shi—stuff—he brought me!”
Connor’s excitement has always been contagious, but today, it’s on a whole new level.
When Connor calls him Brec, it dawns on me that he must have introduced himself to me that way as well. With the music blaring in the nightclub, it was easy to misunderstand. I mean, what kind of name is Brec anyway?
Shuddering at the thought of seeing him again, I shout back, “Can’t, honey! Gotta go out. Getting in the shower!” Before Abby has a chance to question me, I rush to the bathroom.
There isn’t anywhere I need to be today—or any Saturday, for that matter. But the one place I don’t need to be is downstairs, in the same room as the gorgeous guy I haven’t stopped thinking about. Obviously, he can’t say the same about me, because there wasn’t even a flicker of recognition in his eyes earlier.
After an hour and a half in the bathroom, I walk down the stairs and hold my breath, hoping Adonis has left. Just my luck, he’s sprawled out on the couch, an Xbox controller in his hands. Looks like Connor talked him into the UFC game, and it’s no surprise that Breccan chose to play as himself. I have no idea who Connor’s fighter is, but from the shouts coming from the couch, I can tell that Breccan isn’t going easy on him.
Dropping his controller, Connor exclaims, “Aww, man! TKO again.”
“Sorry, kid. It’s what I do.” With a laugh, Breccan ruffles his hair.
I expect Connor to shrug him off; it’s what he does when I try to do that very thing. But he just beams and replies, “I know. Your name is KO for a reason. I just can’t believe, even in a game, you’re knocking people out.”
Breccan smirks and bumps Connor with his shoulder. “What can I say? I’m the champ. What’s next? Want to play Madden?”
Connor’s face lights up, and he jumps off the couch to change the games. But then he turns back towards his idol and asks, “You don’t have to go? I mean, I don’t want you to. I just thought you would have better stuff to do than hang out with a sick kid.”
My heart breaks a little at his obvious desperation, and I’m fearful of what Breccan’s response will be. I open my mouth to interject and hopefully change the subject, but before I have the chance, Breccan surprises me.
“Dude, I carved out this whole day to hang out with you. I can’t think of anything that’s much better than playing Xbox all day long with a buddy, can you?” The honesty on his face tells me that he isn’t just blowing smoke up Connor’s ass.
Connor’s face lights up with his megawatt smile, and my heart practically melts. Realizing I’m teetering on the bottom step, I take a deep breath to steady myself. Before I get caught eavesdropping—or, worse, fall again—I head towards the kitchen.
As I pass through the hall, Breccan’s head snaps up. His gaze hones in on me. He flashes me a wide smile that has me stumbling and my face flushing. He chuckles to himself, clearly aware of the effect he’s having on me and enjoying it. His eyes flicker for just a moment and I think, He does remember me. But, just as quickly, the look disappears.
I quicken my steps to get out of his sight and into the kitchen, where my sister’s fussing over treats. I glance back at him and see that he’s watching me. As I walk into the kitchen, he winks at me.
Jackass.
“Arrogant,” I whisper in Abby’s ear.
She’s bent over, pulling cookies out of the oven, and almost drops the tray. “Dammit, Sidney!” she snaps when she recovers her grip.
Lifting one shoulder in a half shrug, I snatch a cookie off a plate. “Payback for earlier, I guess”
Swatting it out of my hand, she grins. “Oh, hell no. Those are for our guest. If you want one, you have to take that plate out to him first.”
I want to tell her that I didn’t want one anyway, but that would be childish of me. And a lie. There isn’t much that Abby does that could qualify as motherly, but baking cookies is one. It’s
Connor’s excitement has always been contagious, but today, it’s on a whole new level.
When Connor calls him Brec, it dawns on me that he must have introduced himself to me that way as well. With the music blaring in the nightclub, it was easy to misunderstand. I mean, what kind of name is Brec anyway?
Shuddering at the thought of seeing him again, I shout back, “Can’t, honey! Gotta go out. Getting in the shower!” Before Abby has a chance to question me, I rush to the bathroom.
There isn’t anywhere I need to be today—or any Saturday, for that matter. But the one place I don’t need to be is downstairs, in the same room as the gorgeous guy I haven’t stopped thinking about. Obviously, he can’t say the same about me, because there wasn’t even a flicker of recognition in his eyes earlier.
After an hour and a half in the bathroom, I walk down the stairs and hold my breath, hoping Adonis has left. Just my luck, he’s sprawled out on the couch, an Xbox controller in his hands. Looks like Connor talked him into the UFC game, and it’s no surprise that Breccan chose to play as himself. I have no idea who Connor’s fighter is, but from the shouts coming from the couch, I can tell that Breccan isn’t going easy on him.
Dropping his controller, Connor exclaims, “Aww, man! TKO again.”
“Sorry, kid. It’s what I do.” With a laugh, Breccan ruffles his hair.
I expect Connor to shrug him off; it’s what he does when I try to do that very thing. But he just beams and replies, “I know. Your name is KO for a reason. I just can’t believe, even in a game, you’re knocking people out.”
Breccan smirks and bumps Connor with his shoulder. “What can I say? I’m the champ. What’s next? Want to play Madden?”
Connor’s face lights up, and he jumps off the couch to change the games. But then he turns back towards his idol and asks, “You don’t have to go? I mean, I don’t want you to. I just thought you would have better stuff to do than hang out with a sick kid.”
My heart breaks a little at his obvious desperation, and I’m fearful of what Breccan’s response will be. I open my mouth to interject and hopefully change the subject, but before I have the chance, Breccan surprises me.
“Dude, I carved out this whole day to hang out with you. I can’t think of anything that’s much better than playing Xbox all day long with a buddy, can you?” The honesty on his face tells me that he isn’t just blowing smoke up Connor’s ass.
Connor’s face lights up with his megawatt smile, and my heart practically melts. Realizing I’m teetering on the bottom step, I take a deep breath to steady myself. Before I get caught eavesdropping—or, worse, fall again—I head towards the kitchen.
As I pass through the hall, Breccan’s head snaps up. His gaze hones in on me. He flashes me a wide smile that has me stumbling and my face flushing. He chuckles to himself, clearly aware of the effect he’s having on me and enjoying it. His eyes flicker for just a moment and I think, He does remember me. But, just as quickly, the look disappears.
I quicken my steps to get out of his sight and into the kitchen, where my sister’s fussing over treats. I glance back at him and see that he’s watching me. As I walk into the kitchen, he winks at me.
Jackass.
“Arrogant,” I whisper in Abby’s ear.
She’s bent over, pulling cookies out of the oven, and almost drops the tray. “Dammit, Sidney!” she snaps when she recovers her grip.
Lifting one shoulder in a half shrug, I snatch a cookie off a plate. “Payback for earlier, I guess”
Swatting it out of my hand, she grins. “Oh, hell no. Those are for our guest. If you want one, you have to take that plate out to him first.”
I want to tell her that I didn’t want one anyway, but that would be childish of me. And a lie. There isn’t much that Abby does that could qualify as motherly, but baking cookies is one. It’s
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