Life's a Game, but it's Not Fair
Nine
The next morning Matt swaggered into the kitchen with a goofy grin on his face. After he had gotten Brian’s permission he had sprinted to Reagan’s room to tell her. He had found her sound asleep but left a note by her bed. This morning there was a slip of paper on the floor of his room near the door with a single word written on it “yes.”
He was reaching for the coffee pot when Zacky yelled for him to come into the man cave. Thinking Jimmy had disconnected the X-box for the umpteenth time, Matt headed towards the massive tv room. The door was shut behind him and the shades were drawn. The room was totally black.
“I didn’t even have coffee yet,” he groaned as he felt himself being pushed back into a chair. A light came on, casting Jimmy, Zacky and Johnny in an eerie light.
“Matthew Sanders.” Jimmy began, while playing with the cattle prod he held in his hands “do you admit to asking our niece Reagan Juliet Haner out on a date this evening?”
Matt rolled his eyes “Jim seriously-“
“YOU SHALL ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS!” He cried. “We know this information and you must understand that if you hurt her in anyway the amount of torture that will await-“
“You three are complete idiots.”
Reagan had thrown the door open and was standing against the frame, her arms crossed.
“Come on Reagan,” Jimmy whined, throwing the prod on the ground. “We were just about to scare him.”
Reagan raised an eyebrow “What were you gonna do Jim? Tell him he was going to swim with the stallion ducks?”
Jimmy gasped then crossed his arms “You- you-you-you-“
She smirked “I-I-I-I-I-what?”
“ARE GOING IN THE POOL!”
Her eyes widened “Oh fuck.”
Jimmy drove to the door and threw her over his shoulder despite her screams and kicks. The guys followed laughing as they watched Jimmy throw open the back door and dump his niece in.
Reagan coughed and spat water as she resurfaced. “You’re dead Sullivan,” she warned. Matt offered her his hands and he pulled her up. “You’re the best.” She said grinning and stood on her toes to kiss him. The other guys all gagged.
“Be ready by 7,” Matt told her “nothing too fancy.”
She smiled and nodded and headed back into the house.
Brian paced in the foyer. It was 6:27, he had told Kappie to meet him in the foyer at 6:30. Reagan had overheard about their dinner plans and had practically dragged Kappie to her room to help her get ready. He was glad Reagan had not appeared hurt or jealous. She would always be his princess, but for now he wanted to see what would happen tonight.
The sound of heels on the marble floor caused him to turn his attention to the kitchen area, which Kappie’s room was just to the right of. His eyes widened as she came into view. She wore a simple dress with strappy heels, and her blonde hair was curled. “You look nice.” He managed to muster. She smiled at him shyly.
“Have fun tonight you two.” He looked up to the top of the staircase and smiled. “You too princess, don’t be out too late.” She raised her eyebrows at him “behave Brian Elwin.” She chided. Laughing, Brian held the door open for Kappie and the two headed for his car.
At 6:57 Reagan looked in the mirror for the last time and determined she looked ready. She grabbed her clutch and descended the stairs. She was a bit surprised that Matt was not waiting for her in the foyer.
She stood by herself for about a minute when the door opened. Matt walked in, dressed handsomely in a pair of dark jeans and a black dress shirt. He grinned when he saw her and held out the bouquet of magenta gerbera daises, her favorite flower, to her.
“You look beautiful.” He said, staring into her eyes. She blushed and took the bouquet from him and brought them to her nose, breathing in the pretty scent.
She felt the hairs stand up on the back of her neck and knew someone was watching them.
“If you’re going to creep, at least put these in some water.” She said turning to see her three uncles peeking out from the hallway where the guys’ offices were. Jimmy huffed and stomped to take the flowers.
“Behave Sanders,” Zacky said shaking his pointer finger at him. Johnny made a fist and punched it menacingly into his other hand.
Matt smirked and Reagan rolled her eyes. “Get me out of here,” she muttered, grabbing his arm. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and soon they were zooming out of the driveway in his Mustang.
Brian signed the check with a flourish. The meal he and Kappie had gotten was excellent as well as the wine and conversation.
“Want to walk around a bit and grab a cup of coffee?” he asked placing his hands on the table
“I’d love to,” Kappie said smiling. Brian quickly stood up to help her out of her chair.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you,” she said as they stepped into the warm night air.
“What about?”
“The kiss last night. I felt like I was completely out of line and I-“
“Kappie.” He stopped and took her hand, “I think it ended alright, what do you think?”
She looked into his eyes and smiled “I had a really great time, Brian.”
The sound of his real name on her lips sent chills down his spine and he leaned into kiss her.
“Well, well, well, Gates, finally moving on from Aria I see.” The voice made Brian growl low in his throat. He turned slowly.
