It's finally here. I'm sorry for the wait. I've had writers block and not enough time. (At the same time) But, It's summer and I'm on vacation with my fam and we're just hanging around so it gives me time to just think. And, here ya go!!
Enjoy!
P.S. This is NOT going along with Lindsay standing him up and her going to Montana and him following it. And, Lindsay's hair isn't cut… Just thought I'd throw that in…
I had a little scare though, I was almost done with the chapter and bam. Microsoft Word messed up and closed out. None of it was saved. Luckily, when I reopened it, it was still there. Phew.
Lindsay and Danny sitting in a taxi heading towards Lindsay's house, Danny in a suit and Lindsay in a black dress cocktail dress. They were walking in relative silence with a few little interruption from Lindsay as she pointed out random little landmarks that were important to her.
"So, maybe we should get our story straight," Lindsay turned to him after explaining the importance of an old ice cream parlor that they had past. They were still in the middle of Bozeman and she lived out in the outskirts.
"Yeah, don't wanna make 'em suspicious or nothing," Danny agreed. When she said it like that, it reminded him of suspects in their cases. And, reminded him of the fact that they were lying to all of Lindsay's friends and family.
"Okay, I think that we should stick as close to the truth as we can. Uhm, naturally, we met at work when I moved to New York. We started off close to enemies," Lindsay giggled and Danny smiled. She couldn't help but poke at him for the way he had treated her when she had first showed up. She moved on, "Then we slowly become friends and as our friendship grew and one day you just asked me to coffee and it all picked up from there."
"Sound's good. Easy to follow along," Danny replied nodding his head. "And, the time frame is what, ten months?"
"That should be good. Works kept me busy, so I haven't been able to talk to them much. Mostly just quick conversations with Mandy about her life" Lindsay smiled at him sadly. She hated not talking to them that much. She turned and pointed out the window, "Look we're here."
Danny looked out at a large ranch style house with about two-dozen cars sitting out front. The guest's cars, he assumed. And, a large white tent easily visible in the back, where he was told the get together would be held. Danny smiled and looked around, "Dang, how did you know Joshua lived next to ya? You can't even see the neighbor's house."
Lindsay rolled her eyes and smiled, "We were very outdoors kids. Plus, everyone knew everyone, more or less. Plus, I would have met him in school. Josh is a year younger and Mitch is my age. We just met them before that."
"How'd y'all meet Mitchell?" Danny couldn't help but be curious about this guy. He wanted to know the story. But, he guessed Lindsay would tell him eventually.
"He lives on the farm next to Josh," Lindsay explained. "There was barely a year's difference between the two. Plus, they were the only children is their families, so it was good that they had a 'brother' to turn to."
Danny smiled, "I remember, when we were little, Lou and I loved to run around like any little kid. Of course, he out grew that kinda fast."
Lindsay laid her hand on his shoulder and smiled at him, "Come on, let's get to the party."
"LINDY LOU!!" a voice screeched before a girl with blonde hair that was cut short at her shoulders and side swept bangs and the same build as Lindsay flew into her arms.
"Mandy Mae," Lindsay replied hugging her sister. "You two are finally getting married."
"I know! And, you," Amanda held her sister at arms length, "What's is been? Over a year and a half?"
"Sorry, Mandy, works kept me busy. You know how my job is. You rarely saw when I did live here," Lindsay joked.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Amanda roller her eyes and then caught site of Danny standing behind Lindsay. She smirked, "Oh, but you have enough time get that." She winked at Lindsay.
Lindsay blushed and pulled Danny up beside her, "Oh yeah, Danny, this is my sister Amanda. And, Amanda this is Danny. We actually met at work."
"Oh," Amanda smirked again and this time Danny blushed slightly as well. "Well, I wish you would have told me this ten months ago."
"Sorry, I just got so caught up in everything and no one really new until just before I got your invitation. We were afraid it'd be frowned upon. Then you found out after I got the invitation, so I really never got the chance to tell you properly," Lindsay made up real fast on the spot.
Danny couldn't help but slightly amazed at Lindsay's quick lying skills. He just turned to Amanda and smiled, "Well, it was nice to meet you, Amanda. Lindsay, would you like me to get you a drink?"
"Oh, it's Mandy. And, it's nice to meet you, too, Danny. Plus, I gotta talk to some of the other guests, as well. So, I'll catch you to later," she kissed Lindsay on the cheek and waved at Danny before turning back into the crowd.
"Alright, now to take you up on that drink," Lindsay turned to Danny and took his outstretched arm. "She's a whirlwind, huh?"
Danny nodded and smiled, "She's nice though."
"Oh, you just wait until you meet Suzanna. She's… Definitely something else," Lindsay smirked.
Danny shook his head and laughed, "Oh I just can't wait."
"Linie?" a male voice broke in from behind them.
"Daddy!" Lindsay said as she turned to the man and instantly threw her arms around him. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too, Linie. You need to start coming home more often," He kissed her forehead. "Oh, and who is this young man?"
"This is Danny. Danny, this is my dad," Lindsay introduced them.
Danny shook his hand, "Nice to meet ya, Mr. Brookes."
"Nice to meet you, too, Danny. Now, call me Eric," Eric Brookes replied to him.
"Lindsay, my baby!" a woman's voice came up and Danny could only guess that it was Lindsay's mom.
"Hey, momma," Lindsay told the woman who pulled her into a choking hug.
Danny looked on and smiled. It reminded him of the way his mother reacted when he visited home. And, he only missed like a week of seeing them. He shuddered thinking of how she would react if he missed a year and a half. He tuned back into the conversation when he heard his name.
"And, this must be Danny that I've heard next to nothing about," her mother smiled over at Danny.
