I start to make my way back to the stove to check on the steak when my phone rings again.
I turn then answer it without looking at the caller ID again because it is probably Carson again. “Come on man; I said everything is fine,”
“Hey, Jax,” Sabrina’s voice makes me frown. What the hell does she want? Can’t she take no for a freaking answer? “I just need to talk to you,” she says when I don’t say anything.
“I don’t have-” A strange whooshing sound catches my attention from behind me, and I turn to look.
“Motherfucker!” I exclaim when I see that the steak is on fire. No joke, the pan is fucking flaming inside!
I end the call and throw the phone back on the counter before grabbing the wine. Liquids will help!
“Fucking shit!” I jump back when the flames practically jump toward my face after pouring some wine into the pan. Motherfucker that just made it worse!
The fire alarm starts blaring, making me panic even more. I rush toward the living room and grab the little fire extinguisher I keep on hand and rush back to the kitchen.
“Holy shit, you okay man!” Carson bursts in out of nowhere just as I extinguish the fire.
He takes a minute to take in the situation before bursting into a fit of laughter. The fucker is laughing so hard that he’s clutching his side and there are tears running down his cheeks.
“Not fucking funny, jackass!” I growl as I go switch off the blaring alarm.
“Holy shit!” The fucker is laughing so hard that he’s finding it hard to breathe. “You… Pan… Fire!”
“Oh my God, what with all the smoke? We can smell it from all the way down the driveway.” I hear a feminine voice say and look behind Carson and see Bri and Olivia standing there with wide, confused eyes.
“He… Cooking… Fire…... Pan!” Carson tries to explain through his fit of laughter. Bri and Olivia look around before they too start hooting with laughter.
“Oh my God, I’m going to pee myself!” Brianne says through her giggles.
“Yea, yea. Laugh it up.” I tell them as I place the fire extinguisher on the counter.
“Don’t worry man; I got your back.” This from a calmer Carson as he grabs the plastic bags on the floor. Where the hell did those come from? I didn’t even see them on the floor.
“Yeah, and I’ve got pie!” Olivia says.
“I think you should go and clean up; we got this,” Olivia says as she pushes past me.
“As for you Batgirl, just relax Liv, and I got this,” Carson tells Brianne. “Why the hell are you still standing here? Go get ready!” He continues to tell me.
“Okay, okay,” I say as I make my way toward my room.
What a start to the night!
Chapter Eight
Brianne
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I whirl around and confront not only Livie but my own mother as soon as Jaxon walks out of the salon.
“God, Bri. She deserved it. Who the hell talks like that? She’s just jealous. Did you see her face when Jaxon kissed your cheek? It was priceless.” She starts laughing, and I see that my mom has a smile on her face.
“That’s not what I was talking about. But while you have brought it up. She could sue us, what will we do then?” God, it was hilarious, but now that she’s gone and we all have clear minds, it’s hit me that Sabrina is a vindictive bitch and would probably cause as much trouble for us as she can.
“She won’t, as much as she loves the attention, everyone loves your family, and no-one will listen to her bullshit. She’s a goddamn viper, and everyone knows it. Did you see how desperate she is, lying about her and Jaxon? Pathetic!” Livie’s right, she did come across desperate, but I still feel bad, what if she really loves Jaxon? God, this is such a mess.
“Listen, honey, that girl was out of line. I don’t want to listen to things that Jaxon does; he’s like a son to me. There’s something wrong with that girl.” My mom says as she shakes her head, at least I know that I’m not the only one who feels sorry for her.
“Yeah, she’s a hussy!” Livie hoots, causing her and mom to giggle.
“This conversation is getting us nowhere. I don’t have any more appointments today. I’m going to go home and have a nap; I’m so tired.” I start to cut mom’s hair when the scissors are pulled out of my hand.
“I’ll cut your mom’s hair, you head on home and get some sleep. You have a date tonight.” She actually winks at me.
“I’ve not forgiven you for that. Either of you.” I look to my mom too; she helped Livie set this date up. I told them both that Jaxon and I weren’t getting together, so what do the two of them do? Yep, make a date for the two of us. Does no one care what I want?