“What are you doing here Madden?” he spat.
Joel held up his hands, “the last time I checked this was neutral territory.”
“Last time I checked you and your boys were in Chicago nursing your wounded egos.”
Joel smirked “What can I say?” he said shrugging “I miss California the sun, the heat, the-“ he looked Kappie up and down “beauty.”
Brian shoved her behind him. Joel, knowing he had hit a nerve chuckled.
“So how’s your daughter, I heard she’s a stunner now.”
“That is of no concern to you.” Brian growled.
Kappie gently touched his forearm “he’s not worth it, let’s just go.” She begged in his ear.
Brian grabbed her hand and the two walked past Joel.
“Goodbye Gates,” he called “I can’t wait to get acquainted with your new lady friend soon.”
His words sent shivers down Kappie’s spine.
“One more time please!!” Reagan begged Matt, “it’s so fluffy, I’m gonna die!”
Matt burst out laughing and handed her her shoes. “Ok last time.” He said, pulling his wallet out of his pocket.
Reagan grinned at him “You’re the bestest!”
“I know,” Matt said, winking at her.
After a delicious sushi dinner, Matt had taken her to Santa Monica Pier. The two had spent over two hours riding the roller coaster and ferris wheel and playing lots of games. Currently, Matt was paying the man running Whack-a-Mole to win Reagan the stuffed bear she had wanted all night.
“Come on baby!” she shouted as Matt picked up the small hammer and stood in a ready position. The buzzer sounded and Matt began slamming the moles as they popped up.
“These fuckers are so damn fast,” he yelled. The mother near him looked at him disapprovingly and Reagan burst out laughing.
Suddenly, the buzzer sounded and the orange light began flashing over Matt’s station. Reagan dropped her shoes and started screaming and jumping up and down.
Matt walked back to her, holding the bear over his head.
“We are the champions, we are the champions,” he sang. When he got to Reagan, he scooped her up and spun her around “of the woooooooorld!!” She squealed happily and he put her down.
“Your bear my lady,” he said handing it to her.
She smiled and stood on her tip toes and kissed him.
“Best date ever,” she said when they pulled away.
Matt smiled and took her head and they headed to the parking lot.
Suddenly, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She glanced behind her quickly, and seeing no one there, figured it was just a breeze off of the ocean.
Completely unaware of the dark figure watching them walk to Matt’s Mustang and drive away.
Reagan http://www.polyvore.com/lifes_game_reagan/set?id=87575506
Kappie http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=87575671
He was reaching for the coffee pot when Zacky yelled for him to come into the man cave. Thinking Jimmy had disconnected the X-box for the umpteenth time, Matt headed towards the massive tv room. The door was shut behind him and the shades were drawn. The room was totally black.
“I didn’t even have coffee yet,” he groaned as he felt himself being pushed back into a chair. A light came on, casting Jimmy, Zacky and Johnny in an eerie light.
“Matthew Sanders.” Jimmy began, while playing with the cattle prod he held in his hands “do you admit to asking our niece Reagan Juliet Haner out on a date this evening?”
Matt rolled his eyes “Jim seriously-“
“YOU SHALL ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS!” He cried. “We know this information and you must understand that if you hurt her in anyway the amount of torture that will await-“
“You three are complete idiots.”
Reagan had thrown the door open and was standing against the frame, her arms crossed.
“Come on Reagan,” Jimmy whined, throwing the prod on the ground. “We were just about to scare him.”
Reagan raised an eyebrow “What were you gonna do Jim? Tell him he was going to swim with the stallion ducks?”
Jimmy gasped then crossed his arms “You- you-you-you-“
She smirked “I-I-I-I-I-what?”
“ARE GOING IN THE POOL!”
Her eyes widened “Oh fuck.”
Jimmy drove to the door and threw her over his shoulder despite her screams and kicks. The guys followed laughing as they watched Jimmy throw open the back door and dump his niece in.
Reagan coughed and spat water as she resurfaced. “You’re dead Sullivan,” she warned. Matt offered her his hands and he pulled her up. “You’re the best.” She said grinning and stood on her toes to kiss him. The other guys all gagged.
“Be ready by 7,” Matt told her “nothing too fancy.”
She smiled and nodded and headed back into the house.
Brian paced in the foyer. It was 6:27, he had told Kappie to meet him in the foyer at 6:30. Reagan had overheard about their dinner plans and had practically dragged Kappie to her room to help her get ready. He was glad Reagan had not appeared hurt or jealous. She would always be his princess, but for now he wanted to see what would happen tonight.
The sound of heels on the marble floor caused him to turn his attention to the kitchen area, which Kappie’s room was just to the right of. His eyes widened as she came into view. She wore a simple dress with strappy heels, and her blonde hair was curled. “You look nice.” He managed to muster. She smiled at him shyly.
