The Last Thing He Needs (6 page)

“It’s a miracle none of you had Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or something.”

“Miracle and Irish genes, I’m guessing. I think we must have developed some kind of resistance in utero.” Both men laughed at that, Bobby shifting down a little farther on the couch. If Tommy didn’t know any better, he’d have thought it felt like the end of a nice date. Not that he’d had any of those, but he guessed if he wasn’t just out to get laid, but out to get to know someone, it would feel a lot like this encounter on the couch. Quiet and easy, a relaxed kind of fun with a small simmer of heat under the surface.
I must be more tired than I thought
.

“You do good, Tom. Considering all that you have to deal with, you do an amazing job of it.”

Bobby didn’t say it like Tommy was lucky to have his approval or like he needed it from anyone, more like he thought it was about damn time someone said it.

“Just do what I gotta do,” Tommy murmured, feeling his eyelids droop. Sleep was creeping up on him. Somewhere deep inside, a warmth was spreading out from his core, something unfurling inside him that made him feel, for maybe the first time in his life, happy to be alive.

“You say that, but you have no idea how many people I see in your situation that
don’t
do it. You’ve chosen this, Tom. You choose it every day you don’t turn your back and walk out that door. There are seven people that might just make it from here because of you.”

“Just like you, copper?” Tommy teased, but he was half-asleep already, yawning as he spoke.

“Better than me, Tom.”

The words were a whisper, but they were the last thing Tommy heard before finally sinking down into a comfortable, restful sleep. Bobby’s voice chased warmly through his dreams with little laughs and soft endearments.

W
HEN
T
OMMY
woke, he found himself under the blanket they kept over the back of the couch. The house seemed empty, and he knew Bobby had gone. He didn’t want to look at the heavy disappointment that left him with. Instead, he blinked his eyes open and went upstairs to check on the twins.

“Y
OU
WANNA
do
what
?” Tommy didn’t mean to sound irritated, but hearing his sister tell him she wanted to go on a real date for the first time in her life was a shock first thing in the morning.

“Prom.” Colleen glanced down like she should be ashamed. “We wouldn’t have to spend money on a dress or anything. Farah said I could borrow something pretty. And I know it’s probably on a work night, but summer’s coming and I’ll be able to work more shifts at the diner soon. I just—”

Tommy cut her off. “It’s not that, Col, swear, I just…. You sure? I mean, do you even know this guy? How come I’ve never heard you talk about him?”

“You have heard of him,” she insisted, rolling her eyes. “You met him a few times. He was my lab partner last semester, remember?”

Narrowing his eyes as he pictured the quiet, geeky kid who sat at their kitchen table and scribbled notes in between glances at Colleen, Tommy nearly laughed. “
That
guy asked you out?” He was standing in the kitchen in his boxer shorts, serving up fried eggs and toast. “I didn’t even know he could
talk
.”

Colleen took the milk out of the refrigerator and started to pour it into cups, adding water like they always did. “Yes, he
talks
. He just doesn’t talk to
you
because all you do is stand around and scowl at him.”

Before Tommy took a sip from his coffee mug, he muttered over the edge, “I didn’t like the way he looked at ya.”

She rolled her eyes again. “He’s really nice and he’s really smart and he asked me and I wanna go,” she told him firmly. She stepped back as Davey and Mike ran into the kitchen and grabbed their plates.

Tommy let out a resigned sigh. “Okay, lemme know when and I’ll get the night off.” He added quickly, “I wanna meet him again, though. He’s picking you up here at the house and he’s gonna have you home by a decent hour, or swear to God, I’ll come after him.” He kissed her forehead and tried to smile. “And he better be
nice
.”

W
HEN
THE
doorbell rang, Colleen stuck her head out from the bathroom. A curling iron was in her hand as she called out to Tommy, “Shit, he’s early! Let him in, please.”