"Yes, Ma'am," Danny replied. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Brookes."
"Now, now, I'm sure Eric told you, that whole Mrs./Mr. thing makes us feel old. It's Marissa," she replied pulling Danny into a hug. He smiled over at Lindsay who was holding in a laugh. Marissa let him go, "It's a pleasure to meet you too."
"Lindsay," another, younger male walked up and gave Lindsay a hug. "You've been gone for far too long."
Lindsay giggled, "I'm sorry, Josh. Just got caught up. But, this is Danny. Danny this is Joshua."
Josh stuck out his hand, "Please, call me Josh. It's good to meet you. But, I hate to cut it short, but I have to find my future wife. She's gotten off to somewhere."
"See ya," Danny replied as he walked off.
"We'll see you later, too, honey," Eric said as both he and Marissa kissed her on the cheek and walked off.
Danny smirked, "It's like a Messer family reunion… Just a little bit calmer."
Lindsay raised an eyebrow, "That's a little scary. But, excuse me while I visit the restroom."
Danny nodded as she walked away and then randomly started to weave his way through the people. He ended up exiting out from under the tent and standing up on the back porch, watching all the people at the party. He could spot Eric and Marissa in laughing at a joke that someone he didn't know told them. Josh was standing behind Amanda as she was laughing and telling some story to a group that she assumed was friends.
"Pretty crazy when you get all these people together," a voice came from behind him. He turned around to find some man that he hadn't met yet. The man continued on, "Both families are a little bit crazy. It just grows when they get together. I don't believe I've met you, though. I'm Mitchell."
"Danny," Danny shook his hand. "I'm here with Lindsay."
"Oh," the man sounded kind of surprised. "How did you to meet?"
"Oh, we work together and it just slowly grew," he said simply.
Mitchell simply nodded, "I've got to say, I'm kind of surprised. Last I heard, she wasn't in any kind of relationship."
"Danny," Lindsay's voice caught his attention and he turned towards her. "There you are. I thought you got lost."
She walked over to him and he, almost naturally, wrapped his arm around her waist. He laughed softly, "It's a big house, Lindsay, but I don't think I'd get lost."
"Well, it was either that or you ran into my sister or cousin without me. I wasn't sure you were ready to handle that," she joked and then caught Mitchell. "Oh, hey, Mitchell."
"Hey, Linds," he said. Scratching the back of his neck and showing his awkwardness. "Well, nice to meet you, Danny. Good to see you again, Lindsay. But, I'm going to go find Josh."
After they said goodbye to him Lindsay turned to Danny, "What were you two talking about?"
Danny shrugged, "He just asked who I was, I told him I was here with you, and he said he was surprised to hear about me."
"That's it?" Lindsay asked, not showing whether she was happy or disappointed.
"That's it," Danny answered, leaning against the railing beside her instead of having his arm around her anymore.
Lindsay protested silently to him moving his arm but shook the feeling off and nodded, "Okay."
"So, what's the story behind this Mitchell guy anyways?" Danny asked her. He was going to wait until later, but he couldn't hide his curiosity any longer.
A couple emotions flashed across Lindsay's face, once obvious as hesitation, but before she ever got to answer, another voice broke their conversation and a different body with long hair, straight black hair falling past her mid-back grabbed her into a hug before letting go, "Lindy Lou, who is this gorgeous man. Please tell me that he is not taken."
Danny and Lindsay both blushed before Danny answered for her, "Hi, I'm Danny. And, yes, I am taken."
"Ah, shoot. Well, I'm Suzanna. You can call me that or Anna. Just not Suzy. It makes me feel like such a kid. The only ones to get away with that one is Lindy and Mandy… And, my parents and brother, Jon."
Danny smiled at her, "Alright, I'll keep that in mind."
"Gosh, Lindy," Suzanna tried to whisper but failed miserably. "Where'd you find this one at?"
Danny chuckled and Lindsay blushed even more and answered, "Work. He's my partner."
Suzanna looked him over and sighed, "That's it. I'm going back to school. I'm going to be an investigator person."
"Sorry, Suz, but you can't even figure out who ate you're sandwich when the dog is still trying to lick the peanut butter off it's mouth," Lindsay teased.
Suzanna playfully glared at her, "Fine, I'll just move in with you and meet all your friends."
Lindsay rolled her eyes. This was something that Suzanna would try, "Sorry, but I'm not sure my apartment is quite big enough."
"Fine, fine. But, I'll catch you later. Mandy is telling me to come there. So, Toodles," she waved and walked towards the blonde girl and they immediately started talking,
"Told ya that she was something," Lindsay smiled over at Danny who was leaning on the railing again looking at everyone huddled under the large tent.
Danny smirked, "I like 'em. You have a nice family."
"Well, I guess next I'll have to meet your whole family and find out all your embarrassing secrets," Lindsay smirked bumping his should her hers playfully.
Danny shrugged, "Alright, next month we are having a reunion. Big thing for the family. Big dinners, games, and picnics."
"Alright," Lindsay nodded, agreeing to go. She glanced back at her sister and cousin.
"Hey," Danny's voice brought her attention back to him. He touched her arm gently and smiled, "Go down and talk to them."
"Are you sure?" Lindsay looked down and it was just the girls.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I might stick up here for a bit," he told her.
"Alright, thanks, Danny," his hand slid down to hers and gave it a light squeeze before she turned and headed down to her sister and cousin. He watched as she jumped into the conversation, her medium length curls bouncing as she nodded her head at something Amanda had said. She looked and gave him a slight smile and he returned it.
ehhhh, good enough to make up for length of the last one and the wait? I hope so. You may have found it slightly boring. I wanted to get these characters introduced and their personality put in. Review for more.