“God, Alex, you’re acting like you’re never coming back or something,” I said, annoyed. AJ was piling his bags by the door, and every five seconds he came over to me and hugged me or touched my hair or kissed my cheek. “Isn’t it time for you to go yet?”
“I’ll miss you, Sugar,” he said, smiling down at where I lay on the sofa. Felicia was curled up on a chair by the window, anxiously watching the cars drive by. AJ and I exchanged looks. She was waiting for Howie, though she’d rather die than admit it. All the guys were stopping by to grab AJ on their way to the airport.
“I’ll miss you, too, and I know you’ll call and email and all that nine million times, so I feel like you aren’t even leaving,” I scolded. Actually, I HATED the thought of he and Howie and the others being so far away for so long. “And you’ll be back by the middle of March. It’s not even two months, ya big baby.”
Felicia suddenly jumped up and we knew they had arrived. “Quit calling me names,” Alex pouted, grabbing two of his suitcases and walking out the door. I sighed and let my head fall back against the sofa. Felicia noticed and raised an eyebrow.
“I’m fine. Just tired,” I said automatically. She raised the other eyebrow but said nothing. Nick, Kevin and Brian came in. Felicia looked disappointed.
“Hey, girl,” Brian sat down next to me on the sofa, giving me his sunny smile.
“Hey, you. Leighanne glad to get you out of her hair?”
“I think so. I think she wants to redecorate the house, and she’s afraid I’ll say no to her suggestions…so she’ll just do it while I’m gone,” he said cheerfully. Kevin smiled at me and sat down across the room. Nick plopped down on the floor by the sofa. I tousled his golden hair.
“Hey, little boy.”
“Nothing about me is little,” Nick bragged, puffing up his chest. We all laughed.
“What’s so funny,” Howie said, coming in the door ahead of AJ.
“Nick was just telling us how big he is,” Kevin said. Nick blushed.
“I see,” Howie said, looking at Nick oddly. “How are you?” He asked me.
“Good.” We sat in silence for a minute.
“I hate to do this…but our plane leaves in an hour,” Kevin said finally.
“Right,” I said sadly. Nick helped me stand up. I hugged Brian and Kevin, then turned to Nick. “Nicky, do me a favor,” I whispered as he hugged me. “Watch over Alex and Howie. Be my little guardian angel, okay?”
“Of course,” he said, pulling back. He studied my eyes. “What’s up?”
“I just…I feel weird about this…and I would feel better if you’d keep an eye on them. AJ will drink too much, and Howie will worry.”
“I’ll try my best,” Nick promised, kissing my forehead. Howie was next. His hand stroked my back as we hugged.
“Please take it easy,” he begged. “You always wanna do too much.”
“I learned it from you,” I teased, trying to make him smile. I was shocked to see tears in his eyes. “I feel fine, Howie, I promise,” I said, smiling up at him. “I love you.”
“Love you too.” He squeezed me hard then finally released me, blinking hard to keep the tears back. Everyone shuffled outside, leaving AJ and I alone. I sat down on the sofa, unable to look at him. I didn’t want him to see me cry. He did, of course, and sat beside me.
“If anything happens, you have that witch call me, okay?”
“She’s not a witch, Alex. You’re just a brat,” I sniffled. He took my hands in his, kissing the palms. He hesitated for a moment, looking at my fingers. I wore my mother’s class ring on my right hand as always, and for the first time he noticed that I had thread around the back because my fingers had grown too thin to wear it normally. I pulled my hands away slowly. “Get going.”
“I love you so much. Promise you’ll be here when I get back,” he said, and I looked at him.
“Alex, I can’t…”
“Just say it, okay?” His voice was thick with emotion and it only made me cry more. “I know you can’t promise…”
“I promise, Alex McLean. I promise I will be here for you when you get back.”
“And will you marry me?”
I giggled through my tears. “Alex, if I say maybe will you shut the hell up about it?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, then. Maybe.”
AJ let out a whoop and pulled me close. Before I could push him away, he planted a long passionate kiss on my lips. It had been forever since I had been kissed like that, and to be honest, I really enjoyed it. “Maybe. I’ll hold you to that.” We stood and looked out the window, gasping simultaneously. Howie had just grabbed Felicia, giving her a kiss similar to the one Alex had just given me. She looked as shocked as we were. Kevin, Brian and Nick chuckled and elbowed each other as Howie pulled back, a shit-eating grin on his face. AJ and I couldn’t help but grin as well.
“Go,” I said, poking him.
“Okay. I’ll call from the hotel.
” “Okay.” He gave me one last hug and finally darted out the door. I waved to the others, and watched as the van pulled out of the driveway and went down the street. I watched Felicia sigh and slowly walk back into the house. I was grinning stupidly at her when she came into the room.
“Don’t say a fucking word, okay?”
“But Felicia…Howie kissed you.”
“And? He was saying goodbye.” Felicia glared at me.
“Ha. That was some goodbye. It’s about damn time you two got around to something. I thought I’d be dead before you guys even held hands, for God’s sake,” I said, continuing to grin.
“You’re a bitch,” Felicia replied, helping me pull a blanket up over me as I got settled on the sofa.
“Thank you,” I said sweetly. “Alex proposed again.”
“And? Please tell me you told him to fuck off,” she begged.
“I said maybe.”
She froze. “You WHAT? Do you know how big a mistake this is? You’d be getting married for all the wrong reasons. It wouldn’t even BE a marriage. It…”
“Felicia, calm down. I said it so he’d stop asking. He said he’d stop if I said maybe. So I said it.”
“Good. I KNEW you had more sense than that.” She sat on a footstool and looked at me closely. “It’s getting bad, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I played with a frayed edge of the blanket.
“My room is right next door, bonehead. I heard you moaning in your sleep. The pain is bad.”
“Sometimes,” I admitted in a whisper. “I couldn’t say anything while they were here, or Alex never would have left. I WANTED him to leave,” I told her. “I’d like to move out while he’s gone.”
“You want to WHAT?” Felicia stared at me as if I had grown a second head.
“I want to leave. I want to be out of his hair. I want him to get on without me. If I’m not around him twenty-four seven, maybe it will be easier on him.”
“Girl, you are crazy,” she said, but I knew she understood.
“He’s a pain in the ass to live with anyway, you know that. I have my own money, I can pay you myself,” I insisted. “And I need another favor. After tomorrow, when any of them call, I want you to tell them I can’t come to the phone.” Felicia’s mouth opened and closed. “I really don’t want to talk to them. I don’t want to hear about all they’re seeing and doing.”
“Do you think…”
“I’ve thought about it long and hard and it’s what I want. And you can call the bank and check…I DO have money to pay you.”
“Fuck paying me,” she snapped. “I’m gonna make you something to eat.” She stood.
“Grab the paper, will ya? I wanna check the rental section.”
Felicia said nothing, but she got the paper from the kitchen table and tossed it at me. I sighed as I flipped to the classifieds. This would be hard but it was for the best.
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Chapter Twelve
Chapter Fourteen