I squirt some of the shampoo onto my hand and scrub my hair, closing my eyes to avoid going fucking blind which seems to happen more often than not. Once it’s all rinsed out and instead of bubbles running from my head, it’s clear water, I switch the shower off and step out, ignoring the cold air that hit’s my skin and causes me to shiver.
After scrubbing myself dry and brushing my teeth, I pull on my clothes and go back into the bedroom, grabbing my car keys from the side. I figure I might as well head out. There’s no point in doing that shit Bob wants me to do, I don’t want him thinking I’m his bitch or something. I scroll through my phone as I bounce down the stairs, figuring I'll give someone a call. Maybe Tucker can help me with this Cindy shit since Noah wants to pretend he’s all mature.
Pressing on his name as I reach the last step, I pull the phone up to my ear waiting for the answer. It rings and rings and rings before I cut the call off. he’s probably at work. I slip my feet into my sneakers, the laces already tied as they always are. That’s the one thing in life I never grasped, tying laces. I never do it in public either, rather leaving them dragging behind me than doing the bunny ear technique in front of anyone.
Stepping out the front door, the first thing I see is my truck parked right outside the door. I bet that pissed Bob off to no end. He hates it when I park in his spot. That fucker's got the whole driveway but I swear he just likes to piss me off. There's something different about my truck today though. I don’t know what it is but it seems... lower? I squint my eyes trying to see what the hell’s different and sweep them over. That’s when I notice. You've gotta be fucking kidding me!
The reason it seems so fucking low is that some asshole's let the tires down. Hell, I'd think it was Bob if I wasn’t absolutely sure the guy wouldn’t be caught dead crouching on the floor in one of his three-thousand-dollar monkey suit’s. I stride round and see that every single fucking tire is flat. Obviously some kids been here and decided to act the dickhead. Just as I’m about to start bitching out, I notice a note tucked under the windscreen wiper. What kind of mastermind fucking criminal leaves a note after doing the deed? It’s definitely kids. Stupid kids.
Ripping it from under the wiper and opening it up, I resist the fucking urge to scrunch it up.
"Oh hell no." I mumble to myself on seeing what’s written.
Straight away, I whip my cell outta the pocket of my sweats and scroll down the contacts until I find the damn asshole's number. I’m gonna kill him. I don’t care if he’s my friend, I’m gonna fucking kill him. I wait for the phone to start ringing, pacing in front of the car and then back again before the sound of a voice reaches my ears.
"Hi, you've reached Noah. Can’t reach the phone right now so leave me a message and I'll get back to you." The beep sounds.
"Hey Douchenozzle, what the fuck man? You let my fucking tires down? And what the hell does this fucking note mean? How the hell am I crazy and why the fuck would letting my damn tires down stop my stalker ways? I’m not a fucking stalker." I take a deep breath. "You know what, screw this. I’m coming over, if I can’t use my truck I'll use your fucking patrol car. I'll go all fucking vigilante on your ass Travers." I hang up and shove the phone back into my pocket.
I don’t care that he’s a damn cop. Anyway, doesn’t this shit go against all that honor bullshit that cops have to say before they can wear the uniform. Like thou shall not break the fucking law and let Brady’s fucking tires down. He can fuck himself if he thinks I’m fixing this shit, no way. He can come on over here and fucking fix the mess he’s made of my precious truck.
I stare at my flat tires before turning around with the fucking skill of a ballerina and walking down the driveway. It seems like three seconds driving down here, but right now, it seems too fucking long. I'll show Noah fucking Travers not to let my tires down. And anyway, why the hell would he feel the need to do it now unless there’s some shit he’s hiding? Mmm that’s actually a good fucking point, what the hell would be happening for him to think I’m going to start stalking?
***
Yes, I was a football player in High School, I was a damn good one too. High School ended two years ago though and apart from lifting weights, I don’t do any other kind of exercise except for short runs and the occasional walk to the bathroom. So even though it’s only a half hour walk to Noah’s house, I feel like my lungs are about to burst and my hearts about to give out. Michael Johnson I am not, obviously. Man, I need to work out some more. I need to run on a treadmill for a couple hours because I’m fucked if ever my truck breaks down. Someone'll find me passed out in a ditch God knows where through exhaustion. Oh fuck it, this is the South, we drive big ass trucks and speed down deserted roads. Walking is for pussies, everyone knows that and those that say it’s not, well they’re the pussies that walk.