I don’t let them respond as I get my jacket from the back room, the sooner I get out of here, the better it will be. “Bri, honey. We didn’t mean to upset you. We just want you to be happy.” Mom says just as I put my hand on the door handle.
Turning around to see her, she looks upset, and I hate that she feels that way. “I know, mom. It’s just that this is something that Jaxon and I have to sort out between us. As of right now, there is no us, and I don’t see an us in the future either. So please stop trying to get us together.”
“Sorry honey.” I feel bad for upsetting mom, I walk back over to her and hug her. She pulls me in as close as she can, giving me a squeeze.
“Love you, mom.” I kiss her cheek and leave the salon, glad to be going home to rest.
Bri, are you here?” Livie shouts as she walks into my house.
“Yeah, I'm just getting dressed, I’ll be down in a minute,” I shout down to her. But she’s an impatient person, and I can hear her coming up the stairs. I just manage to put my maternity dress on when she barges through the door. “Ever heard of knocking?”
“Pfft, what do I need to knock for? I’ve seen it all before anyway.” She rolls her eyes as she throws herself onto my bed.
“That’s because you always barge in on me. What do you want that's so important that you couldn’t wait to say until I was downstairs?”
“You’ll never guess who came to the salon just as I was closing?” She sits up and has a huge smile on her face.
“Sabrina, asking for her hair back?” I can’t keep a straight face, and I bite my bottom lip to keep it from escaping. “No, but can you imagine if she did. I’d be like you, I'd pee myself.” she thinks she’s funny, but she’s not. “Ethan.”
“Ethan what?” I’m so confused, one minute we’re talking about Sabrina and her hair or lack off, and now she’s talking about Ethan.
“God, those miniature Satan’s have really messed up your brain, haven't they?” I don't give her the satisfaction of an answer. Instead, I just glare at her causing her to huff. “Fine, Ethan showed up at the salon.”
“What? Why? Did he say what he wanted?” He’s the last thing I need right now. I don't want to see him.
“Hussy number one told hussy number two who in turn told that fucker, who had to come and see you.” Great, Mrs Johnson has unwittingly given both Sabrina and Shyanne their new nicknames.
“Come and see me for what?” I still don’t get it; we have nothing to talk about.
“Seriously? What the hell Bri, before those little Satan’s invaded your body, you use to be so smart.” She shakes her head as if she’s disappointed in me. “Bri, obviously hussy number one has told them about you and the babies.” Her rolling her eyes at me isn’t helping. “He thinks that the babies are his.”
“Stop calling them Satan’s. I swear if you carry on, you’re not gonna be godmother.” Her mouth drops open, and she’s about to protest, “I really don’t want to see him, but I know that I have to. It’s such a mess.” I feel like crying. How the hell did this become my life?
“First of all, I’m their godmother whether you like it or not. Secondly, yeah Bri, you’re gonna have to see him. You need to make sure that he understands that they’re not his. B
ri, he looked determined, I think he wants you back.”
“Not going to happen, even if I weren’t pregnant with Jax’s babies, I wouldn’t get back with him.” Just the thought of getting back with him makes me want to throw up.
“Good, because I never liked that asshole anyway, plus you and Jaxon are meant to be together. Jaxon is hotter than Ethan, and I like him. Now we’ve got to hurry; we’ve to stop by your mom’s house before going to Jaxon’s.” She gets off my bed, and I follow her out of my room, not looking forward to this at all. God, why didn’t I open my mouth and say no? Oh yeah, I didn’t get a chance too, mom and Livie decided that they would be my mouthpieces.
I put on my flip-flops as Livie opens the door and holds it open for me, I packed my bag as soon as I got home so I wouldn’t forget. I grab the bag and my keys, and we leave.
Thirty minutes later and we’re walking into Jaxon’s kitchen, wondering what the hell the smell is.
