Taking Chances
Page 121

“You do realize we don’t have a pool, right?” I called to their retreating forms.
“Don’t care!”
“I’m going to end up punching someone, aren’t I?” Brandon grumbled from behind me.
“Probably.” I sighed and looked up at him, glad to see he was smiling. “When are you going to start the grill?”
“Already did after I let them in. I’ll put the burgers on a bit after everyone else gets here.”
“Thank you.” I kissed his soft lips and relaxed further into his chest, “And thank you for this, I think it’ll be a good day.”
“I think you’re right.” He lifted me up and sat me on the counter, gave me another kiss that almost reduced me to a puddle and walked over to Jeremy, “Come help me with the ice chests.”
“Brandon! I just barely got down from the counter, and Jeremy had to help me!”
“I know.” He smiled wickedly and walked out to the garage.
I turned to Konrad, “Care to help?”
“Ya know, I forgot to get the ice from the store…wanna go with me baby?” He grabbed Bree’s hand and led her quickly out of the kitchen.
Jerks.
Looking to the only person left in the room I added dryly, “Want to join?”
Aubrey walked up next to me and had to jump three times before she got enough leverage to lift herself all the way up.
“They’re really high up, right? It’s not just me?”
“No, it’s definitely not just you.” She said softly and tucked her hair behind her ears, “Thank you so much for having us, this is really sweet of you.”
“Of course! It’s fun to do. I apologize in advance if it gets rowdy. I don’t know much about the guys coming.”
She laughed and swung her legs back and forth, “That’s fine.”
Man, did I talk this soft too? “So tell me, how did you meet Jeremy?”
“Um, school.”
“Oh yeah? How long have you been dating?”
Aubrey blushed fiercely and looked over to the door leading to the garage, “Only a week. He asked me out a few times last year, we were Chemistry partners, but I don’t know…he scared me.”
“What? Why?”
“Well I mean, besides his size, he’s really popular and outgoing. He was already popular after his first week at the school, and I knew a lot of girls liked him. I don’t know. Guys like him don’t date girls like me, I thought it was a joke.”
The first half of that didn’t surprise me one bit. He’d really filled out in the last year, was built just like Brandon, and looked exactly like him. Their size was intimidating, and they were incredibly handsome. But what the hell? “I’m sorry, I must be missing something, girls like you?”
“He plays football and is the captain of the soccer team, I’m not into sports or anything school related really.”
“If he’s dating you, then I’m pretty sure that doesn’t matter at all to him. You’re gorgeous Aubrey, and you seem really sweet, it’s not hard to see why he likes you. Jeremy doesn’t just date girls…actually, he hasn’t had a girlfriend in the two years that I’ve been with Brandon. So for him to ask you out is a big thing for him. And those boys don’t have a cruel bone in their body, he would never date you as a joke. He’s just like his brother, they’re extremely protective and devoted to the girls in their life. Nothing less.”
She blushed again, “You and Brandon are so perfect together. Jeremy’s told me so much about you both, and seeing you together is cute. It’s obvious how much you love each other.”
I smiled and leaned back on my hands, “We are definitely in love.”
Brandon and Jeremy walked through carrying two ice chests and smiled widely upon seeing us on the counter. Jeremy couldn’t tear his eyes from Aubrey. Oh he was such a goner.
“So then, you’re not into sports, what are you into?”
Aubrey was looking at Jeremy’s back and biting the corner of her bottom lip, “Um, what?” She blinked her doe-like eyes at me.
“Interests,” I laughed and nudged her side, “what are your interests? Besides Jeremy.”
“Oh,” there goes that blush again, I think I’ve met my match in the blushing department, “well I like photography, and I read a lot.”
“What do you read?” I never got into reading, the only books in my house growing up were by Stephen E. Ambrose, R. Lee Ermey or Tom Clancy and those didn’t exactly pique my interest.
“Anything with a love story. I love love triangles.”
How is that exciting? I was in the middle of a love triangle not long ago. It wasn’t exactly fun. I just nodded my head, “And photography?”
She touched the large bag at her side, I’m guessing she had her camera in there, “Anything really. Scenery, people, flowers…” She trailed off.
“I’d like to see them sometime, if that’s okay with you.”
“See what?” Jeremy asked as he jogged back into the kitchen, planting himself between Aubrey’s legs, his hands resting lightly on her waist.
“She said she likes photography.”
Jeremy glanced up at me briefly, “Oh man sis, you should see her stuff, she’s really good. She has her camera with her, why don’t you show her what you have on there Aubrey?”