Reagan

Saturday came too fast. Way too fast. Carter had invited Brooke and me to some charity game Friday night, but I didn’t want to face Carter’s family just yet, plus I had to clean out the spare room. In doing that, more fear bombarded me because when I’d offered Carter the room, I’d forgotten how close it was to my room. As in, right next door to it. What happened if I needed to masturbate? Would he hear? Or if I blew my nose? Worst of all, what happened if I needed to fart? I couldn’t let one go in case Carter heard through the wall. I wasn’t sure how thick the walls were, but I wasn’t going to risk letting one go.

God, my stomach was going to hate me in the end.

It was already on the way since my nerves were all over the place.

Loud knocking on my front door got me out of bed. My pulse kicked up its pace. It was only six in the morning. Carter couldn’t have been here already.

I dragged my exhausted body down the hall and into the living room. Glancing down, I realized I should have probably dressed; I was still wearing my nightie and sleep socks. I peeked through the curtain from the living room window beside the front door and held my breath. It was only Tom.

Tom?

What in the world was he doing here so early?

Not caring what the hell I looked like since it was Tom, I went to the door, unlocked it and swung it open.

“Is he here yet?” was the first thing out of his mouth.

“Good morning to you too.” I gestured down at my attire. “Does it look like he’s here and moving in when I’ve only just got out of bed, and it’s only six in the damn morning?”

He took in my pj’s. “Huh, I’ll get the coffee on then.” He pushed past and headed for the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, “You’d better get dressed before everyone arrives.”

I blanched at “everyone,” but I couldn’t even deal with Tom. Rather than crawling back into bed, which was what I truly wanted to do, instead, I grumbled to myself about rude early people and headed back into my room to grab leggings and a long top.

Just as I opened the bathroom door, I heard boomed, “What in the hell are you doing here?”

“Herb,” Mom warned.

“What? He can’t be here. This is my day. My Carter and my daughter.”

Tom scoffed. “This is my employee and my Carter, who I met first.”

Darn it. I threw my dirty clothes into the laundry room as I ran past on my way into the kitchen. As soon as I entered, Dad turned to me and demanded, “You invited him.” He pointed to Tom, who leaned back against my counter and sipped his coffee, smirking.

“Blame Brooke. She mentioned it to him.”

“Goddamn it. This moment is mine,” Dad said, stamping his foot.

“Herb, how about you start acting your age and get over it,” Mom suggested.

“Agreed,” I stated. “You two need to stop taunting each other and hug it out or I’ll… tell Carter he can’t move in and we can’t be friends. Then you both won’t get to see him.”

Both Dad and Tom gasped.

“Fine. I can forgive him for George if he can forgive me for not telling him about Carter coming to the school,” Tom said; it would have been better if he wasn’t glaring at Dad while saying it. Though Dad was just as bad and scowled back.

“Fine,” Dad bit out.

“Now, honey,” Mom warned as she fixed herself a coffee and Tom handed me one. “Do you have a plan of action for today? Do you know what he’s bringing? Will there be enough room in your house for his things?”

When I stared at her blankly and took gulps of coffee, she sighed.

“Jesus,” Tom groaned.

“Reagan, do you know anything about what Carter is bringing?” Dad asked.

“Um… no.”

We hadn’t actually spoken during the week. There’d been a few texts here and there, but nothing about him moving in. I guessed it was because he probably knew I was unsure of it even after I forced it upon him, so maybe he hadn’t brought it up because he was afraid of scaring me off. I was doing a damn good job of that on my own.

We’d been friends for two weeks.

Two. Weeks.

And he was moving in.

One good thing about it was that at least I knew he wasn’t a murderer. He was in the public eye too much to go off and kill someone. But other than that, I didn’t know much about him. He played football. He dated Elena in high school. He liked action movies and documentaries, and for some strange reason, he wanted to be friends with me. And he took my family and me as we came. Well, so far he did.

Right, I had to get through the day and see if Carter was still okay living here. Especially after having spent more time with me and my family.

The front door opened, and I was sure my heart rolled over in my chest. I glanced through the breakfast window to see Brooke walk in. “Morning,” I called, relieved it wasn’t Carter yet. I hadn’t even finished my first coffee.

“Morning, there’s a car pulling up out front. I think it’s Carter.”

Well damn.

Behind me, I heard a clatter. I turned to see Tom’s mug was on the counter and he and Dad were moving. They got stuck in the kitchen doorway, both shoving at each other.