“Oh my God, what with all the smoke? We can smell it from all the way down the driveway.” Livie says as we take in the scene around us, Jaxon holding a fire extinguisher and Carson holding onto his side laughing.
“He… Cooking… Fire…... Pan!” Carson tries to explain through his fit of laughter. I take a look around, and my eyes are drawn to the pan that was on fire and is now smoldering behind Jax.
I can’t help but laugh; I have to close my legs tightly together. “Oh, my God, I’m going to pee myself!”
“Yea, yea. Laugh it up.” Jaxon tells us as he places the fire extinguisher on the counter.
“Don’t worry man; I got your back,” Carson says, his laughter finally subsided.
“Yeah, and I’ve got pie!” Olivia says. “I think you should go and clean up; we got this,” Olivia tells Jaxon as she pushes past him and walks further into his kitchen.
“As for you Batgirl, just relax Liv, and I got this,” Carson tells me, and I don’t know what to do. I want to help, Jaxon went out of his way to cook for me. “Why the hell are you still standing here? Go get ready!” Carson asks Jaxon.
“Okay, okay.” Jaxon finally starts to move and walks toward his bedroom.
I decide while those two are doing dinner, I’ll clean up the mess Jaxon left. “Um, where the hell do you think you’re going Batgirl?” Carson moves so he’s standing in front of me, blocking my way.
“Move it; I’m going to clean up Jaxon’s mess.” I roll my eyes and push him out of the way, walking up to the pan where I see he’s burnt something so bad it’s unrecognizable. It doesn’t take me very long to clean up; I open the kitchen window to let the smell of smoke out, although I think it’s going to take a while.
I feel someone’s breath on my neck, “Bri, you didn’t need to do that.”
I turn around and am face to face with Jaxon; he’s so close to me that I can feel the warmth of his breath on my face. “I know I didn’t need to; I wanted to. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine Bri; I should have just ordered in.” He’s got a small smile, and he looks so happy.
“Right you two, we’re outta here. I need to have a drink, I’ve been around a pregnant woman too damn long and haven’t been able to go out and have fun. I need to go to a damn club.” Livie says, and I shoot her a look, I never stopped her going out.
“Who are you going with? Or are you going to be one of those who goes out drinking by themselves?” Carson is mocking her; these two are always trying to get one-up on each other.
“Of course, I’m not going by myself, you’re coming with me.” She’s joking; she has to be, Carson doesn’t do clubs, he does bars and cheap ones at that.
“Ha-ha, in your dreams Liv, in your dreams. I’m not going anywhere except home to test out a new game. Find someone else to go with.”
“But Carson… I was going to help you pop your cherry.” I can’t help but giggle at her antics; she’s really trying to get under his skin.
I watch in horror as my brother begins to flirt with my best friend. “But Liv, I told you, baby, you’ll be the one to do that.” He has a funny look on his face, and he actually winks at her.
“Ha-ha, now it’s in your dreams, Carson. Anyway, I like a man who knows what he’s doing. That’s why I’m going with Gary. He’s got a big...”
“It’s time for you both to leave. Thank you for the food. Have a good night.” Jax walks toward the door and opens it for them, motioning for them to leave.
“I know when I’m not wanted, I’m gonna go. Bri, call me in the morning.” Livie says as she pushes past Carson and leaves, swaying her hips as she does.
“Liv, you don’t know what you’re missing out on,” Carson calls out to her as he chases after her.
Jaxon shuts the door behind them and locks it, smiling at me as he does, “I know your brother, he has no boundaries, he’ll just let himself in if it’s open. Go sit down; I’ll bring the dinner out to you. What would you like to drink?” He seems awkward now that it's just the two of us.
“Just water would be fine, thanks. Can I help with anything?” I hate that just because I’m pregnant, everyone thinks I can’t do anything.
“Can you bring in the drinks and I’ll bring in the food?” I smile at him, glad he’s not making me feel like I’m useless.
“So, what was it that you burnt?” I ask as we begin to eat, I still can’t believe he burnt the dinner.
“It was a steak. God, I thought that I’d manage to cook one thing right.”
