“Love and Lies”
2013 Copyright © All Rights Reserved
Chapter 8
The drive to Greensboro passed fairly quickly. Joe’s flight was only half an hour late and after introductions were quickly made, Trevor was ushering them back to the car. He claimed he wanted to be home for dinner.
All the way home, Trina gushed guiltily over Joe. Joe finally had to threaten her to make her stop talking about Aaron and what happened. She was a little bruised but nothing bad. She’d live. She just wanted to make that bastard pay for every mark he put on her body.
Two hours late they were back on Huffine Farm Road. Trevor easily navigated the car down the old dirt road. After parking in the drive, he collected Joe’s suitcases and headed inside. Joe grabbed her purse and let Trina lead the way.
“So,” Joe asked when they walked into the house, “what else can you tell me about this brother of yours.”
Trina shrugged. “There isn’t a whole lot to tell. He’s tall, about the same height as Trevor and his hair is a shade lighter than mine. He looks like me with muscles and a lot more body hair.”
They stopped at the door beside hers. It was the guest room and where Joe would be staying for the next four weeks. “When we were back in high school he liked to think of himself as some sort of a regular Casanova. I thought he was full of shit.”
This time Joe threw her head back and laughed out loud. “Somehow, as hard as it may be to believe, I can almost see you saying that. I always knew you had a backbone, Trina.” The smile slowly died from her face and now she was looking at Trina with a serious expression. “I just wished you would have found it before you met Aaron. You don’t have any idea how much I regret not speaking up before I did. The man was a gigolo and he didn’t deserve you.”
The trunk popped open and Trina looked away. She didn’t want to think about Aaron right now, much less talk about him. She knew now he was the biggest mistake that she’d ever made in her life.
Trevor took the suitcases into the guest room, ignoring the girls comments. “As far as my brother is concerned I don’t know what else I can tell you, Joe. I haven’t really been around him for the last two years. Lev, he’s just...well he’s Lev.”
“That’s the thing, he hasn’t changed,” Trevor added, dropping the suitcases on the floor.
It was so hard for Trina not to notice how perfect his wrangler jeans cupped that tight ass of his. She wanted to reach out with both hands and squeeze those delectable cheeks. She knew that he was a very dangerous man and even as she told herself that he was nothing more than another heartbreak waiting to happen, her body disagreed.
“Your brother is still just as wild as ever. Even I admit that he has a gift when it comes to the ladies. They hear his southern drawl and women turn to gooey shit in his hands. It’s almost sickening how easy it is for him.”
“And let me guess,” Joe interrupted, “he knows what type of effect he has on these women too.”
“Yup, unfortunately he does and he isn’t at all ashamed to use it to his advantage.”
Joe didn’t say anything for a minute. Her right eye was bruised and her lip was swollen but she still looked as gorgeous as ever with her long fiery red hair and a Victoria Secret body that was rocking with the best of them.
“Psht. Not this woman. I’ve eaten men like him for breakfast. Mr. Casanova.”
The scary thing was, Trina knew she was right.
*****
Later that night Trina and Joe sipped coffee at the table.
“You know, you look like your mom.”
She’d heard that line all her life. Everyone remarked how much she looked like her mama. She supposed it was true. They shared the same color eyes, same color hair, same pointy nose and even the same dimple on the chin. Trina suddenly felt uncomfortable.
She needed to change the subject. “I’m glad you came.”
“Why wouldn’t I. You grew up here and I’ve heard some of the stories. I especially loved the one about the night you and your brother went to your neighbors and went cow tipping. That sounds like it’d be fun.”
“It’s okay,” she grinned.
“I just can’t picture little old you trying to push over a bit fat cow.”
Trina snorted, coffee spilling from her nose. Joe started laughing so hard that she literally fell out of the chair, landing hard on the floor.
“What’s so funny?” Lev asked, strutting into the kitchen. He walked over to the refrigerator and opened the door. Joe suddenly stopped laughing and quickly pulled herself back into the chair. He grabbed the gallon of milk and kicked the refrigerator door closed behind him.
