Just Another Season

by Longley, Avery J.

  This should have been the easier of the two calls she’d made, and yet it still made her nervous. While she certainly could get another apartment within the complex – perhaps closer to Trent’s – she was comfortable with Trent and liked having him close. So much so that she stayed curled against him when she dialed her brother, hoping and praying he was out of class for the night.

  “Hey sister, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call? Been awhile since we chatted.” And she could almost hear his grin through the phone before he continued, “You need something, don’t you?”

  Managing a hollow laugh at that, Emma told him, “Guilty as charged. I’d like to buy a place around here – a friend and I – but we don’t have enough for a down payment. We can with ease cover a mortgage, but need some help on the front end. Think you could work your magic with Mom and Dad and convince them you’re buying an investment property or something?”

  “Without trying to be rude, what’s in that for me, sis? Besides helping you out, which I’d certainly like to do.”

  Shrugging a bit and glancing up at Trent, Emma retorted quietly, “You could charge us more for rent than the mortgage is, and make a bit each month. My friend can take care of maintenance.” And Emma paused a moment to make sure Trent nodded his agreement before continuing, “So you’d just be doing your sister a big favor and serving as a go-between ‘tween me and the ‘rents.”

  “How ‘bout this? I fly out in the next few days, check out the properties in the area, and see if it makes financial sense on my side. And if it does, we talk more turkey at that point.” And he paused a moment, before his voice got soft, and he questioned, “You haven’t mentioned the boyfriend at all, just a roommate. What’s going on?”

  “We broke up.” She replied in a simple voice, not wanting to elaborate. “I’m lucky enough to have a friend I can stay with nearby, but that relationship is now the past tense.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I know how much you liked him. Loved him, even. I was hoping you’d found someone who’d make you happy, outside of the lifestyle Mom and Dad expected for you.”

  With the same hollow laugh, Emma told him soft, “Yeah, I thought I had to. But I can’t be with someone who deceives me and can’t even fess up to my face.”

  “Ouch. Sounds like that boy and I need to have a chat about how my sister should be treated.”

  And at that Emma finally did giggle for real, telling Keegan, “Hon, offer so appreciated, but he’s got several inches and pounds on you. You’d end up on the worse end of that. And he’s not worth it.”

  Feeling Trent’s hand stroke her back, Emma snuggled him closer, looking up at him to smile before turning her attention back to her phone and her brother. “This place you’re staying, is there room for me to stay, or should I be booking myself a hotel room?”

  “Let me ask.” And covering the mouthpiece of her phone, Emma gazed up at Trent, asking “He’s asking if he can stay here when he flies out to check out the real estate market. Is that sleeper sofa comfy?” Eyeing the phone and not wanting to risk his voice being overheard, lest it cause more problems for Emma, he nodded his head, and she uncovered the phone, “Yeah, there’s a sleeper sofa you can hijack.”

  “Alright, then I’ll work on making travel plans. And in the meanwhile, sissy, hang in there. And know even if I sound like an entitled ass, I do love you and want the best for you.”

  Wiping an unexpected tear away from her eyes at his words, Emma nodded a bit before whispering to him, “I know Keeg, I know. And I love you.”

  “Love you too. See you soon. Behave in the meanwhile.”

  And as Emma hung up the phone she giggled once more. Like she was in any sort of position to misbehave at this point?

  Chapter 35 - Little Brother to the Rescue

  Picking up her brother at the airport should have been a simple thing, but Emma was so strung out by the prospect that Trent spent most of the drive with one hand on the wheel and the other squeezing her shoulder or grabbing her hand. Too many thoughts were racing through her head: what if he decided not to help; what if he felt threatened by Trent; what if despite her wishes, he tried to confront Ryan?

  She didn’t know how to deal with any of it so she fretted and fidgeted with her hair and her fingers, soothing repetitive movements that she wasn’t even aware she was making. Trent squeezed her hand the closer they came to the airport, saying nothing but trying to soothe her nonetheless.

  When they finally did reach the airport, Trent surprised Emma by moving to pull into the pay-to-park area, telling her, “I’m going in with you. It’ll be okay.”

  Biting on her lip, Emma asked, “Are you sure that’s a good idea? What if…”

  “If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, every day would be Christmas,” Trent interrupted in a gentle voice, and she was so surprised that she could only stare at him for a long moment, a small giggle soon enough escaping.

  Moving to exit his muscle car, Trent reached for her hand, and much to her surprise, made no move to release it even as they walked towards the arrival area of the airport. In fact, his hand remained in hers until they reached the arrival area, Emma peering into the glass enclosure looking for her younger brother to be getting off the appointed plane.

  And when he finally did she let out a sigh of relief when his face lit up into a grin on catching sight of her, and he immediately pulled her into a hug once he was out of the secure area. “Hey big sister. Thanks for meeting me.” After a brief pause he pulled back, gazing up at the large man with her and smiled at him as well, “You must be the roommate. She didn’t warn me you’d be so tall!”

