I Disclaim

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The Loser's Club Ch.23

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Gabe read the caption three times, and sure enough each time it was still Brian and Lovely Kay locked in a kissed. "Well I'll be." He smile was brief, as he began to think up all the people that wouldn't like the picture. " Damn."

"What's wrong?" Amanda looked up from her place on his bed with her hair still tussled, and a small smile permanently etched on her face.

Gabe hesitates with the paper clutched in his hand, he wasn't sure how Amanda was going to act, and he still only knew that she and Brian had been involved long ago, but he unaware of what happened to end their relationship. Truth be told he didn't want to know if she was pining away for his friend. "Uh…Brian and Lovely Kay, made the paper."

Amanda cringed at the name, it was official she hated Kay Bennet, disliked 'Lovely Kay with a vengeance. " That's interesting, what for?"

Gabe caught the cringe and knew for sure that she still cared for Brian." What?"

"What did they do, to make the paper." She wasn't really that interested in what they had done, knowing 'Lovely Kay', she had probably stopped a bank robbery and then reformed the criminals.

Gabe handed her the paper and watched her emotions as she read. " It appears Summer Love is in Bloom."

The picture was obviously taken without their knowledge, she couldn't imagine them or anyone posing for a picture like this. "They should sue."

Gabe laughed, it was so Amanda to reduce everything to lawyers and legalities." Why, it's a nice picture, and they make a good couple." The last statement was made with an edge that, he hoped told Amanda he stands on the issue of Kay and Brian, and their relationship.

"I actually don't care, I'm just saying that I would sue someone that took a picture like that of me." Amanda stood and grabbed a sheet off the bed as she started for the bathroom, only pausing to turn in the door." But then again, maybe Lovely Kay is just an exhibitionist."

She shut the door watching the anger darken his eyes, and her fears confirmed. Gabriel Cortez had a thing for Lovely Kay Bennet, and it made her hate the girl even more.

Gabe watched her pout her way to the bathroom, and curbed every instinct to run after her, he days of running after Amanda Crane were over, and he never wanted to do it again. He went to grab some coffee when he heard his cell phone ring, so he changed direction and picked it up." Gabe Cortez."

"Hey, Gabe." Brian looked over at his sleeping girlfriend, as his whispered to his boss." It's me, I going to be a little late today."

Gabe looks at the paper then the door of bathroom, where he could hear a shower running. "That's okay man, I saw the paper, why don't you just take a personal day."

"Gabe, I don't need to do that." The protest was faint, the possibility of spending the day with Kay was too much to resist.

"Nah, I want you to, I don't need people coming to kill you on my site." Gabe stopped listening as Amanda reemerged from the bathroom wearing a hotel robe, that seemed much shorter then the standard hotel robes. "Yeah, you just stay there and keep safe."

 "Alright you're the boss."

Gabe walked toward Amanda as she raised an eyebrow, and he gave a roguish smile." Yeah, I'm the boss, bye." He hung up the phone and dropped it on the floor." How would you like to take a sick day?"

" I'm thinking about it." Amanda moved closer, but was stopped by the sound of her cell phone. Grimacing she turned and picked it up out of her clothes. "Crane." She straightened and refused to look at Gabe." Yes Grandfather, I'll be there in twenty minutes."

Gabe groans and falls on to the bed." Damn you Alistair."

Brian hung up his cell phone and smiled, he didn't know why Gabe had told him to take the day off, but he didn't care; now he had the whole day to work on his surprise for Kay. He moved off the bed, walked the short distance to the kitchen, and began making breakfast although it was nearly noon, and way past breakfast time.

Kay woke up several minutes later to the smell of hot coffee; she opened her eyes and grinned when she saw Brian standing in the small kitchen cleaning up the kitchen and setting the table. "Well, have I told you lately how I love that you can cook."?

"You mentioned something about it." He brought a plate over to her and set it in front of her." Keep it up and I may start to think that's the only reasoning your dating me. "

Kay looks away and turns back in time to see his hurt face." Okay, I'm kidding." " Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

He shook his head." Gabe gave me time off, so now I can prepare for your surprise."

"Tell me." Kay put down the food, and started to kiss his check." Please, I hate surprises."

"No." He sees a glint in her eye that made him worry a little, but thankful someone knocked on the door ending her torture. Brian got of he bed and walked toward the door a little hesitant." Who is it?"

"It's Grace Bennet."

