The Friessens: Books 19 - 21

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

He took in the gleaming white of his brother’s kitchen, all high-end appliances with a huge granite center island. The home had an open concept, and he could see the living and dining room, the showpiece of the modest bungalow Gabriel had purchased as a fixer-upper. A can of what he thought was soda slid across the island to him.

“Uh…ginger ale? You couldn’t come up with anything stronger?” Jeremy said as he cracked the can. He took a swallow, wishing for a beer, but that would come later, at Kurt’s.

“You know I don’t drink, and you’re lucky there’s even soda in the house,” Gabriel said. “It’s Elizabeth’s. Also, let me remind you as your older and much wiser big brother that you’re only nineteen, and it wouldn’t go over well for you to be pulled over for any reason. In fact, Dad would likely kill me.” Gabriel gestured to a plate of fish and leftovers from dinner on the counter.

Jeremy could hear Elizabeth and her cute little girl, Shaunty, from down the hall. He lifted his hand. “No, it’s fine. Had a sandwich earlier on my break.” He kind of wanted to save room for beer, and then he’d likely crash at Alex’s, because he planned on having fun. Then there was Tiffy.

“So what gives?” Gabriel said. “It’s not like you to just stop in like this, although it’s great to see you. Seems you’ve got something on your mind.”

Just then, Elizabeth walked in, and Shaunty scooted out the bar stool at the island beside Jeremy and climbed up. She was freshly bathed and in a cute pair of pajamas. Her curly dark hair was still damp, and she smiled brightly at him.

“There’s ice cream, strawberry swirl,” she said. “Do you want some? I’m having some, too. It’s my favorite.” She was so damn cute, and Jeremy took in Elizabeth in his brother’s arms as she opened the fridge freezer. They seemed to be sharing a moment.

“Nope, I’ll let you have it all, but thanks, though, kid.”

She made a face, and he knew she was about to say something. “You know, I’m not a little kid,” she said. “I’m six.”

“Oops, my mistake, Miss Shaunty,” he added, which had her giggling.

“You sure we can’t tempt you, Jeremy?” Elizabeth said as she lifted the lid of the carton and scooped out the ice cream into two bowls. Gabriel was now leaning behind Elizabeth, his hands skimming her waist, her hips, as he kissed her neck, and they swayed together. It was almost embarrassing, at times, to be in a room with them.

“No, none for me.” He lifted his hand just as Gabriel stepped around Elizabeth and looked at him intently. He realized everyone was staring at him, waiting for him to say something, he thought.

“Although I love the visits from you, I realize I’m not Chelsea,” Gabriel said. “It must be kind of hard not having her to bounce any ideas off since she up and left with Ric to Boston. So for you to just drop in like this, I’m thinking it must be something.”

Jeremy took in the expression now on Elizabeth’s face, in her dark eyes, as if she realized she’d just walked in on something. “Oh, it’s just been a weird day, is all,” Jeremy said. “Dot’s suddenly put me in charge of the store, as she’s decided to take off for a bit on holidays, and that was after she dropped a little bomb on me that two of my coworkers have been doing that ‘love from afar’ thing and following me around with puppy-dog eyes. At first I thought she was messing with me, which is what she does, but not this time. Now I’m supposed to go in and suddenly be in charge of them, knowing all this, and…” He lifted his hands, taking in the exchange between Elizabeth and Gabriel as she slid a bowl of ice cream in front of Shaunty, who was also watching him with interest and far too much amusement at his predicament for a kid her age. He really did miss Chelsea, and she hadn’t returned his call from yesterday. Apparently moving away to Boston with Ric meant his twin sister was no longer as available for him.

“Girls like you,” Shaunty said, staring up at him with dark eyes that reached inside him. She was the kind of kid, he thought, who could see the best in everyone. “Just be nice to them.”

He didn’t miss the smile Gabriel tried to hide. Shaunty had snuck in and grabbed a piece of his heart. She’d done that to all of them long ago.

“She’s right. Great advice, Shaunty,” Gabriel added.

Jeremy took in Elizabeth’s brilliant smile as she dipped her spoon into the carton and then took a bite of ice cream.

“But there’s something else, isn’t there?” Gabriel said. All Jeremy could do was squeeze the can of soda as he took in the exchange between his brother and Elizabeth.

“Hey, Shaunty,” Elizabeth said. “Slide on down, honey, and bring your ice cream, and let’s go in the living room and watch some TV.”

