Give Me Something (25 page)

“
Great,” he said through a gritted smile when he saw Nick saunter into the kitchen.

“
Hey big brother,” Nick greeted as he leaned up against the counter.  “Happy Thanksgiving,” The sarcasm in his voice pretty much reached over the counter and slapped Tucker in the face.  “I finally get a chance to see where the great James Kline raised his favorite offspring.”

Tucker inhaled a deep breath through his flared nostrils and took a step toward Nick.   Locking my pinky finger with his, I gave his hand a little tug.  He looked at me and checked his hostility, before he turned back to Nick.  “Have a drink,
bro
,” he forced out and handed the glass to Nick before stepping into the other room with me in tow.

As he pulled me into the bedroom, I nervously waited for him to unleash on me.  “What is he doing here?” he calmly asked, turning to face me.

My cheeks exhaled a sigh. “I'm sorry I didn't tell you.  I didn't think he'd show up.  When I went to invite Brynn, Nick was there.  Apparently they're dating or whatever,” I shrugged.  Tucker's brow furrowed in disbelief.  “I know, right?”

He placed his hands on my shoulders. “You're okay with this?  With them being here... together?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “I guess.”

“
Okay.”  He took a step to head out the door.

“
Okay?”  I stopped him, still not convinced.  “Are you okay with this?”

“
Yeah,” he agreed.  “I mean, I hate the fact that he's here, but I'm going to really try to get along with him for you.  If you're okay, I'm okay.”  He took another step toward the door.  “Actually,” he continued as he turned back.  “I'm shocked that you aren't a little bit upset about
them.
” He nodded his head toward the kitchen.

“
It is what it is, right?  What they chose to do is their business.” I shrugged it off.  “I told you I was over him.”  I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck, pulling him close.  “I wasn't lying.”

“
I know.” He pressed his lips to mine.  As he started to back away, I nipped his bottom lip.  “We have guests,” he playfully scolded.  “Don't start something we don't have time to finish.”

“
It doesn't take you that long,” I sarcastically replied stepping into the en suite bathroom

The look of shock at my accusation slid away as wicked grin surfaced.  “You're gonna regret that,” he fired back, following me into the bathroom and quickly shutting the door.

The party was in full swing by the time we checked 'bathroom counter' off our list of furniture.  When we walked back into the kitchen, Nick and Brynn had introduced themselves to Craig and Kelly, who had already helped themselves to drinks, and the two unfamiliar faces laughing with them.

“
I'll get you a drink,” Tucker told me as he released my hand and stepped toward the counter, greeting his guests along the way.

“
Hey girl,” Kelly said and accosted me in her usual bear hug fashion. “Your friends let us in.  You two were... busy,” she laughed, smoothing my hair down with look knowing exactly of how it got messed up in the first place.

“
It's good to see you!” I smiled through the embarrassment that had taken over my face.  “How was your Thanksgiving?”  The subjected needed to be changed.  Of course people knew that we were having sex in the grand scheme of things, but it was just a little unnerving to know that they knew we'd just had it right now.  Like less than five minutes ago.

“
Good.  Had lunch with Craig's family and his mom and dad graciously offered to keep the kids overnight so we could come hang out with you guys.  We don't get a free night too often, so I'm excited,” she lilted.

“
Well, I'm glad you're here,” Tucker said, handing me a drink and pulling her into a hug.  “Now let's get drunk,” he laughed, taking a swig from his glass.

“
I'm so rude!” Kelly exclaimed and turned back to me.  “I didn't introduce you.” She pointed to the unknowns.  “That's my brother, Jesse, and his girlfriend, Alyssa.” The couple pulled their eyes from each other when they heard their names. “And this is Lila.” Kelly pointed me out to them.  They each smiled and nodded politely but quickly fell back into their previously intense gaze.

Jesse looked just like his sister – green eyes, coal black hair, uncharacteristically good looking – and Alyssa was equally as blessed with her thick, chocolate colored hair and matching eyes all laid out on a flawless almond complexion.  I was starting to think that only beautiful people were bred in this town, but then I remembered the red headed skank at the bar and all was right with the world. 

It was sickeningly sweet how in love Jesse and Alyssa were.  Is that what Tucker and I looked like?  I wondered, taking in the way they mirrored each others every move.  He inhaled, she inhaled.  She leaned left, he leaned left.

  “
They're home for a couple weeks.  I hope you don't mind, Tuck,” Kelly interjected.

“
Are you kidding?” He walked up behind Jesse and squeezed his shoulders in his hands.  “I'm glad this kid's here.  He seriously kicked my ass arm wrestling last time he was home and I need to get my money back.”

“
Good luck with that,” Jesse smirked, nonchalantly flexing his very toned arm in Tucker's face.  I'd say the two of them were equally matched, and the idea of watching them arm wrestle gave me and every other girl in the room, a little bit of an excited chill.  “How about a peace offering before I take your money, rich boy?”

Nick tried to stifle a laugh, at Jesse's nickname for Tucker.  My eyes shot daggers in his direction.  Nick may have been invited to the party, but he wasn't invited to stir shit up.

“I'm listening...” Tucker's interest was piqued.

Alyssa placed her bag on the counter.  “We made a little pit stop on our drive home.” She grinned.  “Tennessee's finest,” she boasted, placing two Mason jars filled with clear liquid on the counter.

“Well, Happy Thanksgiving,” Tucker laughed before answering the unspoken question of 'what the hell is that?' I had on my face.  “Moonshine, babe,” he explained as he twisted the lid of one and held it out for me to smell.  I could tell from the way it burned my nostrils that it was for serious drinking.

“
I hope you aren't expecting me to drink that.” My nose wrinkled as I backed away from the high-octane booze.

