Part 6 (1/2)
”It seems like yesterday when you brought her to Mark's party and messed up my plans for your blind date.”
Dane's deep laughter filled the line. They could joke about it now, but the night it happened over a year ago, Dane was livid. Cayson learned not to set his brother up on any more blind dates. Besides, from the moment Dane met Charly, he didn't have eyes for any other female.
”It's been a year and a half. And we're practically living at each other's houses now. We wanted to make it official.”
”I have to admit, I never thought you'd date anyone after Nichole's death, much less get married.”
He heard Dane's deep sigh. ”Me either. The love I had for Nichole was deep, but it's nothing compared to how I feel about Charly. She's everything I want in a woman. I mean, we have our arguments, and we get on each other's nerves from time to time. But I can't imagine my life without her.” Dane paused. ”She's my reason for getting out of bed every morning.”
Cayson had never heard his brother utter such profound words. He wondered how it felt to be so connected to someone like that.
What am I saying? I'm happy playing the field. I don't need to be tethered to some ball and chain.
”I want you to be a groomsman,” Dane told him.
”I'd be honored.” This would be the second wedding he'd attended in almost as many years. He was the groomsman at Mark and Kendra's wedding too. ”The best part is that all we have to do is show up. The women do all the planning.”
”We're having an island wedding. Going back to The Maldives where we met.”
”Wow! I hate to sound like a chick, but that's really romantic, dude.”
”Yeah, I'm that kinda guy. Romance is in my blood.”
”Spare me your bulls.h.i.+t. Your idea of romance is chugging beers at the bowling alley.”
”Don't underestimate the bowling alley. That was where I got laid for the first time.”
”Okay, I stand corrected.”
”But you were right. It was Charly's idea to get hitched in The Maldives.”
Cayson chuckled.
”I hope you can make it. Kendra is getting all of us discounts on rooms and airfare.”
”All of us?”
”Ma and Pops. You. Me, Charly, her kids, her parents, and her cousin, Shontal.”
”This'll be a real family affair.”
”Exactly. That's why I need both of my little brothers there with me.”
It had been a long time since any of them had been little. Cayson was approaching thirty. Mark had just turned thirty-four, and Dane was pus.h.i.+ng forty. Growing up, Cayson felt both bullied and protected by them. Now, they were thick as thieves. ”You can count on me, bro.”
”And if all goes well,” Dane hinted, ”you might get a hot bridesmaid to walk with. Charly's got a good-looking cousin. Not that you need any help with the ladies.”
As if prompted by some internal ethics clock, Cayson's timer buzzed on his cell phone. ”Oops! Gotta go. I promised Destiny I'd be home early tonight.”
”Destiny? Is that the latest victim of the Cayson Sullivan charm? Or should I say curse?”
”Oh, I forgotyou don't know.” Cayson gave Dane the quick and dirty version of what happened in court three weeks ago. Unlike the conversation he'd had with his mom, he felt it was safe to give Dane more details. He explained how the Barracuda had him by the b.a.l.l.s with her vindictive judgment.
Dane was incredulous. ”Let me get this straight. You turned down some free p.u.s.s.y that landed in your bed in the middle of the night?”
If you're referring to La'Treece sneaking into my bedroom, yes.”
”And you have some smokin' hot babe living with you too?”
Cayson chortled. ”I didn't say she was hot.”
”I know she is. All the bad girls are hot.”
”Okay, she's hot.” He didn't like talking about Destiny as if she were some random bimbo. But the fact wa.s.she was hot. Long legs. Pretty mahogany skin. A little on the slender side, but that's how he liked his women.
Oh s.h.i.+t! What am I saying? She's not my woman.
”At any rate, the Barracuda released Destiny into my custody just to be a spiteful b.i.t.c.h.”
”And you swear you're not laying the pipe to this chick?”
Not yet!
”Jeez, Dane. I'm not that h.o.r.n.y.”
”Yeah, sure. And now, you're rus.h.i.+ng home to answer Destiny's summons.”
”It's not a summons. You don't understand. I've been working late, and I promised her I would be home.”
”Dude, I've never known you to be at the beck and call of a woman.”
Cayson sat up and started packing his briefcase. ”It's not like that, bro. I promised I'd take her to dinner tonight. You know how it is.”
”Uh huh. Admit it. You may have met your match. Destiny is laying down the law.”
”Whatever. I'm hanging up now.”
”Wait a minute. Does she have long hair?”
Cayson thought of Destiny's face framed by cascading thin braids. ”You could say that.”
”Yep. Just like Sampson and Delilah. Delilah brought Sampson to his knees.”
Cayson stood. ”You dumba.s.s. Sampson was the one with the long hair.”
”But Delilah had long hair too.”