Tackling Her Obsession with the Tight End

Chapter 4: Twins

Sarah

“Coming!” I shout as I walk toward the door. I recognize my sister’s trademark pounding knock. She bangs on a door like she’s hammering it back into its hinges. I check first and swiftly open it. She holds up a coffee cup which I take as she walks past me.

I shut the door catching the hazelnut aroma. "Hazelnut latte?" I ask to make sure. My twin knows me well but every now and then she decides to surprise me by attempting to shove me out of my comfort zone. Which I guess is ok but not with my coffee. Favorite coffee is sacred.

She grins, her eyes twinkling. "Yes. Full fat, hazelnut latte with two packs of raw sugar. Foam on top with cinammon sprinkled liberally and mixed. And if you say a word about the full fat, I will smack you. Women need healthy fats and protein."

I narrow my eyes at her. "Yes Mooommmm." I take a sip and savor it. "What's up Mags?"

She perches on one of my barstools. "I came to abduct you and take you shopping. I need a dress for a football thing for Leo in two weeks and I would bet you could use something new for the engagement barbecue."

"I was thinking it was standard shorts and shirt fare. Did I misread the invitation? Black tie barbecues in Nutville? The neighbors would laugh more.” I lean my forearms on the counter across from her.

"It is but knowing you, your last shopping trip was when I dragged you on it." She arches her left eyebrow like Mom does. I do it too but Mags resembles her so much, it's uncanny.

"Maybe. I ordered some new jeans not too long ago online." I defend myself. She laughs and I continue. "It's just not much fun shopping when almost nothing fits over your hips that would be the size of your waist. The crop top trend going right now is not a friend if you are boobarilla like me. Feel like I'm going to slip out the bottom and cause unnecessary violence."

She almost chokes on her latte at my new nickname. "You have been hanging out with Aunt Sof for too long. Come shop with me Sare. I need a second opinion for this dress. Shoulda just hired Quinn to do it for us."

I bet she'd choose the most unflattering things for me right now. The warning look she gave me at the wedding was more than enough to convey her feelings. Though she'd not treated me any differently after that. Not wanting to get into any discussions about the Jameson family, I grab my phone. "Alright, let's go. Let me grab shoes."

She stares at me for a second before shaking her head dramatically. "Sorry, I think my brain malfunctioned. Did you agree to go shop with me after one ask?"

"Yes because I have finally learned my lesson. You might look like Mom's twin instead of mine, but you inherited Dad's tenacious bulldog attitude.” I slip my shoes on and walk to the door waiting for her to catch up.

“You never need help choosing clothes, Mags. What’s going on?” I ask once she drives out of the parking garage.

She squirms in her seat. Now that is another oddity for today. I sip my coffee and wait. My sister is the confident, brazen one of us. She has no problem confronting anything head on whereas I like to watch from the sidelines. “Well this dinner isn’t just me going. It’s a team family event. Leo’s grandmother, Reagan, is flying in to come.” She stops there. I know Leo’s life story between Mags and what Dad dug up. Leo’s mom was a young teen when she had him. She pretty much disappeared when he was a baby. Reagan raised him on her own. Maggie hasn’t met her yet because Reagan told Leo she’d wait until he got serious about her. Mags is nervous which is rare. Time to reassure big sister. “Moving in together last week must finally be serious enough for her to visit?” I ask with a small smile before I drink more latte.

She nods not saying anything. I can hear the gears turning in her head. “Mags?” It’s all I have to say for her to open the floodgates.

“She doesn’t seem to like me sis. And that bothers me. I mean, he’s it. My spark, my light and I want her to like me.” I hear the yearning in her voice. Maggie has dated her share of frogs. Leo showed up and she fell hard fast. I saw it in her eyes after their first few dates.

“Why don’t you think she likes you?” Everyone loves my sister.

“Every week when he video chats with her, I tell her hello. She says hello back with barely a smile and not a single word after that. Leo swears she’ll love me once she comes here. I’m not so sure.” She chews her bottom lip and I reach over to tap her cheek with one finger.

“Stop that. Mags, all that matters is how Leo feels. It might hurt and make a few holidays weird but if you two are meant to be, you’ll get past it. He’s crazy about you from the way he stares at you and treats you. Took care of Jack and his crazy ass tidily. And maybe Grandmama is waiting to meet you in person. Might want to observe you with Leo before she lets you into the family fold. Don’t borrow too much trouble early.”

She bobs her head from side to side mulling it over. “You’re right. I’ll wait and see. My wise little sister, I should have known you would know what to say.” She flashes me a grateful smile.

“So much younger, like four minutes.” I reply as we park.

“Seen Paul lately?” She asks slowly, like she’s afraid of my answer.

I shake my head. “No. I’m hoping he is still dating his assistant and stays away.” I don’t miss her poor attempt to hide her relief.

“Any other news?” She stares at me hard. I’ve never told her about what happened with Liam. Avoiding most family events since then at least has kept my twin blind to the turmoil there.

“No. Just me and my usual old cat lady, homebody routine minus the cat. I am competing for a chance to make the ad campaign for the Tornadoes in a few weeks.” I admit the last bit quietly.

“I hope you get it. You’re good enough. You are not an old cat lady. Maybe Leo knows someone to introduce you to.” She suggests. “Unless there’s someone else…” I recognize her fishing tone.

