Page 14 of Trust Issues
I snorted to myself at the thought and walked across the hall. After a few knocks, Max’s brother Owen opened the door, peering down at me. He was sexy as hell but I could still smell Similac on his breath. He was too immature for me.
Owen cracked a handsome smile and opened the door wider so I could walk in. He was such a gentleman, unlike his older brother. “What’s up, Kyle?” He bent his tall frame down and gave me a hug. He smelled like motor oil and cologne. It wasn’t a bad combination, shockingly.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Owen. If you hug her you’ll turn to stone. Back away.” Max’s baritone sounded from the kitchen. I could already smell the popcorn in the microwave.
Extra butter.
My stomach growled as if I hadn’t been downing chips and liquor all night.
Hey, I love snacks. What can I say?
“How is it that your mother gave birth to two perfectly handsome human males then randomly pops out a gargoyle? You sure he isn’t adopted?” I asked Owen quietly but loud enough for his brother to hear. He laughed and patted my back.
“I see things are and will always be the same with you two. You hate each other but never miss a movie night.”
“It would be movie day but gargoyles turn to stone once the sun comes up. Isn’t that how it worked in the cartoon, Max? Refresh my memory on the history of your kind. I’m a little forgetful.”
“How so? I thought elephants never forgot things.” He laughed loudly at his own joke and came into the living room from the kitchen carrying a big white bowl with buttery popcorn peeking over the rim. The smell was heavenly. My stomach growled again and I rubbed it in circles.
“There’s nothing elephant-like on Kyle at all,” Owen countered. He took a look behind me and smirked. “I stand corrected.”
“Bye, Owen. Don’t you have a car to pretend to work on?” I huffed, flopping on Max’s black leather sofa.
“Kyle’s getting snappy. Time for me to leave. I’ll see you later, bro,” Owen called to Max. I watched them slap hands while I shoveled a handful of popcorn into my mouth and crossed my legs.
How was it that Owen was the tallest of his two big brothers while Max was taller than Nate? I shook my head at the conundrum and my locs swished across my lower back.
“Scary movie?” I asked, grabbing Max’s remote. I clicked the TV on and he sat beside me.
“Kyle, what’s scarier than watching your face illuminated by the light of the TV?”
“Whatever. My face is a gift from God and you know it. It beats the face of whoever you’re currently dating. What’s her name? Grady?”
“Sadie. Her name is Sadie. Stop being petty.” He pulled out his phone and showed me her Instagram page. I’ve never rolled my eyes so hard before.
“Max, why are you showing me your latest conquest?”
“I haven’t conquered her yet. It’s coming though. She’s chomping at the bit but why wouldn’t she be? You see this face. She can’t resist this.” He winked at me and I nearly gagged.
“She needs to have her head examined. That’s what really needs to happen.”
“So what do you think of her?” He asked me seriously.
“Why do you care what I think?” I jammed my thumb against the button on the remote over and over as I scrolled through movies trying to find one we hadn’t watched. My jaw flexed repeatedly. The action was so harsh I nearly got a headache.
“I don’t know. I thought animals were good character judges.”
“Fuck you, Max. I mean…she’s okay if you like the overdone look.”
“Overdone? How so? She has natural hair and natural body and…”
“And no less than eight pounds of makeup smeared all over that natural face of hers. Also, she’s filtered to death.” Honestly, her makeup wasn’t bad it was a bit much for me but it wasn’t ugly. Also, I loved a good filter too but something wouldn’t let me compliment this chick. I could tell she was trying too hard. She was half-naked in all of her pictures like the only thing she had to show off was her body. I took another look at her profile and scoffed.
Her body was nice too.
Bitch.
“You’re so full of shit, Kyle. You think Sadie is pretty, don’t you?” I loathed how well he knew me. I pushed to my feet and tossed the remote a little too hard at Max’s crotch making him guard his precious jewels.
