Kyle leaned back into the passenger seat of Evie's car as they headed to ninety-four. St. Paul was a good twenty minutes away from school, but Kyle wished it were twenty years away. The only time he ever wanted to meet her parents was at Justin's wedding... and introduced as Justin's brother, nothing else. For the first few minutes of the ride, Evie started to grill him with responses and how to talk to her father. Kyle just stared out the window, feeling his stomach doing somersaults over and over again.
"I don't think it'll be effective if you throw up on my father's feet," she said, and Kyle frowned.
"I can't help it. I don't even know your parents yet, but they make me nervous. If they're so controlling, then I don't even want to know them."
"Then you must have some idea how I feel every second of every day!"
Kyle nodded. Just as they were about to get onto the ninety-four entrance ramp, Evie pulled into a side street and found a parking place in the lot of an old looking store that looked like it probably closed down at five every day.
"What are you doing?" Kyle wanted to know, grabbing onto the door as she turned off the car. "We're going to be late."
"Good."
Kyle watched as she unbuckled herself and then reached over to unbuckle him. She climbed over the seats and landed in his lap. "Um, Evie... what are you doing?"
"If you're going to get through this dinner," she started, running the tip of her index finger from his bellybutton to his chin. "Then you're going to have to be relaxed."
"I'll repeat my question," Kyle gulped. "What the hell are you doing?"
"This." She leaned in and kissed him gently at first, but then, as her things got more intense, she reached down to his belt buckle. Both of them nearly jumped out of their skins when there was a tap on the window. A flashlight was shining into their eyes from outside of the car. Since Evie appeared to be frozen with fear, Kyle reached over and pushed the button to roll the window down.
Standing there and not looking very pleased, was a young cop with brown hair. First he shined the flashlight on Evie's face, then on Kyle's.
"Do I have to get your sister over here, or do you want to get back into the driver's seat and take this somewhere else?" he asked. "And what the hell are you doing with Justin's brother?"
"Blake, this isn't what it looks like," Evie started, but Blake only smiled.
"Then please, enlighten me on what's actually going on, because it looks to me like you were using private property to carry on... whatever that was you were doing."
Evie smiled sweetly at him. "Would you believe me if I told you I had a flat tire?"
Blake shook his head. "Try again."
"If I promised to be gone in ten seconds, will you promise not to write us up?"
"Okay, you're getting off easy this time, but promise me you'll take Justin's brother home. He'll only get you in trouble."
"You don't even know me," Kyle shot back at him.
Blake looked down at him, shining the flashlight right in his eyes. "I found you passed out on the floor last summer at that party. Don't tell me that you're not trouble. You're just like your brother."
Evie grabbed his flashlight and pointed it away from Kyle's face. "Leave him alone, Blake. This is my fault, not his. We'll be gone before you know it. And please, don't tell my sister. She's got enough on her plate as it is."
"Fine," Blake complied. "But the next place I want to see the two of you together at is Adelyn's wedding. Please, just stay out of trouble."
"We will," Evie promised. "Good-bye." She pressed the button to roll up the window and then climbed back into her seat to start up the car.
"Why did you do that?" Kyle wanted to know as they pulled out of the parking lot and as far away from Blake and Adelyn as they could get.
"You're cute when you're nervous," she told him. "And don't complain. You know what you would have happened if Adelyn's nosy partner didn't interrupt."
"That's not what I meant. Why did you tell him not to tell Adelyn on us? I thought you wanted her to know that we were together."
For a moment, Evie was silent as she drove. "I don't know," she finally admitted as they pulled onto the entrance ramp to ninety-four west. "I guess I just wasn't thinking."
Evie practically had to drag Kyle out of the car and to the front door. Before going inside, she grabbed his arms and looked him over. "Why are you wearing that?"
"You said your parents were rich... and I wanted to look nice," he explained. "Is there something wrong with it?" He was wearing a blue polo, black slacks and if she didn't know any better, it looked like he'd stolen a pair of shiny black shoes from Justin's closet.
"Yes, there's something wrong with it!" she hissed at him. "I think you're missing the point here, Kyle. You're not trying to impress my parents, you're supposed to make them not like you!"
"But I've never tried to make someone not like me before," Kyle told her, sounding helpless.
She could tell by the look on his face that he didn't want to be there, and in a way, she kind of felt bad for pulling him into her mess. "Untuck your shirt," she said anyway. "And remember what we talked about in the car."
