Archer
“We’re just gonna settle Lily with Willow’s parentals, and then we’ll head into Seattle.” Toby slams the remainder of his beer, placing the glass heavily on the table. He looks frustrated, down even. It’s offbeat for his usual demeanor and I watch him closely trying to decipher what the hell is fucking with his head.
“Darci’s parents are coming to the wedding, then bringing Emeli back home. We’ll stay on for the night.” An unintentional smirk twists at Bennett’s mouth as he finishes his sentence and I shake my head with a laugh.
“What?” His smirk morphs into a full grin. “Dude. Do you know how fuckin’ hard it is to get laid after your kid is born? Some nights you’re just too fucking tired to even bother, and the nights that you’re into it, the baby decides they’d prefer you keep your hands off their momma.”
“A-fucking-men to that,” Toby grumbles. “’Nother round?”
We all nod in easy agreement as he saunters off, shoulders bunched.
“What’s up his ass?” Jake arrives, hand squeezing my shoulder in greeting.
“Sleepless and sexless nights, kid. Sleepless and sexless nights,” Ben trails off on a defeated sigh, reaching for his beer.
“How’s it goin’?” I give Jake my full attention. He looks tired. Worn down. I’d bet money on the fact he ain’t sleeping much. It fucking scares me. I’ve been there, living in my own head. It’s dangerous. Your doubts sap away your happiness, your insecurities eating into your soul, rotting you from the inside out. I can’t let that negativity eat Jake. Problem is, each time I see him, he’s more closed off, more conflicted. He’s lost weight, dark pockets are shadowing his eyes and that dimple that drives Aubrey to crazyland is coming on less and less, which means he ain’t happy enough to really smile. Fucked part is, the harder I push him to talk to me, to open up, the harder he pushes me away.
“Made a decision yet?”
His lips twist distastefully, refusing me eye contact. “Don’t wanna talk about it.”
My gaze bores into his profile, but he doesn’t budge, eyes trained on the bar. “Gonna have to decide soon enough, if not for you, for me. Fuck, Belle’s an emotional mess. Cryin’ at the drop of a hat, shooting way more attitude then I need around. I can’t take it anymore.”
“Adam and Will excited?” He ignores me completely, tapping Bennett’s shoulder to grab his attention.
Glancing to me briefly before turning to Jake, Bennett sighs softly. We’re all at the same point, working to see inside Jake’s head, to help him, any fuckin’ way we can. But he’s making sure we know we ain’t welcome there, that he’s more comfortable living in the circus of his mind without the rest of us interfering.
“Adam’s chill,” Bennett concedes to his want to change the subject. “Will’s bein’ a maniac, but what’s new?” His tone changes to one of complete affection as he talks about his parents, a smile gracing his lips without intention.
This wedding’s an important moment for him, I see it in the emotion that catches his eyes whenever it’s mentioned. I get it. I care for Adam and Will like I do Janie. They’re family.
Toby wanders back, Luca on his heels and I scowl over in greeting.
“Look who I found hiding behind the bar.”
Luca’s chin rises in a silent hello as he moves closer to Jake. “Nice of your dads to invite me to their wedding, Ben. Unexpected but appreciated.”
“Thought you were bein’ included as Frankie’s plus one. Reluctantly.”
Luca’s blue eyes freeze on me, an eyebrow rising in piqued interest.
“Awfully pissy today, Dean. Afraid wifey might ask me to dance?”
Fire licks up my spine and my fists clench unintentionally. This asshole can’t help goading me, and while I live for the thrill of the fight itching to break between us, it also grates on my last fuckin’ nerve.
“Valentine’s Day, a bit romantic, no?” Toby breaks the tension with a sideways glance in my direction.
“Valentine’s Day?” My question comes out louder than I planned, and four set of eyes look at me curiously. “What are you talking about?” I clarify, and Toby rolls his eyes.
“The wedding, doofus. It’s on Valentine’s Day.”
I count months mentally in my head. “That can’t be, Valentine’s Day is in…”
A loud sigh breaks from Toby’s lips. “Jesus, fuck if I know why Annabelle stays married to your dumb ass.”
“God, I still don’t know what I’m gonna buy Riding Hood. How long do you guys think I can ride on The Coffee House rebuild?”
“It’s done,” we all agree, and he sighs loudly.
“Fuck. I hate Valentine’s Day. So much fucking pressure.”
“I happen to love Valentine’s Day,” Toby grins. “One of the few times a year I’m guaranteed anal.”
“Jesus, hippy, TMI, I don’t wanna know what Willow does to your butt,” Jake teases.
Beer showers each of us in the face as Bennett chokes on his drink. Our echoed laughter is loud and raucous, Toby’s eyebrows dancing in mischief.
“Just buy her a vacuum,” Luca quips confidently. “Like one of the top of the line Dyson’s. She’ll love it.”
Silence drops awkwardly between us all, heads shaking, soft disappointed sighs shared.
“Dude. No wonder you’re single. My God. Relationship advice 101, household appliances are a massive fuckin’ no.”
I chuckle lightly, nodding along in agreement. I fuckin’ hate Valentine’s Day and the expectation that commercial assholes throw at us men, but fuck, even I ain’t stupid enough to buy Belle a vacuum. Man, she’d have my balls.
