Covet
2.
A few weeks after the funeral, I met up with Brendan at a diner down the road from my apartment.
“Has Pop told you about Tommy coming into town?” He asked. I nodded in response. “Does he wanna see him?”
I shrugged. “I dunno, he didn’t say. When he said he knew about him coming back, all he said was that he and Tommy never got along.”
“Tommy’s got his reasons,” Brendan sighed. “Do you want to meet him?” he asked suddenly, making my eyes go wide. “After the tournament he dealt with some, uh... issues, but he’s been staying with a friend and her family in Texas for a while now. I’m picking him up from the airport tomorrow night. He’ll be staying with us until he can find a place of his own here.”
I swallowed harshly. “I don’t know. He sounds like a really intimidating guy.”
Brendan chuckled. “He’s just got some problems with the old man that he never sorted out. After Sparta we actually started getting along for the first time, and I’ve seen his attitude change from how I remembered it being, you know?” He paused to take a sip of his coffee. He leaned in closer to me, as if he were going to tell me a secret. “Plus, if you could get Tommy and Pa on speaking grounds, I’d appreciate it.”
“You’re something else, Conlon. I’m not a miracle worker! And besides, you don’t even talk to the guy. Remember? I’m pickin’ up for what you’re supposed to help out with.” I sighed and put my hands on his for a moment, giving him a small smile. “I’m going to do what I can, okay? I’ll help all that I can, but don’t expect anything.”
Brendan genuinely smiled for what seemed to be the first time in weeks now. “Thanks, Hailey. It means a lot.”
*
Brendan drove both of us to the airport and I actually considered it to be a blessing. I didn’t have a car; I walked or rode my bike wherever I went. Whenever I drove, it was Paddy’s car. It was refreshing to be in a car and not be the one chauffeuring anyone around.
We waited outside Tommy’s gate; I sat down while Brendan stood up and paced around, and the whole action made me wonder whether he was excited or nervous, or some weird combination of the two. After waiting an hour, which was twenty minutes over his scheduled arrival time, I saw Brendan’s eyes widen and lock on someone before jogging over to him.
Tommy was just how I imagined him to be, basically. He was horrifyingly massive, still towering over his already muscular older brother. He had a black beanie on, with a heavy-duty jacket over his hoodie, clearly prepared for our deathly cold weather. Even with his intimidating stature, there was no way in hell anyone could deny how attractive he was. His face had what I presumed to be a natural-looking scowl, but as soon as he saw Brendan, he smiled the slightest bit. They hugged, patting each other’s backs and exchanging words like, “How are you, man?”
Brendan broke away and turned to me then, pointing at me and gestured for Tommy to follow as they both walked toward me. I stood up and extended my hand toward Tommy, growing increasingly more nervous and I felt the heat on my cheeks. Even though I was the average 5’4 blonde, with a boring and normal build, I felt like a complete child in comparison to these two men in front of me.
“Tommy, this is Hailey,” Brendan said as Tommy shook my hand. “She’s the girl helpin’ me look after Pop.” I noticed how as soon as he said that, Tommy’s hand tore away from mine. I was sure Brendan noticed it too, but neither one of us said anything.
I volunteered to sit in the backseat as Tommy and Brendan sat next to each other in the front, telling stories and catching up from when they were last together. When Brendan parked in his driveway, I got out and opened the trunk. Tommy came up to my side then.
“Are you excited to be back in town? I know Brendan wouldn’t shut up about it,” I said to him, beginning to take Tommy’s bags out, but he snatched them out of my grip with ease.
“Don’t think just ‘cause you’re helping my dad that I’m going to fall for your saint routine,” he said bitterly, slamming the door.
I raised my eyebrows, surprised at his attitude. “I beg your pardon?”
He didn’t say anything, just stalked off inside the house, leaving me with a shocked and slightly pissed off look on my face.
“Has Pop told you about Tommy coming into town?” He asked. I nodded in response. “Does he wanna see him?”
I shrugged. “I dunno, he didn’t say. When he said he knew about him coming back, all he said was that he and Tommy never got along.”
“Tommy’s got his reasons,” Brendan sighed. “Do you want to meet him?” he asked suddenly, making my eyes go wide. “After the tournament he dealt with some, uh... issues, but he’s been staying with a friend and her family in Texas for a while now. I’m picking him up from the airport tomorrow night. He’ll be staying with us until he can find a place of his own here.”
I swallowed harshly. “I don’t know. He sounds like a really intimidating guy.”
Brendan chuckled. “He’s just got some problems with the old man that he never sorted out. After Sparta we actually started getting along for the first time, and I’ve seen his attitude change from how I remembered it being, you know?” He paused to take a sip of his coffee. He leaned in closer to me, as if he were going to tell me a secret. “Plus, if you could get Tommy and Pa on speaking grounds, I’d appreciate it.”
“You’re something else, Conlon. I’m not a miracle worker! And besides, you don’t even talk to the guy. Remember? I’m pickin’ up for what you’re supposed to help out with.” I sighed and put my hands on his for a moment, giving him a small smile. “I’m going to do what I can, okay? I’ll help all that I can, but don’t expect anything.”
Brendan genuinely smiled for what seemed to be the first time in weeks now. “Thanks, Hailey. It means a lot.”
*
Brendan drove both of us to the airport and I actually considered it to be a blessing. I didn’t have a car; I walked or rode my bike wherever I went. Whenever I drove, it was Paddy’s car. It was refreshing to be in a car and not be the one chauffeuring anyone around.
We waited outside Tommy’s gate; I sat down while Brendan stood up and paced around, and the whole action made me wonder whether he was excited or nervous, or some weird combination of the two. After waiting an hour, which was twenty minutes over his scheduled arrival time, I saw Brendan’s eyes widen and lock on someone before jogging over to him.
Tommy was just how I imagined him to be, basically. He was horrifyingly massive, still towering over his already muscular older brother. He had a black beanie on, with a heavy-duty jacket over his hoodie, clearly prepared for our deathly cold weather. Even with his intimidating stature, there was no way in hell anyone could deny how attractive he was. His face had what I presumed to be a natural-looking scowl, but as soon as he saw Brendan, he smiled the slightest bit. They hugged, patting each other’s backs and exchanging words like, “How are you, man?”
Brendan broke away and turned to me then, pointing at me and gestured for Tommy to follow as they both walked toward me. I stood up and extended my hand toward Tommy, growing increasingly more nervous and I felt the heat on my cheeks. Even though I was the average 5’4 blonde, with a boring and normal build, I felt like a complete child in comparison to these two men in front of me.
“Tommy, this is Hailey,” Brendan said as Tommy shook my hand. “She’s the girl helpin’ me look after Pop.” I noticed how as soon as he said that, Tommy’s hand tore away from mine. I was sure Brendan noticed it too, but neither one of us said anything.
I volunteered to sit in the backseat as Tommy and Brendan sat next to each other in the front, telling stories and catching up from when they were last together. When Brendan parked in his driveway, I got out and opened the trunk. Tommy came up to my side then.
“Are you excited to be back in town? I know Brendan wouldn’t shut up about it,” I said to him, beginning to take Tommy’s bags out, but he snatched them out of my grip with ease.
“Don’t think just ‘cause you’re helping my dad that I’m going to fall for your saint routine,” he said bitterly, slamming the door.
I raised my eyebrows, surprised at his attitude. “I beg your pardon?”
He didn’t say anything, just stalked off inside the house, leaving me with a shocked and slightly pissed off look on my face.
♠ ♠ ♠
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