by KL Shandwick
“She’s still my number one girl, Val.” The way he’d said it made me stop and take a hard look at him. Kayden’s face flushed a little, and I instinctively knew he was in love.
“Okay…and number two is?” Kayden reached down and pulled on the chrome handle opening the door for me.
“Get in. I’m not talking about her in earshot of ‘Sexy Susan’ here.”
“Kayden it’s a Falcon not a nightclub stripper,” I smirked and glanced at him while he slid into his seat and turned the key in the ignition. The car purred to life, and Kayden smoothed both of his hands down the wheel to the bottom of it. He was about to release the hand brake when he turned and looked over at me. His brow was furrowed in irritation.
“She’s not an ‘it’, Val,” Kayden admonished, with an annoyed look because I wasn’t going along with him ‘genderizing’ his vehicle. Silence had fallen between us and I stared out the window at the familiar landscape I’d known all my life, that I’d run away from. I placed my head gently against the window, and my thoughts turned to how Kayden had always known what he’d wanted from life and how I’d had no real clue about my direction. I knew I wanted to take pictures and had been thinking about photography, but I wasn’t sure how much scope there was for earning a living in our little town from taking pictures.
Cars were Kayden’s ‘thing’ and he’d decided not to go to college and took an apprenticeship with our dad in his car repair shop. I’d never understood why it fascinated him to lay under a smelly car all day getting covered in oil. All I’d ever seen him do was tweak a few bolts here and there.
Apart from my brothers, I hadn’t taken much notice of boys until I met Bradley Sutton. I developed a crush on him when I was fourteen and was amazed when he’d asked me to go to the movies just after Valentine’s Day that year. I’d suspected he might have been interested in me when I’d caught him stealing glances at me every day at lunch. From the moment I entered the school cafeteria, I’d felt his eyes on me.
Coleen, a friend and classmate, noticed him as well and began teasing us both. That was mortifying. We’d checked each other out for another two days before he got the balls to ask me out. For me, it had been deadly puppy love, and I’d somehow convinced myself that we’d be together forever. However, Bradley began pressuring me about sleeping with him. Even though I’d thought he was my world, I knew I wasn’t ready.
I understood his need and my refusal was tearing us apart. I’d stupidly confided about it to Heidi, who was my best friend from school. She’d been incredibly supportive, and I’d felt relieved when she’d agreed Bradley was being, “A selfish pig for pushing.” I hadn’t considered she’d snag him for herself by doing what I wouldn’t.
Breaking the silence, Kayden smoothly changed the subject.
“Adam and Jim are both playing later. Fancy coming to hang out on the bleachers with me?”
“How’s Adam shaping up?” I asked with interest. Adam was the brother closest to me in age. At seventeen and a half, there was under two years between us. Adam played on the high school football team with his best friend, Jim. Both had already been offered full scholarships to a few colleges. Adam was looking forward to accepting his at The University of Chicago.
“Yeah, he’s doin’ good... closing in on Jim’s school record. I think Jim will be relieved when he moves on to college next year. Adam’s proving himself to be stiff competition.”
As Kayden answered, he swung off the road and down the long tree-lined dirt driveway that led to our home. We had seventy acres of nothing but overgrown grass, except for the area of well-kept lawn that was nearest the house. My grandfather, my dad’s father, had left it to my parents when he died. The house was amazing; it was more than a hundred years old and stood proudly at the top of a small hill.
The rest of our land was as flat as a floor and had given us kids an amazing amount of safety and freedom to play when we were all little. Cookouts and campfires had been a regular event at our place, and my parents had a lot of friends, some going back to their childhood.
I vaguely remember my father, Kayden, and Martin fencing our yard area. That was when mom had decided we needed a defined picnic area for everyone to eat during our family barbecues. As we grew up home became the safe place for us to hang out and have parties with our friends.
Kayden muttered about the dust the car wheels kicked up from the driveway as we reached the house and he stopped the car. Buster, our nine-year-old collie, came bounding up when he saw us, and his claws made an excited tick-tac noise as he jumped on the window of the car on my side.
