“I heard Shannon went to some club alone last night. How come you didn’t take her?”
“I was working. She’s a big girl. She doesn’t tell me everywhere she goes.”
“Don’t you think you should’ve asked? She’s not very responsible. You’ve surely figured that out by now.”
“You had the night off. If you’re so concerned about your sister’s well-being, why didn’t you offer to go with her?”
He paused, glancing past me. “Well, damn.” I had no doubt BC picked that particular moment to walk into the room. “There’s no way you aren’t related to Alexa.” Suddenly, Kevin had forgotten the reason he came into the house in the first place.
“That’s Brielle. Brielle, this is Kevin,” Vince introduced.
“Ah, the long-lost sister has returned.” How did he know about her?
“I wasn’t lost,” she responded sarcastically. I turned to face her and our eyes met. Hopefully, she caught the unspoken warning but, just in case, I added how he was related to Shannon and she nodded.
“So,” Kevin continued, going to the other side of the table to stand in front of her. “How long do you plan on staying in town?” My fists balled up, making my knuckles white. Vince shook his head slightly. If Kevin knew my deal with BC, he wouldn’t ever leave her alone.
“Not very long,” she said, sidestepping around him. “Excuse me. My family is waiting.” She grabbed her plate, not looking at any of us, and went back outside.
“Fuck, Lyons! You’ve been holding out on me,” Kevin whined, pointing at the door. He shook his head. “All the times I’ve told you how hot your girlfriend is, you’d think a sister would’ve been mentioned.”
“Drop it, Kev,” Vince groaned, clearly not wanting to have the discussion.
“I’m not dropping shit,” he laughed. “It’s bad enough you refused to share Alexa.” I felt my patience slipping. “She’s leaving anyway. You know that’s exactly how I like it.”
“I said to drop it. I wasn’t asking,” Vince snapped.
“Touchy, aren’t we? You can’t have them both,” he mocked. “Unless that’s your plan.”
“She has issues,” I added, unable to keep quiet.
“Don’t they all?” he countered, smirking.
“Leave her the hell alone!”
“This has nothing to do with you, Sullivan. Back off.”
“Brie was a friend long before Vince and Lex were together so, actually, it has everything to do with me.”
His eyes narrowed as he leaned on the table separating us. “This will be your only warning. Shannon is the only one you need to worry about. For your sake, I hope you understand.”
“Knock it the fuck of, Kevin. I hope you understand that,” Vince advised.
Countering his motion and leaning on my side of the table, I yelled, “Who the hell do you think you are?!” I knew damn well he wasn’t worth the aggravation, but he managed to get under my skin. It was probably what he had been trying to do from the beginning. “No one tells me what the fuck to do.”
“Who is she to you?”
“What’s going on in here?” Lex asked as she and her mom came into the kitchen.
“It’s fine, babe. I got this,” Vince assured her, pushing Kevin toward the door. “Go outside and get some air.”
“I better not find out you were messing around with that girl,” he said to me before walking out.
I started to go after him, but Lex stepped in front of me, shaking her head. “Not going to happen, Sully.”
“Joe, are you okay?” Lex’s mom asked. “Do you need me to teach him a lesson for you?”
I smiled. “Thanks, Barb. I’m good.” She crossed her arms and gave me the look. You know, the one only a mother could give. “If you want to know the truth, I’m going to kick his ass as soon as the party is over.”
She relaxed and patted my arm. “Wait until after the wedding, dear. I don’t want my daughter’s pictures messed up.”
“You make it sound like he’d be able to touch me.”
“That’s my boy,” she whispered, kissing my cheek.
“Mom!” Lex scolded. “Don’t encourage him.”
“That asshole was talking about my daughter, Alexa. He deserves to get his ass kicked. He’s lucky I don’t go out there and do it myself or, even better, tell your father. What do you think would happen then?”
