I'll Always Love You

I'll Always Love You, Chapter 2

He took in the gleaming white of his brother's kitchen, all high-end appliances with a huge granite center island. The home had an open concept, and he could see the living and dining room, the showpiece of the modest bungalow Gabriel had purchased as a fixer-upper. A can of what he thought was soda slid across the island to him.

"Uh...ginger ale? You couldn't come up with anything stronger?" Jeremy said as he cracked the can. He took a swallow, wishing for a beer, but that would come later, at Kurt's.

"You know I don't drink, and you're lucky there's even soda in the house," Gabriel said. "It's Elizabeth's. Also, let me remind you as your older and much wiser big brother that you're only nineteen, and it wouldn't go over well for you to be pulled over for any reason. In fact, Dad would likely kill me." Gabriel gestured to a plate of fish and leftovers from dinner on the counter.

Jeremy could hear Elizabeth and her cute little girl, Shaunty, from down the hall. He lifted his hand. "No, it's fine. Had a sandwich earlier on my break." He kind of wanted to save room for beer, and then he'd likely crash at Alex's, because he planned on having fun. Then there was Tiffy.

"So what gives?" Gabriel said. "It's not like you to just stop in like this, although it's great to see you. Seems you've got something on your mind."

Just then, Elizabeth walked in, and Shaunty scooted out the bar stool at the island beside Jeremy and climbed up. She was freshly bathed and in a cute pair of pajamas. Her curly dark hair was still damp, and she smiled brightly at him.

"There's ice cream, strawberry swirl," she said. "Do you want some? I'm having some, too. It's my favorite." She was so damn cute, and Jeremy took in Elizabeth in his brother's arms as she opened the fridge freezer. They seemed to be sharing a moment.

"Nope, I'll let you have it all, but thanks, though, kid."

She made a face, and he knew she was about to say something. "You know, I'm not a little kid," she said. "I'm six."

"Oops, my mistake, Miss Shaunty," he added, which had her giggling.

"You sure we can't tempt you, Jeremy?" Elizabeth said as she lifted the lid of the carton and scooped out the ice cream into two bowls. Gabriel was now leaning behind Elizabeth, his hands skimming her waist, her hips, as he kissed her neck, and they swayed together. It was almost embarrassing, at times, to be in a room with them.

"No, none for me." He lifted his hand just as Gabriel stepped around Elizabeth and looked at him intently. He realized everyone was staring at him, waiting for him to say something, he thought.

"Although I love the visits from you, I realize I'm not Chelsea," Gabriel said. "It must be kind of hard not having her to bounce any ideas off since she up and left with Ric to Boston. So for you to just drop in like this, I'm thinking it must be something."

Jeremy took in the expression now on Elizabeth's face, in her dark eyes, as if she realized she'd just walked in on something. "Oh, it's just been a weird day, is all," Jeremy said. "Dot's suddenly put me in charge of the store, as she's decided to take off for a bit on holidays, and that was after she dropped a little bomb on me that two of my coworkers have been doing that 'love from afar' thing and following me around with puppy-dog eyes. At first I thought she was messing with me, which is what she does, but not this time. Now I'm supposed to go in and suddenly be in charge of them, knowing all this, and..." He lifted his hands, taking in the exchange between Elizabeth and Gabriel as she slid a bowl of ice cream in front of Shaunty, who was also watching him with interest and far too much amusement at his predicament for a kid her age. He really did miss Chelsea, and she hadn't returned his call from yesterday. Apparently moving away to Boston with Ric meant his twin sister was no longer as available for him.