DISCLAIMER! They aren’t mine. Why? Because HB wouldn’t give them to me for free.

Jonny looked up as someone knocked at the door, watching Hadji expectantly.

Hadji looked up at Jonny over the rim of his novel and shook his head slightly.

Jonny sighed and got up to get the door. “Home from college and being forced to act as doorman by my best friend,” he grumbled good naturedly. Hadji laughed quietly. It had apparently escaped Jonny’s notice that they were all home on break.

“Help you?” the tall blonde asked as he opened the door to a young man his own age. The boy had a concave look about him--the one men didn’t seem to get rid of until they were about 24 unless they were very lucky--brown hair and brown eyes. Reasonably good looking, if you liked men.

“Hi, I’m here to pick up Jessie. She around?”

Jonny let him in, taking another bite of apple to give himself time to look this guy over. At the mention of Īpicking up Jessie’ Hadji had come alive, and was welcoming the young man into the kitchen, with what, if you knew him well, was obviously a dangerous look. Or perhaps, more aptly, a very protective older brother look.

“She lets you call her that, huh?” Jonny said, leaning against the wall while the boy seated himself at the wooden table.

“Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t she?” the boy asked, simply curious.

“Oh, no reason,” Hadji answered flippantly while getting a glass down. Then he paused mid-reach, and turned to look over the boy’s head at Jonny. “You remember that time Mike called her Jessie?”

Jonny made a production out of choking on his apple. “Remember! That was the nastiest thing I ever saw! The look on his face--!”

Erik looked worried, coming half way out of his chair. “What happened?”

Jonny and Hadji stopped everything immediately, shared a look, then Jonny put a hand on Erik’s shoulder. “Nothing, really. I’m sure it’s not anything you need to worry about. It was probably just That Time Of The Month.”

Hadji nodded and filled his glass with water. “Undoubtedly.”

There was a period of silence, then Jonny sat down. “So . . . you ever met her father?”

Erik shook his head no.

“Probably a good thing. Hey, Hadji, you remember that time he gave his talk to that kid?”

“Remember it! I thought that boy was going to run out of the house!”

“What talk?” Erik asked, warming up to this apparently safe subject.

“Well, he takes these two apples, see,” Jonny said, taking two red apples from the bowl on the counter and setting them on the table, “and he goes ‘this is you,’” he pointed to one apple, “’this is Jess,’” he pointed to the other, “ ‘This is you two together,’” he set the apples on top of each other, “then he takes out his hunting knife, I don’t have one, but her dad has one he carries with him everywhere, it’s got a six inch blade, the thing is amazing! Anyway, he takes it out and goes: ‘this is you,’” and Jonny picked up the butcher knife and chopped the Īmale’ apple in half.

Erik laughed uncertainly. “Was this a first date?”

Jonny turned in his chair to look at Hadji, who was leaning against the counter. “How long ago would you say that was, Hadj?”

Hadji contemplated it for a minute, then shrugged. “A month?”

Jonny nodded. “That sounds about right.” He turned and smiled at Erik, then sobered as the boy didn’t smile back. “Guess that’s not a very good story either.” Silence fell again.

Kit walked in the door, whistling, image inducer on. His black hair was long, falling around his shoulders, and his eyes were amber. He looked very striking. Opening the refrigerator he frowned, then looked at Hadji. “Do we have any fish sticks?”

Hadji shook his head. Kit sighed and closed the fridge, then settled on rolling an orange across his shoulders and arms and back again while looking at the boy seated at the table. “I’m Kit. You are?”

Erik stood, reaching out a hand in offering. Kit didn’t take it, just kept rolling his orange. Finally Erik let it drop, his ready smile wavering. “I’m, uh, Erik. I’m here to pick up Jessi--er, Jess. Ica. Jessica.”

Kit’s eyebrows rose. He looked at Jonny, his mouth coming out of it’s whistling shape. “I didn’t think she’d get any more dates after what she did to the last one,” he commented before walking out the door.

“Last one?” Erik squeaked. “What happened to the last one?”

“Oh nothing--”

“Really, just a big misunderstan--”

“It was barely a scratch--”

“I’m sure he’s fine now,” the two boys finished together.

“It was nothing like Race did to that one a few months ago!” Jonny laughed, looking at Hadji.

“Race?” Erik asked, afraid of the answer.

“Her dad,” Jonny answered shortly, looking back at Hadji. “Remember Vince? That was pretty funny too.”

Hadji nodded, then straddled a chair, leaning in to talk to Erik privately. “Her ex-boyfriend, Vince, a wrestler, still has this thing on her. And so, you see, he doesn’t like anyone going near Jess. He thinks of her as his still. Anyway, this boy took her out a few weeks ago and Vince followed them. So they start . . . well, you know, and Vince comes in, breaks up the whole thing. Her date had two broken ribs, a broken collar bone and a twisted ankle! He never came near her again!” Hadji laughed.

Erik gave a weak chuckle, sweat sprouting on his forehead.

“Or how ‘bout the time that guy took her to that country dance thing?” Jonny crowed. He stopped suddenly, looking at Erik. “You don’t like country dance, do you? Jess hates it.”

Erik shook his head quickly.

“I still like the door one!” Hadji laughed.

“Door one?” Erik whispered.

“Jessi--ca hates having people open the door for her. So one day, her date wouldn’t stop doing it! So what does she do? She knees him!” Hadji shook his head slowly. “She’s always over-reacting like that!”

“Takes after her father that way,” Jonny commented.

“Is Erik here? I’ll be right down!” Jessie called from upstairs.

Erik licked his lips and checked his watch. “Ah, shoot. You know what, I forgot. I’m supposed to . . uh . . . pick my mom up from the airport this evening. I’m really sorry, I’m already late! It was sort of a last minute thing!” He was already picking his jacket up as he started toward the door. “Could you explain to Jess--ica for me? Thanks so much! Bye!” and the door slammed.

Jessie came down the stairs seconds later, stunning in a blue evening dress. “Where’s Erik?” she asked, looking around at the two boys seated on the couch reading.

“Oh, he had to go. Something about his ex just flying in. He just wanted to make sure you knew that he wasn’t going to be here tonight,” Jonny answered absently.

Jessie’s face fell. “I can’t believe he did that!”

Both Jonny and Hadji looked up quickly.

“What a jerk!” She proclaimed, throwing her purse on the couch and racing back up the stairs. Over their books, Jonny and Hadji’s eyes met. They grinned, then went back to reading.

JJJQQQ

Benton sat by the fire, sipping wine with his old friend. “Race,” he said at last, “Aren’t you worried about Jessie and all the boys who’ve been asking her out?”

Race shook his head, then smiled. “She’s a smart girl, she turns down the ones who aren’t up to her standards.” His smile became sheepish. “And besides, Jonny and Hadji take care of the rest of them.”

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