I Disclaim
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The Loser's Club Ch.15
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It had been a bad day, and when he walked into his office and saw Amanda Crane, he knew it was only going to get worse.
Amanda Crane, even after seven years she was still beautiful, but her outer beauty didn't fool him anymore, her grandfather had probably drilled anything good about her out of her. Steeling himself for a painful walk down memory lane he walked to his desk and sat down.
"Can I help you?"
She looked startled by his appearance, but she hid it quickly. " Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald, as I live and breath." She had called ahead, and been told that Gabriel would be by around this time, but she hadn't expected to see Antonio. " No need to be formal, we do after all know each other very well."
"Not really, now what can I do for you?"
"I'm here to see Gabriel, what may I ask are you doing here?"
"Obviously, I work here."
"I figured that out, but I meant Harmony?" She had spoken to her aunt Sheridan briefly, and been told that he was a fishermen in Bermuda, getting a job meant he was staying longer then she had thought, and she didn't really know if she could handle both Gabriel and Antonio being in the same town.
"I missed my family, and got tired of running." The last statement was meet with silence as Amanda suddenly became interested in the nonexistent paintings on the wall. "Oh nothing to say."
"What's to say, you're a Lopez-Fitzgerald, I'm a Crane, we knew it wouldn't work, but we tried anyway, we were both exiled from Harmony so it really doesn't matter."
"Exiled, is that what it's called when two large gentleman beat the crap out of me, while you're father threatens my family, then they throw me out a moving car just outside of town." Brian moved his hand to hold up his chin, and watched the reaction on Amanda's face, but there was none, which was co Crane like it was scary.
"Well, answer the man, Amanda." Gabriel stood poised in the doorway. He had always know that Brian had left because of a woman, but he had never dreamed it was Amanda, how could he, each had been vague about their past besides the basic information needed. "Is that what exiled means, because I believe you told me that you spent your youth in a boarding school in France. "
" Gabriel, I don' think it would help to bring up everyone's past." Amanda sent him a pleading look that he ignored.
Brian saw the play between the two and felt like he was missing something. Gabe seemed to know a lot. "What does that mean past histories?"
"She means, that we were engaged, and she doesn't want you to know." Gabe sat down on the edge of the desk watching as Amanda avoided eye contact with both men. " But now that everything out in the open, what do you want?"
Amanda gave a sigh of relief when he switched topics, reliving one bad relationship was tough, but two was too much to bear. Shifting into her 'CEO' mode she gives her famous Crane smile. " Crane Industries is sponsoring this years summer carnival, and we wanted to contract your company to built the stands and stages." "We have several bands signed up to appear, and we thought that working together would allow you to make a name for yourself in the town, while allowing us to.."
"Use our good name, and resources to help rebuilt your tarnished reputation which was done by your father." Gabriel knew that wasn't what she was going to say, but he didn't want to hear anymore of her polished stories. "When is this Carnival?"
"It's scheduled for two weeks from Saturday, weather permitting." Amanda sat there hating herself, she had thought it was a great idea to sponsor the carnival; it would increase their quickly declining popularity. The idea to involve Gabriel had been hers' she didn't really know why, but she thought it would look good for both businesses, but leave it to Gabriel to ignore the good she was trying to do. "Are you interested or not?"
Gabe turned to look at Brian and raised an eyebrow, when his friend nodded he turned back to Amanda he face still a mask of politeness, but with no real warmth. " Certainly whatever we can do to help the town." A sound causes Gabe to bring up his head, and the sight that greets him, caused a large smile. " Ah, Lovely Kay." Jumping off the desk Gabe rushes to bring the young woman in, quickly kissing her hand he leads her into the quiet room. " Look Brian, Lovely Kay is here."
Amanda tensed when she recognized the girl from the day at the diner; she told herself that it was because she was worried about the young girl who was somehow involved with both more experience men, but she knew it was because she was jealous she just couldn't figure out if was about Gabriel or Antonio.
