making his rounds. I know it the second his eyes find Andi because his big mouth stops moving. Brandon is two years older than me and we actually look a lot alike. We’ve frequently competed for the same thing, including girls. But there’s no way I’m letting him put the moves on this one. No. Fucking. Way . I try to head him off at the pass but he just pats my shoulder as his “hello” as he makes a beeline for my girl, who’s now sitting with my sister and Gran.
“And who is this beautiful lady? Alicia, you said you didn’t have any friends you could set me up with that I’d be interested in. I can promise you, I’m interested in this one.” Brandon is really laying it on thick.
“Brandon! We can’t take you anywhere!” Alicia is laughing, knowing what a flirt Brandon naturally is. “This is Andi, and she’s Luke’s date.” Gran is watching me with those knowing, all-seeing eyes of hers and an obvious smirk on her face. She knows damn well that Andi is more than a friend to me even if I haven’t said it to anyone.
“Oh, Luke and I aren’t dating. We’re just friends.” Andi declares to Alicia, but the whole room full of people stop s buzzing and every eye is boring into me, telling me that I’m fucking crazy. Every eye except Brandon’s eyes, which are still glued to Andi. I’m pretty sure I just growled out loud at her revelation.
“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Andi,” Brandon is moving to sit beside Andi on the loveseat, even though my sister already occupies the other seat. Brandon will just sit on her if she doesn’t move fast enough. My brother is openly ignoring me and eating Andi up with his eyes.
I cut through the room full of people who are still looking at me as if I’ve suddenly sprouted a few extra heads. I take Andi by the hand before Alicia has time to get out of Brandon’s way, thus preventing Brandon from fully getting to my girl. I pull Andi up to stand beside me and wrap my arm around her waist – being intentionally and blatantly possessive, especially in front of Brandon.
“Not a snowball’s chance in hell, Brandon. Go find your own girl.”
My brother knows me all too well. His smug smile tells me he knows he’s pushing my buttons as he says, “I think it would be more appropriate if you go find your own girl. You and Andi are just friends, after all.”
I’m not doing this in front of everyone.
“Andi, let me introduce you to the rest of my family and show you around the house,” and with that I lead her away from my brother, who is now openly laughing behind me. I feel somewhat better when Andi settles her hand in mine and gives it a slight squeeze.
ANDI
I absolutely love Luke’s family – every one of them. They have all taken me in with open arms and made me feel like one of them. It’s been so long since I’ve had a family, my emotions threaten to get away from me and I have to find something to take my mind off it before I start crying and make a fool out of myself. For all their problems, and every family has problems, none of them can really understand what it would mean to lose everything and be totally alone in this world.
I understand it all too well. And that makes being here with Luke’s parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all the more bittersweet. I’ve talked at length with every single person here, even with his brother Brandon, who is actually just a big softie even though he gives Luke hell. I think everyone asked me, in one way or another, exactly what Luke was doing at the gym.
When I explained the boxing career, what it takes to make a boxer, how much determination and grit a man has to have to even step in the ring, I could see them look at Luke in a completely different manner.
After explaining it to Luke’s dad, Sam, I think he was actually fighting back tears and he looked so damn proud of Luke. It makes
“And who is this beautiful lady? Alicia, you said you didn’t have any friends you could set me up with that I’d be interested in. I can promise you, I’m interested in this one.” Brandon is really laying it on thick.
“Brandon! We can’t take you anywhere!” Alicia is laughing, knowing what a flirt Brandon naturally is. “This is Andi, and she’s Luke’s date.” Gran is watching me with those knowing, all-seeing eyes of hers and an obvious smirk on her face. She knows damn well that Andi is more than a friend to me even if I haven’t said it to anyone.
“Oh, Luke and I aren’t dating. We’re just friends.” Andi declares to Alicia, but the whole room full of people stop s buzzing and every eye is boring into me, telling me that I’m fucking crazy. Every eye except Brandon’s eyes, which are still glued to Andi. I’m pretty sure I just growled out loud at her revelation.
“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Andi,” Brandon is moving to sit beside Andi on the loveseat, even though my sister already occupies the other seat. Brandon will just sit on her if she doesn’t move fast enough. My brother is openly ignoring me and eating Andi up with his eyes.
I cut through the room full of people who are still looking at me as if I’ve suddenly sprouted a few extra heads. I take Andi by the hand before Alicia has time to get out of Brandon’s way, thus preventing Brandon from fully getting to my girl. I pull Andi up to stand beside me and wrap my arm around her waist – being intentionally and blatantly possessive, especially in front of Brandon.
“Not a snowball’s chance in hell, Brandon. Go find your own girl.”
My brother knows me all too well. His smug smile tells me he knows he’s pushing my buttons as he says, “I think it would be more appropriate if you go find your own girl. You and Andi are just friends, after all.”
I’m not doing this in front of everyone.
“Andi, let me introduce you to the rest of my family and show you around the house,” and with that I lead her away from my brother, who is now openly laughing behind me. I feel somewhat better when Andi settles her hand in mine and gives it a slight squeeze.
ANDI
I absolutely love Luke’s family – every one of them. They have all taken me in with open arms and made me feel like one of them. It’s been so long since I’ve had a family, my emotions threaten to get away from me and I have to find something to take my mind off it before I start crying and make a fool out of myself. For all their problems, and every family has problems, none of them can really understand what it would mean to lose everything and be totally alone in this world.
I understand it all too well. And that makes being here with Luke’s parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all the more bittersweet. I’ve talked at length with every single person here, even with his brother Brandon, who is actually just a big softie even though he gives Luke hell. I think everyone asked me, in one way or another, exactly what Luke was doing at the gym.
When I explained the boxing career, what it takes to make a boxer, how much determination and grit a man has to have to even step in the ring, I could see them look at Luke in a completely different manner.
After explaining it to Luke’s dad, Sam, I think he was actually fighting back tears and he looked so damn proud of Luke. It makes
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