“Let me through,” Dad snapped.

“You let me through,” Tom barked.

Brooke entered the living room, caught sight of Tom and Dad struggling and started laughing. Dad finally managed to get through first and made a dash for the front door. On the way, he glared at Brooke. “We’ll be having words.” Before she could reply, he was off outside with Tom on his heels.

Brooke looked at me and Mom. “What was that about?”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s upset with you for telling Tom Carter’s moving in.”

“Oh.” She grinned.

Mom sighed. “Come on, we better get out there before they start fighting over either carrying Carter inside or his things.”

“Good thinking.” I nodded, and quickly finished off my coffee before making my way out the front just behind Brooke. Only Brooke stopped abruptly, so I crashed into her and then Mom into me. We all stumbled forward. A giggle erupted from my previously tense body when I realized what had Brooke slamming on her brakes. Dad and Tom were in front of Carter, trying to talk at the same time. Clearly bewildered, Carter’s gaze switched back and forth quickly to each man, like he was at a tennis match. However, I didn’t think it was that scene that stopped Brooke. It was the fact Dustin stood beside Carter.

Tom and Dad were also fawning over him. Heck, Dustin was even blushing from something one of them said, which had Carter chuckling.

“We need to save them,” I whispered to Mom and Brooke.

“Let’s do it.” Mom nodded and cracked her fingers, like she thought she was going to be in for a fight. She strode forward first. I followed, only to turn around to see Brooke remained in one spot. I took her hand in mine and dragged her with me.

“His loss, remember?” I mumbled to her as we approached.

“Yes.” She nodded.

“Morning,” Mom called cheerily. “Herb and Tom, do you think you two can step back and let the fellas through?”

They did, complaining under their breaths.

“Hey,” I said with a lame wave. “Ah, my parents made me realize I have no idea what you’re bringing. Do you have a truck coming with some more stuff?”

His truck seemed to be loaded full, but I was sure a man like Carter would have more items. Like furniture.

“Nope, this is it. I presumed your house would be furnished, so I didn’t bother with anything except a few personal items. When I find a renter, I’ll store my furniture and then after I’m in my own place, I’ll shift it all then. That was okay, right? You do have furniture?”

Smiling, I rolled my eyes. “Yes, even a spare bed so you don’t have to sleep on the floor.” Now I wished I didn’t have one. Then I could have offered to share mine like the good housemate I was going to be. With a shake of my head, I clapped. “Let’s get started then, and it should be done in no time.” I wondered if I could keep Brooke and my parents, even Tom, around the whole day after he was settled in so I wouldn’t have to be alone with him.

Then again, I did have to get used to it.

I was sure, however, I could find other things to keep me occupied and out of the house like going to the movies, or perhaps I could start a dog walking business. Actually no, Fozzie put me off that idea. I had a few hours to think of something else though.

“Hi, Dustin, did you come to help?” I asked.

“Sure did, but I didn’t realize you’d have so much help already. Hey, Brooke.”

Out the corner of my eye, I noticed Brooke tense. Her face shaded red and she blurted, “How’s Benjie?”

Dustin smiled. “He’s good. With his momma this weekend.”

Brooke nodded.

Everything went silent.

“Right,” I said. “Tom and Dad, since you’ve met both guys, how about you start unpacking Carter’s truck.” They got down to work and only fought a couple of times on who was going to unhook the tarp. “Dustin, this is my mom, Elaine. Mom, Dustin. Also a football player.”

Dustin stepped up, took hold of Mom’s outstretched hand and then brought it up to his lips and kissed the back of it. Mom sighed dreamily.

“Lovely to meet you, Elaine.”

Mom giggled. “You too, Dustin.”

“Elaine,” Dad barked. “Come here.” For the first time, Dad glared at Dustin. To my horror, Mom curtsied to Dustin and headed toward Dad. He glared over her head at Dustin.

Carter laughed. “Guess I’m still his favorite.”

“Damn,” Dustin commented with a smile.

Dad knew Mom was a looker. He’d told me it was his burden to bear since he’d managed to snag her as his; he knew he’d have to put up with every man and his dog drooling over her. But it didn’t stop him from turning into the possessive male we saw before us.

Dear God… he just ran a finger across his throat at Dustin.

“Dad,” I yelled. “Stop threatening him.”

He huffed, grabbed a box and followed Tom and Mom into the house.

