I smiled shyly. “Hmm… My guess is it’s because you’re getting older and are having trouble seeing. You should get those eyes checked.”
“That may be true, Brie, but even a blind man could see how beautiful you are.” He ran his thumb over my cheek. “I’ve really missed you. This small town isn’t the same without you.”
“Maybe that’s a good thing,” I replied, stepping back. Hearing how much I was missed not only by family but also by friends set off another round of chest pain. I’d neglected everyone.
“No fucking way, kiddo. Not in a million years.” He wrapped an arm around my neck and didn’t let go as he walked us over to Joey and Shannon. “Hey, little brother. Long time, no see. How’s it going?” He snagged two bottles from Shannon. “Thanks,” he told her and directed me to a table. He put them both on top of it before pulling out a chair. “Have a seat. I want to hear all about what you’ve been up to.”
“I’m supposed to be helping my sister.” I pointed to where I last saw her.
Jack lifted his chin, scanning the yard until he found her. “Lex! I’m borrowing Brie for a few minutes. She’s off the clock.”
“No problem!” she yelled back.
He winked at me and pointed to the chair.
“Where were you earlier when she coerced me into a bridesmaid’s dress and demanded I decorate this place?” I asked, sitting down. He grinned his signature heart-stopping Sullivan grin, which I liked to compare to top-of-the-line poison. Why did both brothers have the same one?
“Babycakes, you know damn well if you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask. I’ve always been there for you. Some shit will never change.”
“Thanks, Jack.”
“So, tell me. What the hell is so fucking awesome up north that you haven’t been home?”
I relaxed. Talking to Jack was never a problem.
“Yeah, Brie. I’d like to know the answer to that myself. I’m tired of hearing about it,” Vince added, joining our table.
I sighed. “It’s not that anything is better up there. It’s just where my job is. I need to work, just like you guys. Besides, if everyone misses me so damn much, how come no one’s been up to visit? Why is it all my fault?”
“Didn’t know I was invited,” Jack remarked.
“You don’t need an invitation. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“What about me? Do I need an invitation?” Joey questioned, coming up behind me.
All eyes fell on me as they awaited my response. The taste of salt covered my tongue as it ran over my lips. I masked my hesitation with a sip of beer. “No. Anyone is welcome anytime,” I generalized.
“I’ll have to keep that in mind,” Joey said, shifting to glare at his brother. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”
“In a minute. I’m talking to my girl here.”
“Joe, I asked you to open my beer,” Shannon interjected. How the hell did that gum have any flavor left the way she chewed on it?
“I handed you the bottle opener,” he said. “Do you not know how to use it?”
“What the fuck is your problem?” She jumped down his throat.
“Don’t talk to me like that,” he said, blowing her off. By the way her head jerked, she wasn’t at all happy with him. “Jack, get the hell up. It won’t take long.”
“Why do you care if your brother is talking to some girl?” Man, she didn’t quit.
“Don’t you know who she is?” Vince smirked.
“I don’t give a shit,” Shannon snapped.
Nothing was going to make me sit there and listen to them, so I stood up and walked away. Lex met me halfway across the yard. “Well, that didn’t take very long.”
“What didn’t?”
“Shannon getting mad at Sully. What was the reason this time?”
“I’m not sure and, to be honest, I don’t think I want to know.” Lex snuck a glance toward the table, but I refused.
“Shannon at her best,” she said.
“If nothing else, she’s consistent,” Vince said, making me jump. I didn’t know he had followed me. “Are you okay, Brie? We probably should’ve warned you about her.”
“Are you going to ask me that all day?” I teased. “I’m good.”
“Ignore her. We all do,” Lex advised.
“I’ll try to remember that.” When my phone vibrated in my pocket, I pulled it out to see Aidan’s name flashing on the screen. Damn it. I was supposed to call him earlier in the morning. “I’m going to take this,” I said, thankful for the interruption.