Tommy brushed past her on his way down the hall, nodding his head. “Kinda rude to show up early for something like this….” He was mostly teasing. He and Mike had done some recon on Colleen’s date and the worst thing they could find was that he sometimes skipped mass to play video games. Of all the guys at Colleen’s high school who could’ve asked her out, he was probably the safest.

He stooped down to pick up some dirty laundry lying at the bottom of the stairs and tossed it into the hamper around the corner as he went to answer the door. Tommy was sure the surprise was clear on his face when he found Bobby on his doorstep. He had a cloth shopping bag in one hand and two DVDs in the other.

“Is that him?” Collin rushed into the living room. “Did he get a limo?”

“He ain’t here yet,” Tommy answered over his shoulder before looking back at Bobby. Dressed in a tight black T-shirt and even tighter black jeans, Bobby looked so good Tommy wanted to reach out and touch him. Instead he asked, “What’s up?”

With a lopsided grin, Bobby said, “I was just in the neighborhood.”

“You’re always in the neighborhood,” Tommy pointed out, not stepping aside to let him in.

“True. Gonna let me through the door? This bag is kinda heavy….”

“What’re you doing here?” Confused, Tommy still didn’t move out of Bobby’s way.

Bobby lifted the two movies up. “It’s Friday night and I heard you were on kid patrol, figured we could watch a movie and maybe have a couple beers.”

“Where’d you hear that from?” Tommy finally moved to let Bobby in.

Bobby grinned as he stepped inside. “I have my sources.”

When Colleen bounded down the stairs in her bathrobe, Tommy guessed who the ‘sources’ were. “Hi, Bobby,” she said breathlessly as she ran past them both into the kitchen.

“Hi, Col,” Bobby called out after her, but she was already gone.

“C’mon in.” Tommy ushered him through and closed the door, nearly tripping over an abandoned backpack. “Davey, get your gear up outta the floor. You’re supposed to be doing your homework!”

“I am!” Davey shot back from somewhere upstairs.

Tommy bent down to get the backpack and looked inside. “Without your books?” he shouted up the stairs. “Get your ass down here!” Seconds later, Davey was pounding down the steps. He tried to grab his backpack from Tommy’s hand, but Tommy held on tighter so he couldn’t take it. “I mean it. I want all your math done tonight and get a start on that English paper.”

Davey slumped. “It’s Friday night!”

“Yeah, so get your shit done or you’re grounded for the weekend.” Tommy was stern
—
he knew Davey needed a kick in the ass sometimes. His brother huffed out a frustrated breath, but he didn’t argue.

Bobby was still standing near the door, watching with an amused look on his face as Tommy and Davey had their argument. Colleen breezed past them again as she ran back up the stairs without saying a word.

“It’s a zoo here tonight,” Tommy told him as they walked into the living room. Max and Zoe were sitting on the couch between Collin and Mike, watching a cartoon, while Carrie glued small pieces of smooth glass onto a piece of cardboard.

Squatting down next to Carrie, Bobby asked, “Whatcha working on?”

She beamed at him, tilting the cardboard so he could see better. “It’s a mosaic,” she told him before turning her attention back to the project, sorting through a dish for another piece of glass. “The green is water, see? And I’m using the brown rocks for the sand, and then I’ll do the sky.”

“That’s gonna be really nice when you’re done.” Bobby ran his hand down her dark hair before he stood up again.

“Remember to keep those pieces outta the floor so the babies don’t choke on ’em, all right?” Tommy reminded her as he made his way into the kitchen.

Bobby followed him, still carrying his bag and the DVDs. “Can I stick the beer in the fridge?” He had already opened the door and set the six-pack inside. Tommy wondered why Bobby bothered to ask. “I brought some snacks and stuff too.”

Giving him a withering look, Tommy decided it wasn’t worth arguing. “Just set your stuff on the counter for now. You can pass out your treats after dinner, candy man.”

Grinning in response, Bobby did what he was told, but he came close to Tommy and leaned in. “The treats are for us.”