The sight of my boy Noah’s house makes me wanna cry like a damn woman in relief. So much so that I can almost forget why I’m so pissed at him. Almost. Dude wishes he lived further away because then I may have forgotten completely.
I walk up the pathway, either side flanked by green grass that’s just been mowed. The white house is practically my second home. Hell, it’s practically my first one. I spent more time here growing up than anywhere else. The dark green shutters on all the windows look freshly painted since I’m pretty sure Noah was doing them last weekend. The guy is trying to help out as much as possible in getting jobs done until he finally moves out after the wedding. Him and Liv have been saving up for the past two years and finally sold their apartment in Savannah in the Spring so they could head back to Franklin to start a family.
That’s the thing about this town, nobody ever seems to wanna leave and if they do, they always end up coming back. My Mom always says that this town will probably just keep on growing and growing until it’s like Atlanta or some shit. You'd think with more people living here they'd add a few better stores, maybe even a McDonalds. It'd be the perfect place then. That actually makes me grin, the memory of Cindy refusing to eat from there after watching 'Supersize Me' in High school tickles me. She ran out the room to throw up, swearing against old man Ronald McDonald for life. Me? It just made me hungry as hell.
I don’t bother knocking if only not to leave fingerprints on the shiny gold knocker. I’m sure Mrs. P was out at six this morning polishing it. I don’t think I've knocked on a damn door in my life, unless of course I’m trying to make a good impression. If people don’t want whoever the fuck walking in their house, they should keep their damn doors locked. I stride on through, straight off smelling something good.
"Yoo-hoo." I sing in a girly ass voice.
I walk through the living room and dining room, right into the kitchen where Mr. P is sitting down at the bar. Blondies shoveling what looks like some tasty pancakes in her mouth and Mrs. P is by the stove.
"Hey Brady, what brings you here this early in the morning?" Noah’s Mom asks.
"Yeah Di-" Liv gives a sideway glance at her Dad. "Brady, what are you doing here?"
It’s then that it sinks in that Noah’s not down here which means one thing. I’m mentally doing an evil little cackle at how pissed off he’s gonna be.
"Oh, me and my boy are going out this morning and he wanted me to come get him up. I know it’s his day off and he usually finds it real hard to get up on those days." I've got a smile on my face that an angel would find hard to compete with. My fingers and toes are crossed, hoping that I've got the right day and Noah’s definitely off work otherwise I’m gonna look like a clueless dick.
"Are you sure?" Liv squints her eyes at me. Shit, she’s onto me.
"Now, Liv I can’t tell you no more. I’m sworn to secrecy."
"Oh dear." Mrs. P looks at Liv. "Maybe it’s a surprise."
"My lips are sealed." I pull a pretend zipper across my lips and throw it over my shoulder, mentally patting myself on the back for being the best damn evil mastermind in the whole of Georgia. "Now ladies, Mr. P." I nod my head at Liv's Dad. "I'll be go
ing to get my best bud outta bed."
I walk out of the room with my head held high and biting the inside of my cheek to stop me pissing myself with laughter. I think that would definitely give my game away. I climb the stairs in record time and head straight to the bathroom opposite Noah's bedroom. I figure I’ve got about five minutes before Liv chases me up here throwing threats to find out what's happening.
After getting what I need out of the bathroom, I gently open the door to the bedroom of my former best friend and tiptoe across the carpet like the Grinch after stealing all the presents. I stop a second above Noah's sleeping form and briefly consider tying him up or some shit.
"Nah, too gay." I mumble to myself before holding the glass filled with very cold water above his head.
"RISE AND SHINE SLEEPYHEAD!" I roar, tipping the glass upside down.
Now, if this situation wasn’t funny as fuck already, apart from my poor truck of course, then the damn high-pitched girly ass scream that erupts from Noah’s throat definitely makes me wish I'd bought a video camera.
