Page 44 of Between Brothers

“Where are you going?”

“It’s a charity run, getting toys and – ” Everett glared at Dray and he ducked his head. “Stuff together for charity for kids at Christmas. We go, we pick up, bring all of it back here and the ol’ ladies have a wrapping party. Wrapping all the gifts that were donated while some of the guys go buy more with the raised funds to bring back,” Dray finished.

“So we can wrap some more. We could really use a gift wrapping hand around here.” Everett said with a smile.

“Is there coffee involved?” I asked.

“For you, absolutely. I still am off it. In fact, will you drink a cup for me and tell me how amazing it is? Mandy won’t.”

I laughed, “Sure.”

“Right, so food, back to your place for a change of clothes and Blue’s bike, and I guess our day is pretty much decided for us.”

“You knew it was coming,” Dray said and Cell shrugged a shoulder.

Blue blushed and said, “Kind of let myself get distracted and forgot all about it.”

“That I believe,” Dray said with a wink.

I blushed, but it wasn’t judgy or super uncomfortable. Just my usual shyness at work.

I went home with Blue, Cell opting to stay behind and not cause any awkward if my dad happened to be out and about, which he was when we pulled into the driveway. Out back at the woodpile, chopping wood for the woodstove in the house. His typical autumn time chore before it got too miserably cold out to do it or started snowing.

“Hi, pumpkin!” he called out and raised an eyebrow at me. He knew I was dating, but I hadn’t told him who. Now that he saw, I could see that he was less than happy, just as I suspected he would be.

Thank god he didn’t know it was the both of them…

“Hello Mr. Vannerly,” Blue said, marching forward with his hand out to shake it. I blinked in surprise at Blue for being so forward. I mean, that had never been his style before.

“Hello there…”

“Blue, they call me Blue.”

“Got a real name, Blue?”

“Joseph, sir. Joseph Barry.”

“Ah huh, I see.”

“Daddy!” I admonished at his unenthusiastic tone.

“Hayley,” he drawled evenly.

“All due respect, sir. I wanted to say I appreciate you letting me see your daughter. She’s a fantastic human being and I respect her very much.” Blue said before my father could further embarrass me.

My dad jiggled his axe in his hand and looked Blue over. My dad was not a small man. Wide in breadth of shoulders, he’d been a big, hardworking man my entire life and I loved him for it. He was also protective, which I couldn’t blame him for… he’d lost his wife, my mother and had already nearly lost me once… those aren’t things a man like my father got over quickly.

“Ah, as much as I hate to admit it, my little girl is her own woman and does what she wants… she takes after her mother that way.”

“Speaking of doing what I want,” I said with a wry twist of lips, “I need to grab a shower and change of clothes. I’m helping do some charity work today.”

“Sounds like something you would do,” my dad leaned his axe against the stump he used as a chopping block and came over hugging me, and kissing the top of my head.

Blue explained it while I slipped away and went up to deal with things. I quickly showered and went to my room to dress, checking on them both outside my second floor window overlooking the back yard.

My dad and Blue both stood, arms crossed, breaths pluming in the cold talking back and forth. Blue leaned forward and laughed a little and nodded. I ducked back and pulled on a complete outfit that was both warm and comfortable enough for my Sunday that would be spent wrapping.

I pulled my wet hair into a tight bun to avoid having to dry it, and blew some quick hot air onto my bangs just so I could style them before I went back downstairs, bursting out the back door with a “There, sorry! I didn’t mean to take so long.”

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