A giggle spills out as I realize that he didn’t just burn a steak, he ruined others too. “It’s okay; not everyone can cook. It was probably safer this way.”
“Safer? Are you forgetting who made this food?”
Oh God, it was Carson. “Um, did he cook this himself or was it one of the meals mom makes him?” I’m actually getting worried.
“I have no idea. I hope to god it’s your mom’s food. Last time Carson cooked, I couldn’t get off the toilet.” Jaxon tells me, and I laugh so hard I have to run for to the toilet.
“So, you never said how you managed to burn the steak.” I start to eat again, still a bit cautious in case Carson really did make this food.
“Oh, that.” He looks embarrassed as he shifts in his seat. “Well, Sabrina called.”
“Oh, ri…” I don’t manage to finish that sentence as I rush to the bathroom. Throwing up as soon as my knees hit the ground harshly. Oh God, it won’t stop, with every breath, the sickness comes.
“Bri, are you okay?”
“N…” I throw up again. “No.” and again.
“Bri, what the hell?” Jax asks as soon as he walks in.
I can’t stop throwing up, I hear Jaxon behind me, holding back my hair, what the hell is wrong with me?
“Carson, I’m gonna fucking kill you… No…. you made that food? ...Your sister won’t stop throwing up.” Oh, shit, Carson made it, what the hell was he thinking? I throw up yet again and wonder how much I have left in me?
“Bri, I’m gonna call the doctor, this isn’t right. Your throwing u…” He stops mid-sentence, and I lean my head back in time to watch as he throws up in the sink.
What a date this has turned out to be.
Chapter Nine
Jaxon
“How are you feeling?” I ask Bri as I close the door after seeing the doctor out.
I started to panic when Brianne didn’t stop throwing up, even when there wasn’t anything left in her stomach she kept heaving non-stop. So, I did the first thing that came to mind, I called my doctor for a house visit.
This has been a horrible night. From burnt food and pots to hurling all over the bathroom. I can’t believe Bri, and I actually took that chance of eating food we knew Carson cooked. That guy is worse than I am when it comes to cooking.
“Yeah, I’m okay now. It really wasn’t necessary for you to call your doctor to come out this time of night.” She says as she takes a bite of the ginger biscuit in her hand.
“Of c
ourse, it was necessary Bri. You didn’t stop hurling, and I was worried about you and our babies.” I say. Wow, our babies. I still can’t believe I of all people, am going to be a father. I never wanted kids because of my own past.
My father was - is a drunk with a bad temper who used to beat me and my mother to a pulp. Thank God my mother finally got out of that abusive situation, she deserves so much better than that fucker.
Don’t get me wrong; I don’t see myself ever lifting my hand to any woman or child, especially my own, but my father felt this exact same way before. My grandfather used to beat him, and my gran and my father always despised his own father for how he treated him and his mom and swore that he would be a better man and father, but then, when I was twelve, my father lost his job and that shit changed, and the fucker started doing the exact same thing to me and mom. So, my point is, even though I feel this way now, things might change just as it did for my father. You know what they say about the apple and the tree right? This terrifies me to no end.
“Well, I’m okay now. Don’t worry.” She smiles at me as she takes another bite of her biscuit.
“That’s great,” I say staring at her lips when her tongue skims over them. I inwardly curse when I feel my jeans getting a bit tighter. Fuck, how I wish I could taste those soft lips again.
“Um, so you hungry, should we order in or something?” I ask to distract my mind from going back to that night, the night I still fantasize about till this day.
“Oh gosh no, I don’t think I can stomach any solids after eating my brother’s food.” She says displaying a disgusted face. “These will be just fine, thank you,” she says waving the packet of biscuits in the air.
“Okay,” I answer.
The air around us gets filled with awkward silence as we stare at each other. My jeans get even tighter when my eyes travel from her face to her chest, where she is sporting a cleavage that would get any hot-blooded man to his knees. Damn those tits look so much bigger than they were before; I wonder how they would feel cupped in my greedy hands.
One Night Page 6
