Chapter 53

Bron was dragging everyone from store to store.  Throwing things at Mary telling her to try this on while I try this on.  A.J. modeled clothes for them and vice versa.  Nick hung back with Jake and Carlos and watched the three of them go insane shopping.  Bron finally walked up and grabbed Nick’s hand, “What’s the matter Little Man?” she asked.

“I’m worried, that’s all,” he answered.

Bron turned to Mary and A.J., “Lunch Break.”

They headed for a small restaurant on the upper level.  Bron waited for Nick to sit and grabbed the chair next to him.  Carlos and Jake started to walk away.  Bron wrinkled her nose up, “Where the hell are you two going?”

Carlos glanced at her, “We’ll sit over here, that’s how it works.”

Bron’s temper was creeping up on her, “No you won’t, and my friends sit with me.”

Carlos shook his head, “It doesn’t work that way,”

“Well in my world it does and I always get my own way,” she announced.  Bron stood there fuming, tapping her boot on the floor.  “You two get over here right now.”  Bron waited and neither one of them budged.

A small crowd had gathered outside the restaurant window.  The boys had been spotted.  A flash went off and A.J. and Nick both groaned.  “Dammit,” A.J. whispered to Mary, “I just want to eat.”

Bron grinned and Jake grew nervous, “Carlos if you don’t come over here right now I will make sure they get a picture of me sitting in your lap.”  Carlos blinked not believing what she just said.  “I will make sure Kevin gets a copy too!”  Carlos stood up, putting up with her was enough, putting up with Kevin, no way, he grimaced.  They both joined the table.

“My friends eat with me,” she smiled.

A.J. looked at a defeated Carlos, “Don’t even try to fight it.  If Kevin can barely handle it, there is no way in hell you can.”  A.J. was promptly whacked in the nose with a cracker.

Nick laughed as he watched Bron smile.

“Oh, Oh,” A.J. exclaimed a he grabbed an ice cube and threw it back at her.  It missed and hit Nick.

“Cute A.J., real cute,” Nick said, annoyed at the attack.

“Cool off Nick,” Bron told him as she began to stuff ice down the back of his shirt.  “Bron!” he yelled as he pulled his shirt out of his pants and the ice tumbled to the floor.

The scene was interrupted by a waitress who took their orders.  She was a little wired that she was waiting on two of the Boys.  Bron leaned over to Nick, “Talk to me, what’s up?”

“I’m worried,” he said as he turned his head towards her so no one could see what he was saying. 

“About what?”  Bron asked, listening intently. 

“You,” was his simple one word answer. 

Bron appreciated the concern that he had for her.  “Nick I’m fine.  I’m more than fine,” she smiled.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt,” Nick told her.

“Nick, I’m happy.  If I get hurt I have no one to blame but myself.”  Bron reached under the table and squeezed his hand, “Be happy with me.”

The food was delivered right way and they began to eat.  The meal started to wind down and then all hell started to break lose.  Before too long Carlos was standing at the end of the table delivering his lecture before it got out of hand.  “Listen I am use to food fights from the boys, but not the ladies,” as he glared at Bron.  “You started this.  If only I had known.”  Carlos shook his head, “I’m telling Kevin.”

Bron had to laugh, but she knew she had crossed the line in her excitement.  Bron got up and walked up to him,  “Don’t be such a baby and run back and tell him.  I’m sorry it is my fault.  I was just over excited at actually getting out.  I have been locked up for days and I am really sorry Carlos,” she offered her sincere apology.

Carlos’s glare softened, she hadn’t been anywhere, talked to anyone, or seen anyone beyond their group in days, “I understand.”

“Thank you,” she gave him a pat on his cheek with her left hand. 

Mary poked A.J. and she pointed to her own ring finger and nodded no.  A.J. was surprised but happy, no rings he thought.

“Let’s go we still have two stores left,” Bron grinned. 

“Hey don’t forget your robe,” A.J. smirked. 

“Mare he is enjoying this way too much.”  Bron stated. 

“I know,” she sighed.

As they walked out of the restaurant Bron spotted the second to last stop.  Bron paused in the hallway and looked at A.J., “Forget it you’re not going with me.”