“You have five minutes. Otherwise, I’m taking your phone hostage until you leave at the end of next week. This is my time, Brielle,” my sister warned.
“Hey,” I answered, turning my back to them and everyone else in the yard.
“Let me guess. You’re having so much fun, you forgot all about me.”
“Not at all.” Yes. “More like I was so swamped with chores, I didn’t have time yet.”
“Chores?”
“Yes, chores given to me by my bratty little sister.”
He laughed. “That’s what you get for going home.”
“Aidan…”
“I’m kidding. Well, half-kidding.” I sighed. “It’s lonely as hell without you.”
“If I were home, I’d be in the midst of cleaning, grocery shopping, and doing laundry. Hanging out with my family is nice for a change.”
“Even if they put you to work?”
“Weren’t you going to visit your parents today?”
“I’m on my way back.”
“That was fast.”
He laughed. “I’m not as brave as you. I only go for hours, not weeks.”
“You need to make some friends.”
A strange feeling fell over me. Somehow, I knew someone was watching me. I peeked over my shoulder to see Joey’s eyes fixed on me. His girlfriend sulked next to him, her back to me as he leaned on the railing of the deck. He had on different clothes than when I first arrived, but he still looked good. His muscular arms stretched out a dark blue t-shirt. On top of his head sat the baseball hat. Always with the damn hat. He smiled. I smiled back.
“Brie? Are you still there?” Where the hell did that voice come from? Oh, right. Aidan.
“Yeah.” I inhaled as deeply as I could. “Yeah, I’m here, but I have to run. We’re at Lex’s house for the party. My family just got here a little while ago. I should get back to them.” Maddie’s toy landed a few feet to my left and she came charging after it. I laughed when she brought it to me.
“What’s so funny?”
“The dog.”
“Whose dog?”
“A friend of my sister’s.”
“What kind?”
“You’re going to get me in trouble and I’ll lose my phone. I’m going to hang up now.”
“Fine. Call me when you get back to your parents’ house later.”
“I’m staying with Lex tonight. I’ll call you after she falls asleep. She’s good for that once she starts drinking.”
“I don’t care how late it is.”
“Okay. ‘Bye.” When I hung up, I felt relieved. Was it because the call was over, or because I realized how happy it made me Aidan decided not to come until next weekend?
The entire way to Shannon’s house, I cursed Alexa. Why the hell was I wasting even a second picking her up when I could be spending it with BC? Shannon’s dad bought her a brand new car when she finally graduated from the community college a little over a year ago. She could damn well drive her own spoiled self anywhere she needed to go. Whatever Lex had up her sleeve better work the way she planned. BC would only be around for fourteen more days. That wasn’t much time.
It didn’t shock me Shannon wasn’t ready to go when I got there, even after the warning text I sent saying I was on my way over. As the seconds ticked by, the temptation to leave grew. The only thing that kept me there was the shit storm I knew such an action had the potential to create. Shannon was very well-known fo
r her ridiculous behavior in lesser situations. If she had been the only one I needed to worry about, it wouldn’t have bothered me so much. Compared to her brother, Shannon was a walk in the park. I wouldn’t cause that kind of drama for Vince and Lex.
“Shannon! Come on!” I called, peering into her bathroom for the third time. “We’re already late.”
“Who cares? It’s not like anyone’s leaving any time soon.”
“I told them we’d be there. This is a special day for them.”
“Their special day isn’t until next week.”
“Don’t be such a bitch. If it’s important to my best friends, it’s important to me. Besides, I left Maddie at their house, so I need to get back.”
“Why did you even bring her?” Shannon asked, shoving her makeup into the bag.
“Because I want her there.”
“She’s a dog, not a child. You can leave her home like everyone else who owns a pet.”
“Maddie isn’t a pet, and I’ll leave you before I leave my dog,” I mumbled, walking away.
“You’re being an asshole today. What’s your problem?”
“I’m pissed it’s taking you so long to get ready. You had all damn morning.”
