Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Cosmo
I leaned against the kitchen counter and sipped a beer, the late afternoon sun slanted through the window and cast long shadows across the floor.
Christian sat at the table, his boots resting on a chair, and flipped a bottle cap between his fingers while we waited for the day to wind down.
I heard Damian’s boots thud down the stairs, heavier than usual, and glanced up as he walked in with a duffel slung over his shoulder and keys jingling in his hand.
He wore a fresh shirt and clean jeans, and I grinned when I saw how he looked ready to go somewhere.
“Well, damn,” I said and set my beer down and crossed my arms. “Where are you headed all dressed up?”
Damian stopped by the table and dropped his duffel. His jaw stayed tight, but his eyes flicked between us. “Town,” he said and rubbing his neck and keeping it short. “I’ve got something to do.”
“Town, huh?” Christian said and sat up, his bottle cap hit the table with a clink. “Do you mean the city where Geraldine’s shop is?”
I laughed and stepped closer and leaned in to nudge Damian’s shoulder. “You’re going after her, aren’t you?”
Damian shot me a look, his lips twitched like he wanted to argue, but he just shrugged. “Maybe,” he said and grabbed his hat from the hook by the door. “Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
“Too late,” I said and clapped my hands and hopped up to sit on the counter. “This is a big deal, man.”
“Yeah,” Christian said and stood and stretching his arms over his head. “We’re proud of you for going.”
“Shut up,” Damian said and pulled his hat on, but his voice wasn’t sharp, and I saw a small grin he couldn’t hide. “I’m just checking it out.”
“Checking it out,” I said and smirked, and grabbed my beer again. “What’s in the bag? Flowers?”
“Clothes,” he said and adjusting the duffel strap, his eyes narrowed at me. “I don’t need your comments.”
“Too bad,” Christian said and walked over and clapped Damian on the back. “You’re getting them anyway.”
“I’ve got this,” Damian said and shrugged off Christian’s hand, but stayed close. “You two stay out of it.”
“No way,” I said and hopped off the counter and stepped up beside him. “We’re your support team.”
“Yeah,” Christian said and grinned and leaned against the table. “You need us to cheer you on.”
Damian looked at us and shook his head, but his grin grew a bit more. “You’re jerks,” he said and grabbed his keys tightly. “She’s worth it.”
“See?” I said and punched his arm lightly. “You should’ve said that earlier.”
“What?” Damian said and turned to me, his eyebrow lifted.
“That you like her,” Christian said and crossed his arms, his grin turned playful. “We’d have backed off sooner.”
“Yeah,” I said and nodded and leaned in close. “We’re tough competition and too good-looking to resist.”
Damian snorted and pushed me back, his grin stayed small but real. “You’re full of it,” he said and shook his head. “Both of you.”
“True,” Christian said and laughed and grabbed a beer from the fridge and handed it to Damian. “But we mean it.”
“Maybe,” Damian said, and took the beer and twisted the cap off slowly. “I didn’t know ‘til now.”
“That’s your fault,” I said and smirked, and sipped my beer. “We’re rooting for you anyway.”
“Call me lover boy again,” Damian said and pointed the bottle at me, his voice low but teasing, “and I’ll hit you.”
“Try it,” I said and laughed and dodged as he swung a lazy fist my way. “You need me too much.”
“I will,” Christian said and raised his bottle, his grin wide. “You owe us if you bring her back.”
“No promises,” Damian said and took a swig, and set the bottle on the table. “I’m just gonna talk to her.”
“Talk,” I said and leaned against the counter again, and crossed my arms. “You’re all cleaned up for a talk.”
“Shut up,” Damian said and grabbed his duffel, but laughed low and shook his head as he headed for the door. “You two are annoying.”
“Always,” Christian said and followed him a step, his voice turned serious. “Good luck, man.”
“Yeah,” I said and nodded and stepped up beside Christian. “Go get her.”
Damian stopped by the door and looked back at us, his hand on the knob, and his grin softened. “Thanks,” he said and rubbed his jaw. “I’ll see what happens.”
“Don’t mess it up,” Christian said and smirked, raising his beer again. “We’ll be waiting.”
“Great,” Damian said and laughed,d short and pulled the door open. “Keep the place running, huh?”
“No promises,” I said and grinned as he stepped out, the screen door slamming behind him. I heard his truck start up, the rumble faded as he pulled out, and I turned to Christian and leaned back against the counter.
“He’s going,” I said and took a swig of my beer, the bottle cool in my hand. “Didn’t think he’d do it.”
“Yeah,” Christian said and sat back down and kicked his boots up again. “We gave him a good push.”
“Damn right,” I said and laughed and grabbed a second beer from the fridge and tossed it to him. “He should’ve said it sooner.”
“True,” he said, and caught the beer and twisted it open. “We’re hard to beat.”
“Tell me about it,” I said, and smirked and clinked my bottle against his. “But we’re better as friends anyway.”
“Yeah,” Christian said and nodded, his grin turned easy. “We’re tighter now.”
“Real tight,” I said, and sipped my beer and leaned beside him at the table. “Think he’ll bring her back?”
“Maybe,” he said and shrugged, and stretched his arms out. “If he doesn’t screw it up.”
“Better than us,” I said and laughed and kicked his chair lightly. “We’re too much.”
“Damn right,” he said and grinned and kicked back. “But we’ll tease him anyway.”
“Always,” I said and raised my bottle; the clink echoed in the quiet kitchen. We sat there, the sun dipped lower outside, and I felt good with him, the teasing flowed easily and we’d stuck together strong.