Page 34 of Something New

“Holden.” I walk with Axel in front of me, my hand on his shoulder, Drew on my right and Ryan on my left, both looking uncertain. “These are Lexi’s brothers: Axel, Ryan, and Drew.”

“You’re big and colorful.” Axel stares up at him.

“I am colorful.” The side of Holden’s lip tip up. “Nice to meet you, Axel.”

He reaches out and touches Holden’s arm. “They’re cool,” he says, touching the colorful peacock on Holden’s arm.

“You can’t go around touching people.” Ryan reaches forward, pulling Axel’s hand away.

“I just wanted to see it.” His little brows draw together.

“Sorry about him,” Drew says.

“It’s fine. I don’t mind.”

“You probably don’t mind people touching you—you know…” Drew shrugs. “Because that’s why you got them, right? I mean—unless you wanted me to. I’m mean—yeah, whatever.”

“Are you okay?” Ryan laughs, staring at his brother like he’s lost his mind. “Dude.”

“Shut up and get his wood—the wood out the back.” Drew shakes his head as if he’s trying to clear his mind.

“I’m not going to make that joke. It’s inappropriate in front of Axel.” Ryan laughs some more.

“Ugh,” Drew grunts, clipping his brother's shoulder, who’s still laughing.

“What’s that about?” I say more to myself than to Holden who’s smirking in the boy's direction.

“Don’t worry, bro, you wouldn’t get it. Not yet anyway.”

Besides Drew being caught off guard by the big tattooed guy that looks like he just came off parole, as Axel and Ryan put it, what’s there to get?

* * *

“Stop playing around,you ass wipe. You’re ruining my perfect strokes.” Drew playfully pushes Ryan away with his free hand.

“More like a massacre. Your strokes are uneven, how can you mess that up?” Ryan moves away and goes back to the wall in the living room closest to Holden. “Holden, Noah, tell him to put down the brush and order a pizza for the men at work.”

“Nah, it’s not bad.” Holden tilts his head back looking at Drew’s wall. “I’m the master of a good stroke.” He smirks.

“Oh shut up,” Lexi says. “Someone thinks a little too highly of themselves.

“I don’t think, I know.” He nods, winking at Lexi.

“Shut up for real,” I yell over at Holden, then flick some paint off my brush his way.

“What the hell!” He flicks the paint back, catching my white t-shirt, and across my mouth, his lips twitching. “That’s a nice shade of blue on you. But I think pink is more your shade. I’ll pick a tube up for you the next time I’m in the beauty aisle.”

“You little…” I look down at the paint and dip my brush in to show him how great the shade would look on him.

From across the room, Drew yells, “Paint fight!”

“Yeah,” Axel squeals. “Paint fight!”

All the guys square up in a circle, paint brushes in the air, primed and ready. Axel’s brush drips on the drop cloths as he smiles. Just as my hand reaches back to splash that annoying smirk off my brother's face, Lexi bounds down the stairs and says, “Did I hear paint and fight?” She looks at me brows up, eyes wide. “Officer James, I expect better from you. You’re supposed to be the responsible one down here. Drop that brush.”

“But he started it first,” I say in a mock whine and huff. “Look at what he did to my lip and shirt.

Shaking her hand she stands in the middle of our circle and points to each of us. “If y’all don’t drop those brushes I’m going to kick your asses! Drew and Ryan, you know I can take you two, don’t try me,” she says with authority and full confidence like she can take us all on at once.

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