warning look. It makes me feel uncomfortable, but then Max rolls his eyes shaking his head.

  “Myles is right. If she wants to go to the Enchanted Forest she can,’’ Maverick speaks up before Max can protest.

  “I want to see that too. It says on the leaflet we had come through the post that the best time to go is at seven on the night. It’s not as magical in the day otherwise,’’ Harlow speaks up.

  “I read that somewhere too. From the pictures I’ve seen, the whole forest lights up,’’ I smile feeling giddy with excitement already.

  “We should go there before the parade starts at eight thirty then,’’ Denny interrupts, typing away on her phone.

  “Babe, she’s fine,’’ Mason groans looking adoringly at his fiancé.

  “I can’t get freaking signal and I want to Facetime, Hope.’’

  “I’ve tried too and I can’t get hold of her,’’ Max speaks up, finishing his food.

  “Seriously, you two are as bad as each other. Hope is a baby, she doesn’t have a phone and I’m sure Gram’s is fine with her. She has Mark and your Nan there, Denny,’’ Harlow giggles.

  “She’s my niece, I should be able to talk to her when I like,’’ Max growls, putting his phone in his pocket. “I swear Joan has turned her phone off or some shit, because ever since I called an hour ago, she seems to be avoiding my calls,’’

  “That’s because between you, Denny, and Mason her phone hasn’t stopped ringing all day,’’ Malik speaks up.

  “What do you know about it?’’ Denny speaks up, her eyes full of concern and worry. “Is she okay?’’

  “Jesus, she’s fine, Denny. Joan is fine, but you’re driving her and Granddad mad. Between you three, her phone is been ringing every ten minutes. Now, stop worrying. Joan said to tell you she will ring you at half ten when her last bottle is due.’’

  “Jesus, Malik. You make us sound like stalkers,’’ Mason grumbles.

  “How about we go to the bar down the road? Max and Myles never get asked for I.D and the girls are all old enough,’’ Maverick speaks up. Everyone agrees, but I feel apprehensive and wish I had the courage to speak up so I could politely decline. I’ve never drunk before and I don’t really want to. I never want to lose any sense of control over my body and I know alcohol does that to you. I’ve seen it enough with my mom over the years. I also don’t like crowded places. They terrify me, and with drunken lads around, I’ll most likely black out from a panic attack.

  “Kayla and I brought a film with us to watch. Why don’t you guys head on out and we’ll see you in the morning? The park doesn’t open till half ten so we can grab breakfast first. There’s a Little Chef next door,’’ Myles speaks up and my body relaxes. I don’t bother turning to loo
k at him to know he must have read my body language. I feel shitty for ruining his night. He’s a teenager who is still at school, he’d jump at the chance to go out and get blazing drunk, but I’m holding him back. It’s the first time today that I’ve felt the sadness that usually hangs over me like a stormy cloud, hit me.

  I feel eyes on me, but don’t bother looking up from the table napkin. When everyone tells us they’ll see us tomorrow, we start to gather our things to go pay the bill. When I reach into my bag to grab some money a hand touches my arm stopping me. I look up into Myles’ dark brown eyes confused.

  “It’s on me, babe,’’ he smiles. His eyes lightening up.

  “No, I’ll pay; I have money,’’ I tell him, going to reach into my bag for my purse again.

  “No, I’m paying, end of,’’ he scolds and hands Maverick our share of the bill.

  Once everyone leaves we make our way back to the Travelodge, both of us walking in silence. I open my mouth a few times then close it, never knowing how to start. Then Myles speaks, breaking the silence.

  “Are you okay? You’ve seemed really quiet since we finished eating. Is it cause I paid for our food?’’ he asks softly, and I turn my head to look at him. He seems sad, withdrawn a little, and I wonder if it’s because he’s not out having fun with his brothers and their girlfriends.

  “You don’t need to come back with me, ya know. You should go catch them up, I can stay by myself in the room,’’ I blurt out.

  “Huh? Why? Are you mad at me?’’ he asks, and stops walking when we reach the entrance of the Travelodge. A man is sitting at the reception desk with his feet up reading a magazine. I guess there isn’t a lot for the night staff to do once they have all their guests booked in.

  “No, I’m not mad,’’ I whisper quietly.

  “Then what’s wrong? Why do you want me to go out with my brothers?’’ he asks in a stronger voice this time.

  “Because the only reason you’re not with them is because you’re babysitting me.’’

  He laughs, startling me, and I look up at him with wide eyes. Why is he laughing? When he looks back down at me with soft, crinkled eyes I look at him confused.