“It’s a shame really.” Toby eyes Luca, his palms coming up to cup the dickhead's cheek. “That someone so pretty is destined to be alone. Forever.”
Luca’s rough laughter lightens the perpetual pissed off glare he usually sports, shrugging out of Toby’s caress. “What could be more romantic than a gift for your home? It’s solid.”
“Amateur,” Toby breathes.
“Got an appointment tomorrow to have a strawberry tattooed on my hand,” Jake offers easily, like it’s the obvious choice of gift.
“Jesus, Fairy dust, you’re a living, breathing ode to your wife. It’s a little sickening.”
Jake smiles at Luca’s playful taunt and even though I can’t stand the sight of the blond asshole, I’m thankful he offers the same solidity in friendship to Jake that I have with Toby and Bennett.
“Ain’t nothin’ to do with fairy dust.” His dimple shows in his cheek and I take comfort in the joy lining my brother’s face. These past few weeks, wrestling with a life changing decision, it’s weighed him down. He’s thinking about Aubrey, about Ma, about Belle, me. Everyone but himself. It’s affecting him more than he cares to let on, but I see it and it fuckin’ scares me.
“I fucking know. I hear all about your pierced dick. Multiple fucking times a day. It’s nauseating listenin’ to the two of you go at it.” Luca flicks a coaster at his face in basketball-like fashion, grinning triumphantly when it hits his target; right between Jake’s eyes.
“Hold up,” Toby yells, drawing attention from the crowd of the bar, he waves them off on a silent scowl, telling them to go back to what they are doing. “Did you just say dick piercing?”
“I think my cock just crawled up inside of my body,” Bennett grimaces, shifting on his feet uncomfortably.
“Like, you have a ring in your cock?” Toby pushes, moving closer to Jake.
“Two.”
Bennett groans loudly, his hand flying out to cup his junk protectively. “Yep. My balls have crawled away too.”
“How did I not know you had this done?”
Jake shrugs lazily at Toby’s question.
“Show me.”
Jake’s palm meets with Toby’s chest pushing him away on a laugh. “Dude. Not a fucking chance. Google it if you wanna see what they look like. Your eyes aren’t touching my cock.”
Grabbing the bridge of my nose, I shake thoughts of dicks with metal pushed through ‘em from my mind. “Mind if we stop talkin’ about my brother’s dick. It’s creeping me the fuck out.”
“Agreed,” Bennett frowns, glancing to Jake and awkwardly rearranging his crotch before shaking his head. “What are you getting Belle for V Day?”
“We don’t do Valentine’s Day. It’s a farce. Total bullshit that I refuse to buy into. She won’t be disappointed,” I smirk, letting them read into my meaning.
“You do realize your wife works in a florist?” Luca challenges with an arrogant arch of his eyebrow, and fuck what I’d give to lay my fist against his face.
I sigh heavily through my nostrils. “Yeah, and she gets how fuckin’ overpriced roses are. She brings flowers home without having to drop a cent, why the fuck would I waste money buying them for her?”
“Hope for you yet, Viking,” Toby pats Luca’s shoulder. “If Archer can remain married with that mentality, you may win over a damsel like Annabelle with your vacuum cleaner after all.”
“That sounded oddly erotic,” he adds as an afterthought, reaching for his beer again. The tension he arrived with seems to have dissipated with the time he’s spent with us. All well and good for now, but we’ll have a conversation, work out what the fuck’s causing him issue.
“I should buy Frankie a new apartment, get her the fuck outta mine,” Luca adds distractedly and everyone goes quiet.
“Firstly, somethin’ you wanna tell us about your finances, a fuckin’ apartment?” Toby questions. “Secondly. Dude. Why the fuck would you get her anything? You’re not dating. Far as I know, you ain’t bumping uglies either. Don’t you dare set a fuckin’ higher expectation for the rest of us. Pfft. Buying a random a Valentine’s gift. The title of Casanova is already taken in this group, thank you very much. By this Romeo,” Toby gestures to Bennett.
Rolling his eyes, Luca holds his hands up in surrender. “Whatever. I agree with the moody one, it’s a fucking joke. You know, the history of Valentine’s Day is actually a little fucked up.”
Picking up our drinks, he holds our attention, silence descending as he speaks. “It’s not one hundred percent clear, but it’s traced back to the Romans. The ceremony was a sacrificial slaughter followed by the men whipping women. The chicks dug it, would line up for a solid spanking.”
My eyebrows aren’t the only ones raised in obvious interest. “Some say people would be coupled too, like draw your name out of a hat, swinger style.”
Downing my beer, I smile in spite of myself, a little pissed off that the guy is actually interesting and not just some jerk who puts his hands on my woman.
“Sounds like one hell of a party,” I smirk, and the Viking returns it.
Bennett grabs Luca’s shoulder, catching his attention. “So what you’re saying is your future missus will be gifted with a spanked ass and multiple orgasms come Valentine’s Day?”
We all laugh, our laughter thick and rich in the quiet corner of the bar.
“Don’t plan on finding myself a missus,” he replies. “But, if for some reason the Kool-Aid you all seem to be drinking rubs off on me and I fall into madness, yeah, you bet your ass that’d be her present.”
Our glasses lift to clink together in cheers, easy comradery shared. “To fuckin Valentine’s Day,” Toby declares enthusiastically, his sentiment echoed around the table.