Lead (Stage Dive 3)

Then David noticed the pack of cigarettes at his feet. Shit. The wrinkles on his forehead were too numerous to count. With the toe of his combat boot, he kicked them toward us. Lightning quick, Jimmy snatched them. Dammit.

“You start smoking again, Jim?” His brother’s voice expressed great displeasure and disappointment. Every inch of Jimmy tensed against my back.

“They’re mine,” I said.

“No, they’re not.” My boss’s gargantuan mass disappeared off of me. Before I could return myself to an upright position, hands gripped me beneath the arms. I was lifted back up onto my feet like I weighed no more than a dandelion.

Jimmy cleared his throat. “Something else for you to disapprove of about me, right Dave?”

“That’s not the way it is,” his brother said, face somber. “I’ve been trying to call you all week.”

“Yeah. Sorry, been busy.”

“Right.”

The two brothers just sort of stared at one another. This reunion was not going well at all. If Jimmy had his lips any more tightly pinned together they’d have disappeared from existence. Women everywhere would mourn their loss. Or at least I would.

The pain and regret in David’s eyes was horrible to see. Surely Jimmy would forgive him. He was family. Mind you, I wasn’t exactly the poster child for absolving siblings. But these two were different, they loved each other.

“It’s good you came over,” I said. “How’s Ev?”

“Fine. Thanks.” David nodded.

“We’re just in the middle of something here, Dave.” Fingers wrapped crushingly tight around the cigarette pack, Jimmy did his usual avoidance thing. He glared at the floor like it’d eaten the last Reece’s Pieces mini-cup in the pack. Not that he ate chocolate, but you get what I mean.

“I’ll catch you later,” he said dismissively, not even looking at his brother.

My spirits dived. “Jimmy—”

“Later okay, Dave?” His firm voice echoed through the room. The silence that followed it was awful.

“Don’t.” I stepped closer to him, keeping my voice low. “You two should talk.”

“It’s okay, Lena.” David scratched his head, gave me a mildly embarrassed look. Water dripped off his coat, forming puddles at his feet. “We’ll talk when he’s ready.”

Jaw set, Jimmy stared down at me, saying nothing.

Without another word David turned and opened the door, heading back out into the storm. Jimmy swung the door shut. Plastic crinkled as he crushed the pack of cigarettes into nothing more than mangled rubbish.

“Go after him. Now.” I jogged over to the hallway closet and threw open the door, grabbing the first jacket I found.

He hurled the mess of cardboard and tobacco onto the side table. The cigarettes had definitely met their end.

“Be quiet, Lena.”

“No. You only have one brother and he’s actually a pretty decent guy,” I said, the words tumbling out of me in a rush. “He messed up saying what he did and siding with your mom in Idaho, and I know it hurt you. But, Jimmy, he knows it too and he regrets it. It’s eating him up, you can see it in his eyes.”

“We’re not talking about this.”

“I have one sibling and we hate each other’s guts. It’s basically split my family in two. Trust me, you do not want this situation escalating into that.” I grabbed hold of his arm. “Jimmy?”

He shook me off. “Can we not do this?”

“Everyone screws up sometime. You of all people know that. But he’s your brother and he loves you. Give him a chance to apologize.”

“What, so you’re on his side now, are you?” He glared down at me. “Davie always was the pretty boy with the soft heart. Girls love him. But you gotta know he’s taken, Lena. He’s not going to give you what you need.”

“Oh, please.” I shoved him hard in the chest with the coat, actually sending him rocking back a step. So damn frustrated I could have kicked him. “Are you for real? I am not interested in your brother. And I am on your side. Always.”

The man did not look convinced.

“I am only worried about you and how wound up you’ve been the last week, worrying over this and missing him. David was wrong, but he knows it. I promise you.”

For a moment he stared at me.

“Please, Jimmy.”

He looked away, Adams apple bobbing. Then, with a snarl, he twisted the door handle, dashing straight out into the pouring rain. The cold wind whipped up my hair and stung my face. I wrapped myself up in his forgotten jacket, hiding behind the partially open door. Jimmy ran across the front lawn and out to the black 4x4, sitting at the curb. The car door opened and David stepped out. At first they kept a good body length between them, David’s arms crossed and Jimmy’s on his hips. Then David reached out, clasping his brother’s shoulder and giving it a shake as if imploring him. Jimmy seemed to loosen up after that, they moved closer. Soon enough their heads were together, obviously having some sort of conversation despite standing out in a storm. Good. That was good. I think David nodded. It was hard to see.

A couple of gold and brown leaves blew past me into the house.

Jimmy turned to come back and his brother grabbed his arm, pulling him in for a brief back-thumping hug.

Yes. Thank you, baby Jesus.

Finally, Jimmy ran back to the house, soaked to the ever-loving bone.

“Careful, don’t slip with your wet feet.” I offered him his jacket but he shook his head and stripped off his shirt. Water ran off his wet hair, down his face and neck. “I’ll get a towel.”

“Don’t bother. I’m f**king freezing.” He made for the bathroom and walked straight into the shower, turning on the hot water.

“Everything’s okay with you two now?” I asked.

“Yeah.” He pushed down his sweat pants, baring his black snug-fitting boxer briefs with quite the parcel up front. Holy shit, his thighs, his washboard chest, his everything. What with all of the sudden sex fantasies filling my head, I was surprised there’s any room left in the building. My body went into shock, pulse rocketing. I could warm him. For certain, my face and other pertinent body parts felt on fire. Good god, I bet his skin tasted divine.

Jimmy raised a brow. “Lena?”

I blinked.

“What, you waiting to tell me you were right again?”

“Sure?”

“Consider it done.” Jimmy stood, hands on hips, watching me. The look in his eyes, I couldn’t decipher it. But his lips parted and it seemed he was almost on the verge of asking me something. Then changed his mind. “C’mon, what are you doing in here? Unless you’re offering to scrub my back, you need to get out.”