“Aww, Buster. Get the fuck down, you’ll scratch the paint,” Kayden complained.
He’d started to say something else, but it barely registered with me as I flung open the door and pushed myself out in the direction of my mom. She’d just opened the screen door on the porch and shrieked out to my dad that I’d arrived.
Bounding down the stairs, we ran toward each other at full speed. We met right as she reached the last step and threw our arms around each other. It felt great to hug her and a lump formed in my throat. I’d missed her a lot. Buster tried to get in on the act, jumping up and when he couldn’t get between us he began licking Kayden.
“It’s so good to have my baby back,” my mom cooed. “You have no idea what it’s been like around here as the only female in the house. None of these men know how to put the seat down on the commode, and I have a basket full of smelly boy’s clothes to wash every day.”
I glanced at Kayden, and he shrugged his shoulders and smiled, leaning toward her. He kissed our mom’s cheek. “One day you’ll complain that there’s no one to leave the seat up apart from dad, so enjoy it while you can, Mom.”
Our mom’s face registered the impact of Kayden’s words and her smile instantly fell. Kayden reached out and pulled her into his chest, grinning down with affection at her, “I’m joking Mom. I’m going to be one of those boys that still lives in the house when I’m fifty. All I’m saying is I may have learned to drop that pesky seat back in place after I’ve pee’d is all.” Mom’s face brightened into a loving smile again as she patted Kayden’s chest.
“Now don’t you go threatening me young man. I’m dreading when your father becomes a grumpy ol’ man, never mind having the both of you bugging me here when I’m in my twilight years.”
Kayden released my mother from his hold and threw his arms around both of us. “Let’s get Valerie settled before she remembers what life is really like living here. We don’t want to expose her to too much before she’s unpacked her stuff. I’d hate to have her so ready to leave she’d run to the bus station under her own steam.”
I shook my head, chuckling at their banter, and I’d felt glad I was finally home to stay. The nine weeks I’d stayed at Aunt Joan’s place had been quite somber given what had happened to her husband. Being back here, the one place I felt truly at peace, was amazing.
After we entered the house, Kayden had run upstairs with my luggage then stepped through the kitchen door as mom was making coffee. Hanging on both sides of the wooden doorframe, Kayden cleared his throat. “Martin is getting in later tonight. They’re driving down this time.”
My heart raced with excitement at the unexpectedly early arrival then I’d realized what Kayden said and thought he may be bringing a girl, “They?”
“Yeah, Martin has a new roommate in his apartment. He moved in at mid-term, and he’s bringing him here for Thanksgiving.”
“Doesn’t he want to go to his parents?”
“Some kind of orphan or something… I can’t remember what he said. Mom?”
Both of us glanced at our mom, who was over by the sink. She turned wiping her hands on a kitchen towel.
“His name is Flynn, and he’s not an orphan. He was in the foster care system. His foster mom died last year, and he moved to St. Cloud’s for a clean break from the area. You know what a kind boy Martin is. He called asking if he could bring him back to spend Thanksgiving with u
s. Poor kid was going to be staying alone at college over the break. And, apparently they have extra time for self-directed study, so it fits in for them to be here for an extra day or two.”
Shortly after our brief discussion, mom asked Kayden to run some errands. Pulling out his car keys, he asked, “Want to come, Val?”
“To be honest, Kayd, I need a shower, and I’m a bit sore from sitting on that bus for hours on end. I’m going to stay here and clean up. I think I’ll fill the tub and soak for a while.”
Kayden nodded his understanding and left to do the errands while I went upstairs and relaxed in the bath. Twenty minutes later I got out and wrapped myself in a huge fluffy bath sheet, then wrapped a robe around that. With a smaller towel, I wrapped my hair turban style, and walked over to my pretty four-poster bed. I slumped onto the mattress and lay staring at the ceiling. It felt great to be home. I must have dozed off and was a little disorientated when I heard Martin’s voice.
“Are you intending to lie there all night or can a brother get a hug around here?”
