I disclaim!!! Sorry again that this took so long! :-\ Hope someone is still
reading and since I took so long, lemme give ya a little recap. LOL It's
the day before Thanksgiving and Belle is hosting a little dinner get
together. Ehh I'm bad at recaps so you may wanna skim over the previous
chapter LOL TY and Thanks for reading! ;)
Chapter 11: Hands Off!
"But I said to him, I said, 'Hands off!'" Philip finished as walked with Chloe up Belle and Shawn's driveway towards the large, oak door.
"That's. . . funny," Chloe replied through clenched teeth, trying to smile and take it. Now she wished she'd just driven her own car. The whole ride over Philip couldn't stop talking; and it's not that Chloe minded a talker but she'd hoped that Philip would have something, anything intelligent to say. He didn't. Philip had just been. . . stupid. God, there went her idea of setting him up with Harold. Harold would skin her alive if she had the gall to set him up with this one. "Umm. . . where's Brady?" She tried to turn around but Philip kept a firm grip around her shoulders and continued to the house.
"Don't worry about my nephew. He nodded off on the ride over."
"Lucky him," Chloe muttered under her breath.
"He's sleeping nice and peacefully in the back of the Jag. She's got a hard, steel body, top of the line insulation even in weather like this."
"What? Who?"
"My Jag." Philip rang the bell and grinned. "So he'll be fine."
Brady awoke to seeing the car parked in front of Belle and Shawn's house as Philip and Chloe walked to the door and were let in by Belle. Were they just going to start dinner without him!? And Philip was all over Chloe. He couldn't keep his hands off of her and she didn't seem to mind one bit. "Sonuvabitch," Brady muttered and hunched his shoulders in the cramped car to let himself out. His head was pounding. As he slammed the car door, he lost his balance and toppled to the grass, crutches and all. "Fuck," he shouted as he pulled himself up and dusted himself off.
"Hey mister?"
Brady looked around, first to his right and then his left. He then felt a small tug on his black dinner jacket and looked down. There stood a little sandy haired, blue-eyed girl whose head barely came up to Brady's knees. She was dressed as some kind of girl scout or brownie, whatever the hell they were called. 'Great Brady, corrupting kids with lessons in profanity use 101,' he thought to himself. "Hi, what's your name?"
"My mom says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." She held up a box filled with chocolate bars.
"No thank you. I'm not a big fan of chocolate," he smiled politely. She only looked at him with these big, blue doe eyes and Brady felt himself melting. "How much?"
"Just a dollar," she pouted.
"Just a dollar, huh?" He pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a crisp bill. "I only have a twenty." He handed her the bill.
"And I don't have any change," she stuck the bill in her money envelope.
"This better be some good chocolate," Brady sighed as she handed him the box. As he walked to the door, he couldn't help but smile. Maybe one day he'd have a child as adorable as that one. Yes, she was a cheeky little devil but adorable as hell. He'd bet Chloe was something like that in her younger years.
"Brady!" Belle yelled as she dragged her brother in and hugged him fiercely.
"House warming gift for your first pre-Thanksgiving dinner," Brady handed her the box of chocolate bars.
"Aww. . . thank you. Philip said you were asleep in his car. I was going to come get you when dinner arrived."
"Arrived?" Brady asked, taking off his jacket. "I thought you were cooking."
"Yes well, I was-"
"But it went up in smoke. . . Literally." Shawn teased, taking Brady's jacket and hanging it in the closet.
"Yes, thanks for reminding me, Shawn. So anyway, we ordered a couple of pizzas instead."
"Ha, ha," Brady laughed and pulled his sister to him as he kissed her temple. "Poor Belle." He walked with her into the spacious living room and took a seat on the couch. "Philip and Chloe?" Brady tried to keep his voice disinterested but where the hell were Philip and Chloe.
"Oh Chloe wanted some air-"
"In this weather? She's liable to catch a cold."
"That's what I said." Belle took a seat on the couch in between Shawn and Brady. "Anyway, Philip joined her out on the back porch. I'm sure he's busy warming her up."
"O. . . kay." Brady cleared his throat. "Uh, I guess Jason and Mimi are out there with them then?"
"Nope." Shawn replied, smiling. "Jase and Meems took a rain check and headed back to her place. Something about needing to get something done. They needed to get something done alright."
"Oh Shawn," Belle giggled as he nuzzled her ear.
Brady groaned.
**********
"Short version of the story?" Chloe leaned against the glass sliding door on the back porch. "I confessed my love for my best friend last night and he just stared at me like I was growing a third eye. And now I know he feels sorry for me and it's humiliating. I won't be pitied this way."
"Well, maybe it's just me but it seems like Brady is pretty interested in you."