“I have a yard full of cops, and my mother acts like this! Can you freakin’ believe it?!” Vince and I shrugged, making Lex sigh. “All three of you need professional help.” She threw her arms up and left the room. On her way out, she yelled, “Don’t tell Daddy anything!”
“She’ll be fine,” Barb insisted, still laughing. “Go enjoy the party. I’ll take care of this.”
Neither one of us wanted to deal with Lex, so we did what we were told. However, when we stepped out onto the deck, the only thing I saw was Kevin talking to BC. Thankfully for him, my dad showed up.
Staring at my reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall, I contemplated how long it would be acceptable to stay there. Eventually, someone would need to use the bathroom and start banging on the door. Answering questions as to why I was hiding behind a locked door didn’t sound like a good idea. However, occupying the same space as Joey wasn’t a much better option. He surprised me with his reaction. Maybe he didn’t realize his face fell when I admitted to knowing him as well as I did. The words just slipped out. I inadvertently fell back into old habits when I was around him. For the briefest second, I thought there may have been a remote possibility Joey felt for me how I’d always feel for him. Unfortunately, I had never been the lucky type.
The extra voices coming down the hall gave me the courage to open the door. As I walked into the kitchen, it was immediately obvious that was a huge mistake. Whatever was going on couldn’t have been good because both Joey and Vince were tense. Their body posture, their faces, and the way the other guy stared at me said it all. I got out of the house as quickly as possible.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Lex wondered as we almost collided outside the door.
“Away from Joey and Vince’s creepy ass friend.”
“Uh-oh. Kevin?”
“Yeah.”
“Damn. I was afraid that would happen. You shouldn’t have left the three of them in my kitchen unsupervised.”
“Why not?”
“Because he doesn’t like Sully one bit and always starts shit with him. Vince keeps the peace as best he can.”
“Why did you invite him if you’re concerned?”
“Shannon would’ve told him and the jerk would’ve showed up anyway.”
“I need another beer,” I sighed, making Mom laugh. She patted my arm and went inside with my sister.
I wasted no time pulling a glass bottle out of the cooler, popping the cap off with an opener. It was going to take a lot more than beer to get me through this trip. Instead of sitting there sulking, I watched Jack play with Maddie. While he bullshitted with his friends, he threw the tennis ball across Lex’s yard and into the space behind the house next door. It was cute to see him keeping an eye on her. Maddie never missed a step, running full force to the ball and just as hard back. She lightly dropped the ball into Jack’s waiting hand and sat patiently until he threw it again.
“Care to tell me the story?”
Inwardly, I groaned. I had only met him a few minutes prior, but I already hated his guts.
“Excuse me?” I asked, turning around.
“With you and Sullivan? Why was he annoyed over me checking you out?”
“Probably because it’s rude.”
Kevin smirked. “You don’t like when a guy finds you somewhat attractive?”
“They’ve always been overprotective. We grew up together.” It was best to downplay the situation. As he reached for the cooler, I set the bottle opener on the table. I didn’t want him to get any closer. There had to be a damn good reason no one liked him.
“
I don’t believe that’s it.”
“Think whatever you want,” I commented, trying to move past him. He stepped in my way.
“You know he’s sleeping with my sister, right?” The way he watched me was eerie as hell.
“That’s none of my business.”
He appeared skeptical, but quit with the interrogation at the abrupt sound of cheering. Coming around the side of the house toward the tent were Pete and Donna Sullivan. The guys acted like a bunch of immature boys at times, but one thing was certain. They admired their chief. Seeing them all interact made me smile. The respect was definitely mutual.
The closer Joey’s parents got to where I stood, the further away Kevin moved. It wasn’t hard to miss the fact that he didn’t seem to care for his boss as much as the others. I wondered why. I figured I’d ask Lex later because maybe she knew. More than likely, she had the dirt on everyone who worked at the station.
“Brie,” the chief gushed, approaching me.
“Hi, Pete.” Joey’s parents insisted I call them by their first names from the very beginning.
He hugged me tightly. “It’s so nice to see you.”
