Blow My House Down

Chapter 33

Mike's face softened. "Annie, darlin', I'm sorry."

He kissed her. Her body went slack, like melting under his touch. It made me glance at Micky. That was the way I felt when he kissed me -- every single time.

"Hey, Cowboy," I said, peering over the seat. "Got a mint?"

Mike's eyes narrowed. "Don't you ever mind your own business, Lennox?"

"Don't you ever take that stick out of your ass, Nesmith?" I shot back, then turned to Annie. "You got a mint, Annie?"

"Why would you need one?" she asked coldly.

"Sheesh, Annie, can't a girl make sure her breath smells good without giving her the evil eye?"

Annie rolled her eyes and grumbled, "Some nerve..."

I slid back down in my seat and noticed Micky smirking out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and giggled. "What?"

"You did that on purpose."

I shrugged. "Maaaaybe."

"This is why I love you."

My heart stopped. His face was a pure look of panic. He scrambled to correct himself.

"As -- as -- as a f-friend! Of course, as a friend."

I nodded as to convince myself the same thing. "Of course, yeah, buddy, friend. No problem. Right. That's what friends do, right?"

I heard Cecily giggle in front of us and I kicked her seat, then slumped down in mine and sinking into an awkward silence with my seat mate. We didn't say a word the whole flight to Connecticut.

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After a long journey, we finally arrived at Cecily's house. It was quite a big house. Simple in its design, but big. There were patches of snow all over the yard, on the roof, on the front porch steps. Cecily, Peter, Micky, and I climbed out of the taxi. Annie and Mike were in a separate one that pulled up behind us.

Micky let out a low whistle. "You Stevensons sure have money."

Cecily and Peter exchanged a look, then burst out laughing. Micky and I were bewildered.

"Oh, Micky, no..." Cecily said, still giggling. "I mean, yes, we do have some money. My dad's a lawyer. But he won this house in a bet."

Micky looked dumbstruck. "He won this house in a bet?"

"Yeah, one of his cocky clients bet that he wouldn't be convicted. My dad bet he would be. My dad is never wrong. So, here we are. In this house."

"Well, I'll be damned."

The sound of the screen door slamming against the wall drew our attention back to the house. Out came a lanky, shaggy-haired blonde boy. He was smirking with his arms wide open as he took his time going down the steps. The look on Cecily's face was pure childish glee.

"Charlie!" Cecily exclaimed in delight, sprinting toward him and nearly knocking him over with the force of her hug. "I thought you were in Vietnam!"

"That's what you think!" Charlie said, laughing, holding her just as tight. "Nobody can send me away. They didn't want me anymore when I attempted to shove my tongue down an officer's throat. It's strange, really. Who would ever be interested in men?" He winked at the rest of us. She pulled away from him, smiling brightly. "How's my favorite sister?"

"I'm your only sister."

"Oh, you are?" He chuckled at the look on her face.

"Charlie," she said, rolling her eyes. "These are my friends."