"Well duh Philip. But I'm not just interested in Brady. I love him, really love him. He's so kind and so caring, and funny. . . and-"
"And gorgeous which I'm sure has a little to do with it," Philip laughed.
"And gorgeous," Chloe smiled dreamily. "You see we have this connection, this common bond that ties us together. We can talk about anything and nothing and it's the most wonderful thing in the world. And I know he feels it too. I know it. Dammit, even the tarot cards know it! But he just won't let me get close enough." She sighed and buried her face in her hands. "So yes, I was thinking- hoping rather- that you could. . . make him jealous."
"But Chloe, I'm not interested in you that way. I'm gay."
"Yes, Philip, I know that," Chloe rolled her eyes. "But apparently, your nephew does not know that.
"Really," Philip looked surprised.
"Yes, Philip. Don't look so surprised. Many heterosexual men lack that trait."
"Okay. Deal then. . . on one condition."
"That is?"
"You let me paint your nails tomorrow. That color is hideous for winter."
********
"So, it's just us five then!?" Philip announced as he strolled back into the room, Chloe at his side.
"As soon as the pizzas arrive." Shawn confirmed.
Philip pulled Chloe close and squeezed her tight, then looked a scowling Brady and then back at Chloe. "Yummy."
Dinner was uneventful to say the least. Shawn and Belle were engrossed in their own private conversation leading Brady to wonder why they invited anyone over at all. And Philip and Chloe, why they'd just been sickening, absolutely sickening. God, what did Chloe see in him? Philip was as dumb as a doorknob. And hell wasn't she just confessing her love for him, not Philip, the night before? God, this was a mess. She was too complicated. She made him think too much, feel too much. He loved her and now she was all over Philip. Brady didn't like it one bit.
"So does that make any sense to you?" Philip tossed his hair and laid his slice of veggie pizza on the gold-rimmed porcelain plate. "I mean, they say don't feed them after midnight 'cause they'll like reproduce and shit and there'll be like fifty Gremlins in your house by morning. But if you can't feed them after midnight, when can you feed them? Three am? Four? Five?"
"Dawn maybe? I don't know Philip but that's uh. . . really insightful there, yeah." Chloe tried to smile but really she was ready to go home and bury herself under the covers and read a good book. No man was worth this torture.
"I've always thought so. But then I've been told I think way too much. And you know what they say: Great minds and everything. . ." he trailed off.
"What!?" Brady finally spoke up. He'd been silent all through dinner, relying on dirty looks aimed at Chloe and Philip to get his feelings across.
"Hmm?" Philip grinned that fucking dimple-filled grin.
"You make absolutely no sense, you know that?"
"Ummm. . ." Philip looked confused.
"Brady, could you be any ruder? Jesus." Chloe chastised the simmering blonde man sitting across from them.
"Only if Philip can be more stupid, which I don't think is possible."
"Whoa, hold the cell phone there. I think I take offense to that." Philip stood from the table.
"Oh you think you do, do you?" Brady also stood, challenging Philip.
Philip took note of Brady's menacing size and strong physique and rethought the hasty dare. "Hah. . . ummm. . . kind of. I guess. Maybe not."
Chloe stood up, seeing that Philip was backing down. Who the hell was Brady to think he could push Philip around like that? "You do Philip, you do take offense."
"I do?"
"Yes, you do! You're sick of his holier than thou attitude." Chloe set her hands on her hips defiantly.
"I am?" Philip looked at Chloe nervously and back at Brady.
"Yes! You're a bully, Brady Black! Let me tell what you're sick of Philip! You're sick of the way he insists on keeping everyone at a distance, the way he closes himself off when you get too close, won't allow anyone to love him. You're sick of giving, giving, giving and not getting anything back! You're sick of pretending! In short: You're sick of him!"
Belle and Shawn were taking note of the ensuing fight taking place at their pre-Thanksgiving dinner party. If this was any indication of what was ahead for them in years to come, Belle would be sure to use paper plates and plastic utensils instead of her mother's fine china and expensive silverware.
"Ummm. . ." Philip scratched his head.
"Screw you, Chloe!" Brady shouted. "I didn't ask you to love me! I didn't even want you to love me! So stop trying to make me feel so fucking bad about this!"
"You're a jerk Brady Black! And I hate you! I hate you." Chloe was in tears now. "Philip, will you please take me home?"
"Yeah umm. . . yeah." Philip led Chloe from the room.
"Dammit!" Brady cursed as he heard the door slam. "Dammit," he ran a hand through his hair and hobbled to the door.
"Brady, I can take you home-" Shawn offered but Brady cut him off.
"No, thanks. I can walk."
"You'll freeze your ass off," Shawn replied.