“Same here. You look great.” He hadn’t aged at all since the last time I saw him.
“I look old,” he responded, gesturing to the guys behind him. “These kids are going to be the death of me. Two years, Brielle. I only have to put up with their bullshit for two more years. It seems so damn long.”
I chuckled. “You’ll miss seeing them every day.”
“Like hell I will!”
His wife cleared her throat. “Brielle.” The cold, harsh tone of her voice said everything she wanted to say. She was not at all happy to see me and, honestly, I couldn’t blame her.
“Hello, Donna.”
“Pete, let’s go find Vince and Alexa to give them their gift.” She held up a beautifully wrapped package.
“Mom. Dad.” Joey came to save me…again.
“Hello, son,” she warmly responded, kissing his cheek. “I see you brought Maddie.”
“Always,” he said, looking at me. Unfortunately, she didn’t miss it.
“Joseph…”
“It’s okay, Mom.” She tried to respond, but he firmly shook his head. Pete winked at me, then escorted his wife up the steps of the deck.
“I’m sorry about her,” Joey apologized.
“No need to be.” He wanted to say something else, but didn’t. “I’ve got to get back to my grandmother’s side before she hollers at me again.”
“Sure.” I made it about three steps. “BC?”
I turned. “Yeah?”
“Stay away from Kevin, okay? He’s bad news.”
“And shady as hell.” I shivered and he laughed.
“That, too.”
Another hour passed before a beautiful blonde, her husband, and their kids shuffled noisily into the yard. Three children later and Vince’s sister still looked absolutely amazing.
“I’d apologize for being late, but you wouldn’t believe me anyway,” Veronica confessed, setting a large diaper bag on the table. She was a year older than Lex, but they had been best friends since meeting in dance class.
“I’ll let you slide, but only if I get to hold the munchkin first,” Lex said, standing up and motioning for Veronica’s husband to hand over the baby. Brian had also gone to school with us, so he knew my sister well enough not to mess with her. He lifted the one-month-old baby out of the infant carrier, adjusting the little guy’s outfit at the same time, then handed him over.
“Works for me,” he told her.
“Brie!” Veronica noticed me and I stood to hug her.
“Hi, Roni.”
“Where’s this boyfriend I keep hearing about?” No doubt my sister complained to her about Aidan.
“He’ll be here next weekend. The kids are beautiful.”
“Luckily for them,” she joked, sitting down beside me. My aunts and uncles had abandoned our table shortly before, and my grandmother and mom had retreated inside to cool down.
“I can’t believe how big the girls are. The last picture I saw of them, they were only babies!”
“Unfortunately, they don’t stay that way very long.”
I laughed. “Is that why you had a third?”
She snorted. “I had a third because my husband can’t keep his damn hands to himself.”
“It’s completely my fault,” he mocked.
I tried not to laugh as he rolled his eyes at his wife. “Hi, Brian.”
“Welcome home, Brie,” he said, plopping down across the table and checking to see where the girls had run off to. They were sitting on the steps on either side of Maddie. She had been sleeping near Joey, but popped up at the arrival of new people.
“He’s even more handsome than when I saw him two days ago,” Lex announced, snuggling the baby.
“The best part of taking your kids out is other people want to take them away from you,” Roni whispered.
“Now if we could leave them somewhere for a night, we’d be set,” Brian added.
“I offered a few times. Your wife said no,” Lex informed him.
“Why the hell would you turn that down?” he asked, glaring at Roni.
“Because I don’t need another reason for you to touch me. I swear, it seems like that’s all it takes to knock me up.”
“Babe, if it meant a solid night’s sleep, I’d gladly sleep on the couch.” He rested his head back against the chair, closing his eyes.
“And then, the second you’d wake up the next morning, you’d crawl in bed and I’d be pregnant again.”
He grinned. “When was the last time we had sex when the sun was up?”
“Before Vanessa was born,” she reminded him, referring to their oldest daughter.