Mother and daughter moved into the living room, and he heard the TV flick on. He pulled in a breath just as Gabriel leaned on the counter closer to him, his expression amused.

“Well, spill,” Gabriel said. “What is it? Girls, money, school, Dad…” He gestured between them. “Is this about your boss and the women you work with, or is it something else?”

“You know my friend Alex?”

Gabriel nodded.

“Well, he has a sister I haven’t seen in years, and I kind of ran into her tonight. Actually, I didn’t really run into her. It was more like two ships passing in the night.”

Gabriel raised a brow, and he could see he didn’t get it.

“I spotted her on the way here at the traffic light, and I haven’t thought about her in years, but then just seeing her as she drove past and remembering that night and being with her…” He took in Gabriel’s amused expression, the way he raised his brows. He knew his brother got it.

“I see,” Gabriel said, “and you want to see her, or…?”

He could see his brother was having trouble understanding, which was exactly the same trouble Jeremy was having. He shouldn’t care.

“I don’t know,” he said. “It’s just kind of weird, is all. After we hooked up, it was a night of fun, and then we went our separate ways. It was just a one-night stand kind of thing, by the lake, being as she’s Alex’s sister and it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. But there was something about her, and maybe it was just that night—but then one day she was just gone. I remember not seeing her and saying something to Alex, and he just said she had gone to live with their aunt, moved away. He never said anything else.” And I could never ask.

“So Alex doesn’t know you were with his sister?” Gabriel said.

Jeremy pulled his gaze away and looked over his shoulder to see Elizabeth and Shaunty focused on the TV, not him. “Seriously? It’s not the kind of thing you tell your best friend, like, ‘Hey, Alex, remember that night down at the lake when I snuck off with your sister? Well, guess what? We kind of hooked up.’” He lifted the soda and drained it before setting the can down and taking in the confusion on his brother’s face. “He’d kill me if he knew,” Jeremy finally said and leaned on the counter, feeling the tightness pull across his shoulders.

“So I don’t understand,” Gabriel said. “You’re going to ask her out, is that it? Or are you going to tell Alex, or…?”

Well, that was a no. Telling his friend was nowhere in the realm of possibility. Alex could never know, but at the same time, Jeremy was toying with the notion of mentioning he’d spotted Tiffy in town, something along the lines of Hey, didn’t know she was back in town—and yeah, can you give me her number so I can call her? Then what? That certainly wasn’t going to work.

“See you’re having some trouble, Jeremy, and I don’t remember you ever mentioning a girl more than once,” Gabriel said. “If you’re curious, call her, stop by and see her. Maybe she’s just visiting, and remember, too, she could also be married or involved with someone. So then you’d best move on. You ever stop to think that she told her brother about you two already, and maybe he knows?”

That had him sitting up a lot straighter. He hadn’t thought of her hooking up with someone else, which, of course, was likely. At the same time, he realized with horror that she may have told Alex. As soon as he thought it, he shook it off, because he wouldn’t still be in one piece if Alex knew. “Well, you gave me a lot to think about,” he said. “Great advice, thanks, but I should get going. Got plans tonight.” He stood up from the stool and took in the way Gabriel was shaking his head.

“Advice? Okay, whatever. Not sure what it was I said, but hey, listen to this: Messing around with your best friend’s sister is exactly the kind of thing that will have him being your ex-best friend, and that’ll be after he kicks your ass from one side of town to the other. So tread carefully. I can see even in your way of saying nothing that you’re going to do what you’re going to do, and it doesn’t matter what anyone says. Just use your head and not your…” Gabriel gestured rather crudely, and Jeremy just rolled his eyes as he turned away and started into the living room.

“Elizabeth, Shaunty, great to see you,” he said as he went to the front door and pulled it open, then stepped out and down the steps.

“Hey, Jeremy, word of advice,” Gabriel said from behind him, “since I’m sure you’re likely going to do something you shouldn’t.”

Jeremy stopped on the sidewalk halfway to his truck, parked out front on the street, and looked up to Gabriel standing on the porch. He said nothing and took in the slow amused smile that touched his brother’s lips.

“You should just call her.”

He just stared at his brother, remembering again how soft Tiffy’s lips were, her perfect breasts, and the edge of danger that had come with sneaking off with her.

“Later” was all he said before he continued to his truck. Then he climbed behind the wheel and picked up his phone, seeing a text from Alex.

Bring snacks!!