Back to Your Love
Page 30
“Orion’s on tour with Young-N-Wild. You know those kids need a chaperone everywhere they go.” Maxwell stifled a yawn. “He’ll be back in a couple of weeks, I think.”
Bryan eased into an empty spot on the end of the row next to Xavier. Xavier glanced at his watch. “Looks like they’re going to start late. Apparently, our little brothers aren’t as organized as we were back in the day.”
Maxwell elbowed him. “Xavier, come out of that tie and sport coat. It’s obviously making you uptight.”
Shrugging out of the sport coat, Xavier removed the tie and tucked it into an inner pocket. He draped the coat over the bleachers and clapped his hands together. “That’s better. But they’re still running late.”
“Come on, X. Don’t you remember the step show we did during junior year?” Bryan tapped his shoulder. “That one didn’t start on time, either.”
“Oh yeah. The one where Maxwell got caught in the broom closet with one of the girls from Alpha Delta Rho.” Xavier swiveled around to look in his direction.
“I don’t know what y’all are talking about.” Maxwell’s eyes twinkled.
As the marching band filed into the gym, Bryan and his boys turned their attention back to the floor. The drum major stepped forward, and the drumline began to play a complex, catchy rhythm. Soon the entire Eagles Marching Sound Machine was playing in all its glory. The rousing music cued the entrance of the young brothers of Theta Delta Theta, proudly wearing the fraternity colors, complete with faces painted half silver, half green.
As was customary, the senior member of the younger set took the mic and called out for all Elite Alumni of TDT to “represent.” All around the gym, whole sections of the bleachers rose to their feet, cheering and pumping their fists. Bryan, Maxwell, and Xavier joined in, standing and raising their hands and voices in celebration of their fraternity’s proud legacy.
After they returned to their seats and the show kicked off in earnest, Bryan watched the complex formations the little brothers made as they stepped to the music. Putting in extra effort, strictly for visual appeal, was part of the TDT tradition. “Look at those young brothers. They are killing it.”
“I gotta admit, I’m impressed. That ain’t easy.” Maxwell nodded in the direction of the gym floor.
“Whew!” That came from Xavier as one of the young brothers executed a perfect backflip. “He nailed it.”
“Hey, X. How’s married life treating you, man?” Bryan leaned back against the rung behind him.
A goofy grin spread across Xavier’s face. “It’s beautiful, man. Waking up to Imani every day is way better than I could have imagined. We always make sure to eat breakfast together before we go in to work, and—”
Maxwell’s dramatic gagging effectively interrupted Xavier’s sentence. “Please, dude. You’re killing me.”
Xavier punched him in the shoulder. “What are you, twelve? If you knew like I know, you’d be looking for a good woman yourself.”
“Whatever.” Maxwell sat up a bit and appeared to be looking around. “Where is she? She’s gonna miss the whole damn show.”
“She who?” Bryan asked.
“My sister Alexis. She said she was coming today.” Maxwell stood, peering down toward the entrance. “Never mind. I see her.”
Bryan followed his gaze. A group of Alpha Delta Rho women was entering at that moment, decked out in the sorority colors of purple and blue—or “lavender and lapis” as ADR ladies referred to them.
The young brothers on the floor ended their routine, and everyone applauded, including the sisters holding court by the door. As the applause began to die down, Maxwell cupped his hands around his mouth. “Lex!”
As Maxwell’s shout rang out, one woman in the group turned her head, frowning as she searched the crowd.
Bryan’s eyes were glued to her as she started walking toward the bleachers. That’s Maxwell’s baby sister?
Gone was the cute little teen who’d visited Maxwell on campus. The woman currently coming their way oozed femininity from every pore. She was tall—at least five eight—and she walked with confidence. Her lithe, curvaceous frame was draped in a fitted lavender top bearing her sorority letters, and a knee-length denim skirt that revealed the tempting bronze length of her legs. Short brown ringlets of hair framed a heart-shaped face that could only be described as elegant, and her hazel eyes were fixed on Maxwell.
“Damn.” The word fell out of Bryan’s mouth before he could stop it.
Maxwell cut him a look. “Damn, what?”
As Alexis came abreast of them, Bryan blurted, “I can’t believe you’re Maxwell’s baby sister.”
One of her perfectly arched brows hitched, her rose-tinted lips thinning. “Who are you?”
Order Kianna Alexander’s next book
in the Brothers of TDT series
Couldn’t Ask For More
On sale November 2017
About the Author
Like any good Southern belle, Kianna Alexander wears many hats: loving wife, doting mama, advice-dispensing sister, and gabbing girlfriend. Kianna discovered romance as a teenager, when she read Beverly Jenkins’s Night Song and was first bitten by the writing bug. She’s a voracious reader, history nerd, and craft fanatic. Kianna lives in North Carolina with her husband, two kids, and a collection of well-loved vintage ’80s Barbie dolls. Writing has been a salve unlike any other, and Kianna hopes her writing can create a respite for her readers.
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