And So, This Is Love

Emmie and the guys had to leave the day after we got back from New York. Usually I would be disappointed, but I honestly couldn’t wait for Erix to get back and propose to Keyline. I guess it just a matter of time before Darren followed suit and proposed to Emmie.

Their last night in Baltimore we had a barbeque in Alex’s back yard. Emmie and I were sprawled in chairs on the deck, trying to catch the last glimmers of sun before fall came. The smell of burgers and hot dogs was mouthwatering. I had already made a potato salad and deviled eggs earlier so I didn’t see much for me to do.

“Babe!” Alex called from his spot at the grill. I hopped up and waddled over in his oversized shoes.

“Yes?” I said as I stood next to him.

“Can you start bringing the food in the kitchen out?” he asked. “The guys are setting up the picnic tables and stuff now.” I looked over. We had rented a couple picnic tables for the night, and they were bringing them from the trucks and putting clothes over them.

“Sure thing,” I said, stepping on my toes to kiss his cheek before walking into the house. I dragged Emmie in to help.

“So I sense that you and Erix are keeping a secret,” she said when we were in the quiet of the kitchen. Emmie had super radar skills and can sense a secret a mile away.

“Yes, there is a secret,” I admitted, “but it is also not my place to tell you the secret. It’s Erix’s.”

Emmie nodded, understanding, and picking up the ketchup and mustard to carry outside.

After everything was set up, I got myself both a burger and a hot dog, and also had another plate with potato salad, three deviled eggs, and jalapeno chips.

I noticed that Brynn was awfully tense that night. He ate barely everything when usually he could eat a horse. The muscles in his back (he was shirtless) were quite tight. I decided to question him later that night, seeing as I was staying the night at Alex’s that night.

Abner, on the other hand, was even bouncier than usual. A gigantic grin graced his features and he seemed oddly flushed.

Emmie was sort of quieter than usual, but she was always this way when we were about to be separated for more than a couple days. I took her hand at some point and squeezed it lightly to remind her that despite the distance, she would always be my best friend.

Jack was fan-fucking-tastic now that he was fucking my sister. The smile never left his face once and his eyes glittered.

As for Mauve, well, honestly I had never seen her so happy. I knew she had been hurt in the past because she dated some pretty asshole guys. She never had a Peyton in her life, but she had her fair share of selfish models or stuck up actors. I also knew that Jack would never, ever hurt her. Jack was a great guy, and I accepted them wholeheartedly. I just wished he would make it official and ask her to be his girlfriend.

Rian was also kind of down. He and Erix had this kind of weird bro bond thing, which I think had something to do with the fact that they both had perfect teeth. Maybe they sat up talking until midnight on the phone sharing tooth whitening tips.

Abner brought out the crazy in Zack, and they were chatting excitedly and clinking beers and talking about how they were going to miss each other so fucking much.

And Alex didn’t really pay attention to all of this. He kept his eyes on me the whole time, a slight smile on his lips. I blushed under his gaze, uncomfortable for him to watch me eat so much. I was in no way embarrassed to be a fatass, but he didn’t have to watch me be a fatass.

I rolled my eyes after some time, a giggle passing my lips, “What, Alex?”

“You just look beautiful tonight,” he told me.

I blushed again.

Seeing as it was Friday’s last day here, excluding me obviously, we broke out the wine and I drank a glass. Or two. Or five.

“Babe, take it easy,” Alex told me as I filled my sixth cup. By this point it had gotten cold outside and we made our way inside. I had changed into sweat pants and a tank top by then.

“I’m perfectly fine,” I assured him, before taking a sip and hiccupping.

“I guess it’s time to call it a night,” Erix said, eyeing us. “Cayne, mind if Emmie and I take your car?”

“Not at all,” I told them, standing up to give them a hug. I began to get emotional even though I knew I was going to be seeing them again tomorrow when I took them to the airport.

“It won’t be too long, we’ve got that Christmas concert in Florida coming up, remember?” Emmie told me, but she had tears pooling up in her eyes as well. I nodded and hugged them again, and they went out the door with my car keys in hand.

I followed Alex to bed, stripping and climbing in next to him.

“Are you okay?” he asked me, sliding over and snaking an arm around and pulling me into his body.

I nodded, nuzzling my nose into his neck. “Yeah. I’m really going to miss them, though. But this whole thing wouldn’t have been without you. Thank you so much, Alex.”

Alex smiled and pecked me on the lips. “Of course, my love.”

I slowly grinned and climbed onto him.

“What are you doing?” Alex asked me, his voice going low as I dipped my fingers into the band of his boxers and pulled them down, slowly lowering my head down on him.

“Showing you how much I appreciate you,” I whispered.