Twisting off the top, he brought the gallon to his lips and then like a freeze-frame picture, he froze.
Joe was staring down at the table into her coffee cup. As if she could feel his eyes on her, she raised her head and their gazes locked.
For mere seconds, it was like time stood still. Neither of them saying a word.
Trina didn’t have that problem though.
“Lev, meet Joe, my roommate from New York. Joe, meet Lev, my less attractive twin.”
Lev slowly placed the gallon of milk on the counter. After wiping his hands on his jean clad legs, he walked over to Joe and offered his hand. “Howdy, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet a such a beautiful woman.”
Trina fought to hold back a laugh. For once, Joe seemed speechless. Covering her mouth she tried to inconspicuously hide a cough in order to get her attention. The sound came out more of a sickly hack but it did the job.
“Oh,” Joe stood up from her chair and grabbed Lev’s hand a little harder than she needed to. “Wow, not only are you a juicy hunk but you’re quite the gentleman too.” She glanced over at Trina, “See, he has manners. What the hell happened to you?”
Rolling her eyes, Trina dumped what little was left of her now cold coffee into the sink. “I have manners.”
“Yeah right. Around the postman or Queen of England, maybe. Around me, manners don’t exist. You burp out loud, have a major problem with acute flatulence after you eat ice cream and a closed door means absolutely nothing to you.”
Ignoring her comments, Joe grabbed another cup and poured some coffee for Lev. He started to chuckle while putting the gallon of milk back into the refrigerator.
“Now that sounds more like the little sister I know. Trina thought that just because we shared the same womb she had an all access pass to my bedroom. Even when I had girls over.”
Trina scrunched her nose. “Hey, after that one time I walked in and saw Cyndi Lou's lily white ass up in the air, I learned my lesson.”
“I just bet you did,” Lev grinned.
While they talked Trina couldn’t help but notice the way that Lev and Joe continued to sneak looks at each other. Neither one of them thought anyone noticed, but she did. Trina noticed everything that was going on in that small kitchen between her brother and her best friend.
Maybe, she thought to herself, this could be a two for one type of deal. Lev just might be as much of a good influence on Joe as she would be for him.
Joe shied away from commitment. As far as Trina was aware, she’d never even been in a relationship that lasted more than a month.
This could get really interesting.
She handed the cup to her brother.
“Thanks,” he replied.
“You’re welcome.” She turned to go back to the table.
“Have you heard from Trevor?” he suddenly asked her.
“Oh yeah. That reminds me. I’m supposed to tell you to make sure you keep your plans open tonight. He mentioned something about bowling. You and Trevor against me and Joe”.
“Seriously?”
“That’s what he told me.” Lev rubbed his hands together in eager anticipation. He went over to Joe and put his arm around her shoulder.
She went stiffer than a two-by-four.
“What do you say beautiful partner of mine? You want to kick some country ass tonight.”
Joe’s face suddenly paled into a freakish ghostly pallor. “I don’t know about that. I’ve never bowled before.”
Lev squeezed her shoulder. “Darling, that’s not a problem. I have your back. I’ll teach you how to bowl a perfect strike and by the end of the night we’ll have the two of them numb-nuts begging for our mercy.”
She turned her head in his direction. “Really? You think we,” she gestured by waving her hand between them, “can really beat them even though I have no experience.”
He looked as cocky and confident as ever. “Of course.”
“Well then,” she shrugged and turned to Trina. “All I have to say to that is, game on.”
Trina smiled again. Her face was going to start hurting with all the smiling she’d been doing lately. Watching her brother with Joe she realized that some things hadn’t changed. Lev could still charm the skin off a snake.
Setting her hands on her hips, she put her best game face on. “Alright then, you seem so confident that you're going to win. Do you want to make a little wager on it?”
This caught Lev's interest. “What kind of wager are we talking about?”
“Something simple. Loser buys winner dinner."
“I like it,” Lev stated. “I like it a whole helluva lot. You better bring your credit card though because bowling sure makes me hungry. Your going down little sis’.”