Alex stood in the white and silver kitchen like a pillar, as Isabeth buzzed back and forth like a caffeine-riddled Jack Russell Terrier. He scraped his red and black vans along the glossy red oak floor that ran throughout Isabeth's country house. She brought the estate for the stables but loved it for the sixty-feet white ash forest that was her backyard. Alex thought it was too far from town. He rather she resided in the brownstone she had in town.
This wasn't how they planned their Friday night after they beat Faith and Lucia bowling three strike-less games at Indigo Lanes, Tuesday. He demurely stared at the forty-six inch Smart-TV mounted above the sandy gray stone fireplace. Langston Ballpark brimmed at capacity; the whole town was probably there. He bet if he looked hard enough he could see Tinsley and Blair in the stands.
That was where they were supposed to be. The Colón Coyotes and Hollis Kodiaks were about to square off in the opening game. It was a summer tradition. Every prominent family whose gross yearly income (GYI) tipped over a billion dollars had their own sports team, either in baseball or basketball. College athletes from every state applied to participate in the Evening Tournament, which was an elite summer camp with national league coaches and all-star mentors. The Lemen Populist was playing tomorrow and the Ovien Warriors would hit the field Sunday. He had their weekend mapped out.
"I thought Harper had caterers." He sulked while watching her chop, batter, and fry.
Isabeth splayed habanero sauced winglets on a cookie sheet, " She does. Just not for this week." Isabeth slid the pan into the blazing oven and whisked around dropping the bowl in the farmhouse sink. "I knew something like this was going to happen..." She swiveled around again. "That's why I bought the ribs. Harper doesn't have a planning bone in her body."
Alex rushed in front of the refrigerator before she could grab the handle, "Let's flake."
"We can't." She stone-faced uttered. "She's my best friend and...we can't." She reached around him.
He nudged her hand out the way with his elbow. "I know. You don't want her to feel bad. But I'm sure most people canceled after she made the calls."
"I'm not most people." She tucked her hair behind her ear showing the cultured pearl. "We're not most people. Her true friends will be there."
"Her true friends." He pulled her into him, wrapped his arms around her waist. "I don't know the girl."
Isabeth hooked her arms around his neck, "You know me."
"Yes." He wickedly smiled. "I know every tick of your beautiful mind like I know every curve of your beautiful body."
She hopped on her toes and kissed his lips. "And that's why you're going." She pulled away but he held her firmly.
"You know...I could forget about missing the game and be a very good boy at this..." He squinted trying to think of a nicer word. "Sub-par Luau."
"Oh!" She leaned her head back getting a better look at his cognac eyes. "Is there?"
"Yes." He playfully nodded. "I've been up at Harvard for a long, long time...without my girlfriend."
She caressed the nape of his neck; "We've been in Evening for a week."
"And we've been apart since January." He backed them up until her back was against the counter. "Can you say deficit?"
"Oh." She smirked. "Is that so."
He nodded.
"I love you." She kissed him. "More than you know."
"Oh, I know." His heart fluttered sending a surge to his brain, "I love you, the same."
"So is your deficiency the reason you sent that not with the flowers?" She smirked against his lips. "To Play with you."
"I didn't send you flowers but...I'm down to play." He pulled his head back with lust and adoration swirling in his eyes.
Isabeth jumped back onto the butcher's block countertop, grabbed Alex's t-shirt pulling him to her and wrapped her thighs around his waist. She raked her hands along his arms leaving a burning trail of desire. Alex drunk up the Bottega Veneta Knot drizzled along her neck, as he tasted her silky skin. She moaned as his hands found their resting spot on her creamy thighs, under her shorts.
"Where were you last night?" She breathed nibbling on his earlobe.
He ignored her, pulled her shirt off her shoulder, kissing her collarbone instead.
She pushed his head away. "Where were you, Alex?"
"At Dog Ear's." He answered. It was a job he obtained while attending Harvard since his trust fund only covered college and transportation.
"Last night. You were at Dog Ear's?" She unwrapped her legs from his waist. "You never work nights?"
"A new shipment came." He bit his tongue wishing he could call the answer-back. His game was always off around her. His lies were never like honey around her.
"A new shipment." Isabeth jumped off the countertop. "Of books"
"The shipment came in late. I didn't want to waste my weekend stocking books so I stayed late." He punched his fist in his hand. "Why all the questions?"
"Why are you acting questionable?" She walked to the oven and peeked in to see how the wings were progressing. The golden crust sizzled.
He looked over at the TV buttoning his jeans. The Colón Coyotes were led by two. "I didn't do anything wrong." He tucked his hands in his back pockets, matter-of-factly.
"I know." She disappeared in the butler's pantry. "You were working late last night and Faith was bathing herself in baby oil." She came out of the pantry with a box of breadcrumbs.
Isabeth dropped the box on the countertop seething as she grazed her tongue along her teeth. "We don't lie to each other."
"I know." He responded timidly rubbing his hand around his neck.
Isabeth folded her arms tightly. "Okay." She bit her bottom lip staring out the window in the breakfast nook.
Alex was in trouble. He knew it.
He carefully walked over to her, clenched her shoulders and turned her to him. "I honor the code." He was lying through his teeth but the truth was out of the equation. "I won't bring trouble on your doorstep. Not like I did before. Not ever."
Alex leaned in, cautiously. Her temper chilled from seethed to irritated. He closed his eyes as he kissed her warm cheek. He could feel it. He knew she knew. It was the calm before the storm. Uncertainty planted its seed in her heart. It clouded the structure that housed their love. What he feared most was coming to pass. She doubted him. He bought his time, caressing her flawless face chasing away the worry that fluttered in her mind, sealing it with a gentle kiss to her supple lips.
"Am I interrupting?" Faith shouted in the doorway.
Alex tsked at the sight of Faith. "Why are you all dressed up? It's a luau." He backed up as Isabeth fixed her shirt. "Booty call, later?" He picked up a warm, succulent fried drumstick out of a Tupperware dish.
Faith slammed the door looking casually stunning in a black and pink baseball T-shirt, black leather pants, and camel pumps. She flashed her middle finger as she passed by him.
"Where's your damn phone, Isa?" Faith shouted. " I've been calling you."
Isabeth looked in the living room for her purse. "It's probably on my bed." She nodded to the back.
Alex sat in the houndstooth armchair with a mozzarella ball.
"Why? What's up?" Isabeth collapsed on the loveseat, the adrenaline was gone and her feet were throbbing.
"Lucas is getting out of jail." Faith spat out.
Gavin's awake, what do you think will happen next?
Who do you think sent Isabeth the flowers?
Should Alex and Isa flake or go to Harper's faux luau?