“I went out last night, so I slept in.”
“If you can’t handle alcohol, maybe you should cut back.” When the bitchiness I expected to get in return didn’t come, I peeked over my shoulder. She was reading a text on her phone and must’ve missed the comment. “I’ll be in the truck. Hurry up or you’re driving yourself.”
I didn’t have to wait very long. As she closed the passenger door, I shifted into drive without waiting for her to buckle her seatbelt.
“Nothing is going to happen to your dog. Calm the hell down,” she complained. I couldn’t remember Shannon ever referring to my dog by name. At that point, Maddie had been around for close to ten months and I cared more about her than I did Shannon. It was time to ditch the girl. Maddie was more fun to spend time with anyway.
My parking spot in front of the house was taken, so I pulled in the driveway behind Vince’s car. Why he never parked in the garage was beyond me. I jumped out and rushed to the front door. My only concern was finding BC, and Maddie wouldn’t be too far from her. Being such a sweet dog, she normally liked most people, but she was smart enough to know BC was special. That much was obvious.
The house had filled up some since I left. Walking through the kitchen, I scanned the small crowd gathered inside, saying hello to most of them. BC had to be in the backyard. Maddie wouldn’t have wanted to be stuck indoors.
“Joe,” Shannon said, catching up as I opened the door.
“Need a beer?” I asked, motioning for her to go out ahead of me.
“Fine,” she sighed. “We’re not staying all day if you keep acting like this.” Good thing she felt that way because I intended to send her home with someone else very soon.
The distinct sound of paws scampering over the deck made me look up. I noticed Maddie first, then saw BC behind her. Seeing the expression on her face instantly brightened my mood. It didn’t seem as though BC was too thrilled with Shannon being there. Maybe Lex knew what she was talking about after all. I’d definitely eat that shit up.
For a split second, I forgot about Maddie. A bark at my side quickly reminded me and I bent over to rub her sweet little head. “Hey, girl. Did you miss me? Just so you know, you’re getting all kinds of new toys the next time we go to the store.” I laughed as she tirelessly wagged her tail. She probably understood and would hold me to my word.
By the time I reached BC, she had recovered from the original shock and joked about her sister. When she told me to get the bottle opener from her pocket, I may have drawn out the connection between us a little longer than necessary. She knew it, too. She also didn’t miss the fact I didn’t hesitate to correct Shannon about who can or cannot call me Joey. Whether or not BC meant the smirk she gave Shannon, I had no idea, but I liked it. I liked it a lot.
What I didn’t appreciate was the way Jack busted in and scooped BC up. Just the day before, he was questioning if he should even speak to her. How did he go from being cautious to acting as though the two of them had been hanging out forever? Never once did I worry how Jack and BC were together. He loved her like a sister and treated her as part of our family. From the day he realized how I felt about her, my brother looked out for her as much as I did. Why his hands on her bugged me, I couldn’t figure out.
When Jack didn’t give me the moment I asked for, I wanted to strangle him. Once BC was far enough away not to hear us, I turned to my brother, ready to flip out. “What’s wrong?” Jack asked, not letting me say anything. “Did I do something to piss on your parade?”
“Why were you all over BC?”
He laughed and shook his head. “You said it didn’t matter if I talked to her or not. I decided to keep shit simple. Did anything happen to change your mind?”
“No,” I remarked, backing off. None of it should’ve been a big deal. I needed to stop acting like a jealous fool.
“What’s the deal with her?” Shannon wanted to know.
“Brielle and Joe…have history,” Jack simply stated, grinning.
“What kind of history?” She directed the question to me.
“What’s the difference? History is history.”
“Is it?” Jack half-joked, walking away like the troublemaking bastard he was.
“Whatever.” Shannon didn’t care one way or the other. It had nothing to do with her, so why would she?