At first, I thought I was dreaming but when my eyelids began to flutter open and I saw Martin my whole body sprang to attention. I squealed my delight at Martin, standing over me at the side of the bed.
“Martin! Wow, you look awesome. I’m so glad to see you. You’ve made it home!” I leaped off the bed and flung my arms around his neck hugging him tightly. I pulled back to study my gorgeous brother, noting his hair had gotten longer and that I thought it looked good on him. In fact, I’d have bet it attracted more girls than even he could have coped with.
“As if I wouldn’t? Mom’s roast turkey and my favorite girl? I’d be dumb to pass that up. I mean it’s not that far to drive home.” Martin smirked wickedly at his use of sarcasm, and I sat down on the bed with my arms behind me.
“You need to get dressed, honey. There’s someone you’ve got to meet. I brought my roommate home with me. He’s a nice guy, just had a shitty life, Val. I know I don’t have to tell you to be sweet to the guy, but it would make it easier for me if everyone made him welcome. I’d like him to have a great family holiday for the first time in his life.
“Jeez, Martin you’d think we were entertaining the Queen of England,” I said rolling my eyes.
Martin shoved his hands into the front hip pockets on his jeans and stared at his feet for a second before looking me straight in the eye.
“Nope, he isn’t; he’s much more important than her. She’s got plenty of family, he hasn’t. I couldn’t leave him in the apartment on his own during the holiday, but now that I’ve dragged him all the way here, I’m kind of responsible that he has a good time.”
I felt a small pang of guilt for his friend and I nodded. Martin smiled widely, grabbed me and kissed my cheek, “I love you, Beatnik,” he said as he left the room. Staring at myself in the long freestanding mirror, I giggled at the mess my hair was. It was almost waist length and curly, but it had dried under the towel, and I looked like a 70’s poster for big hair.
I’d quickly pulled on some sweat pants and bra, then took a checkered work shirt from the wardrobe and popped the snap buttons closed. I finger combed my hair and put a little gloss on my dry lips. I’d figured it wouldn’t matter what I’d looked like anyway because no friend of Martin’s would be interested in me, a kid of fifteen. Also, from what Martin had said he sounded like he had a pretty isolated upbringing and he might be socially awkward, not having anywhere to go for Thanksgiving and all.
Chapter 3 ~ I wasn’t expecting that
Feeling pleased Martin was home, I’d hurried downstairs and had just about reached the living room when mom called me to the kitchen.
“Valerie is that you? Can you come here and carry a tray for me?”
Pushing the door to the kitchen open I saw that mom had made sodas and coffees for everyone. A huge coffee cake was on another tray with small cake forks.
I smirked and wondered what Martin’s friend, Flynn would make of my mom’s afternoon coffee. At twenty, I’d imagined he’d rather have been offered a beer than a cream soda float or coffee and cake. I picked up the tray and left mom shooing Buster outside so that he wouldn’t eat the rest when no one was looking.
While walking from one room to the other, I concentrated on the tray of drinks I carried. I was standing in front of the coffee table when a soft veiny male hand reached out and grasped one side of the tray, another hand caught the other side in front of me. Long legs that belonged to someone slender and tall were now within my eyesight. My eyes continued to trail up over the faded denim and taut navy-blue t-shirt as I straightened up and I almost fell over when I finally got a full look.
“Ah, at last. You must be the beautiful Valerie that Martin talks about all the time. I can see why now,” he said in a soft tone as his eyes raked slowly over me. Instantly, he had my full and undivided attention.
Flattery would get him everywhere. Staring openly at Flynn in front of my family, I kind of froze to the spot. It was suddenly way too hot in that room. I knew my parents and brothers were all watching me, but I was speechless. Flushed and self-conscious, I was horrified at how frumpy I must have looked. When I looked up at his face, I saw a perfect mouth attached to a perfect face on the most perfect looking guy I’d ever seen. Perfect was the only word to describe him that sprang to mind. No one had prepared me for how hot he was.