“
You don't drink it.  You sip it,” Craig laughed.  “You drink it too fast and you'll be flat on your ass in no time.”

“
Well then, let's get to sippin'.”  Nick quickly grabbed one of the jars and started filling glasses for everyone.

Maybe it was just the 'shine, but the evening actually ended up being a blast.  I knew that Brynn and Nick were good at putting on a show, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves too.  Kelly and Craig shared a few stories with me about Tucker's high school days.  I sometimes forgot that my sweet country boy was once man- whore.

“Ask your boy how he got that scar on his nose,” Craig chuckled as Tucker winced at thought of sharing that story.

“
Yeah,” Kelly chimed in with a slight slur, “didn't you get that when Mr. Richardson found you in bed with his wife?”

“
I think Lila's heard enough!” He wrapped his arm around my neck and kissed my cheek.  “Sorry,” he whispered in my ear.

“
It's fine,” I said and brushed my hand over his cheek.  “The past is the past, right?” 

He winked and then turned his attention back to Craig.  “Why don't you tell the one about Kelly's dad chasing your naked ass down the street with a baseball bat?”

Jesse started laughing. “That was awesome!  I really thought he was going to kill him!”

Kelly hid her crimson cheeks behind Craig's shoulder.  He went on the defense. “What are the odds they'd come home on the same night I charmed this one out of her panties for the first time?” 

When Kelly finally revealed her face, she offered me a coy smile and shrug.  “I think it was the fact that they found us on the bar pool table that sent him on the war path.”

“
I knew any girl who wears red cowboy boots has a wild side,” I winked. 
Oh, those boots.

Alyssa got a little chatty as the alcohol took effect adding an unnecessary giggle between words as she rattled in my ear with talk of her life in Florida and her undying love for the green-eyed boy sitting across the room.  I didn't mind talking to her.  In fact, I actually thought it might be possible that I could be friends with this girl. Kelly too, for that matter.  Including Jenna, and the other non-groupies at the sorority, I was slowly building a list of girl friends and for once I didn't think they were all out for themselves.  It kind of left me with the warm and fuzzies, even despite the fact the last real girlfriend I had pretty much stabbed me in the back.  Sure, Brynn and I were being friendly now, but I'd never trust her again.  The only reason I chose not to cut all ties to her now was because she was with Nick. 

I could tell by the smile on Jesse's face, as he and Alyssa share stolen glances across the room, that he was as in love as her as she was with him.  I'd meant it when I said the country was having a serious effect on my soul. Coupled the with the warming effect of the liquor,  all I could think about was putting my arms around the guy who was now absent from the party.  I jumped up to go find him.

There was no way that any one was capable of driving home that night, so I wasn't surprised when I found Tucker pulling pillows and blankets from a hall closet for everyone.  What did surprise me was that Nick was actually helping him.  I watched the two of them casually converse and it warmed my heart to think that they might actually be working toward a relationship.  Aside from the smart-ass comments he made when he'd arrived, the old Nick hadn't surfaced and it seemed like Tucker was really trying to keep the peace.

“Hey babe,” Tucker said when he caught me staring at them.  “What's up?”

“
I was just coming to see if you needed a hand.” I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his waist.  “But it looks like you two have it under control.”

When he leaned down and brushed his nose against mine, we became lost in each others eyes.  It wasn't until Nick cleared his throat that I remembered he was standing there.

“Okay, then.  I'm gonna take these,” he uttered and grabbed the pillows from under Tucker's arm, “and go.”

“
Sorry,” I mumbled with an embarrassed grin, confirming the fact that we did indeed look like Jesse and Alyssa – lovesick puppies.  “I'll help you get settled,” I said to Nick and gave Tucker one last look before following Nick into the living room.  Brynn had already passed out on the couch, and the other couples had scrambled off to their own rooms.  When I reached his side, he was in heavy thought staring up at the picture of Tucker and his parents.  “I didn't see it before,” I admitted as I nudged my shoulder against his.  “You do kind of look like him.

“
You think?” he asked with a bittersweet smile.  It had to be hard for him and even though he acted like he was too tough to let it affect him, I knew deep down he just wanted to know the guy that was staring down at him.  I liked to think that, in Nick's twisted way, the plan he'd concocted to take his money was really just an attempt to find out about the man who'd abandoned him.

“
Yeah. The hair's the same.  And the way he holds his shoulders back when he smiles.  You do that, too.”

He shrugged. “I guess I see it a little bit.”

“What he did was shitty, but he had good qualities too.  Maybe Tucker could tell you about him sometime.”

“
Maybe” He relented, rocking back into me.  “Thanks for inviting us, Rae.  I never did get a chance to apologize for the way you found out about Brynn and me.”

I started to shake my head, not wanting to hear the sordid details.

“It didn't happen the way you think,” he continued, despite my protest.  “Yeah, I'd been teaching her the tricks of the trade, but that was only because I knew you were done.  The other part just recently happened, after I knew you were with Tucker.”

“
It's fine, Nick.  Really.” I turned to face him.  “Do what you want.  Just be happy.”  He smiled.  “Just please tell me that the money I gave you, which we are paying back to Tucker immediately,” I added in for good karma, “did not go to purchase that little love shack you've been staying in?”

“
I didn't I swear.  Brynn squeezed that out of some contractor we worked over a while ago.”

“
Good,” I replied, grateful that Nick at least had the good sense to not use the money I'd stolen to support her. “Not good that you two are still using people.  I really wish you'd give that life up, Nick.  You're meant for better things.”

“
Thanks, Rae.” His usual hard exterior softened and for a minute I got a glimpse of the scrawny kid from the South Side who helped me claw my way out the projects – the same kid I knew and loved as my best friend before we let all the other shit get in the way.

“
Ready for bed?”  Tucker stepped up behind me, taking my hand in his.