"W-WHAT THE F-FUCK!"
"You tired bro? I’m guessing so since you spent the night letting the tires down on my truck."
"Brady." Noah growls like a damn Pitbull. The glare that he throws my way would have a lesser man cowering, not me though. "W-what the fuck are you d-doing man?" He stutters, shivering and jumping out of the now wet bed and storming around the room.
"What the fuck am I doing? What the fuck are you doing letting my tires down on my brand new truck?"
A brief look of guilt passes over his face so fast that if I didn’t know this guy so well, I probably wouldn’t have even noticed it. I lay my hands on my hips and resist tapping my foot.
"Well?" I raise my eyebrows and wait.
"You look like a damn woman. Look, I’m sorry for letting them down but I couldn’t risk your crazy ass getting yourself a restraining order or some shit."
"I am not crazy-"
"I caught you with a pair of binoculars camped outside Cindy’s house. Mrs. Miller thought you'd come to kill her."
"I was framed."
"Brady." He sighs, like I’m being totally unreasonable.
"There will be no more stalking or whatever it is you're saying. I've got a plan anyway."
"Is it illegal?"
"No." I don’t know.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." No I’m not sure but no way am I telling him that. "Now come on, you need to help me pump my tires up."
"I gotta have a shower and I’d prefer it if you weren't in the room when I do. I don’t swing that way dude."
"You wish you swung that way." I point out because let’s face it, who wouldn’t want all of this. "Anyway, you'll probably have to go shopping later."
"Why?" My boy narrows his eyes at me as if I've done something.
"I think Liv's expecting a present or some shit." I shrug and stick my most innocent expression on my face. It’s the one my Mom falls for every damn time. "I don’t know where she got that idea."
"You’re a pain in my ass. Just go wait downstairs and don’t eat all the food."
"Can’t make any promises." I sing as I wrench the door open and step out. "Hey, where are blondies underwear?"
That gets the door slammed in my face.
"Spoilsport." I shout through the wood.
I trudge my way back down the stairs to the kitchen, my stomach rumbling on smelling the tasty pancakes.
"Barbielicious." I nod at Liv whose sitting on one of the high barstools. Noah’s Mom is still by the stove, cooking more food and Mr. P has disappeared.
"I’m gonna kick your ass if you ever call me that again." She scowls.
"Damn, I can’t win with you. You don’t like Barbie, you don’t like blondie, what the hell am I meant to call you?"
"How about Liv. You know, my actual name."
"Nah that’s no fun." I take a seat and give her the cheesiest smile I got.
A plate of pancakes drizzled in syrup are placed in front of me and I gotta check myself to make sure I’m not drooling.
"Wow Mrs. P, you sure do know the way to a man’s heart."
"Oh hush Brady Cooper." She blushes. "You want some coffee?"
I nod my head enthusiastically and start concocting a plan in my head for a way to get myself moved into here. Mrs. P knows how to look after a man. To be fair though, she hasn’t just been looking after Mr. P, Noah, Chase and Liv. Oh no, since I was a kid this woman’s been cooking me dinners and looking after me. I've spent more time in this house than I have in my own and this woman here, my friend's mother, has been more of a damn parent to me than my own has. Sad but true. It’s pretty pathetic when you think about it actually.
"Where’s Mr. P?" I ask with a mouth full of pancake. Some drops onto my hand and I quickly shove it back into my mouth. Can’t be wasting food now.
"Oh, he’s gone to work honey. You want some more pancakes?" Again I nod as my plate is piled with more of these little slices of heaven.
There’s the beep of an incoming message on someone’s phone and Liv whips hers out of nowhere. I mean, where the hell are the pockets on the teeny dress she’s wearing. Not that I’m looking or anything. Liv's a good looking girl but my tastes tend to lean towards dark haired beauties with brown eyes and a name that begins with C, ends with Y, and has IND in the middle.
"Who ya talking to blondie? Got a piece on the side? I wouldn’t blame ya if you did, I bet the uniform can get real old." I quip, earning myself a glare and a raised eyebrow.