"I'm used to it. Apparently, my heart's already frozen." He slammed the door.
Belle frowned. "That went well."
TBC. . . soon I hope :)
Chapter 11: Hands Off!
"But I said to him, I said, 'Hands off!'" Philip finished as walked with Chloe up Belle and Shawn's driveway towards the large, oak door.
"That's. . . funny," Chloe replied through clenched teeth, trying to smile and take it. Now she wished she'd just driven her own car. The whole ride over Philip couldn't stop talking; and it's not that Chloe minded a talker but she'd hoped that Philip would have something, anything intelligent to say. He didn't. Philip had just been. . . stupid. God, there went her idea of setting him up with Harold. Harold would skin her alive if she had the gall to set him up with this one. "Umm. . . where's Brady?" She tried to turn around but Philip kept a firm grip around her shoulders and continued to the house.
"Don't worry about my nephew. He nodded off on the ride over."
"Lucky him," Chloe muttered under her breath.
"He's sleeping nice and peacefully in the back of the Jag. She's got a hard, steel body, top of the line insulation even in weather like this."
"What? Who?"
"My Jag." Philip rang the bell and grinned. "So he'll be fine."
Brady awoke to seeing the car parked in front of Belle and Shawn's house as Philip and Chloe walked to the door and were let in by Belle. Were they just going to start dinner without him!? And Philip was all over Chloe. He couldn't keep his hands off of her and she didn't seem to mind one bit. "Sonuvabitch," Brady muttered and hunched his shoulders in the cramped car to let himself out. His head was pounding. As he slammed the car door, he lost his balance and toppled to the grass, crutches and all. "Fuck," he shouted as he pulled himself up and dusted himself off.
"Hey mister?"
Brady looked around, first to his right and then his left. He then felt a small tug on his black dinner jacket and looked down. There stood a little sandy haired, blue-eyed girl whose head barely came up to Brady's knees. She was dressed as some kind of girl scout or brownie, whatever the hell they were called. 'Great Brady, corrupting kids with lessons in profanity use 101,' he thought to himself. "Hi, what's your name?"
"My mom says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." She held up a box filled with chocolate bars.
"No thank you. I'm not a big fan of chocolate," he smiled politely. She only looked at him with these big, blue doe eyes and Brady felt himself melting. "How much?"
"Just a dollar," she pouted.
"Just a dollar, huh?" He pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a crisp bill. "I only have a twenty." He handed her the bill.
"And I don't have any change," she stuck the bill in her money envelope.
"This better be some good chocolate," Brady sighed as she handed him the box. As he walked to the door, he couldn't help but smile. Maybe one day he'd have a child as adorable as that one. Yes, she was a cheeky little devil but adorable as hell. He'd bet Chloe was something like that in her younger years.
"Brady!" Belle yelled as she dragged her brother in and hugged him fiercely.
"House warming gift for your first pre-Thanksgiving dinner," Brady handed her the box of chocolate bars.
"Aww. . . thank you. Philip said you were asleep in his car. I was going to come get you when dinner arrived."
"Arrived?" Brady asked, taking off his jacket. "I thought you were cooking."
"Yes well, I was-"
"But it went up in smoke. . . Literally." Shawn teased, taking Brady's jacket and hanging it in the closet.
"Yes, thanks for reminding me, Shawn. So anyway, we ordered a couple of pizzas instead."
"Ha, ha," Brady laughed and pulled his sister to him as he kissed her temple. "Poor Belle." He walked with her into the spacious living room and took a seat on the couch. "Philip and Chloe?" Brady tried to keep his voice disinterested but where the hell were Philip and Chloe.
"Oh Chloe wanted some air-"
"In this weather? She's liable to catch a cold."
"That's what I said." Belle took a seat on the couch in between Shawn and Brady. "Anyway, Philip joined her out on the back porch. I'm sure he's busy warming her up."
"O. . . kay." Brady cleared his throat. "Uh, I guess Jason and Mimi are out there with them then?"
"Nope." Shawn replied, smiling. "Jase and Meems took a rain check and headed back to her place. Something about needing to get something done. They needed to get something done alright."
"Oh Shawn," Belle giggled as he nuzzled her ear.
Brady groaned.
**********
"Short version of the story?" Chloe leaned against the glass sliding door on the back porch. "I confessed my love for my best friend last night and he just stared at me like I was growing a third eye. And now I know he feels sorry for me and it's humiliating. I won't be pitied this way."
"Well, maybe it's just me but it seems like Brady is pretty interested in you."
"Well duh Philip. But I'm not just interested in Brady. I love him, really love him. He's so kind and so caring, and funny. . . and-"
"And gorgeous which I'm sure has a little to do with it," Philip laughed.