  Laughing a bit, Trent reached out a hand, giving Keegan’s a firm shake and telling him, “Nor did she warn me that you and she are undeniably related. Same smile, same hair, same eyes...my sisters don’t look near as like me as you two do!”

  Emma gazed back and forth between the two men actively in her life, a bit of wonderment on her face at the easy reception, and after a moment, asked her brother, “Any luggage?”

  “Nah, tucked it all in the carry-on. Figured this would be a relatively short trip, there’s still time for longer trips later in the summer, especially if we get you guys settled into a new place.”

  Beaming a smile at her younger brother, Emma hooked an arm through his, not surprised at all when a moment later Trent’s arm looped around her shoulder. For the first time in days she was completely content. Things were finally going in the right direction!

  ~*~

  With Emma down for another nap, Keegan and Trent shared a quiet conversation in his living room, the bigger man explaining how the living arrangements came to be, and then the discussion shifting, to what their needs would be for housing. That led to Trent inching into his ‘guest’ bedroom to show off to Keegan his pride and joy, fluffing up noticeably when the younger man whistled low in appreciation.

  “Can’t believe you’ve got all this going in such a small place.” And he paused, craning his ear as Trent did the same. “Was that someone knocking on your door?”

  “It was.” Trent confirmed. “And if it’s who I think it is, please do us both a favor and go watch your sister sleep, and keep that door shut behind you.”

  Keegan’s eyebrows roofed at that, but if he thought about protesting, it was silenced with one look from Trent and instead he edged off towards the master bedroom. Trent closed the door as quiet as possible behind him before heading towards his kitchen door. And, to no surprise at all, he found his goalie waiting for him, rocking back and forth on his feet with a look on his face somewhere between lost and irritated.

  Opening the door and indicating that Ryan should enter, Trent tilted his head at him once he was inside, asking in a low voice, “And what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

  “Quit the games.” Ryan retorted in a sharp voice. “You know damn well why I’m here. Where is she? I want to talk to her.”

  Snorting a bit, Trent reminded him, “I’m pretty sure sh
e’ll talk to you when she feels like it and not a minute before.” And with those words the goalie’s face contorted, Ryan making an obvious effort to keep tears at bay, and if not for knowing the other side of the story, Trent might have felt a bit of remorse for him. “Talking might have been a good idea quite some time ago, but now it’s a bit late for that I think.”

  “I knew she’d come running to you.” Ryan spat out, a brief flicker of anger in his eyes before he was bringing a hand up to swipe at his eyes. “Just the opportunity you were waiting for, wasn’t it?”

  “You being a moronic asshole and breaking her heart? Yeah. That’s so how I wanted her. Broken and devastated to the extent she’s making herself sick. You know me so fucking well.” And Trent started to flex himself out a bit, without words reminding his goalie who was the bigger of the two men and who would win if a battle came and went to blows.

  “She’s making herself sick?” And this time Ryan’s voice had almost a whimpering quality to it, and again, Trent might have felt for him in different circumstances, but instead he just nodded his head. “She gave me back my ring.”

  “So I’ve heard. She also had your sister set the lease on the apartment up for non-renewal, so you might want to move back up where you were so you don’t find them locking you out.”

  “Shit. She told my sister? She’s going to kill me.”

  Trent almost rolled his eyes at that, but managed not to, instead just telling him, “I’d have been more worried about Emma killing you personally, but to each his own.” And off Ryan’s glare, Trent added, “Since you’re not going to do what you came over here for, I ask again, what can I do for you?”

  “Get her to talk to me?” And when Trent shook his head no, the anger flashed in Ryan’s eyes again, another low cross set of words flying off his lips, “You just want her for yourself, don’t you? Get her between the sheets and pick up where I left off?”

  “You’re incredibly fortunate that I have no intention of beating your ass, or I would for that. But is it any damn wonder she left you with you having that kind of attitude towards her? And here I was just thinking the bet was brief stupidity. Maybe you are that much of an idiot.” And not giving the goalie much choice to get in another word, Trent started pushing him out the door, voice low but with no room for argument in it. “Good bye Ryan.”

  The goalie’s last action before he walked away was to flip Trent off, leaving Trent shaking his head, before he too walked back to the main room, not surprised to find Keegan standing in the living room, eyes looking downright murderous. “I’m gonna kill him.”

  “As your sister would tell you, he’s not worth the effort. If you overheard any of that at all, he’s still too angry, upset, what-have-you to have any sort of logical conversation with, and with no offense intended, he’s enough bigger than you unless you’re faster than you look, he’d kick your ass.”

  Keegan huffed out a grunt without any other words, but nodded his head. Still, Trent got the feeling this wasn’t over between the younger Connelly and his erstwhile Goalie.

  ~*~

  With price limits and needs firmly established, Emma, Trent, and Keegan went over various properties in the greater Blue Springs area. Despite saying 4 bedrooms – one each for Emma, Trent, and Keegan when he was in town – plus space for Trent’s hydroponics, they kept finding themselves drawn to the 5 or 6 bedroom houses.