As soon as we’d made eye contact the genuinely soft smile he gave me instantly melted my heart and I knew I was toast. Flynn’s piercing green eyes were almost the same color as mine, but his were hypnotizing. All it had taken was that one smile and our eyes connecting for a current of electricity to create havoc with my body. My heartbeat soared, and I almost fainted with the heady feeling of instant attraction I felt toward him. In a nanosecond I had a crush on Flynn and I hadn’t even spoken to him.
“I’m Valerie. Flynn, is it? Nice to make your acquaintance,” I said in return and felt immediately embarrassed at my less-than-sophisticated response. I’d sounded like someone from a historical romance set in the deep South. I was almost sixteen, but my answer sounded like something a sixty-year-old would say after chatting to someone in the doctor’s office.
He reached out his hand, and I slipped mine into it. Flynn’s long warm fingers curled around it, and he squeezed my hand gently. I couldn’t tear my eyes off him as goosebumps crept over my body as the full effect of meeting him, and now touching him, began to sink in.
The guy should have come with a warning label. I was almost drooling as my unblinking eyes remained locked with his. Mentally, a little fantasy took hold, and I’d imagined my hands running frantically over his smooth cotton t-shirt.
Buster barking at the door brought me back to reality, and I remembered my parents and siblings were in the room. Luckily, they had begun talking about everyday things like football and stage sets and something else I missed because I hadn’t been paying attention. I pulled my hand back and sat heavily on the chair still buzzing from his touch.
Try as I might I was off my game in that room after that. I stared at him, drinking him in while my brothers chatted naturally and tore each other up about things that had happened since the last time we’d all been together. Normally I’d have been as rowdy as they were, but I found myself tongue-tied by the guy with the dark brown hair, athletic build, and the mysterious smile who was observing my brothers cut up. I couldn’t stop watching him watching them with a twinkle of amusement in his gorgeous dark green eyes.
“Earth to Valerie. Can you hear me?” Adam was waving a hand in front of my face, and I’d felt myself being drawn back into their conversation. I’d only heard background noise, and I had no clue what they’d been talking about. My mind had eloped with the hot new friend of Martin’s somewhere along the line.
“Sorry, Adam. What did you say? I was wondering how Auntie Joan was coping on her own,” I said and prayed God wouldn’t strike me down dead for lying. Adam nudged my shoulder and smirked.
“I was j
ust telling Flynn you play a mean tune on the guitar.”
“I’m not playing the guitar, Adam,” I said dryly, indignant that he should even mention that in front of our new guest. My parents used to make me sing and play for the neighbors sometimes, or at family cookouts. Kayden was a kickass drummer, and Martin sang a bit as well, but I was definitely regarded as the musical talent in the family.
“Jeez, Val, I wasn’t asking you to sing, just telling Flynn here you have something in common with him.”
“I have?” Good grief, I really hadn’t been listening.
“Have you been listening to anything we’ve been talking about?”
I must have looked like a complete airhead. I hadn’t joined in any conversation. I glanced over at Flynn, who was obviously enjoying how distracted I was, he was looking directly at me and that twinkle in his eye was brighter as his grin grew even bigger. He looked relaxed with all of my brothers, but he hadn’t said much to me since our introduction. I was certain anything he said would have registered with me if he had.
As the evening wore on, Jim, Adam’s friend arrived, and he and Adam left to prepare for the game. Kayden had already spoken to Martin, and when I’d found out he and Flynn were going to the game with us, I’d gotten a little flustered. I’d planned to go with Kayden dressed as I was, but there was no way I was going out with my hair looking like I’d been dragged through the bushes then treated with a humidifier with Flynn there.
Excusing myself, I ran upstairs and straightened my hair until it hung down my back looking sleek and glossy and I’d applied mascara and the tiniest amount of blush. The final touch was some lip gloss after I’d changed my entire outfit. Twice. I knew it was pointless. I was too young, and I thought he’d never notice me in any romantic sense, but I’d never met a guy who’d had such an impact on me.
I pulled on some black skinny jeans and a dark ruby red top and grabbed a black sweater because it always got chilly sitting in the bleachers. Martin knocked on my door just as I was tying my sneakers.