“Have fun tonight you two.” He looked up to the top of the staircase and smiled. “You too princess, don’t be out too late.” She raised her eyebrows at him “behave Brian Elwin.” She chided. Laughing, Brian held the door open for Kappie and the two headed for his car.
At 6:57 Reagan looked in the mirror for the last time and determined she looked ready. She grabbed her clutch and descended the stairs. She was a bit surprised that Matt was not waiting for her in the foyer.
She stood by herself for about a minute when the door opened. Matt walked in, dressed handsomely in a pair of dark jeans and a black dress shirt. He grinned when he saw her and held out the bouquet of magenta gerbera daises, her favorite flower, to her.
“You look beautiful.” He said, staring into her eyes. She blushed and took the bouquet from him and brought them to her nose, breathing in the pretty scent.
She felt the hairs stand up on the back of her neck and knew someone was watching them.
“If you’re going to creep, at least put these in some water.” She said turning to see her three uncles peeking out from the hallway where the guys’ offices were. Jimmy huffed and stomped to take the flowers.
“Behave Sanders,” Zacky said shaking his pointer finger at him. Johnny made a fist and punched it menacingly into his other hand.
Matt smirked and Reagan rolled her eyes. “Get me out of here,” she muttered, grabbing his arm. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and soon they were zooming out of the driveway in his Mustang.
Brian signed the check with a flourish. The meal he and Kappie had gotten was excellent as well as the wine and conversation.
“Want to walk around a bit and grab a cup of coffee?” he asked placing his hands on the table
“I’d love to,” Kappie said smiling. Brian quickly stood up to help her out of her chair.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you,” she said as they stepped into the warm night air.
“What about?”
“The kiss last night. I felt like I was completely out of line and I-“
“Kappie.” He stopped and took her hand, “I think it ended alright, what do you think?”
She looked into his eyes and smiled “I had a really great time, Brian.”
The sound of his real name on her lips sent chills down his spine and he leaned into kiss her.
“Well, well, well, Gates, finally moving on from Aria I see.” The voice made Brian growl low in his throat. He turned slowly.
“What are you doing here Madden?” he spat.
Joel held up his hands, “the last time I checked this was neutral territory.”
“Last time I checked you and your boys were in Chicago nursing your wounded egos.”
Joel smirked “What can I say?” he said shrugging “I miss California the sun, the heat, the-“ he looked Kappie up and down “beauty.”
Brian shoved her behind him. Joel, knowing he had hit a nerve chuckled.
“So how’s your daughter, I heard she’s a stunner now.”
“That is of no concern to you.” Brian growled.
Kappie gently touched his forearm “he’s not worth it, let’s just go.” She begged in his ear.
Brian grabbed her hand and the two walked past Joel.
“Goodbye Gates,” he called “I can’t wait to get acquainted with your new lady friend soon.”
His words sent shivers down Kappie’s spine.
“One more time please!!” Reagan begged Matt, “it’s so fluffy, I’m gonna die!”
Matt burst out laughing and handed her her shoes. “Ok last time.” He said, pulling his wallet out of his pocket.
Reagan grinned at him “You’re the bestest!”
“I know,” Matt said, winking at her.
After a delicious sushi dinner, Matt had taken her to Santa Monica Pier. The two had spent over two hours riding the roller coaster and ferris wheel and playing lots of games. Currently, Matt was paying the man running Whack-a-Mole to win Reagan the stuffed bear she had wanted all night.
“Come on baby!” she shouted as Matt picked up the small hammer and stood in a ready position. The buzzer sounded and Matt began slamming the moles as they popped up.
“These fuckers are so damn fast,” he yelled. The mother near him looked at him disapprovingly and Reagan burst out laughing.
Suddenly, the buzzer sounded and the orange light began flashing over Matt’s station. Reagan dropped her shoes and started screaming and jumping up and down.
Matt walked back to her, holding the bear over his head.
“We are the champions, we are the champions,” he sang. When he got to Reagan, he scooped her up and spun her around “of the woooooooorld!!” She squealed happily and he put her down.
“Your bear my lady,” he said handing it to her.
She smiled and stood on her tip toes and kissed him.
“Best date ever,” she said when they pulled away.
Matt smiled and took her head and they headed to the parking lot.
Suddenly, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She glanced behind her quickly, and seeing no one there, figured it was just a breeze off of the ocean.
Completely unaware of the dark figure watching them walk to Matt’s Mustang and drive away.
Reagan http://www.polyvore.com/lifes_game_reagan/set?id=87575506
Kappie http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=87575671
Gah!! They need to be able to hear whatever it is that Kappie has to say....and they need to hurry up and get the girls!! My brain!!
7/6/17