Keeping London (The Flawed Heart Series Book 2) (20 page)

“Eh, I think I’ll pass. A club without floppy penises is preferred.” I scrunch up my nose.

Paige shakes her head. “You are the lamest twenty-two-year-old I know.”

“Hey! I resent that! I’m almost twenty-three.” I stick out my tongue.

“All right, Grandma. So, are you gonna tell me what you cooked up for us?”

“Okay, well, I thought I would start with something simple. So, this is just a basic marinara sauce and noodles.” I grab a teaspoon of the sauce and hold it out for Paige to taste.

She takes the spoonful in her mouth, and her face puckers up, her eyes squinting, as she swallows. “That’s disgusting, London!”

“It is not!”

“It is! It tastes like an ashtray. I think you burned it.”

“That’s mean,” I protest, dipping the spoon back into the pot to stir some more.

“It’s the truth!” Paige argues back.

Taking the spoon from the sauce, I point it toward Paige. “You could at least pretend to like it.”

A glob of marinara from the spoon splatters onto Paige’s new suit jacket.

“Uh,” she gasps loudly, her hands covering her mouth in shock.

“I’m so—”

Before I can finish my apology, Paige digs her fingers into the noodles in the strainer in the sink, and she lobs a huge handful at my face. The slimy pasta slithers down my cheeks.

“Rude!” I dip the spoon in the sauce again and launch its red contents toward Paige. It’s a direct hit to her chest.

Before I realize what’s happening, the kitchen is filled with flying noodles, red sauce zooming through the air, and many high-pitched shrieks.

“Stop it!”

“You stop it!”

“You’re such a hooker!” Paige yells.

“You’re a hooker,” I retort.

Suddenly, the two of us are lying on the tiled floor, surrounded by the marinara massacre, laughing hysterically.

“Look! Spaghetti angels!” Paige exclaims as her hands and feet start moving out and back in, like she’s making a snow angel.

Lying on my back, I start to move my arms and legs in the same motion. My sides ache with laughter as tears roll down my sticky cheeks.

Eventually, our momentary insanity ceases, and the two of us stand up to admire our angels.

“Can’t say I’ve ever seen a better spaghetti marinara angel.” Paige nods in approval.

“I concur.” Looking to her, I start to giggle again as I take in her appearance.

She’s covered in red splotches, and there are entire noodles draped over her shoulders and entangled in her hair.

“You owe me a new outfit,” Paige says.

“I do. I totally do. We’ll go shopping this weekend.” I chuckle.

“I don’t want to clean this up.” She sighs.

“I’ll hire a cleaning company.”

“That’s not very responsible of us.” Paige raises a brow while scrunching up her lips.

“Eh,” I say, making a noncommittal sound. “I don’t know about you, but I’ve already grown a lot today. I actually exercised on purpose and cooked. My brain can take only so much growing per day.”

“Do you think the red stains are going to come off the walls?” She motions to our white-painted walls.

“You know…I’ve been thinking that we need some color in here. I could call a painter, too?”

“Yeah!” Paige says excitedly. “Can we do that light gray-blue color?”

“Oh, that’ll be so pretty. Definitely.” I nod.

“Thai?”

“Yeah, let’s go to the new place on Fourth. They have the best sesame chicken noodles.”

“Sounds delish. Let’s leave right after we shower. I didn’t get a lunch break today. I’m starving,” Paige says before she heads off to her bathroom.

I take one last look at the kitchen and shake my head. A huge grin spreads across my face as I head toward my room.

To: Loïc Berkeley

From: London Wright

Subject: Question 43

Hey, baby. I’m attaching pictures of our new kitchen. Isn’t it pretty? Paige and I had a food fight with bright red sauce last week, and I had to hire a painter. I bet you thought I was going to say,
Just kidding
, but I’m not. Lol. It’s the truth. But, to be honest, the kitchen was due for a makeover. I just love the new colors. The blue hues are so pretty and calming. It’s my favorite room in the house now. And, since I’m rarely in the kitchen, that’s not cool, so I’ve decided to remodel my entire house. Yay!

Don’t judge. ;-)

You make your daily checklists like Cooper taught you, and I’m going to remodel a perfectly good house for no reason, other than I’m bored. We all cope in different ways. Plus, just think, when you get back, it’s going to be so exciting for you to see all the newly redecorated rooms.

So, I’m trying to figure out what to do for my birthday. I mean, twenty-three…it’s kind of a big deal. I’m totally kidding. It so is not. But, still, you’re not here, and that makes me sad, so I need to do something fun to cheer me up. Do you think you could sneak me into your base over there? You just say the word, and I’ll hop on the next plane. ;-) Otherwise, maybe I’ll go to Vegas or somewhere with Georgia and Paige for the weekend. I’m just not in the mood to go clubbing here. I’m over it. Maybe we’ll go to a spa for the weekend. OMG…that is my mother’s favorite thing to do on her birthday. I’m totally turning into her. Just great.

Well, to get to your last question, I get why you said Saturn. All those rings are pretty impressive, and as a child, I would have said Saturn, too. But, now, I’m going to have to say Pluto. You know why? Because Pluto is little and cute and has never caused problems. And people—whoever they are, those scientists somewhere—want to say that Pluto isn’t a planet anymore, and I’m saying, WRONG. Pluto is totally still a planet, and that’s why it’s my favorite. Screw those people. What do they know?

So, question 43: Who’s your favorite superhero? I’m saying Captain America. I’m not sure why. There’s just something hot about him. Maybe it’s the military thing? I mean, you’re way hotter, of course. But, if I had to choose, I’d say him. What about you?