As usual I deflect. “There is. He’s tall, dark, handsome with muscles and a face to die for. Cooks dinner shirtless, treats me like a queen and knows only the sweetest lines. Sadly I have to share him with my online book club. I can loan him to you. Should be done with his book by the end of the week.”

She chuckles. “You and your book boyfriends.”

“Hey. They never let you down.” I say quickly, relieved she swallowed my baited distraction.“Now let’s go find you a dress to impress Grandmama. Maybe Leo too if we’re lucky.”

“Yes and some things for you to impress a real life version of your book boyfriend. For when he decides to pencil himself into your life at least.” Maggie adds archly.

Sean

“He say anything about a decision?” I lean forward to ask Noah.

He shakes his head. “It’s eating at him. He opens her text thread at least once a day. I’m hoping he’ll talk to her at the barbecue this weekend.”

I glance toward the back of the restaurant keeping a lookout for my brother. Quinn and Mama came to visit and abducted my wife and Caylee for a ladies only dinner. Noah suggested we bring Liam out. He is walking our way when I watch him answer his phone. He hangs back talking on it.

“What did you say to Sarah after that catastrophe?” Noah asks staring at Liam.

“To have her head examined. He merited more than her running off on him during a dinner she agreed to. One where he explicitly told her it was a date. I might have said that she needed to get the f**k away from Paul Chadwick because he was an egotistical, arrogant bastard.”

Noah lets out one quick laugh. “Held back I see.”

“I did. I had more. I stopped because she looked shattered when I told her I wouldn’t let anyone stomp on my brother’s heart repeatedly and she’d be lucky to get a second chance. The rest of my tirade died in my throat.” It did. I was ready to light into her but the agony in her eyes stopped me cold. Which is saying a lot. I have no problem hanging you out to dry if you harm my family. Sarah was family too, but Liam is my twin and that’s a bond like no other. Some days it’s like we are the same person the way we know what the other is feeling or thinking. Noah swears we wake up at the same time every day and he’s pointed out how we lift our drinks simultaneously.

So when she broke and apologized to me, I stopped and told her to figure herself out and then talk to Liam.

“Never did understand what she saw in him. He’s the definition of prick.” Noah adds.

“He’s charming. And I mean in the fake, truly evil villain type way. But I will say he hides it well. Caylee and Violet can’t stand him. Vi said they told her she shouldn’t take him back after one breakup. They listed off all the ways he manipulates her. The next day she basically ran back to him. She and Caylee agreed to not say a bad word against him again.”

“Caylee said the same thing. Here he comes.” Noah picks up his water.

“Sorry. Did you order for me?” Liam slides back into the booth. I look him over catching his irritation lining the word sorry. We aren’t identical but we are close to it in looks. We got Dad’s brown hair with natural blonde highlights. Both of us are six-five and built similarly muscle tone wise. He might be a little bulkier since he’s a tight end and I play as a wide receiver. Our faces are similar; angular with squared off jawlines. Liam likes to be clean shaven always whereas I usually have a bare hint of a five o’clock shadow. The eye color is what helps everyone tell us apart. Mine are a lighter green color while his are emerald like Dad’s. He got Mama’s sarcasm and humorous deflective ways while I got Dad’s straight approach.

“I did. Steak, shrimp, mashed potatoes and salad.” I answer.

“You got it right.” He jokes.

“Can’t screw it up. We order the same thing every time we come here.” I remind him.

“Nothing wrong with familiarity. It has its comforts.”

“You looked anything but comfortable on the phone. Who was it?” Noah asks pointedly.

Liam sighs and I can sense the irritation rolling off him. “Nita. She wants to go out on a real date. I already explained to her it was just a friends thing before and after your wedding. Reiterated the point that I have no intention of that changing or it going further. I never should have asked her.”

“How could you know she’d be so unaccepting of a clear statement?” Noah adds dryly.

“Well tonight she tried something new. Tears, lots of tears. And she mentioned my family threatened her.” He stares right at me.

“We did.” He’d know if I was lying to him.

“Why and what did you threaten? I don’t care because she must have deserved it. I want to know for my own curiosity though.” He and Noah stare at me.

I sigh. “She was staring at Noah too much. Her reasoning was she was skeptical of his story with Shebitch Sharissa. Quinn, Alex and I disabused her of her idiocy. I gave her two choices and one was leaving. She chose the second one which was to keep her mouth shut about that and remember to dance with who brought her. Warned her that Caylee could and would kick her ass.”

Noah leans back sighing. He’s only recently truly begun healing after he had that show with Isla about the stalking and assault of male athletes a little over a week ago.

Liam’s face darkens as he unlocks his phone. “Let me just block her number then. Takes care of that little issue.”

“Quinn will be happy. She really didn’t like her.” I add

“Quinn has good instincts about dating. For others at least; not herself. Thanks for sticking up for us Sean.” Liam adds sincerely. Noah nods tersely.

“Always. We don’t tolerate that kind of bullshit. You’d do the same for me.” I declare with utmost certainty.

“For all of our family.” He answers staring down into his glass. I hear his unspoken thought. Even if they don’t feel like family right now. But the way he emphasized “all” tells me he’s going to talk to Sarah sooner rather than later. Hopefully then he can move forward.