Something about the tone of Bobby’s voice made Tommy’s heart kick against his chest. His mouth went dry suddenly as he felt his cock stir in his jeans. All he could do was nod and try to pretend he wasn’t standing so close to Bobby he could feel heat coming off him. He turned away, opening the oven door and pulling out a pan of baked ravioli. He had to clear his throat with a small cough before he could speak. “Make yourself useful and set the table. Dinner’s in ten minutes.”

He couldn’t bring himself to look, but he was sure Bobby was grinning as he started to gather plates and forks.

T
OMMY
WAS
passing the salad down the line, telling Mike he was going to eat it or wear it, when the doorbell rang. All the kids looked like they were about to jump from their seats, but Tommy stood up first. “Eat your dinner,” he told them. “No need for all of us to come in and crowd him.”

Bobby was still cutting up the ravioli for Zoe on her high chair tray as Tommy walked past him. “Don’t scare him too bad,” Bobby whispered, a teasing look lighting up his face.

“There’s no such thing as scaring a guy too bad,” Tommy countered as he walked into the living room. As soon as he was over the threshold, he could hear chairs clattering and knew all of them were lining up to watch from around the corner. He couldn’t help but laugh.

When he opened the door, he found a tall, skinny kid in a suit at least a size too big for him.

“Uh, hi. Is Colleen here? I’m Wyatt.”

He stuck his hand out so fast Tommy nearly jumped back until he realized Wyatt was attempting a formal handshake. Tommy felt an urge to narrow his eyes, but he shook Wyatt’s hand.

“Like as in Earp?” Tommy asked without meaning to.

“As in my mother’s favorite uncle coupled with her severe lack of foresight,” Wyatt said with a nervous laugh. “I think by the time she had me, she’d forgotten what kids were like in school.”

Tommy stared at him for a few seconds before he stepped back and let Wyatt inside. “Colleen’s still getting ready.”

He watched as Wyatt shifted his weight restlessly from one foot to the other. He looked fidgety holding the clear plastic box with a flower in it. “Are you driving tonight?” Tommy didn’t like the idea of his sister in a car alone with a boy or out on the road with a guarantee of drunken teenagers driving around.

“Uh, no, sir. My, uh, dad’s friend’s brother has a limo service, and he gave us a really good deal for the night. Colleen and I are doubling with two of our friends, so….”

Tommy had to fight a smirk when Wyatt called him
sir
. There was something almost endearing about how hard he was trying. It didn’t stop Tommy from leaning in and whispering against Wyatt’s ear, “Here’s the thing. I’m sure you’ve heard the lectures about how to treat a girl and what to do and what not to do.” Tommy waited for a nod from Wyatt before going on. “The thing you gotta remember tonight,
Wyatt
, is that Colleen isn’t just any girl and we’re not just any family. You feel me?” Wyatt nodded again. “I know where you live, I know where you go to school, I know where you work. I even know your dog’s name. If you do anything to Colleen, you so much as
look
at her in a way she doesn’t like, I’ll make you hurt so bad your
mother
’ll feel it.”

“Tommy!”

Colleen glared at him from the foot of the stairs. He didn’t jump, but he did pull back to look at her.

“We were just….” He couldn’t finish his thought because his sister was standing there in a wispy, sheer little dress cut on an angle, high on one side and ending in a fluttery point at her other ankle. Her auburn hair was curled and done up with rhinestone clips, and tendrils were falling around her face. Every hair on her head, every eyelash, every fingernail was perfect. He didn’t even know she could look like that. “Jesus, Col, you look incredible.” She reminded him of a fairy out of one Max and Zoe’s storybooks.

Her expression changed from homicidal to flattered in less than a second. “Thanks, Tommy.”

Wyatt looked like he couldn’t breathe. “Hi, Colleen, you, um…. You look amazing.” He let out another nervous laugh. “I got you….” Rather than finish his sentence, Wyatt held up the box and started to open it. “I got you one of those wrist ones so it wouldn’t snag your dress or anything.”