I hope you’re safe. I hope you’re happy. I hope you know how much I love you.

Love,

London

Loïc

“It feels like the calm before the storm. And life has taught me that storms aren’t just damaging; they’re devastating.”

—Loïc Berkeley

I toss another gummy bear into my mouth.
Red, my favorite.
I’m lying on what can only be described as a military beanbag. Some soldier before me fashioned it by wrapping a tarp around a pile of straw and maybe some old clothes. I’m not certain, but it’s comfortable enough.

I’ve never been a huge gummy bear fan, but that all changed when I met London. Now, I love them. I’m sure a lot of their appeal has to do with the nostalgic value they carry. These little sugary dudes remind me of London with every bite. Maybe that’s why she sent them to me.

I just received my second care package from London. It was full of every flavor and shape of gummy that’s sold along with gum, some snacks, replacements of all my favorite brands of toiletries, a Blu-ray player, a handful of Blu-ray movies, and a stack of pictures of London and me.

A bunch of my brothers and I are seated around the TV in our makeshift game room, watching
Deadpool
—one of the movies London sent—for the third time this week. London’s so thoughtful. I’m glad she thought to send the Blu-ray player because all that was here prior to that was an old DVD player. Although the quality of the discs is lost on this crappy TV, it still gives us something to do.

Our game room is basically a rectangular shack made out of cheap plywood. It houses a few card tables, a TV, and a couple of couches. During my downtime, if I’m not at the gym, running, or in my room, I’m here. It’s just a place to shoot the shit, watch a movie, play a game of cards, or just hang with some of the guys.

Cooper plops down on the couch next to me. “
Deadpool
again, huh?” He was late for the movie selection because he was finishing up Skyping with Maggie.

“Yep…that was the consensus.”

“Cool.” He reaches his hand toward my lap, plunges it into the bag of gummies, and pulls out a handful.

“How’s Maggie?”

“She’s great. She’s been picking up all sorts of overtime to help pay for the wedding, which is cool.”

“How are the wedding plans going?”

“Pretty good, I guess. I mean, she has a color-coded binder with information about everything from venue to cake to flowers and pictures as well. She seems pretty on top of things. I just sound excited when she tells me some new detail and agree with her when she asks my opinion. My job’s pretty easy in this whole planning deal.” He rests his head back into the couch, his eyes facing the TV.

“Well, aren’t you?” I scoff.

“What?” He rolls his head to the side to face me.

“Excited.”

“To marry Maggie? Of course. But the details don’t really matter to me. I just want her to be happy. I don’t care where we do it, who’s there, what types of flowers she carries, or what music’s playing as long as we’re married at the end of it.” He turns his head back toward the TV. “The wedding’s great and all, but the real gift is the marriage. It’s the lifetime. That’s what I’m excited for.”

“Yeah,” I answer absentmindedly. I think about a lifetime with London and realize it doesn’t freak me out in the least. In fact, the thought is kind of amazing.

Our brother Smith takes a seat on the couch next to Cooper. “Hey, Berk, Coops,” he greets us. “You know this is the third time we’re watching this one, right?”

“Yep,” I answer.

“Your girl sent, like, twenty discs, right?”

“Yep.” I grin. “It’s what the masses voted for, dude. You gotta get here in time for the vote.”

“I’m gonna have to.” He leans back. “At least it’s a good one.”

“True,” I agree.

I stare at the TV screen and find myself saying the lines from the movie in my head before Deadpool says them. “I think I’m going to hit the gym again,” I say to Cooper, realizing it’d be a better use of my time.

“Okay. I’ll come.” He stands and follows me out of the rec building.

“I have a weird feeling,” I mention as we exit the building.

“About?”

“I’m not sure exactly. It’s just been awfully quiet around here lately. I feel like something’s due to go down.”

The insurgents have been distant. Our recon missions into the local villages the past couple of weeks have been completely by the book, no surprises whatsoever. There haven’t been any rockets launched toward the base in a while, not even ones that hit outside the wire. It’s been eerily still, and that’s not normal. It feels like the calm before the storm. And life has taught me that storms aren’t just damaging; they’re devastating.

“Yeah, I know what you mean. One of the worst things about being here is waiting for the next attack. It puts us on alert, is all. I don’t think we’re any more likely to run into trouble just because it’s been quiet. The trouble will find us at some point, regardless.”

“Yeah, I know. It just makes me feel edgy.”

“What doesn’t make you feel edgy, dude?” Cooper’s deep laugh permeates the cold night air.

“Asshole,” I say with mock annoyance.

“So, Maggie tells me the Skype sex is going well with you and London.” Cooper changes the subject.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I shake my head.

“I have to say, I’m a little hurt that I have to hear it from my girlfriend who heard it from yours.”

I laugh. “Dude, not everyone is an oversharer like you are.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to give me something. I mean, I talk your ear off all day, and you can’t even throw me a bone?” Cooper jokes.

“Exactly! With all of your sharing, is there really time for me to talk?”

“You know I was kidding. I don’t really talk that much.”

“You talk more than I do,” I offer.

“Who doesn’t?” Cooper chuckles.

“True.” I grin.

“Actually, I take that back,” Cooper states. “This deployment, you’ve shared more than you ever have. It’s kind of disturbing really. I don’t know if it’s London or this country that has you all worked up, but some conversations, I can’t even believe it’s you.”

“I hear ya. I’m disturbing myself. It’s like the floodgates have been broken, and now, I’m this oversharing fool…like you.”