With a frown, Kyle reluctantly pulled his shirt out from his pants. "You better thank me for this when it's over, Evie," he mumbled.
"Don't worry," she said, lightly poking him in the ribs. "I will." As she slipped one arm around his waist, she pushed the door open and pulled him inside. "Kiss me," she whispered just as she saw her father rounding the corner of the enormous front hall.
Kyle leaned down and kissed her, but softly. He was so nervous he could barely do anything else. But apparently, Evie could because she put her hands on each side of his face and deepened their kiss just as her father cleared his throat loudly. Kyle tried to pull away, but Evie wouldn't let him go until she was ready. He didn't like where this night was headed.
"Evelyn Brady!" her father's voice boomed, echoing through the hallway and up the walls of the high ceiling.
Finally, Evie let Kyle go and turned to smile at her father. She replaced her arms back around Kyle and then turned to smile at her father. "I'm sorry, Daddy, I didn't see you there."
He approached them slowly, seeming to take an eternity getting there, and Kyle was sure that his face was the same color as the white walls surrounding him. Evie's father had his eyes fixed on Kyle, and he wasn't smiling. Kyle had the sudden urge to tuck his shirt back in, but he remained frozen stiff under the man's heavy gaze.
"Evelyn," Mr. Brady started, yet didn't take his eyes off of Kyle. "Is there a reason why your new boyfriend looks strangely similar to your sister's fiancé? Did they start financing a cloning project at that school of yours or something?"
Evie laughed nervously, but her smile never lapsed. "Daddy..." she said, "This is Justin's brother, Kyle. I guess I forgot to tell Mom that before. Whoops!"
Mr. Brady did not looked pleased. In fact, Kyle thought he noticed the man's face turn a slightly deeper shade of red. He didn't say anything.
"We met in chemistry class, believe it or not," Evie continued. "We're lab partners."
"Chemistry?" Mr. Brady huffed. "I'm not paying for you to take science classes."
Kyle frowned. With all the money this family must have floating in stocks and in bank accounts, he was shocked that Evie's father was complaining about the tuition to a state college.
Evie only smiled at him.
"Dinner's been ready for a half hour. You're late," Mr. Brady huffed, spinning around on his heel and leading the way to the dining room.
Kyle felt Evie's fingers weave between his own, and he held on tight. Her father made him nervous, and he didn't want to let go of her yet. They rounded the corner and a marvelous dining room came into view. Everything was decked out in the finest of things. The walls were painted wine red to match the flowing drapery that covered the large windows. Tall, cream colored candlesticks lined the center of the table in fancy silver holdings. Kyle felt incredibly out of place.
Evie led him around the table and stopped in front of two seats. "Sit down," she whispered.
Just as the two of them took their seats, and Mr. Brady took his at the end of the table, Mrs. Brady entered the room in a most expensive looking outfit. Her hair matched Evie's except for the enchanting white stripe that fell from her temple, and her smile practically disappeared when her blue eyes met Kyle's.
Kyle gulped.
"Mom, this is Kyle. Remember? I was telling you about him."
Mrs. Brady nodded curtly. "It's nice to meet you, Kyle. You're Mr. Timberlake's brother, are you not?"
Kyle wanted to leave, but he nodded anyway. What kind of future mother-in-law called her future son-in-law by his last name? "It's nice to meet you, too," he choked out as Evie elbowed him. Apparently that wasn't was he was supposed to say.
"It's nice to see that you have more manners than your brother."
Kyle's jaw dropped. Justin had more manners than anyone he knew. "Excuse me?"
Mrs. Brady turned to look at him before she sat down opposite of her husband. "Your brother. He has no manners."
Mr. Brady cleared his throat. "I wouldn't speak so quickly, honey. You didn't witness his display of affection for our daughter in the hallway just moments ago."
Kyle's fingers gripped the edges of his chair as he stared straight ahead, trying to remain in control. He was sure his face was probably turning pink. He was beginning to understand why Evie wanted to get rid of her parents so much. They were horrible!
Three servants arrived with the food, setting in front of them on the table. Kyle didn't even recognize half of it.
"Tell me about yourself, Kyle," Mrs. Brady went on while everyone picked up their forks. "What are you going to school for?"
Kyle tried to smile. "I'm an artist," he lied. "I know that kind of career doesn't bring in a lot of money, but I do what I love."