"And gorgeous," Chloe smiled dreamily. "You see we have this connection, this common bond that ties us together. We can talk about anything and nothing and it's the most wonderful thing in the world. And I know he feels it too. I know it. Dammit, even the tarot cards know it! But he just won't let me get close enough." She sighed and buried her face in her hands. "So yes, I was thinking- hoping rather- that you could. . . make him jealous."
"But Chloe, I'm not interested in you that way. I'm gay."
"Yes, Philip, I know that," Chloe rolled her eyes. "But apparently, your nephew does not know that.
"Really," Philip looked surprised.
"Yes, Philip. Don't look so surprised. Many heterosexual men lack that trait."
"Okay. Deal then. . . on one condition."
"That is?"
"You let me paint your nails tomorrow. That color is hideous for winter."
********
"So, it's just us five then!?" Philip announced as he strolled back into the room, Chloe at his side.
"As soon as the pizzas arrive." Shawn confirmed.
Philip pulled Chloe close and squeezed her tight, then looked a scowling Brady and then back at Chloe. "Yummy."
Dinner was uneventful to say the least. Shawn and Belle were engrossed in their own private conversation leading Brady to wonder why they invited anyone over at all. And Philip and Chloe, why they'd just been sickening, absolutely sickening. God, what did Chloe see in him? Philip was as dumb as a doorknob. And hell wasn't she just confessing her love for him, not Philip, the night before? God, this was a mess. She was too complicated. She made him think too much, feel too much. He loved her and now she was all over Philip. Brady didn't like it one bit.
"So does that make any sense to you?" Philip tossed his hair and laid his slice of veggie pizza on the gold-rimmed porcelain plate. "I mean, they say don't feed them after midnight 'cause they'll like reproduce and shit and there'll be like fifty Gremlins in your house by morning. But if you can't feed them after midnight, when can you feed them? Three am? Four? Five?"
"Dawn maybe? I don't know Philip but that's uh. . . really insightful there, yeah." Chloe tried to smile but really she was ready to go home and bury herself under the covers and read a good book. No man was worth this torture.
"I've always thought so. But then I've been told I think way too much. And you know what they say: Great minds and everything. . ." he trailed off.
"What!?" Brady finally spoke up. He'd been silent all through dinner, relying on dirty looks aimed at Chloe and Philip to get his feelings across.
"Hmm?" Philip grinned that fucking dimple-filled grin.
"You make absolutely no sense, you know that?"
"Ummm. . ." Philip looked confused.
"Brady, could you be any ruder? Jesus." Chloe chastised the simmering blonde man sitting across from them.
"Only if Philip can be more stupid, which I don't think is possible."
"Whoa, hold the cell phone there. I think I take offense to that." Philip stood from the table.
"Oh you think you do, do you?" Brady also stood, challenging Philip.
Philip took note of Brady's menacing size and strong physique and rethought the hasty dare. "Hah. . . ummm. . . kind of. I guess. Maybe not."
Chloe stood up, seeing that Philip was backing down. Who the hell was Brady to think he could push Philip around like that? "You do Philip, you do take offense."
"I do?"
"Yes, you do! You're sick of his holier than thou attitude." Chloe set her hands on her hips defiantly.
"I am?" Philip looked at Chloe nervously and back at Brady.
"Yes! You're a bully, Brady Black! Let me tell what you're sick of Philip! You're sick of the way he insists on keeping everyone at a distance, the way he closes himself off when you get too close, won't allow anyone to love him. You're sick of giving, giving, giving and not getting anything back! You're sick of pretending! In short: You're sick of him!"
Belle and Shawn were taking note of the ensuing fight taking place at their pre-Thanksgiving dinner party. If this was any indication of what was ahead for them in years to come, Belle would be sure to use paper plates and plastic utensils instead of her mother's fine china and expensive silverware.
"Ummm. . ." Philip scratched his head.
"Screw you, Chloe!" Brady shouted. "I didn't ask you to love me! I didn't even want you to love me! So stop trying to make me feel so fucking bad about this!"
"You're a jerk Brady Black! And I hate you! I hate you." Chloe was in tears now. "Philip, will you please take me home?"
"Yeah umm. . . yeah." Philip led Chloe from the room.
"Dammit!" Brady cursed as he heard the door slam. "Dammit," he ran a hand through his hair and hobbled to the door.
"Brady, I can take you home-" Shawn offered but Brady cut him off.
"No, thanks. I can walk."
"You'll freeze your ass off," Shawn replied.
"I'm used to it. Apparently, my heart's already frozen." He slammed the door.
Belle frowned. "That went well."
TBC. . . soon I hope :)