Three of Diamonds (Hamden Series) (25 page)

“Yo, Wes, my friend Michael can’t go next Sunday, so can Boyd take the ticket?” Conner asked around a full mouth of food.

“Ticket for what?” Boyd and Lola asked at the same time.

“We are all heading down to the Patriots game at Gillette next Sunday. Me and Aidan, Wes, Dad, D, Uncle Bryan, Liam.” Conner continued to explain.

Wes looked at Lola and said, “I’m okay with him coming with us, but it’s your call.”

“Yeah, I wanna go.” Boyd said excitedly as if he was the deciding factor.

“It will be so cool. We are going to tailgate, cook burgers and bring some yard games to play while we wait.” Aidan said talking excitedly to his new friend.

“Boyd, I don’t think so.” Lola said to her brother, but then to the group, “But thank you for the invite.

Seth chimed in, trying to help. “The ticket is already paid for, either we use it or it goes to waste. Are you working? We don’t mind keeping an eye out for him.”

Mae also tried to help, “The males over the age of two are going, but us girls and the little ones will be here. We decided to do our own football party. We would love for you to join us. That’s if you aren’t working.” Mae added quickly, wondering if that was the reason for the denial.

“No, she doesn’t work on Sundays, that’s our family day. But I want to go, I’ve never been to Gillette before.” Boyd pleaded to his sister.

Boyd’s statement was just another reminder of not only the things Lola couldn’t do for Boyd, but also Boyd’s adolescent misunderstanding of reasons behind why she couldn’t; he thought she was just mean for not bringing him, while she knew the real reason was money and time.

“Boyd, I said no. We will talk about the reasons later.” Lola said, staring at her brother trying to mentally signal him not to have a fit.

“You never let me do anything! I hate you!” Boyd shouted, as he stood quickly, knocking his chair over, bumping the table, causing multiple drinks to splash over their rims, as he ran into the house and slammed the door behind him.

Knowing every face was on her, Lola quietly got up, “I’m so sorry for his outburst,” as she followed Boyd inside.

Lola walked into the Finn house to find Dylan and Natalie, eating while playing with the girls. Lynne was eating in the kitchen as she made something that smelled delicious. Lola quickly searched for a sign of which way Boyd went when she saw movement through the double-sided fireplace. She quickly walked past the massive fireplace to a front foyer, where a piano resided in the corner and a red leather couch was kitty cornered. Boyd sat on the couch with his feet up as he pulled at his shoelaces, effectively breaking one before he started in on its match.

“Boyd, I am so sick of this! You cannot speak to me like that! Wes invited us here to his friend’s house, with expectations of you not embarrassing him.” Lola tried to quietly scold her brother so no one would hear them.

“Aidan and Conner are my friends too.”

Geez, is that all he got out of that?
“I’m happy you made some friends, but they were Wes’ friends first.”

Lola was just about to tell Boyd to pack up they would have to leave when Wes found them, “Boyd, my man, that is uncool! I expect that kind of behavior out of a little kid not a young man. Regardless of how you feel about her decision-making, Lola has the final say. End of discussion.”

For as angry as Lola was at Boyd, she really didn’t like hearing anyone, especially Wes speaking to him like that.
Haven’t they already gone around this circle before?

She was just about to say so when Boyd focused his attention less on his shoelaces and more on Wes, “But, YOU said I could go.”

“Doesn’t matter what I say, it is what she says, Boyd, period. She is the boss, not me.”

Apparently not liking Wes’ less than stellar ability to get Lola to overturn her decision, Boyd came back with, “But I want you to be my boss. I want to live with you.”

“Oh please, you have got to be kidding me!” Lola said completely exasperated.

“Boyd, doesn’t work like that my man.” Wes said.

“You’re her boyfriend. Why can’t we live with you, instead of in our stupid apartment.”

“Boyd! That’s enough!” Lola scolded.

Wes got down on his haunches in front of the young man and said, “Look Boyd, regardless of my relationship with your sister, she will always have the final say in anything that has to do with you. You are just going to have to get used to it.”

“I hate you too, Wes!”

“Sorry you feel that way. I guess there is nothing else to say.” Wes stood up, grabbed firmly onto Lola’s hand and pulled her along in his wake, through the house, and back out to their dinner plates.

“What are you doing? He’s upset!”

“And you need to stop treating him like a baby.” Wes said as he pushed Lola gently into her seat, as he took his seat next to her, effectively caging her in between him and the railing.

“How dare you!”

“What!?! Tell you that you aren’t doing anything wrong, that he is just playing you to get what he wants? Trust me.”

Lola was just about to tell Wes where he could stick his fork, when Boyd came out, sat back down, said he was sorry and finished eating as if nothing happened, as did everyone else

Soon Lola was reminding Wes that she needed to get going to get ready for work and get Boyd settled with Aimee for the night.

“We are so glad you came, Lola. Please come more often. It seems our boys are new best friends.” Seth said, as he engulfed Lola in a bear hug, before handing her off to his wife.

“Yes, Lola, please come by. You and Boyd are always welcome. Please remember our invite for next Sunday too, we would love to have you or both you guys.” Mae said pulling first Lola, then Boyd, into a warm hug. She turned back toward Wes and said, “Are you coming back for leftovers and to watch the other game?”

