Page 65 of Mark Us Little Bear
“Can we take it to the beach?”
“Sure, but not a scratch.” He warns with a soft smile.
“Not even a hair,” I promise.
A little figure paces toward us out of the corner of my eyes. Amber rubs her tired lids, wearing Ronnie’s Iron Maiden t-shirt that hangs just above her exposed thighs. Skipping on her little legs, “Good morning,” she softly says in her smoky morning voice and embraces me tightly. My body instantly melts. My soul too.
“Good morning, Bear.” I kiss the top of her head and fasten my arms around the small of her back, basking in her warmth and her faint musky scent.
Mom whips around the corner like her dress is on fire. “Okay good, I need help with grocery shopping. Josh’s ninetieth birthday is tomorrow and we’re hosting a dinner party.” Her eyes lock on Amber. “Amber, of course, your family can join,” she inches closer, “Scratch that, I expect to see them here.”
Amber coughs suddenly and pulls away from me. “I can ask Dad if he wants to help.”
“That would be amazing, no pressure, but I’m dying to get some of his recipes.”
Amber giggles sweetly, “I’ll ask him.”
“And the Morrison’s will join us too with their daughter.”
“Not the Morrison’s. Their daughter was in my class and she hated my guts so much that she told our teacher I copied her test when it was the other way around and then she spread rumors that I smoke joints behind the school which was untrue, it was her who did it. Not to mention she told the girl I had a crush on I had STDs because I bang everything with two legs, her words, and I didn’t.” I clench my jaw and narrow my eyes. She knows how much I despise that family because they always took advantage of us.
“We’re telling the Morrison’s something came up.” Mom reassures me. “I’ll handle it. But more importantly, how did Inever know about this? I knew you weren’t fond of them but never knew why.” Her sharp tone cuts like a knife.
Cole and I glance at each other, scratching our faces. “Dad handled it. He said if you knew you would rain hell on their family.” I dare to look at her.
“You bet your ass I would’ve.” She’s giving us that terrifying look, stone-faced but her eyes are burning with rage. “Do they bother you today?”
“Nah, we use clever words against them and make them look like total idiots when we come across them in the street but Josh and Ryan never spoke to them,” Cole summarizes.
“Good, that’s my boys.” Her face softens quickly as she smooths the wrinkles from her classy midi dress. “You three are coming with me end of discussion.” She announces as she determinedly strides back to the house.
“Yes ma’am.”
I drape my arm around Amber’s shoulder and walk with her inside to get changed. “How did you sleep? Did you enjoy your pecan pie and your men?” I chuckle as I watch her confusion slowly seep in.
“Bradley! You came.” Ronnie caresses my cheeks which feels nice and soothing andwhy is he drunk?
Placing the grocery bags on the kitchen island, I chuck the car keys on the counter and stalk him as he passes through the backdoor. “Oh, fuck no. You got drunk with my brothers?”
“I’m not drunk,” he argues adorably with an angry pout. “I deserve to drink. This week I’m letting loose and… I deserve to drink.”
“You already said that,” I confirm with a grin.
“You started the party without me? Who raised you kids?” Mom sashays through the front door with her biker gear on after deciding she wants to ride on her motorcycle while we take the car. “We decided today is day drinking day. No responsibilities.”
“It’s our week off and we have nowhere important to be,” Ryan notes as he walks by.
“You’re seventeen,” I say as I scan the backyard. Josh plays with Teddy, as usual, and Ryan changes playlists every goddamn second. Ronnie slouches against the beanbag chair, a beer bottle dangling from his fingers.
“I drank Coke.” Ryan waves the can in his hand and winks. “I’m the driver.”
I pass him, “Don’t make me whoop your ass.” I crouch down next to Ronnie and kiss the crook of his neck. “You’re living your wild life this week?”
His palm clutches the neck of the beer bottle tightly. “Something like that.”
I search for an answer in his eyes but can’t decipher him for the first time. I’m so used to seeing him in control that it feels wrong even though it’s not. “How much did you drink?”
“Enough to qualify as a drunk even though I don’t feel like one. I never have. Don’t have the luxury.” His eyes are fixated on Teddy and Josh’s gleeful expressions. They roll on the grass, playing. “I have better things anyway but I wantthatso badly.”