  “It’s a trade-off at that price point,” murmured Trent. “We get space, but we also get older houses, ones that probably need some work on them.”

  “With the exception.” and Emma paused to scroll back to one of the houses she’d favorited already, continuing, “This one, which looks like it’s been updated, and it’s close to 7 Highway, so anything we need would be right there.”

  “I agree, that one is definitely a promising one, though that pool without a fence is a definite liability issue.”

  Smiling a bit, Trent told Keegan, “I could certainly build a fence if it came down to that being a deciding factor on a house. I’m a touch handy.”

  Giving Trent a light smack, but grinning almost ear-to-ear, Emma quipped, “A touch handy. That’s like me being a touch investigative!”

  “Oh, I just thought you were nosy. Gah!” But even Trent was laughing when she smacked him again, this time harder than the first, but still not hard enough to do any damage.

  “So, little brother, do you think it’s time we get an agent, let them know we’re looking to move quick, and see what we can make happen? Are you on board?” And despite the confidence of her voice, Emma was biting on her lip, not quite to the point of making it bleed, but for sure gnashing on it quite well.

  Keegan nodded his head and smiled, as much in agreement as watching the dynamics of the two ‘roommates’ in action. “Yep, let me get on that while whichever one of you cooks gets on that, and I’ll see about scheduling viewings as early as tomorrow if possible. Sound like a plan?”

  “Sounds awesome.” Trent and Emma said in sync before both busted out laughing again.

  Chapter 36 - Home Sweet Home?

  Walking them back towards the house for the second time in as many days, the agent inquired, “Sooo second visit for this place. I take it that it’s on your list?”

  Giving the woman a sheepish grin but nodding, Emma agreed. “It was actually on our list before we even saw it in person and it’s lived up to at least my expectations.”

  Trent gave a more neutral nod though his eyes were no doubt dancing. “I think the space can work. And I think the backyard can work, above and beyond just where the pool was, and yes,” He paused to avoid the elbows thrown at him from both sides, gliding like he was on the ice. “I can handle building a pool fence.”

  As Keegan fell into step with the realtor, Trent slid back towards Emma, two quiet conversations ensuing. With the realtor inquiring in a soft voice how long the ‘young couple’ had been together, Keegan just grinned and told her, “They’re good together, aren’t they? They remind me of my grandparents.”

  Overhearing bits and pieces of that conversation caused Trent to bark out a cough, reaching a hand up to rub furiously at the bright red color he knew for sure his face was. But not slipping at all to Emma, he asked her, “So when are you going to get in touch with him? I can only send him away so many times while we’re still there before his temper snaps and he wants to fight me. And I’d fight for you, you’re worth it, but I’d rather it didn’t come to that.”

  Emma just growled a bit, sliding a bit closer to Trent’s side, absorbing his comforting embrace without words for several minutes before answering, “I’ll talk to him when the thought of him doesn’t make me want to scream, or cry, or punch his teeth out.”

  Kissing the top of her head, Trent’s voice was soft, if a slight bit teasing. “If you’re determined to fight him, at least let me teach you how to properly punch first, alright? Don’t need you breaking knuckles on his nose.”

  She laughed and curled in a bit closer, almost wrapping arms around him in a side hug as they all continued inside the now familiar house, loving the openness of the entry way, the access to the formal living room and it’s gorgeous fireplace. That room led into the kitchen and it was there Trent began bouncing on his feet, eyes lit up and ideas seemingly moving through his head as much as he bounced through the room.

  “There are appliances in here that could use replacing at some point, but that’s not a priority. The thing I’d like to do, and don’t laugh at me, is put a fish tank or two in the empty corner spaces.”

  “Fish tanks??” Both Keegan and Emma peered at Trent like he was crazy, but he silenced them both with the lifting of one big hand.

  “It’s a form of hydroponics, aquaponics, herb gardens that are nurtured by fish waste. So, the tank also self-cleans. All we’d need to do is feed the fish and we’d have fresh herbs readily available here in the kitchen for cooking. Wouldn’t that be amazing??” As he talked, Trent’s hands illustrated what he spoke about, from the si
ze of the tanks, to the possible height of herbs, to the locations he had in mind for them.

  Enthused because he was, Emma just smiled at Trent and told him, “If that’s what would make you happy if we pick this place, then I’m all for it. But where were you thinking about putting your big supplies? The rest of your hydroponic stuff?”

  Giving her a happy smile at her ready acceptance of his thoughts and plans, Trent responded, “There’s a spot in the basement. It would mean putting up a wall and a door, and me having to get some better lamps, but like I said, a little work doesn’t put me off. You don’t grow up on the farm, having to do chores for a few hours before you hafta go off to school each day, without developing a good work ethic.”

  Returning his smile with one of her own, Emma then grinned at Keegan, teasing him, “C’mon, let’s go upstairs and check out those bedrooms again. I want to make sure that’s still the right shade of pink for my brother!” And with that, she was off up the stairs, giggling the entire while, while the boys exchanged amused glances in her absence.