Okay, one more and this is it for the rest of the week. Enjoy. See you over the weekend. And Wicklobo, are you out there somewhere? I haven't seen a reply from you forever.
"Ha! Yes, we win," Brooke crowed at Seth and Ryan as she put down her pool cue and smiled victoriously.
"Why did I get him as a partner," Ryan said handing over a twenty to Taylor while Brooke took a twenty from Seth and Summer took one from their waiter who'd been convinced Ryan, who looked like he knew what he was doing, could make up for the fact that Seth tended to send every ball he tried to hit flying off the table.
"You drew the short straw," Taylor smirked at him. "I told you that you'd be better off with Summer as a partner. She at least knows how to hold a cue."
"I'm very good at holding sticks," Summer said with a wicked smile.
"I can attest to that," Seth said.
"Ew," Brooke and Taylor said softly in unison while Ryan rolled his eyes.
"Hey Chino, Cohen," Luke Ward came over with one of his cronies. He nodded to Summer and Taylor and gave Brooke a leer which she returned. She rolled her eyes when Luke turned to talk to Ryan.
"What's going on," Ryan said neutrally.
"Just wondering if you guys were done with the table."
"Actually no," Summer said. "I promised to play loser and since they're done, Brooke, it's you and me."
Taylor, Ryan, and Seth hid knowing smiles as Brooke took a cue back from the rack and smiled sweetly at her step-cousin, "Now Summer, you have to go easy on me. I haven't really played this that much and legally we are family." She looked at the table, "Now, you hit the white ball so it hits a colored ball, right?"
"How do I know? I don't know much about this game either."
Taylor was covertly watching Luke and his friend exchange glances and wasn't surprised when he spoke up.
"Hey Roberts, why don't you and Brooke, was it, play me and Chip," Luke suggested.
"I wouldn't want to waste your time," Brooke said.
"Or your money," Summer said.
"You guys are playing for money," Chip asked.
"Twenty a game," Seth said.
"And I just barely beat Brooke," Taylor said. "I'm not that great at this game either. Ryan keeps trying to teach me but he kind of backed off after I pushed the cue into his stomach."
"I think he was afraid of getting hit lower," Seth said.
"Why don't we make it forty a game," Luke said.
"Each," Summer asked.
"Yeah, if you think you can handle that," Chip smiled, no doubt counting his money.
"I don't know," Brooke said.
"There's an ATM around the corner B," Taylor said. "You know, in case you get into trouble."
"I guess that'd be okay," Brooke said.
"Rack 'em up," Chip said, taking a cue for himself.
Taylor sat down in between Seth and Ryan as the three of them prepared to watch the game.
Ryan whispered in Taylor's ear, "So, does conning people run in your family?"
Taylor turned to him, "We only con people who deserve it and who can afford to lose it. You got your money back, remember?"
Ryan accepted her explanation with a shrug.
Seth whispered, "You three should become professionals."
"Professional pool hustlers? Oh yeah, I can just see Sandy and Kirsten loving that. Not to mention what Neil and Larry would say."
"Who's Larry?"
"Peyton's dad," Taylor smiled as Brooke sunk a ball and faked amazement at her luck. "He makes it a point to be a father figure to Brooke when he's around. I told you about him. He taught me to drive."
"Oh, right. Remind me to thank him if I ever meet him."
"You got it," Taylor smiled.
Seth called their attention back to him and his theory, "Well, anyway I'm serious. No one would ever suspect the three of you were hustling them. Not with your angel faces."
"It has nothing to do with our angel faces, Seth. It's the fact that guys are too ready and willing to believe that girls can't play pool."
"Well, I think these two are about to relearn that lesson," Ryan said, putting an arm around Taylor and she leaned into him.
"Is it wrong to enjoy this," Seth asked.
"No, I know I'm going to," Taylor smiled.
OCOCOCOCOC
"I can't believe they wanted to play you a third time," Taylor said as Brooke considered a pair of shoes in the mirror of the shoe store they were currently in.
"Tell me about it," Brooke said. "They were convinced it was beginner's luck. I think they're lucky Marissa showed up when she did or they'd be explaining to their parents why their bank accounts suddenly have no money in them."
"I would so love to hear that conversation. But you're right. Luke couldn't get out of there fast enough when he saw her," Taylor straightened out her leg and looked at the shoe on her foot. She needed a new pair of sneakers and she was kind of leaning towards the one currently on her feet. "Do you like these," she asked Brooke.
Brooke looked over her shoulder and nodded, "Yeah they're cute. Was it my imagination or did Marissa look particularly pissed when she saw Luke today?"
"She's always pissed lately. But now that you mention it, she did look like she wanted to say something to Luke when she went after him out the door."
"You think she knows?"
"Oh no. If she knew, she would've just started screaming at him. She probably thinks he has a new girlfriend, she just doesn't know who it is and that's what's pissing her off."
"Wouldn't exactly call her a girlfriend," Brooke said.
"So, what should we call her? Newport's Mrs. Robinson," Taylor ventured.
"Nice," Brooke laughed.
OCOCOCOCOCOC
"Are you sure you don't want us to take you to the airport," Summer asked of Brooke as she, Taylor, Seth, and Ryan stood in the foyer of the Roberts' house.
"Yes, I'm sure. Airport good-byes always make me feel like I'm in some hideously old black and white movie."
"Well, here's looking at you kid," Seth teased as he hugged her.
"Such a cornball," Brooke hugged him and smiled. "But I love ya anyway."
"Me too," Seth said, letting her go and stepping back.
"I think I'm gonna like having you for a cousin," Summer said, giving Brooke a hug.
"I'm just glad you finally realized there are girls out there that know the world doesn't revolve around them."
"Me too," Summer smiled as she let go of Brooke and went to Seth's side. "This summer's gonna be fun."
"Hell yeah," Brooke smiled.
"Take care, Brooke," Ryan said, putting his hands in his pockets and smiling at her.
"You too, Atwood," Brooke said. "You're a good guy. Don't let anyone tell you different."
Ryan nodded.
Brooke turned to Taylor, "Don't cry."
"I won't if you won't," Taylor smiled.
"Well, I won't if you won't."
"Well, I won't if you won't," Taylor said. "But I miss you already."
Brooke hugged her, "I'll be back in less than two months and then I'll be here for almost three months. Think of all the guys we can hustle when I come back."
Taylor laughed, giving her cousin a squeeze and releasing her when she heard the honk of the cab's horn.
"We got your bags," Ryan said, taking the handle of Brooke's suitcase while Seth took Brooke's carry on and the boys walked out the door.
"And I'm gonna go pretend I have something to do upstairs," Summer said before she turned and walked up the stairs.
Taylor and Brooke walked outside with their arms around the other's waist.
"Don't forget to call me when you get home and do your best to talk Peyton into coming with you. I know she's still in her dramatic phase with Nathan but I think she needs to have a good summer and to see what guys can be like when their father isn't running their life and living out their faded dreams of glory through their offspring."
"We so need to hide all of Neil's old psych books from you," Brooke rolled her eyes.
Taylor giggled and gave Brooke one last hug before the brunette got into the cab, closing the door behind her. She looked out the window at Taylor and tapped her fingertips on the glass before the car drove away.
"You okay," Ryan asked her quietly, sliding his arms around her waist, hands resting on her stomach just above the hem of her shirt.
Taylor smiled and nodded, putting her hands on top of his, "Yeah, I'm good."
"You are evil and you must be destroyed," Seth suddenly said.
Ryan looked at him like he was crazy but Taylor smiled.
"Steel Magnolias," she said.