“Dustin, whatever you see or hear here today, please don’t be scared. My family is a little—”

“Crazy,” Brooke said with a grin. “It’s why I love them.” She then swatted me on the ass and trotted off to the back of Carter’s truck.

“All good, babe. As long as that’s a thing in the family, slapping butts, I could get used— Fuck.” He coughed as Carter elbowed him in the side. “I’ll keep my hands to myself.” He shook his head, scowling at Carter as he passed him.

We stared at each other.

“Um, are you still okay with staying here?”

Please say no and run for your life.

“Yes.” He smiled. My knees wobbled.

“Okay. Then, ah, let’s do it.”

“As in me move in?” he asked.

I tilted my head to the side in confusion. “Yes, what else would I mean?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head and then went to grab his own box.

Following him, I asked, “Where will you store your things when you rent your place out?” His truck was stacked full and high. I took a smaller one and then a pillow from the back seat.

Which was a bad, bad move.

The pillow smelled like him.

I wanted to lift it to my nose and inhale deeply.

Just one sniff.

No, Reagan, you’ll look like a weirdo.

However, when Carter started up the path before me, I took the chance to bring it up to my nose and drew in a breath.

My belly swirled.

Carter Anthony’s scent was one any woman would masturbate over.

“Dustin was— Did you just smell my pillow?”

Oh, snap.

He must have looked over his shoulder.

In a panic, I laughed nervously, snorted, scoffed, and rolled my eyes. “No,” I said, and then threw the pillow to the ground guiltily. Then I remembered it was his pillow and that was rude, so I quickly adjusted the smaller box to my hip and picked it up. Only I held it down at my side.

While heat rose on my face, Carter grinned at me. He then chuckled, before turning and continuing. “What I was saying was Dustin’s offered or I might just get a storage unit.”

I took the chance to move past my stalker move and quickly offered, “I have a garage with hardly anything in it. You could use that also when the time comes.”

“Thanks.” He nodded with a warm smile.

We entered the house, and the hostess in me took over. “The house isn’t that big. This is the living room. Through to the left are the dining room and kitchen. Then right down the hallway are the bedrooms, bathroom, and laundry. I’ll show you your room.” I made my way through the living room to the hall and down past the bathroom to the second bedroom of the house.

“—he told me once he doesn’t like his testes being restricted, which is why he’s a boxer guy. I prefer a tighter type of boxer… just in case anyone was wondering,” Dustin said, picking up some boxers from within a box.

“We weren’t,” Dad replied.

“Jesus Christ, Dustin,” Carter cried. He lunged for his boxers and snapped them out of his hands, shoving them back in the box and closing it. “Is nothing sacred with you?”

“What? We’re all guys here—”

“Hey!” Brooke snapped.

Dustin winced. “Oops, sorry, forgot you were in the room.”

Brooke clenched her jaw, threw the box she was unpacking to the floor, then stormed out. How freaking dare he upset her. After stalking over to Dustin, I placed the box on the bed and then slapped Dustin upside the head.

“What was that for?” he cried.

With a glare, I shook my head at him, then spun to follow Brooke out. Only to quickly return and place Carter’s pillow, which I’d been clutching to my chest, on the bed.

“You two don’t know what you’ve got yourself into hanging with them,” I heard Tom say.

Dad snorted.

“What did I do?” Dustin asked.

“Is he always stupid?” Dad asked.

I caught Carter’s, “Yep,” before I stepped into the living room. With no Brooke in sight, I went into the kitchen. She was standing in there with Mom.

“How come you’re not unpacking, Mom?”

She scoffed. “Your father didn’t want me in the room while Dustin’s in there. I got demoted to coffee and snack duty.”

“Maybe it’s for the best. He’s a douche.” I glanced to Brooke; her eyes were down on the floor. “You okay?”

She huffed out a breath. “Fine.”

“What happened?” Mom asked. I shook my head slightly. She nodded. “The only advice I can give you both, without knowing fully what’s going on, is that men can screw up, a lot, and sometimes it’s good to just forgive their stupidity. Other times it’s better to make them pay while they grovel for forgiveness.”

Brooke straightened. “Another thing to do would be to go out tonight, get tanked and sleep with a random to get over everything.”

Mom gave me wide eyes. “Ah, maybe. I mean, you’re not attached to anyone, but be sure he’s not a criminal and will use protection.”

Sheesh, Mom sure gave sound advice… sometimes.