After tapping on a few buttons she drops the phone onto the surface. I chuckle to myself as I take a long sip of my coffee. Wait...
"This isn’t coffee." I splutter out, some green shit splattering over the counter.
Liv thinks that’s oh so funny and starts holding onto her stomach as she laughs all over the place.
"It’s green tea." Mrs. P states, as if she hasn’t just tried to poison me.
"You said it was coffee." I grab Liv's glass of OJ and gulp it down. Half of it misses my mouth and runs down my chin, soaking the neck of my shirt.
"I’m sorry Brady, force of habit I guess. None of these'll drink it so I’m having to pass it off as coffee until they realize."
"Have you got any real coffee?"
"Oh no, this house is on a strict detox for the next month, until the wedding anyway."
Well, now I wish I just stayed at home. At least then I would have avoided near enough being poisoned with slime and I wouldn’t have almost had a coronary walking over those hills and shit on the way here.
"Oh, this is the best day ever." Liv says, a wide smile on her face.
I start rubbing my tongue with my hand in a bid to get the shitty bitter taste outta my mouth. Man, it tastes like I've swallowed a bottle of bleach. And they actually sell this stuff?
"Noah, you want some coffee?" I swivel round in my seat at Mrs. P's words. Noah comes strutting in the room, his hair still wet from his shower.
He gives his Mom a funny look before shaking his head. Lucky fucker! I feel like tipping the contents of my cup down his throat.
"Have some coffee, Noah." I smile, putting my tongue away and wiping my now wet hand down my shirt.
"Nah. I’m good."
"Oh! I've got to go." Mrs. P says, pulling off her apron and hooking it on the back of the door. "Sylvester's got the vets. My poor baby is being neutered. Make sure you all come to see him off, he’s got a big day."
"Poor fucker." I mumble, shuddering at the thought that Sylvester’s about to have his balls chopped off.
"Good fucking riddance." I hear Noah say from under his breath.
"Why is he having them off?" I ask.
"The vet thinks it may calm him down, stop him spazzing the fuck out." Noah says, a smile tugging at the side of his mouth.
I can’t help feeling for the little furball. I don’t think I could do that shit to Brian. Do they still count as a man after they’ve been unmanned?
&nb
sp; "I gotta go out with Brady babe." Noah leans down and drops a small kiss on the tip of Liv's nose. I ignore the pang in my chest and the spike of jealousy running through my veins. What kind of an asshole is jealous of their best friend anyway?
"Ok, whatcha doing today?" I can’t take my eyes off the couple in front of me. I stay silent, just observing the love they have for each other.
"Just gotta help Brady do some shit."
I clear my throat, just to remind him that the reason we have to do this shit is because he’s a dumb fucker that thinks it’s perfectly acceptable to let down tires on forty thousand dollar trucks. It's brand new too! One of my Mom's guilt presents. She thinks that if she buys me nice shit that it'll make up for the fact she’s never home. It’s what she’s always done. I’m twenty years old now though, that shit doesn’t faze me anymore. I’m just used to it.
Noah and Liv start giving each other googly eyes that’s got me wanting to throw up in my mouth.
"Maybe we can do this stuff later, huh Brady?" What?
"Oh I get it." I nod. "You're getting yourself some pussy so-"
"Seriously Dickwad, have you gotta call it pussy?" Liv interrupts with a raised eyebrow.
"I’m sorry Blondie, I forgot about your delicate ears." I mock. "Would you like me to call it something else? How about gash? Clunge? What about beaver?" I ignore their sighs seeing as though I’m in my stride. "Nah, chicks like to call 'em sweet names like love tunnel, lady garden or hoo-ha or some shit, don’t they?"
"I give up." She throws her hands in the air.
I can’t help the victorious smile that spreads across my face. Little Miss Liv here can argue her point till she’s blue in the face. The sound of a car horn coming from out front stops me from doing my victory dance in the middle of the kitchen. Hell, I've just practically won a freakin' debate with Liv, I should be twerking my shit on the damn countertop.
Forever Together (Forever Love #2) Page 7