Beneath the Surface

The guys walk up with the chairs and start putting them around the table, “Guys y’all already met Maddie and Mason. This is my older brother Shawn and his wife Jessica, and across from me is our brother from another mother, Tyler.”

Somehow I end up sitting with Jax to my right and Carson to my left. I’m a little uncomfortable but the alcohol is helping. I’m on my second pina colada tonight and I’m not really a drinker. “If y’all want a drink there’s plenty in the fridge. We’ve got beer, soda, and sweet tea.” Carson smirks at me, “What? That doesn’t look like beer, soda, or sweat tea you’re drinking there. What’s the deal? I can’t have a pina colada?” I giggle at the thought of mean looking Carson sipping on a pina colada, “Sure Carson you go right ahead!”

I sit back and watch everyone around me for a minute. Dillon is sitting to Shawn’s left between Shawn and his parents. Jax is between me and Shawn. They are all talking about cop stuff so I tune them out. Maddie, Mason, and Tyler are talking with Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. Carson is just sitting back watching like I am. My eyes are drawn to Jax, he really is gorgeous. I let my eyes scan him freely for the first time since we met. He’s wearing jeans and a long sleeve gray Henley today. The shirt hugs to his arms and his trim waist. His black hair’s a mess from running his hands through it. I wish he would look this way so I could see his eyes. It’s his bright green eyes that always draw my attention. Every time I look him in the eyes I’m shocked all over again by how green they are. It really is too bad he’s gay. Carson kicks me under the table.

“What the hell was that for?” I say a little too loudly. Everyone stops and looks at me and Carson. He clears his throat and looks like he’s trying hard to restrain a laugh.

“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I lean towards him and try to whisper, but I don’t think it really works, it is way too loud to be considered a whisper. “Yeah, sure you don’t butt head.”

He barks out a laugh, “butt head? Really? That’s the best you can come up with?”

“Whatever I’m going to get another drink.” I stand up to go get a refill when Carson stands as well. “I’ll come with you. I need to talk to you about something.”

Shawn and Mason both start to stand. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Shawn says to Carson. I know what they’re thinking, they’re worried about me having a panic attack from being alone with him. They don’t know about the night in the foyer a couple weeks ago. They also don’t know that I decided Carson was safe that night. I don’t feel intimidated by him anymore, I see him as a new big brother, as if I need anymore.

“He’s fine. Come on, Car.” He chuckles at the new nickname I gave him, and follows me through the sliding glass door into the house.

“You’re drunk aren’t you Lexie?”

“Just a little buzz. I’ve only had two Pina coladas but I don’t drink often and haven’t eaten. I’ll grab something while we’re in here. Do me a favor and holler out the door and see if anyone else wants me to bring them something to eat will ya?”

He comes back in saying no one else wants anything while I’m rummaging through the cabinets to see what all I’ve got. “Ah-ha!” I see what I was hoping to find. “They might have said they didn’t want anything, but my brothers are about to change their mind. You hungry Carson?” He shrugs at me.

I grab a couple bags of chicken wings from the freezer and put them in water to thaw before getting a beer and jumping up to sit on the counter. I look to Carson and pat the counter next to me and he comes over and hops up beside me.

“So what did you want to talk to me about?”

He looks confused for a second, “Oh, I was just going to tell you that you might want to switch to something a little weaker.”

“I’m not even drunk! Just buzzed enough to relax me a little bit.”

“Yeah relax you a little bit too much. I kicked you to get your attention. You were staring at Jax like he was something to eat and you were starving. I kicked you before anyone else noticed. You’re welcome.” I start to deny it, but there’s no point. He saw me, so lying won’t do any good. Before I can respond the door slides open again, and Jax and Dillon walk in.

