The Boy with Bad Habits

Chapter 48

"I'm so happy you two could make it and, " His eyes looked down to the right of me, "who might you be?"

"Willow Andrews," she extended her small feminine hand out to him, "A friend of Ace."

A friend. Sure, if that's what you want to call it.

"Nice to meet you Willow, please enjoy the cookout. Kind of strange for the middle of November but my little nimrod nephew," he gestured to Tony, "Suggested it."

"Hey," he drawled out and feigned hurt.

Willow giggled discreetly at their family banter. One of Mick's construction worker friends uttered something in Spanish to him that regarded him.

He nodded to the group he was conversating previously, "It was nice meeting you Willow and good seeing you Ace, stay as long as you want, if you'll excuse me." Mick reacquainted himself with his peers.

Willow visibly relaxed next to me, "See," I muttered, "Not that bad."

She smiled unconvinced, but obliged and stood next to me, not behind me much to my approval. Her hand brushed against mine mulitple times. I knew she wasn't trying to tease me. Only, it was very tempting to just take hers in mine.

The grilled food flooded my senses and my stomach started to growl. I noticed the grill near a few construction workers gathered around it talking. Without even thinking about it in a passive manner, the third time was the last straw and I clasped my left hand with Willow's small, feminine one then squeezed it silently telling her enough. It took her by surprise because she jumped and her eyes burned the side of my face. Yet I ignored it and pulled her to where the scent of food lured me. She followed close behind and I could see that Tony saw our intertwined hands and smirked. Classic Antonio.

Everyone took note of our presence when the construction workers cut off their conversations. All of them gave us kind smiles. Despite that being the case, one in particular smiled a little too friendly at Willow.

"Who's the pretty lady?" He asked as he peered down at her body from top to bottom, it pissed me off beyond words. 

She was completely oblivious, "I'm Will-"

"She's my girlfriend." I said as non-threateningly as possible.

Her eyes bulged for a minute until I gave her my 'don't question it' looks. Luckily, she wasn't clueless about that.

"Is she now?" His head turned slightly and muttered to himself, "Someone's got low standards."

"Excuse me?" Bold voice coming from next to me. It surprised me to see her in such away.

"I'll have you know, considering the fact you didn't come to the event with someone, it's pretty obvious you have no standards." A gold blaze was set off in Willow's eyes. "Also, my boyfriend is as high as the standard goes. I happen to think I did just fine gentleman, and I do use the term loosely."

His nostrils flared in anger. Walking off with his red solo cup without another word. Willow closed her eyes in an attempt to come back from such a haze. They opened and appeared to go back to their normal chocolaty color. "I-I am so sorry I did that it's just, I felt he was offending you and I know I was probably crossing the boudaries involving the whole 'couple' thing. Honest, I didn't mean to offend Tony's uncle in any way or you for that matter I-I..."