As Jade, Brian, Nick, and I finish our drinks the phone rings. I stand up and put my glass in the sink.
“I’ll get it,” I walk over to the phone and pick it up. “Burger King.”
“Cute Ali.”
I turn towards the wall, trying to keep my conversation private. “Jay! Hey, wow it’s been a whole week. I miss you like crazy.”
“Aww, I miss you more. You know how you said I could come stay with you and Jade?”
“Uh huh, I hope you haven’t accepted another offer.”
“Oh no, no. I just wanted to know if I could come as soon as possible. Like today perhaps? If not it’s okay, I can find a hotel.”
“It’s not a problem at all, but why so early?” I ask, smiling to myself.
“Well, we sort of want the guys to branch out, get some new ‘customers’ before we bust them, so we can make sure we get all of them. I just want to come down early to check them out, see who their friends are, where they hang out, that sort of thing.”
“All right. Jade and I would love to help if we can.”
“Thanks, I might have a small task for you. Anyway, I'll just hire a car and come on over. I’ll see you soon, honey.”
“See you soon,” I hang up and turn around to three very confused faces.
“So?” I ask Ali as she sits next to Nick again, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.
“That was Jay,” she shrugs. “He’s comin’ today to check stuff out for that bust thing he’s got going.”
“Today?” I grin. “Excellent! I can’t wait to see him already! What time’s he due?”
“I guess he’ll be here in about an hour,” Ali glances at her watch and grins happily.
All of Nick’s peacefulness and joy has disappeared and he’s scowling at the wall above Brian’s head. I nudge Brian and he shrugs. Neither of us have any idea why the mention of my brother should affect Nick in this way. I stand up and head towards the kitchen.
“I’m dyin’ for a drink. Guys?”
Brian nods. “Water would be great.”
“I’ll help,” Ali jumps up and follows me into the kitchen. “Oh boy, I’m so excited ‘bout seeing Jay again,” she says when we’re out of earshot of the guys.
“Me too. I haven’t seen him since Christmas.” I cast a sly look in her direction, “So, any reason why Nick’s actin’ all sulky?”
“He is?” she looks innocent.
“Big time.”
“Oh,” she groans. “I kinda fucked up when Jay rang at the barbecue. He heard Nick’s voice and I told him that he was just a friend… And Nick heard.”
“Oooh…” I whistle lowly. “I’m not surprised he’s pissed at Jay comin’ today.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, just introduce him as your boyfriend to Jay and he’ll be fine.”
“I guess…” she doesn’t sound convinced. “I’m not sure I want Jay to know about Nick.”
I lean against the counter. “Why not?”
“Well… I always thought… Maybe, me and Jay…?”
“Ohhh… I get it. But he’s kinda moved on Ali, you have to do the same.”
“I won’t know how I feel until I see him. Don’t tell him Jade. About Nick.”
I sigh. “Ok, but you better know what you’re doing. I find that playin’ two guys against each other only leads to a whole lotta crap.”
She looks at me darkly. “And you would know.”
“Hey, no fair!” I protest. “I didn’t ASK for the whole AJ/Brian thing to happen.”
She sighs. “I know. But the guy is cut up. You need to talk with him.”
“I aim to.”
Around an hour later, Brian wraps his arms around my waist and moves me towards the door, away from Ali and Nick who are in the lounge.
“C’mon Jade, we gotta go.” He has suddenly decided that his day will be ruined if the two of us don’t take a drive someplace.
I giggle. “Chill. I’m movin’.”
“Slowly.”
“It’s still moving!” I protest and he laughs. I pull the front door open and fall into the arms of somebody standing there, about to knock. I glance at his face and grin. “Hey!”
“Pookie!” he yells and pulls me into a huge hug. “I missed ya!”
“Ditto,” I hold onto my brother Jay tightly.
I haven’t seen him for almost six months. He’s like a taller version of me. He has short spiky black hair and velvety brown eyes, a curvy mouth which is always smiling or laughing, and he is almost always lightly tanned. I always used to tease him when we were younger cos my friends were always madly in love with him.
He looks down at me without releasing me from his hug. “You look good.”
“So do you. Still breakin’ hearts?”
He chuckles and notices Brian for the first time. “Hello.”
I turn round to smile at Brian. He’s eyeing Jay up and down worriedly. “This is Brian, Brian this is my brother Jay.”
“Your brother?!” he says with relief. “Good to meet ya Jay.”
Jay shakes his hand with a grin, “You too Brian.”