“Want some advice, Lex? Get married, but do yourself a favor and don’t have kids. Trust me. Your life ends. No one warns you about this shit,” Brian groaned.
“You’re such an asshole,” Roni snickered. “You’d be lost without them.”
“Look who finally made an appearance.” Vince came up the steps bouncing a volleyball on the deck.
The little girls abandoned the dog and latched onto his legs. “Uncle Vince!”
He dropped the ball to scoop them up, then put the two of them on the lounge chair, one on top of the other. They giggled hysterically when he pretended to sit on them. “Why didn’t you bring the girls?”
“You’re squishing us!” they called out, squirming and pushing against him.
He jumped up. “Vanessa! Tori! There you are. I thought Mommy and Daddy left you at home.”
The sisters unraveled themselves and sat on the edge of the chair, catching their breath. “You put us on the chair,” Vanessa sassed.
“You’re losing your mind, kid. That wasn’t me.”
“Yes, it was!” Tori confirmed.
“Did you go inside yet? Aunt Lex made special cupcakes for you.” Their eyes widened, instantly forgetting the torture they had just endured.
“Thanks, Uncle Vince,” Roni remarked sarcastically. “They didn’t eat dinner yet.”
“Can we have a cupcake? Please!” Vanessa begged.
“Sure, you can,” Vince promised, winking at his sister. Roni wasn’t happy, but she took them in the house.
“You’re in trouble,” Brian laughed.
“She doesn’t scare me.” Vince went over to Lex, who was still holding his nephew. He lightly kissed the sleeping baby on his head. “Come play with us,” he told her, motioning toward the volleyball net.
“I’m in,” Brian announced, suddenly full of energy.
“What am I going to do with Liam?” Lex asked.
“Brie can hold him,” Vince proposed.
“Uh… No, she can’t,” I reacted, panicking. They both studied me. “I’ve been drinking all day. You shouldn’t give me an infant. That would be very irresponsible.”
“So have I,” she said, coming closer to me. “Roni will be out in a
few minutes. Just hold him until she gets back.” After placing a quick peck on his head, she lowered him onto my lap. My body stiffened at the feel of the newborn’s weight, but I instinctively supported his head with my hand. “Geez, Brie. He’s a baby, not an alien. Chill out.”
“I just changed him, too,” Brian added. “He won’t even shit on you.”
I was too fixated on his adorable face to reply. A baby’s skin had to be one of the softest things in the world. Liam shifted, wanting to get comfortable, so I helped him by repositioning his head to the curve of my elbow. Never opening his eyes, he released a low sigh and relaxed, his little chest rising and falling rhythmically with his steady breathing, his legs curled up against me. One of his arms cradled the side of his face, while the other rested across his belly.
The vulnerability of a baby that small was frightening. There was absolutely nothing he could do on his own. His survival, well-being, and growth depended solely on someone else. He didn’t even get to choose his parents. The little baby was at the mercy of others. In the same respect, he was lucky. He came into the world, into the lives of two wonderful parents who would care for him, raise him the best they knew how, and protect him no matter the cost to themselves. Tears began to flow down my face at the thought of how precious that was, but also how unfair it could be at the same time.
“Did he bite you?” I tore my gaze away from the sweet baby. Joey may have been making light of the situation, but he was definitely concerned. He watched as I wiped my tear-stained cheeks. “Hey,” he whispered softly, coming to sit beside me. “What’s wrong?”
“Can you take him for me?” I responded.
“Sure.” He didn’t ask why, but I could feel him watching me as I went inside.
“Want to come over to my house after our game tomorrow?” Vince asked as we walked to the cafeteria one Friday afternoon in late October. BC was just ahead of us and I was trying to eavesdrop on her conversation. I hadn’t gotten much further with her since the first day of school. It didn’t seem like she totally hated me, but she kept her distance.
“Sure. Is your mom making anything good for dinner?”
Subtle Reminders Page 10