“Yes I am, he said I could,” A.J. wiggled his eyebrows at her.

“Well, you’re not.  I’m taking Nick,” as she grabbed his hand and started to pull him with her.

Nick began pulling away, “No, I don’t want to.”

“Yes, A.J. will have me in leather and animal prints,” she grinned.

“Hey what’s wrong that?” he yelled to them.

Bron dragged Nick into the store. 

Jake looked at Mary with a rueful grin, “Should we save him, she still doesn’t know,”

A.J. looked at him, “How can someone so smart not see the obvious?”

Mary laughed, “She never does, you need a billboard.”

Carlos chuckled, “Let her have her fun, he’ll survive it.”

Bron looked around the store.  The clerks were tripping over her to wait on her.  She grabbed a robe and held it up; Nick shook his head no.  This went on for several minutes, finally Bron had enough, “You’re not helping here.”

“It’s not what he wants,” Nick smiled. 

“Then you find something,” Bron snapped.

Nick walked over to the rack, “This one,” Bron actually sighed, “That’s beautiful.”  Nick handed it to her and strolled to the other side of the store.  When he came back, he had another one, “This is the one you are suppose to wear around the rest of us,” he grinned.

Bron giggled, “Okay”

Bron walked up to the cashier who was trembling when Nick stepped up next to Bron.  Bron looked at her purse and forgot she had to go get Carlos.  Before she could turn around Nick had offered his credit card for the purchase.  “For my lady,” he grinned to the cashier.  Bron snickered and kissed his cheek, “Thank You.”

Nick grinned and bit his bottom lip; “You’re welcome, now that I have it back.”

Bron dropped her head, “I’m sorry, as soon as Kevin cuts lose of my wallet, I’ll pay you back.”

“Kevin already did,” Nick informed her.  Bron wrinkled her nose, and set her chin in the air, “I have my own money,” she said.  Nick snickered in his head, yeah he told me.

They left store and rejoined the group.  “Wow that was fast,” Jake was thrilled. 

“Nick has good taste,” she told him.

A.J. shook his head, his fashion taste being insulted, “Yeah right.”

Bron looked at Mary, “Come on, I want to get something different to wear tonight to the show.”

 A.J. became thrilled at the prospect of playing dress up.  “Let’s go,” A.J. grabbed her arm. 

“Oh Lord Mare,” Bron groaned.

They all entered the last store.  A.J. prowled through the store like a man on a hunt.  Bron looked at Nick, “What does he want me to do just stand here?”

“Yep,” Nick answered.

“I feel like an idiot,” Bron sighed.

Nick shook his head, “Trust him, he knows what he is doing.”

Twenty minutes went by and he came around the corner, “Try these on.”

Bron walked in and put everything on.  She turned and looked in the mirror.  “Holy Shit,” they heard outside of the dressing room.  Bron whispered into the mirror, “He’ll kill me if I wear this.”

“I wanna see,” A.J. cackled.

“NO!”  Bron shouted.  The next thing she knew he was standing next to her.  Bron was staring at him through the mirror.  “You are to die for,” he whispered.

“I don’t know,” Bron shook her head.  “Wait a minute,” as he backed out of the dressing room and came back in.  He slid a jacket on her arms.  “That’s it,” he yelled with joy.  “These have to go,” as he ran his finger on her thigh.

Bron shook her head and started rattling excuses to him, “You can almost see through this blouse, I can’t wear anything under any of this.”

“I know,” A.J. grinned.

“So what’s this for, him or you guys?” she chided him.

“Both,” he chuckled.

“Mary!  Help me,” Bron cried out.

Mary walked in “Wow, not bad Alex.  Kevin will be stunned.”

A.J. frowned, “I was going for paralyzed.”

Mary laughed, “It will work.”

“Okay, but I’m taking a back up outfit.”  She admonished both of them as she waved them out to change.  Bron came out and they paid for the purchases.  Once in the van, Bron finally spoke again, “Thanks guys I really enjoyed myself, I’m so tired,” she yawned. 

Carlos looked at her, “Poor baby!” 

“I must be forgiven,” she stretched and sighed.

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