Kay blushed and finally noticed the blonde seated in the office." I'm sorry I didn't know you were busy I can come back." Kay started to back up and leave but both Gabe and Brian rushed to stop her.
Amanda stood no longer caring which man was causing her the jealousy." No, please stay, my business here is done." She nodded to Gabriel on her way out." I'll be in touch."
Gabe ignored the need to go after her, and instead focuses on his favorite distraction, flirting with Kay while at the same time upsetting Brian." So Lovely Kay, what brings you here today, ready to elope yet?"
"Not yet, but I'm weakening." Kay turned toward Brian and gave her best smile. " I actually wanted to talk to Brian."
Gabe did a silent cheer, while he pretended to wipe away tears." Fine, break my heart, but just know this." He began heading toward the door, and stopped just outside of it." I'll be waiting, good bye Lovely Kay."
"Gabe is…" Kay stopped looking for the right words to describe him.
"A very special boy." Brian came around his desk and took her hand smiling down at her." What did you want to talk about?"
"Actually, can we do this at your boat?"
"Sure, would you like to ride with me or do you want me to follow you in my car?" Although not sure what exactly was going on, that fact that Kay was still speaking to him after what happened with her uncle was the best news ever he heard, he was sure that Hank would have talked her into stay away from him.
"I have my car, so follow me. " Kay waited as Brian closed up the office, and then waked with him to their cars.
After arriving at the boat Brian rushed ahead saying he needed to clean up first, and when he let her in she saw that he had the small table set up for dinner, "I thought we could order pizza."
"Okay, but after we talk." Kay sat down on his bed, and waited for him to take a seat, knowing that the only other place to sit was the bed with her or the small kitchen stool, she smiled when he choose the bed next to her.
"So what's up."?
"Brian, we're trying to be friends, because we know that neither is ready for a relationship or the fallout with our families, but something keeps coming up." Kay pauses unsure how to tell him. " This attraction we feel for each other keeps interfering and throwing us off balance, so I have a solution."
"Anything, Kay I like you and I don't want to lose you." "Name what we have to do and it's done."
"Sleep together."
Brian felt as if he was in an alternate universe, because there was no way a beautiful woman he was attracted to could be suggesting they sleep together. " Excuse me?"
Kay let out a nervous laugh, and stared biting her lip. " I think they if we just got this attraction out our system, we could continue our friendship, and to do that I think we should sleep together."
"Okay, I see your reasoning, kind of, but I don't think you want to do this."
"No, I do." Brian had no idea how the thought had keep her up tossing and turning in her bed. "Trust me."
"Kay, I assuming this is your first time. " He smiles at her nod." Your first time should be special and with someone you love, and hopeful you will spend the rest of your life with."
"Brian, first you are quickly becoming one of the most important people in my life, and I can't imagine anything more special then being with you." A thought occurs to Kay, that almost stops her heart. " Unless, you don't want to be with me."
"That's not it, my first instinct was to say yes, and not question anything, because I want you so much, but I can't help thinking that this is something you will regret." Brian was a little disappointed, he had been hoping that Kay's reasoning was because she was in love with him, but he didn't know why since he wasn't in love with her, at least he didn't think he was but right now he wasn't sure of anything.
"I regret most decisions I make, but I have thought of nothing but this since Saturday, and I'm sure."
"Okay, let me get this straight, we sleep together to get rid of this attraction we have to each other, and in the end remain friends."
"Yeah." Kay watched Brian wondering what he was thinking, but when he leaned toward her and kissed her, she forget what she had been doing.
Leaning onto the bed and taking Kay with him Brian positioned himself so that she was on top, and began kissing down her neck. He stops to take a breath, and looks at Kay with questioning eyes, when she nods he begins unbuttoning her blouse. " Well if it's to save the friendship."
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Coming Soon:
Harmony has its Summer Carnival, the entire town in one place, oh the possibilities.
