Exposed - Chapter 33
Friday
Matt
“So…this is it,” I said, as my friends walked around my place. Me and Brooklyn’s place. I’d told them to come here to get ready. It was about time they saw my home.
Rob hoisted himself up on the kitchen counter and sat on the edge, his feet dangling off the side.
I hid my smile. Brooklyn had cleaned the counter. But it was still funny that Nigel’s ass had been right there.
“Huh,” Rob said. “This wasn’t what I was expecting.”
“It’s kind of exactly what I was expecting,” James said and sat down on one of the stools at the island.
Mason was staring at the painting of Brooklyn in the hall. A little too long for my liking. He turned to me. “Is this why you didn’t let us come?” He pointed to the painting.
“No, that’s new.”
Mason shook his head. “I meant the rest of them.”
“What?”
“The closet full of portraits of Brooklyn.” Rob lifted the top off a container of cupcakes and grabbed one.
“Wait, how do you guys know about that?”
“We came over to your parents’ house all the time,” James said. “I can’t remember if it was me that needed to borrow a shirt? Or maybe it was Rob?”
“It was me,” Rob said.
James shrugged. “We saw all the paintings in your closet.”
I’d painted Brooklyn when I still lived with my parents too. But I didn’t realize that anyone knew. Had everyone known? “Why didn’t you guys say anything?”
“You asked us not to,” James said.
Rob nodded.
Mason nodded too.
I sighed. “I really am sorry, guys. For all of it. I shouldn’t have made you keep that a secret from your wives. We should have talked about everything that happened ages ago.”
Rob took a bite of his cupcake. “It all worked out. Sophie was right, Brooklyn makes great cupcakes. They’re almost as great as her tits.” He pointed the cupcake at the portrait.
“Okay, stop staring at that,” I said. Maybe hanging it there wasn’t such a great idea…
“Where does that door lead?” James asked and pointed to the huge door in the middle of the living room.
“A sex lair?” Mason asked.
“No. I wish.” Ew, honestly maybe it was Nigel’s sex lair. I shook away the thought. “Nigel moved in next door and put that door in.”
Rob laughed. “Wait, you’re serious?”
“Unfortunately, yes. I’m going to put drywall over it. Or lay some bricks. I haven’t decided yet.”
“Solid,” Rob said. “Also, thanks for not inviting Tanner to get ready with us. He would have ruined the vibe.”
I had invited Tanner. But he said he had too many last minute things to do to get everything ready. “Mhm,” I said.
“So what’s the plan for tonight? I was thinking we recreate that homecoming when Brooklyn was there. Really make her feel nostalgic before you pop the question.”
“What part exactly are you thinking we should recreate?” I did not remember that night fondly. But I had been pretty drunk. Maybe I had actually missed something noteworthy?
“So we can start with James kissing her. And then we can all get in a brawl…”
Nope, Rob was just being an ass.
James laughed. “As much as Matt deserves that, it’s Penny’s birthday. And I don’t think she’d like it if I kissed Brooklyn.”
He didn’t say he wouldn’t like it though… But I was pretty sure he was just being an ass like his brother. “Yeah, that’s a no go,” I said.
“You didn’t let me finish.” Rob slid off the kitchen counter.
“That was just the beginning. To set the stage. Then it’s time for the big show.
I was thinking maybe we can get Poppy or someone to kidnap Brooklyn.
But instead of Brooklyn running naked into James’ arms, we can force her to run to you.
So you can be her knight in shining armor or whatever. And then you propose.”
James laughed again. “I like that we have to force Brooklyn to run to him instead of me.”
“Right, because naturally she’d run to you,” Rob said. “It’s a classic Hunter Sanders mess around.” Rob smiled. And he got that glint in his eye that meant he was up to no good.
“What?” I asked. “What is that look for?”
“Nothing. I just remembered something important.”
I waited, but he didn’t elaborate. I just shook my head. “Forget about homecoming. I don’t want to recreate that shit night. This is supposed to be the prom Brooklyn never had. And the prom Penny never had. We’re not bringing our pasts into it.”
“So what’s your plan?” Mason asked.
“I already talked to Penny and she gave me the okay to have me and Brooklyn announced as prom king and queen at the end of the night. When we’re having our dance I’m just going to get down on one knee and ask.”
“Solid,” Mason said.
Rob shrugged. “I don’t know…my idea was pretty good too. And it didn’t involve rigging the results of prom king and queen.”
“I think Matt’s plan is great,” James said. “Brooklyn will really like that.”
I glared at him. Why did he think he knew what Brooklyn liked?
James laughed and lifted up his hands. “Okay, I’m done messing with you now. I couldn’t help myself. I like how you’ve been fucking with me for over five years but you can’t handle five minutes of pay back. I promise I’m not going to try to steal Brooklyn away from you.”
“But I probably will try to get her topless,” Rob said. “I honestly actually already tried to. We were playing shirt vs skins in family room soccer, but she refused to take her shirt off.”
“You can just look at the portrait,” Mason said.
“Ah, right.” Rob turned his attention back to the entranceway. “They’re great tits, man.” He lifted his hand for a high-five. “ Almost as perfect as Daphne’s.”
I lightly punched his stomach instead of high-fiving him.
Rob leaned over like I’d hit him really hard. “Equal to Penny’s, I think.”
“You haven’t seen Penny naked…” James’ voice trailed off. “Oh, yeah. I guess you have.” He lowered his eyebrows. “A couple times actually.”
Rob laughed. “And I walked in on Mason and Bee once too. She was tied up to an end table or something. Completely exposed to me. She definitely scores a ten for both comfort and speed.” He lifted his hand for Mason.
Mason shrugged. “You got that right.” He high-fived him.
“We all got really lucky huh? Now let’s get dressed so we can get Matt’s ring back on Brooklyn’s finger where it belongs.” He nodded to me.
“Thanks, man.”
“And then I can be your best man. And Tanner can rot in hell with his man bun and elf shoes.”
God, not this again…