Wes sweetly kissed Mae on the cheek and said, “I can’t, plans.”

“Oh that’s right, your standing Poker game. I don’t know why you are so addicted to that game. Do we need to call Gamblers Anonymous? You never miss a game.”

“No need to call anyone, I’m good, I promise.” Wes answered back, leaving another kiss on her other cheek. Then walking over, doing the same to Natalie, each of the babies and lastly, Megan.

“It was nice meeting you all. Thank you for a wonderful day. And again, I’m sorry for his outburst.”

“Lola, sweets, look around, with all these kids, we handle fits of all sizes multiple times daily. No worries.” Seth said, over his wife’s head, as he hugged her from behind.

Soon they were back in the Lexus heading to the apartment. Boyd had put his handheld game on, and Lola insisted he use the earphones. When she was sure he was emerged in his game, she said as she looked out the side window, “So, is that where they think you go? To a standing poker game?”

Wes looked at Lola, turned himself to confirm Boyd was not listening and said, “Yes. I figured it was the easiest and most believable reason. Seth, Dylan and I, used to play often, but since they’ve both gotten married and expanded their families, our games have subsided.”

Lola didn’t know how this information sat with her. The fact that he so easily lied to his friends or that she knew exactly where he was going. She knew he would think she was off her rocker if she said anything about where he was headed in a few hours, but still the fact remained, her stomach rolled at the thought of him there…without her.
God, Lola! How ridiculous can you be. This is sex! Just like that is sex for him. It’s not like you are in love with each other. What are the chances that he, Adonis, Wes, whatever he wants to call himself would fall in love, let alone with you?
She just had to keep her head in the game, before she lost it completely.

“I see.” Lola said, as she continued to look out the passenger window. She tried to ignore the feelings of desire begin as he touched her thigh, and caressed with his thumb.

“So, can I see you tonight?”

She whipped her head around to stare at him. “Um, you want to see me after you leave Olympus?”

“Sunshine, I want to take you to my place, have you play hooky from work and forget about where I have to go tonight.”

“Really?”

“You doubt me? You doubt this?” He said as he pulled her hand to his crotch, where she could feel with her own hands his semi erect state. “This is how I am constantly when you are in my vicinity, hell, let’s be honest, this is how I am when I’m awake and you are on my mind.” He lifted her hand to his lips where he placed multiple kisses on each of her knuckles finally rotating her hand to kiss and tongue her palm.

“Yes, I’d like to see you tonight too.”

“What are we going to do about him?” Wes said.

“I’ll come up with something.” Lola said, not a clue as to what that something would be, but knowing she would…she needed to.

“Looking forward to it.” Wes said. As he drove toward their building, knowing for the first time, wanting to not go to what has been so important to his life for so long. Funny thing, Olympus was for sex, yet, sex there was the last thing on his mind. He didn’t want to be Adonis tonight. He didn’t want the rules, the secrecy, or the animalistic carnality of it. He wanted something more, and he wanted it with Lola.

Fucking great! Just great! What a time to have an epiphany Thompson!

Cal’s was packed tonight. Between the billiards tournament going on, and the new band playing, it was one of those nights, where only minimal chit chat occurring between Lola and her regulars. She was just flat out slammed. Jeff called in, due to the baby being sick. Cal offered to call in Joe, the other part time bartender, but Lola said she could handle the large bar, while Cal worked the front bar. Finally, Lola got her first break, and as if her cell phone knew, it rang in her back pocket.

“Hello?”

“Hey, sorry to bother you at work, but, Boyd is out cold on my couch and I’m exhausted and a little sore from the butt whooping I got today when I offered to play floor hockey. I think I’ll take some ibuprofen and hit the hay myself. So, why don’t we just leave him here with me and I’ll take him to Aaron’s Place tomorrow and you can meet us there. Use the time to sleep in, or I don’t know, occupy yourself another way.” Aimee couldn’t help but chuckle on the last part.

“No I can’t let you do that. I’ll wake him when I get home.”

“Lola, he’s asleep already, why wake him? Let him stay with me. Besides, if you don’t want to entertain yourself with a tall sexy architect, I’m sure somebody else will.”

“Well if you are sure.”

“Positive, and we will see you tomorrow. Remember details, oh and none of that, ‘it was nice’ crap I got last time! I had to let my imagination take over and I’m sure it isn’t anywhere up to his level of sexy.”

With a chuckle, a thank you, and a promise to elaborate, Lola hung up. Lola suddenly felt like a bundle of nerves. She figured with Boyd in the next room, things couldn’t get too out of hand with Wes. Yet, now with a free pass for the night, she knew without a doubt what was ahead of her; incredible, unrestrained, uninhibited sex of the dirtiest level. Lola’s body awakened with anticipation. She looked at her phone, ten thirty, she had at least 3 hours ahead of her before she could get out of here. Should she wait to call Wes or call him now. Looking around at the once again growing crowd, she quickly placed a text to him.

Boyd is with Aimee for the night, I will be free until late morning. Let me know when and where.

Hitting send on the text, she shut her phone off and put it back in her pocket. Now with no chance of distraction of it buzzing in her pocket, Lola went back to filling order after order. She tried to ignore the new heaviness in her pocket, but, she figured this new tact would be as fast and easy to accomplish as this pitcher of frozen margaritas were about to be consumed by the bachelorette party that ordered them.