I let it slide and watched BC answer her phone. Something told me it was the doctor, which got me pissed all over again. They were only talking. What the hell was I going to do when he showed up the following week? Then she looked at me, and I couldn’t help but smile. The shit that girl did to me without batting an eye could be lethal, and I’d have absolutely no problem dying the slowest, most torturous death at her hands. Hell, I’d even enjoy it.
I spent most of the afternoon sneaking sideways glances at BC. Her family, mainly her grandmother and aunts, kept her on a pretty short leash. From what Lex said, they hadn’t seen her in years, either. The Watson clan had always been a pretty tight group, so it surprised me to hear no one, except her parents and sister, had gone to Connecticut for a visit. For the life of me, I couldn’t come up with a good reason. Lex’s warning of how BC had been closed off echoed in my head. Did she not want them there? If that were true, why would she alienate herself from the people who loved her most? Something was definitely different about her.
Every time BC tried to stand, someone pulled her back into the chair, refusing to let her slip away. Eventually, she was able to come up with an excuse, allowing her the freedom to retreat into the house without anybody tagging along. After waiting a few minutes, I went inside, hoping the action wasn’t too noticeable. BC leaned against the counter, downing a bottle of water. The sound of the glass door opening startled her and she jumped, turning toward me.
“Oh, it’s just you,” she said, relieved.
“I’ve heard better insults,” I responded, dropping my head in an attempt not to stare. The shirt she wore hung off one shoulder slightly, and her hair fell over her face the way I liked it.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything bad by it. I was just afraid it was one of my relatives tracking me down.”
The table full of food wasn’t very fascinating, so I looked up at her. “They haven’t seen you in a long time. I’m sure it’s only because they miss you,” I told her, speaking from experience.
“I know,” she sighed. “I need room to breathe, though.” She went back to drinking the water.
“You thirsty or something?”
“I haven’t had this much beer in years. Whenever I finish one, someone is giving me another.”
“Did you graduate to the hard stuff?”
“No. I don’t really drink at all anymore.” It appeared as if there were more to it than she said, but trying to get it out of her wo
uld only create more distance between us.
“Here,” I said, picking up a sandwich from the tray. “Eat this. It’ll help soak some of it up.”
She hesitated before accepting it. “Thanks,” she whispered, reaching for a plate.
“No problem.” I kept myself from continuing as she took a bite and put the sandwich on the plate, returning to her spot at the counter. Did she notice it was turkey and cheese? Was it still her favorite?
“You’ve done a great job with Maddie,” she complimented. “She listens really well.”
“Wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of a friend. He runs the K9 unit. That guy knows what he’s talking about. She’s still hyper, but we stay busy.”
“She adores you. It’s cute.”
“Yeah. I guess I’ll keep her.”
BC laughed. “You wouldn’t let her go even if she were the world’s worst behaved dog. The tough guy routine won’t work on me, Joey.”
“Don’t I know it,” I mumbled. BC knew me better than anyone ever had. Not only did she hear the remark, but it upset her. Without a word, she set the plate on the counter and headed down the hall. I didn’t exhale until I heard the sound of the bathroom door close. At least she didn’t leave. Part of me knew I should’ve gone after her and apologized, but the back door opened, ruining the opportunity.
“What the fuck are you doing in here all alone, Sullivan?” Kevin shouted. I forgot all about Shannon’s brother coming to the party after his shift.
“Probably the same thing I’m bringing you in for,” Vince answered, gesturing to the spread on the table. “There’s plenty of food. Help yourself.” From behind Kevin’s back, he shot me a sympathetic look. Kevin had been giving me a hard time since before I became a cop. Five minutes into my very first shift, he made it crystal clear how it was more of a hatred than a dislike. He swore my dad was unfair, treating my brother and me better than everyone else. That couldn’t have been further from the truth. Dad tended to be harder on us, but it was only because he wanted us to be the best officers possible. He promised my mother we’d make it home every single day.
“How’s it going, Kev?” I asked, popping a pretzel into my mouth. There was something off about him. He wasn’t the kind of guy I’d feel comfortable having my back.
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