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Chapter 31
“Grace wants to know if you have her shampoo,” Brian informed Faith. “Why didn’t you ever wear this?” He held up a skimpy piece of lingerie he had found in her underwear drawer.
Faith rolled her eyes. “Grace, check the shower, hon!” she yelled. “And Brian – I thought I told you not to do my underwear drawer and that I’d do it myself.” She put her hands on her hip and looked at him sternly. He shrugged and returned to the bras and panties that surrounded him.
Faith sighed and looked around her room at the masses of clothes and junk that cluttered the floor. In the midst of it all sat Brian, cross-legged, scrutinizing a jungle green silk bra. Faith snatched it from his hands and pointed her finger out the door. He looked at her with puppy dog eyes, but she held firm and just stabbed her finger in the air in the direction of the door.
Brian whimpered and stood up. “I won’t do it again,” he swore.
“Brian,” she said in a warning tone.
He sighed and walked out. “Anybody need help packing their underwear?’ Faith heard him call, just loud enough for her to hear. She threw the bra out the door and by the sound of the “All-right,” she knew it had landed on his head. She shook her head and returned to her packing. She’s miss the dork like crazy when he was gone.
“Is this yours?” she heard from the doorway.
Faith looked up and saw Destiny holding the bra between two fingers and looking at Faith like horns had sprouted from her head.
“Where’d Brian go?” Faith asked.
“I’m not going to even ask why this sexy green bra reminded you of Brian.
All I’m going to do is answer you. Nick came over and he and Brian are now downstairs dooking it out over who gets to destroy Grace’s Brad Pitt tapes.”
“Uh-oh,” Faith commented. “I’d pay to see Grace’s reaction.”
A scream sounded from below them. “You won’t have to, from the sound of it,” Destiny giggled.
“Faith!” Grace screamed. “Get your boyfriend away from my tapes!”
Faith and Destiny laughed. “Brian, honey-“ Faith began, but didn’t get a chance to finish as Brian barreled into the room and slammed the door behind him.
“Whew,” he sighed, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. “If tapes could kill, Grace would be chucking ‘em at me and Nick right now.” His eyes were wide as he stared at Faith, and she couldn’t help but laugh at him.
“You’re so adorable,” she cooed, stepping over to him and draping her arms around his neck. A thought occurred to her. “I want you, can I have you? I love your chewed nails…”
Brian laughed and rubbed his nose against hers. “You can have me any day,” he said in her ear.
“Learn to whisper,” Destiny called from Faith’s closet.
Brian ignored her and ran his hands down Faith’s arms until they reached her hands and he clasped them between them. “Wanna go for a walk?” he invited.
“I’m already behind in my packing, Brian, I shouldn’t…”
“C’mon, you know you want to.” His eyes were twinkling mischievously and she broke down right there.
“Okay, what’s there to lose?” She shrugged and followed him out of the door.
They walked down to the beach, swinging arms in between them all the way.
“I’m gonna miss this beach.”
Brian waved it off. “We’ll come back on our honeymoon.”
Faith froze. The underlying simplicity of his statement was shocking.
“What’d you just say?” she asked slowly.
Brian turned and looked at her. “Our honeymoon,” he repeated. “We’ll come back here.”
“So…what’re you saying?”
He clasped her hands in his. “Just that someday, maybe soon, or maybe not, I want you to marry me.”
Faith smiled, suddenly feeling much lighter. “’Course,” she said, trying to state it as simple as he had.
When they returned to the condo, somewhat of the chaos had been solved and more organized. Faith walked back up to her room in a daze, still amazed of what they had talked about. Grace was walking by and noticed the goofy grin on her twin’s face.
“What’s with you?” she asked.
“Guess,” Faith said, feeling giddy. There’s no way in the world she’ll guess this, she thought.
“When you and Brian went on a walk, Brad Pitt walked up to you and threw Brian aside, declaring his love for you and proposing that very second?”
“That’s your dream, not mine.” Faith giggled. “Besides, he wouldn’t have just thrown Brian aside, he’d have had to put some effort into it, and even then Brian would have pounded him.”
“Yeah, right!” Grace squealed. “Brad is so strong. There’s no way your man could take down my man.”
“Hi, AJ,” Faith said, looking over Grace’s shoulder. Grace spun around.
“AJ?” she exclaimed.
Faith burst out laughing. “Gotcha,” she yelled and ran to her room.
“You monkey!” Grace shouted back and chased after her.
“Monkey?” Faith gasped, laughing so hard her stomach ached. “Monkey! That’s so stupid!”
“Oh, now you’re making fun of my words!” Grace pretended to slap Faith like a over exaggerated catfight.
“Monkey’s not even your word, Grace,” Faith said, giggling. “It’s Webster’s.”
Grace burst out laughing. “Since when is Webster possessive?” she pointed out.
They fell back on the bed, laughing hysterically. Brian heard their laughter and ascended the stairs curiously.
“What’s going on in here?” he inquired, watching them laugh. They only laughed harder. He shook his head, spotted the green bra on the floor, picked it up and left. Neither of the laughers on the bed even noticed.
Several minutes later, they stopped laughing, catching their breath and staring at the ceiling.
“So,” Grace spoke up. “What did happen when you went on your walk?”
“Brian plans to marry me.”
Grace sat up. “I was almost right.”
“How?” Faith laughed.
“I thought Brad proposed to you, and that was really close.”
“Oh, okay,” Faith said sarcastically.
“Just shut up,” Grace joked. “I’m sick of your crap. Jeez. What is your problem?”
“You,” Faith teased back. “You never leave me alone. I could just…ugh.”
Grace started laughing again, and Faith pushed her sister back on the bed and stood up.
“I’m going to go find my wonderful, sweet, caring, loving, generous, cute, thoughtful boyfriend,” she announced. “You’re making me sick.”
Grace just laughed. Faith descended the stairs and looked around the kitchen. “Brian?” she called.
“I’m in here,’ he called from the living room. She made her way there and plopped down next to him on the couch.
“What’cha watching?”
“Sports Center,” he muttered, not taking his eyes off the television set.
“What game is better than me?” Faith wondered.
Brian didn’t reply. Faith pouted, then stood up. “Fine.”
She was just about to walk away, when a hand snaked to her T-shirt and yanked her back down on the couch. She turned her head and looked at Brian, about to say something, but before she could get a word out, he kissed her passionately, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly.
“Much better,” she murmured, kissing him back. Things continued in this way for several minutes before Hope appeared in the doorway, her T-shirt wrinkled and her eyes sleepy.
“Faith?” she mumbled.
Faith pulled away and looked at her cousin. “You’re up late,” she observed. “You better get packing.”
“Whatever.” Hope sighed and walked away.
Brian’s fingers, tangled in Faith’s hair, rubbed her scalp.
“What’s up with Hope?” Faith wondered. Brian turned her head and kissed her sweetly.
“She broke it off with Kevin,” he said around her lips. He went to kiss her again, but Faith pulled away.
“Why?” she asked, astounded. Brian traced her lips with his fingers, shrugging.
“She’s not my cousin. But, I do know that Kevin is heartbroken.”
“Oh, no,” Faith moaned. “I have to talk to her.”
“Can’t you do that later?” he pleaded. Faith was about to make a snappy comeback but realized he just wanted to spend some time with her and she relaxed.
“I’m so lucky I have you,” she mumbled, cuddling closer to him.
Brian’s arms overlapped her and he kissed her hair before resting his
chin on her head.
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