I grab Jay’s hand and pull him through to the lounge, shouting for Ali. She comes out of the kitchen.
“What’s the 911?” She sees Jay and screams. “JAY!” He grins and picks her up in a big hug.
“Hey Ali! Good to see ya!”
“You too!” she holds onto him a little longer than necessary and then lets go of him with a blush. “It’s been too long.”
“It sure has!” he grins at her and then smiles at Nick. “Hey, I’m Jay.”
“I’m Nick,” Nick smiles and tries to pull Ali closer to him, but she side steps him. He throws her a puzzled look which she ignores.
“Oh yeah. Ali’s friend right?” Nick looks at Ali but she doesn’t say anything. Jay looks a little confused but then shrugs it off and turns to pull me close for another hug. “I missed you Pookie.”
“Don’t call me that!” I protest and then laugh.
Pookie has long been my brother’s nickname for me. Ever since I was born. It started when he went to kindergarten, aged three, the day after I was born. He got asked about his baby sister and couldn’t remember my name. So he had named me Pookie after his oldest teddy bear. And the name had stuck. My mom didn’t tend to use it, but my dad had embraced it. Between them, dad and Jay had embarrassed me with that name in public more times than I care to remember.
“But you’re my little Pookie!” Jay starts tickling me. Big brothers always know the best places to tickle you.
“Mercy!” I scream and he stops with a grin.
“Pookie?!” Brian laughs.
Jay grins at him. “She didn’t tell you about Pookie? Well, I…” he launches into an explanation as I take his bag into my room. When I return, everybody is laughing. I stick my tongue out at Jay.
“Good going. You’ve only been here five minutes and already you've embarrassed me.”
“Aww…” Brian pulls me down into his lap. “It’s cute. Pookie.”
“You can talk… B-Bear,” I say, reminding him of the night I had given him his nickname. He blushes slightly. I rest my head against his shoulder and smile at Jay who has sat down next to me. Ali is on his other side and Nick is sat in the black chair.
Jay looks around the room, taking in the pink couch with a chuckle. “This your choice Ali?”
She giggles. “Kinda. It was more AJ’s.”
“AJ?” he questions.
“Yeah, my cousin. We kinda got back in touch when I moved down here.”
“Oh cool. I’d like to meet him.” He glances at the couch again, “If only to shoot him for his taste in furniture.”
“You should see Ali’s room!” I laugh. “It definitely runs in the family.”
“That I gotta see,” he winks at Ali, making her blush and Nick scowl. “So, Brian, what do you do?”
Brian looks surprised at the question. It’s probably been a long time since he heard it. Ali and I giggle as Jay waits patiently for the answer.
“I’m kinda in a group.”
“Kinda?” I tease him. “How can you be KINDA in a group?”
“Shut up,” he tickles me. “We’re called the Backstreet Boys.”
“Oh yeah,” Jay thinks for a while. “I like this song you guys did… How’s it go?” He starts humming and then suddenly bursts into I Want It That Way. “Yeah, cool song.”
Brian grins. “Thanks.”
Jay looks over at Nick. “So, you in this group too?” Nick nods sulkily and Jay exchanges an amused glance with Brian. “I’m guessin’ he’s the strong silent one?”
Brian chuckles. “If only.”
Nick scowls. “I talk just fine.”
“Sorry,” Jay smiles but I can tell Nick’s behaviour is seriously starting to piss him off. He sighs and turns to Brian again. “So, I guess I should interrogate you over your intentions towards my baby sis.”
Brian puts on a scared face. “Oh boy…”
“So, honourable or dishonourable?”
“Very dishonourable!” I giggle.
“No, honourable!” Brian argues. “She’s the dishonourable one.”
“I can believe that,” Jay chuckles.
I stare at Jay while he discusses Jade with Brian and smile to myself. He is truly gorgeous. We have so much history between us. I had first met him in a bar where I had propositioned him. He is the only person who knows EVERYTHING about my past and he has never judged me. He once told me the only thing people should get judged on is the last thing that they did. He’s pretty amazing. Jade’s entire family are. I had lost touch with my parents when I moved to Atlanta. After meeting Jade, she had kinda taken me under her wing and introduced me to her family. Her mom and dad had welcomed me with open arms, and Jay had always been around to protect me. Mainly from myself. And now here he is. Sat right next to me with Nick on his other side. It’s kinda hard to miss the change in Nick’s attitude since Jay had walked into the room. I guess he feels threatened. And I guess I think he has reason to.