At the sound of her mother's voice Kay jumped from and began throwing on her clothes on. " Coming Mom." She gives Brian a panicked expression as she nods toward the bed, and whispers. "Make it up." Kay secures her shirt just as Brian finishes straightening the Bed comforter. She opens the door with an obviously fake smile on her face. "Hi Mom."

"Kay." Grace step into the room and hugs her daughter, and give a tentative smile to Brian." Brian."

"Hi Mrs. Bennet, how are you?" Both women gave him a strange look and he shrugged his shoulders." Habit."

"What are you doing here Mom, is this the part where I'm disowned?"  If Kay had expected anyone it was her brother Ethan or Uncle Hank, come to tell her that her father had kicked her out of the family, but she never suspected that her mother would do it.

"No, I came to………" Grace took a long look at her, she had changed in the last few months, she was no longer that little girl pining away in her room over Miguel, and she seemed really happy. Something had changed her, and she had a feeling she owned Brian for bringing Kay back to them. " I came to say that I love you no matter what." Grace used her hand to move a piece of hair off Kay's face and tucked it behind her ear. " This was a shock, but it doesn't change that I love you."

"Mommy." Kay ran into her mother's arm and held onto to her. Having her father look at her with such disappointment had hurt, an being able to say at least one parent still cared made her feel somewhat better." I'm sorry for not telling you."  

 "It's okay." She smoothed back her daughters hair as she held her." I just want you happy."

"I'll just leave you two alone." Brian headed toward the door, when Grace stopped him.

"Brian, please stay, I don't want to make you leave your home."

"No, please, I need to run some errands." He gave the women a smile as he opened the cabin door, and winked at Kay." I have a surprise to plan."

Grace looked back at her daughter and saw something she hadn't seen in years, an honest to goodness smile on Kay's face, and her appreciation for Brain Lopez-Fitzgerald rose another notch, until she looked around the small cramp boat where her daughter now lived. "Nice place."

Kay heard the tone in her mother's voice. " Mother, unlike what everyone seems to believe I don't live here, I have a dorm room in Castleton, I just haven't made it there yet."

"Good, I just don't want you moving to fast." Grace sat down on one of the small kitchen chairs, and smiled at her daughter." Now, tell about Brian, last time I saw him he was Antonio, what's like he like now?"

Kay took the seat across from her mother and proceeded to fill her in on Brian. Two hours later, her mother had left promising to work on her father, and leaving Kay to wonder what Brian was planning. She had just been about to start snooping for hints when he walked in carrying a pizza. "I hope that's not your deluded idea of a surprise."

"No smart a@@, it's a pizza, my idea of dinner. " He laid the pizza down on the bed, and motioned for her to sit by him, "I got pepperoni and extra cheese." He handed her a slice on the paper plates they gave, and doesn't mention how he ran into his brother at the pizza place.

"Oh my favorite."

"Yeah I thought so, it's what makes me such a good boyfriend."

"And let's not forget your humble nature."

"Keep that up, and I won't give you, your surprise." Brian grinned at the horrified expression that crossed her face, which was quickly replaced by and angelic one.

"I'll be good."

"Okay." Brian took a small package from behind his back. And presented it to her. "I hope you like it."

Kay took the bag and practically ripped it open and found a black one-piece bathing suit. "Uh…Thank You."

"Your welcome, now I know you might already have a bathing suit, it's probably some two piece number that will drive me and every other man crazy, but I want to wear this one on our trip."

"Okay first off…. WHAT!" A look of righteous indignation crossed her face, before confusion. "What trip?

"Oh did I forget to mention the trip I schedule for us this very weekend to St. Lisa." Brian had called Liz and made all the preparation all he needed to do was sail down with Kay on his boat, for two days of fun, sun, and romance. "That is if you want to go?"

"Are you serious." Kay's eyes widen in surprise, she had never even left the state, and now someone was inviting her to go to Bermuda, and not just anyone, but Brian. "Really?"

"Really, it's all arranged, all you have to do is say yes, and Friday morning we set sail." He grabbed her around the waist and brought her closer to him, and lowered his head." So what do you say?"

"St. Lisa's here we come." They sealed the deal with a kiss, and continued with their meal, each excited for their own reasons.

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Coming Soon:

 I'm taking this fic on the road, unfortunately while my characters our in Bermuda, I be sitting at this computer, damn now I sad.

Amanda got a phone call form Alistair, what did he want, and who will it affect.

The list of people against Krian is get smaller, but who else will defect.

Finally we hit Bermuda for fun in the sun.