Jax looks at me, “You mind if we grab a couple of your beers?” I shake my head in response and watch him walk to the fridge. As he bends to grab a beer my eyes fall to his ass, and damn it’s a nice ass! Carson elbows me and I jerk my eyes up to find Dillon looking right at me with a huge grin on his face. I can actually feel my cheeks get hot. Carson knowing I’m checking Jax out is one thing. I’ve already claimed him as my brother, but I’ve never even had a real conversation with Dillon since being introduced and him catching me is just embarrassing. I go to take a swig of beer only to find it’s empty. What the hell? I just got this beer.

I look over at Carson, “Did you drink my beer, asshole?”

He bursts out laughing and shakes his head, ” It’s been in your hands the whole time Lexie, How would I drink it? I’m cutting you off. You’ll thank me in the morning.”Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

I ask Jax to toss me one and as he complies I turn toward Carson, “There’s one thing you’re forgetting, Car. You’re in my house.” I give him a stupid grin and stick my tongue out at him like a five year old as he rolls his eyes at me.

I jump off the counter and dry the chicken wing sections before throwing them in the fryer and hop back up next to Carson. I get a little dizzy jumping up and Carson grabs my arm to steady me. His eyes get huge when he realizes he grabbed me, like he’s scared of my reaction. I give it a second to see what happens and am happy to see that I don’t feel any panic or fear when it comes to Carson anymore. “No worries, I won’t freak out on you again.” I lay my head on his shoulder. “I decided a couple weeks ago you’re my new big brother, and my brothers don’t scare me.”

I look up to see Jax and Dillon look at each other with confusion. Damn the alcohol is getting to me. I forgot they were still in the room with us. My eyes scan Jax from head to toe and back again, and when I reach his eyes he’s looking right at me. Damn, busted! He doesn’t call me on it though. He just raises an eyebrow at me. “It really is too bad you’re gay.” His eyes double in size and Carson starts choking on his beer next to me.

“What did I say wrong?”

Jax looks at me with disbelief, “What makes you think I’m gay?” Carson is still coughing and spluttering next to so I start hitting him on the back while I look back at Jax. “Carson told me.” At this point Dillon loses it and roars with laughter, and Carson starts shaking his head wildly.

He finally collects himself, “I did not!”

“Yes you did! When I asked you why he seemed to have a problem with me you said and I quote, “It has nothing to do with you Lexie. Jax just doesn’t like women.”

“I didn’t mean for you to think he was gay!”

“Well what the hell was I supposed to think? There are two kinds of men! Men who like women, and men who don’t like women. If you don’t like women there’s only one other option dumb ass.”

At this point Dillon has tears running down his face he’s laughing so hard. Jax is glaring at Carson while Carson looks like he’s trying hard not to laugh. The laugh bursts out of him, and I can’t help it, I start laughing with them. Jax turns and storm out of the kitchen. I pull the chicken from the fryer and put them on paper towels to drain before going back outside to see how mad Jax is. Only he’s not there. Everyone else is talking and laughing, but he’s gone. He must have went to his house. Well damn that probably means he’s really pissed. I can’t imagine a man taking it well when someone accuses him of being gay. I turn around to face Carson as he stands behind me. “Do me a favor. From now on be a little more clear.”

“Hey what happened to Jax? He went in to grab a beer and when he came back out he looked pissed, and left without saying anything.” I look at Shawn and just shake my head.

Mr. Johnson speaks up, “Is everything okay?”

Dillon sits down next to him still chuckling, “Yeah everything’s fine dad. Lexie just pretty much accused him of being gay so he went home.” The asshole bursts out laughing all over again. Maddie spits beer across the table, and looks at me in disbelief. “Why the hell would you think that man’s gay?”

“Because Carson told me he was.”

“No I didn’t! She just misunderstood something I said.”

As everyone around the table chuckles and goes back to talking and having fun I look over at Jax’s house. I feel kind of bad. I shouldn’t have laughed with Carson and Dillon. I guess I did misunderstand Carson, and while everyone here is having fun he’s sitting alone at his house because of something I said. Maybe I should go apologize and try to get him to come back?