I Disclaim
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The Loser's Club Ch.5
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Sitting down at a table at the Book Café Gabe takes in his surroundings. It was a quaint little place, and seemed to be a teen hangout, although he was wondering about the teens he had meet. Brian had introduced the group in the corner to him, he would have been able to pick Miguel out of a line up as Brian's brother they sound alike and even glared the same, after meeting him Gabe was sure of one thing. If Luis was anything like Miguel then Brian had a pretty good reason for leaving, the kid had oozed dislike for his older brother and the blonde on his arm could barley contain his anger. The other kids seemed nice, thought the kid with the palm pilot seemed to ask a lot of questions.
"So, that was your little brother?" Gabe glanced back and found Miguel staring intently at his brother. "What did you do steal his toy truck?"
"You noticed that problem he has with me too?" Brian tried to carry on a conversation with has brother eyes boring into his back, and starting focusing on Kay's smile, but quickly shook that off. He had enough troubles without getting to close to Kay Bennet. " He and Luis share a brain." "And my younger brother Luis, doesn't really have use for me, and I can't say I blame him. "
"Well, that Kay was, nice." Gabe smiles at the small blush that covers Brian's face." And she seemed to like you which is rare, considering you're a jerk."
"Bite me."
"Brian, we thought that was you." Gabe watches as an attractive blonde stops at their table followed by a man that seemed unhappy with finding him here, as the man's narrowed their focus on Brian, Gabe realized that he was meeting the much talked about Luis.
"Hello Sheridan." Brian stands and kisses her cheek and nods to is glaring brother behind her." Luis."
Gabe stood and took out a near by chair offering it to the woman, and smiling at her companion." Please allow me."
"Sheridan, Luis this is my new boss Gabe Cortez." "Gabe, this is my brother Luis, and his fiancée Sheridan." Brian retakes his seat as Sheridan seats down and Luis takes a chair from a near by table.
"Oh Brian that's great you got a job, isn't that great Luis?" Sheridan turns her sparkling smile on Luis trying to bridge the gap that she knew she had caused between the brothers.
"What are you doing?"
Gabe watches the interaction between brothers and once again understands why Brian left. "I can tell you, your brother will be the foreman on my construction site down on Fifth Street, I'm glad I could get him, he very good." Ignoring the doubtful look on his face Gabe focuses on the woman." So you're engaged, how is it that the Lopez-Fitzgerald men keep meeting the most beautiful women before me?"
"We don't meet them first Gabe, they just prefer us to you." Brian sent a warning look to Gabe, telling him to back off with his flirting behavior; all he needed was Luis thinking that he and his friends were hitting on Sheridan.
"Well thank you for the compliment Gabe, what other beautiful women did you meet today, any one I know." Brian sent Gabe a warning look and began shaking his head, but Gabe ignored him.
"No clue, but I met a lovely young woman named Kay." Gabe gave his best smile." Delightful woman, I think I may have lost my heart."
"You were with Kay again, Antonio?" Luis heard the name and felt his anger rise, he had hoped that his brother would leave Kay alone; she had enough problems without being bothered by his brother.
"No, nothing like that we ran into her as we coming and she leaving." Gabe smiled inwardly as the final piece of the puzzle came together. Brian was trying to keep his contact with Kay a secret, because his brothers didn't like whatever was going on. " Yes, lovely woman, in fact this town is full of lovely woman, it must be the drinking water." Gabe notices the time and stands." I must go, it was a pleasure meeting you two." Gabe throws some bills down on the table and nods to the group. "Brian I see you at the site on Monday, have nice night."
"See ya, Gabe." "So how are you guys today?"
"Antonio, I don't think it's a good idea for you to send so much time with Kay."
"What time, I seen her twice for less then thirty minutes combined in two days," "I'm not spending time with her, I see her and I speak to her, she's a nice person, unlike others in this town." Brian stands and smiles at Sheridan. " I gotta go, it's getting stuffy in here. "
Brian heads out the Book Café, wondering again why he stayed in Harmony. "Damn Kay's good advice."
Inside the Book Café, Sheridan hit Luis shoulder, and shakes a finger at him. " Was that necessary?"
"Look I have no clue who he is now, and I can't risk him hurting people I care about as I find out."
"Since when has Kay Bennet been on your list?" Sheridan didn't have a problem with Kay but she knew that Luis was just using her as an excuse to mistrust his brother, probably on her behalf.
"Kay has always been like a sister to me." Luis didn't want to have tell Sheridan about his suspicions about Kay and her feelings for Miguel, but the girl was in a bad place and he had a feeling that Antonio would exploit it. "I just want to protect her, as much for me as for Hank and Sam."
"Hey Kiddo." Hank Bennet walked into the bedroom of his
oldest niece not even bothering to knock or announce his presence." What's up?"
Looking up from her desk Kay had to smile, when her parents where to afraid to talk to her, they always send Uncle Hank to find out what was wrong. " When did they call?"
"Sammy called this afternoon, after you apparently barricaded yourself in your room, not speaking to anyone." Hank sat down on her bed and looked at his niece, she didn't look depressed or even upset, but Grace had never been able to handle Kay and Sam was always to busy. "So are you drunk, high or pregnant?"
"No, no, and no." Kay laughed as Hank did his usual interrogation. "I'm just studying for some summer classes that I signed up for."
"You, signed up for classes during the summer." Hank jumped off the bed and check her forehead." You feeling all right?"
"Yes, Uncle Hank, I'm just working on my future."
Hank glances down at what Kay was working on and smiles. Since she was little she had a talent for drawing, and her unlike other little girls instead of drawing flowers and unicorns, his niece drew castles and grand homes. " Art?"
"No, Architecture." Kay waits with baited breathe to hear her uncle's advice, besides him the only other person she would have told this soon was Ethan, neither one of them ever judged her based on her past actions, they just took at her word. "What do you think?"
"I think you'll be great at whatever you decide to do." Grabbing her hands he brings her into a hug. " I think you would make a great Architect."
"Thanks." Kay retakes her seat, and starts drawing again.
"So, where are you going to sharpen your skill?"
"Castleton College."
"Why Castleton, I thought you wanted to leave Harmony?"
"I just decided to stay closer to home, I'm not going to run because I didn't get what I wanted."
"Hm, that's strange you're staying and so is Ant.. I mean Brian." Hank danced around the subject of Brian, not wanting his niece to known that Luis had called warning him about his brother. He couldn't really understand it Brian had always been a good guy and he of all people could understand the need to leaves and spread his wings, but he could also understand Luis anger, just not his fascination with Kay and Brian.
"Not you too." Kay rubbed her temples as she prepared to defend Brian again." Why do people seem so interested in what happened between Brian and I, it's not like we left the state we talked for a couple of minutes."
"It's just that you did only talk for a little while, and suddenly you two have this profound effect on each other."
"Well, we have a lot in common." Kay gives him a knowing look, and sees his nod. "But we're also barley friends, so tell the parents to calm down."
Hank smiles and heads for the door. "So you and Brian aren't running off to Vegas anytime soon?"
"Nope."
"I'll tell them." Hank opens the door and finds Reese Durkee smiling at him. "Hey Reese." He looks back at Kay, and grins. "I don't know is I should leave you to in here unsupervised."
"Why don't you just risk it, Uncle Hank?"
"Okay, but just this once." Hank pats Reese's shoulder as he passes him.
"You wanted to see me, my sweet?"
Kay gave a weak smiled and closed the door behind motion for him to sit down. "Reese, I think it's time we talked about our relationship."