Mr. and Mrs. Brady exchanged sour looks.
"Why do something that doesn't make you happy, I figured," Kyle went on as he stuck his fork into... well, whatever it was on his plate. A black juice squirted out, but he put it in his mouth anyway. Hopefully he wouldn't actually throw up on the dinner table. He chewed. It tasted like a cross between peanut butter and Spam. How delightful.
"What was it like to grow up without a father figure in your life?" Mr. Brady wanted to know, apparently deciding to change the subject. However, this was the last subject Kyle wished to discuss. He choked down his food... if you could even call it that, and then looked back up at Mr. Brady.
"I had a father figure," he insisted. "My brother is the best thing that ever happened to me."
It was Mrs. Brady's turn to clear her throat. "And what about my daughter? How do you feel about my daughter?"
Evie nudged him, but he looked back at her with pleading eyes. He couldn't honestly say what she wanted him to say. Not in front of these people... her parents!
She nudged him again, this time harder than before.
"She's the best sex I've ever had." And it wasn't a lie either... though it was true that she was the only sex Kyle had ever had.
With a bright red face, Mr. Brady stood up abruptly and pointed his finger directly at Kyle's head. "If you don't get out of my house this second, I will make you regret ever looking at my daughter!"
Kyle's face turned white. He put down his fork and stood up, and Evie grabbed his arm, but he pushed her away. "Maybe this thing isn't what it looks like, but I know one thing's true."
Mr. Brady looked like he was about to jump across the table and pound Kyle into the ground. "What," he growled.
"You have devastated your daughter," Kyle went on. "Maybe you don't realize it now, but one day, you'll regret everything. Do you know what it's like to have a dream? Do you know what it's like when someone squashes it right in front of your face? Well, Evie does, and it's all your fault!" He pushed his chair out from behind him and stomped out of the room, flew down the hallway and opened the door to outside. He had one dollar in his wallet, and if he hurried, he could catch the city bus to Nicki's house and get a ride back to his dorm tomorrow morning. He was halfway down the front walk when he felt a hand on his bisep.
"Stop, Kyle... wait..." Evie breathed as she held onto him. "I'm coming with you."
"You are?"
She nodded. "I'm sorry about them. That didn't go how I wanted it to. You shouldn't have gotten so angry. Didn't you remember it was all an act?"
"But it wasn't!" he told her. "I did have sex with you, and I do think those things about your parents. I normally wouldn't have told them about the sex thing, but you made me... and I hate how they looked at me. I hate what they're doing to you! I completely understand why you want them off your back, but I don't see how it's any better. Instead of realizing who you are, all they think is that I'm trying to change you. They're only going to try harder to get you back."
"I know!" she cried as she pulled him to her car. "I messed up, okay? This whole thing backfired in my face. I'm obviously not as smart as they say I am and not only did I screw up, but I hurt you in the process."
He took the keys from her and helped her into the passenger side of the car. "Don't worry about me," he said before shutting the door and walking around to get in. "I'll be fine," he muttered.
Kyle set Evie's keys on her counter top with a sigh. "Well," he said. "Here you are... safe and sound. Have a good night." He went to leave, but she moved in front of the door, blocking his way. The look on her face was almost enough to put tears in his eyes.
"Stay with me, Kyle," she pleaded. "I need you."
"You don't need me," he told her. "I did what you wanted me to do, and now we're through, right? Wasn't that the plan?"
A tear made its way down each of her cheeks. "Stay with me, Kyle," she said again, this time pressing her back closer to the door.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?"
"No!" she insisted. "I just want you to stay. You have to stay. Promise me you won't leave."
He stared at her for a moment, trying to decide what it was she was trying to do. "I don't understand..."
"Just one last time. You have to stay. Please... I need you to kiss me."
Kyle moved to stand in front of her and then reached up to wipe the tears from her face. "Are you upset that your plan didn't work like you thought it would?" he asked as he leaned down until their noses touched. But she didn't answer him. All she did was close the short distance between them by pressing her lips to his. He couldn't help but wrap his arms around her and hold her close. She broke away and looked up at him with her teary blue eyes.
"Will you take me to my bedroom, Kyle?" she wanted to know.
He nodded, pressing his lips back to hers.
Chapter 10
Keeping the Peace
Family: Timberlake
Non-Nsync Fiction
I'll Never Stop {Fiction}
Email Me (irishgirl982@yahoo.com)