Maybe Someday

As we pulled up to James’s house I was surprised to see that cars were already lining the driveway and street.

“How has the party already started if you’re not even there?” I asked amused.

“My brothers are in town, they’re kind of running this thing.” I nodded my head in understanding before his words settled in and my eyes widened in shock.

“Your brothers are here?!” I asked semi-freaking out.

“Yeah!” He stated smiling before noticing I was not excited. “What’s wrong? I thought you loved my brothers? At least that’s what Beck says anyway.”

“No! I do, I love them, they’re great, but, I’ve just never been around your family with you around. And now we’re,...you know!”

He chuckled at that and I gave him a soft glare.

“Seriously James, this doesn’t make you nervous at all? Have you even told them about us?”

“Well I told them I’ve been hanging out with a girl from here but I didn’t tell them it was you.”

Hanging out?!

“So we’re just going to go in there and surprise them?”

“I guess” He shrugged his shoulders.

“Ohhhhkay then.” I undo my seatbelt and grab my purse. “Let’s go!” James smiles before hopping out and meeting me in-front of the car.

“It’ll be fine Annie” He insisted. I’m not so sure, but nod my head anyway.

My nerves melt away at the door as he laces his fingers with mine and gives me a reassuring squeeze. He opens the door and leads me into the house, Michael greet us first.

His face lights up and he smiles at me, “Annie! I didn’t know you would be here! I didn’t even know you two knew each other....” He looks down at our intertwined hand confused before realization dawns on him.

“Woah! James, this is the girl you’ve been talking about? You’re dating Annie?!” He asks shocked and excited..? Before yelling out to his brothers.

“Yo! Peter, Nick, get in here quick!!” He shouts behind him, and suddenly they’re standing next to Mike having the same reaction he did.

All of a sudden it’s like a family reunion, I’m getting pulled away from James and passed around in hugs. I smile, squeezing them each back. I really have missed them, they were always like the brothers I never had.

“Man, James I can’t believe you landed Annie!” Nick stated shaking his head in disbelief.

“Yeah.” Mike agreed, “No offense dude, but I always thought she would end up with Peter!” Nick nodded his head, Pete smiled devilishly at James who was frozen in shock.

“What?!” He sputtered out staring at his brothers in shock before glaring at Peter who pulled me to his side playfully. I giggled softly at their successful attempts of antagonizing their older brother.

“I mean, you missed a lot during the season James. Annie and I had a lot of steamy moments.” I pulled away quickly as Peter pushed a little too far.

I punched his shoulder lightly, “Steamy moments? Yeah, right Pete! You tried to kiss me once when you were drunk and ended up puking all over my shoes!”

The others laugh and I move to stand by a now relieved looking James. He wraps his arm around me as his brothers walk us into the living room. My mouth pops open in shock looking around at all the people. James said he was having a few friends over but looking at the 20+ people I know his brothers went a little crazy.

James pulls away making rounds around the room talking to people as Michael takes me into the kitchen and fixes me up a plate of food and hands me a beer.

“So you and James eh?” He asks clearly digging for information.

“Yeah, I guess.” I take a sip of beer and sit down next to him.

“You guess?”

“Well, I mean things were rocky at first, but then he came over and laid everything out, but then in the car he said we were ‘hanging out’.” I rolled my eyes and took a bite of burger as Michael let out a hearty laugh.

“That’s my big bro for ya.” He said shaking his head. “For being the oldest and most successful you’d think he’d have the most game but he is clueless when it comes to women.” I nodded my head in understanding.

“Yeah, that’s pretty much what Beck told me. I guess i’m just giving him the benefit of the doubt for now, but sooner or later he’ll have to learn how to be in a relationship, I was never patient enough to be a good teacher.”

“Don’t worry Annie, I’ll knock some sense into him for you.” I smiled at him and knocked his shoulder with mine.

“Go enjoy your party, you don’t need to babysit me all night.” I said

“I’m not babysitting, I love spending time with you!” I rolled my eyes and pushed him in the direction of all his people. He gave me a wide smile before ruffling my hair and pushing away from the table.

After finishing eating and mindlessly mingling with some random people I began to wander around the house looking for James. I found him talking to a few guys who clearly had one-to-many beers. He excused himself when he saw me and swooped in capturing my lips in a swift kiss.

“Hey.” He said, I smiled and pulled him back in again. He pulled away and took my hand leading me throughout the house taking me somewhere more private. He closed the door silencing all the noise, made an exaggerated sigh, and fell on the bed pulling me down with him.

I giggled at him, “Isn’t it a bit rude to leave your own party?”

“I don’t even know half those people.” He stated chuckling, “At first it was just supposed to be a few teammates and some friends from around here, but then Michael got involved.” I laughed knowing Michael it was pretty common for him.

I sat up looking around his room and couldn’t help but laugh.

“James how do you live in here?” It was completely empty: no paint, no pictures, no chairs.

He shrugged his shoulders sitting up with me looking around the room as well.

“I don’t know, I guess it just hasn’t really sunk in that this is home, you know? Plus you didn’t do anything in here, you furnished my whole place except for this room.”

“I didn’t want to invade your privacy. And I didn’t want to take over your whole house, I wasn’t sure if you were going to be happy about the renovations or not so I thought leaving the one room you live in most the same would be best.”

James nodded in understanding, “I wouldn’t have minded Annie, it was awesome coming home to this place and actually feeling like I live here.” I blushed slightly and smiled at him.

“So my brothers took to the news well.” He stated changing the subject quickly, “And you were all nervous.”

“Yeah, they did. But then again it doesn’t really matter.” I said hiding a smile waiting for him to catch the bait.

“What? Why?” He asked looking at me confused.

“I mean were just ‘Hanging out’ right?” I couldn’t contain my smile anymore. He caught on and pouted before grabbing my hips unexpectedly and pulling me down on the bed. He hovered over me squeezing my hip, and tickling me.

He groaned “I’m sorry okay! I guess that was a pretty bad way to describe us.”

I nodded my head, “I’ll say.” He smirked and leaned down claiming my lips.

Kissing James was out of this world. I loved every second of it. My hands wound in his hair as his tongue met mine and I let out a soft moan.

Just as things were getting heated the bedroom door busts open and two people fall in giggling. I blush feverishly and James groans.

“Oops, sorry man!”

I sit up giggling as they shut the door.

“Let’s get out of here” I suggested wanting to be alone with him. “Wanna go back to my place? We could watch a movie or something.”

“That sounds perfect.” He grabbed my hand and we walked through the house saying goodbye to his brothers before hopping in his car and driving away.

James grasped my hand in his as he pulled out of the drive.

“How long are your brothers staying?” I asked curiously.

“They leave tomorrow afternoon, they were here for a couple of days, which is why you didn’t hear from me.” I squeezed his hand letting him know I understood.

“It was a great surprise, I missed them. I wish the rest of your family would’ve come down too!”

“You’re really close with them eh?” He asked turning to look at me before focusing back on the road.

I nodded my head, “Yeah, you’re so lucky James, your family is so warm and welcoming, I always felt right at home with them.”

“Yeah, I am really lucky.” He stopped at a red light and leaned over the center console pulling me in for a warm kiss.

Notes