“I calls ‘em as I sees ‘em.” He shrugs, laughing at the look on my face and heads outside for a smoke.
“Maybe next time, look in the mirror before you call someone a loser!” I holler after him.
“Don’t need a mirror,” he calls over his shoulder, not even bothering to turn all the way. “I’ll just look at you.” The screen door slams shut behind him as he settles on one of the wicker chairs on the front porch. I silently seethe as I come up empty with a witty reply and end up just rolling my eyes behind his back. I’m terrible when it comes to winning arguments. I get too tongue-tied and my mind blanks out. Shay is a master when it comes to pushing my buttons and takes great pleasure in it.
But I still love my brother. Over the years, he’s stepped in where Mum has been failing. He dropped me off and picked me up from ballet class. He made sure supper was there for me, even if he had to go out for “club business”, or whatever it was, he always had something waiting in the fridge for me. He’s nineteen now, and though he spends a lot of time with James doing work for the clubhouse, he still makes sure we have our weekly movie and game nights every Friday. And sometimes, on the weekends, we’ll even make a trip out to the lake with his buddies, or go for a ride on his bike. How can I stay mad at him for anything when a nineteen year old man goes out of his way so much for his little stepsister?
“So, a BBQ at the clubhouse then?” James grinned wide and smacked his hands together, looking between Mum and me. I guess he convinced her while Shay and I had been bickering.
“Uncle Shawn said it was okay?” Ignoring my mother’s wince when I addressed him as my uncle again, despite her objection. He held the title of President of the Celtic Beasts, which meant he was in charge. He always had final say, especially on any events taking place in their large warehouse where they spent so much of their time. I liked it there. It was big, with a cozy lounge downstairs that had a great sound system, pool tables, a seating area and bar. But the second floor is my favourite. Their game room has a few pinball machines, dart boards, and some arcade shooter games (my favourite is Buck Hunter, and I like to challenge James the most because I can usually kick his butt at it). The third floor and basement are off limits, though. Something my stepdad always reminds me of each time he brings me there. I’ve asked him why, but he just tells me it’s for boring work stuff.
“He and Raya are so excited, they volunteered to take care of the cake.” James winked at me and gave the crown of my head a kiss. “It will be great, Baby Girl. You’re going to have an awesome birthday.”
“Thank you, James!” I spun in my seat and wrapped my arms around his waist. He was such an amazing stepfather. Always so supportive and always had my back when I needed something.
He gave my head a pat. “Well, Emily? Want to give Raya a call and start planning the party for Saturday?”
When I looked her way, I wanted to roll my eyes at the look on her face… like she’d bitten into a sour lemon. Seriously, she needed to relax.
But I didn’t want Mum to be so upset about this. This was supposed to be fun. “C’mon, Mum.” I grin at her, hoping to bring her out of her bad mood. “Help me think of some party games, like seven minutes in heaven, and spin the bottle. Something along those lines,” I said playfully and glanced up at James, knowing this would be like poking the bear, which always amused Mum and I. Sure enough, his cheeks reddened and his eyes narrowed at me.
“I don’t fucking think so!” he growled.
“Language, please!” Mum snapped, but I could see the corners of her mouth twitching like she was fighting back a smile. I could usually get her to loosen up if I got James going, and teasing him had become a favourite pastime of mine. Seeing him get all protective papa bear was hilarious.
When I asked him when I could start dating, he nearly went cross-eyed with rage and shouted, “When you’re walking with a cane and you have fifty cats hoarded inside your house!” Mum had laughed hard at that one. She knows I’m probably the least boy-crazy girl at my school. I never express any interest in dating normally. Not when I daydream about a certain pen-pal most nights…
“I plan on kissing Billy’s son, Noah,” I go on. “He’s super cute and he’s been really friendly lately.”
“If I see Noah go anywhere near you on Saturday, Billy’s going to have to start planning his funeral…” James stomps over and reaches around my mum, resting his hand on her hip and begins stroking it affectionately, as he refills his coffee.
“Why are you going to kill Noah?” Shay walks in after tossing his cigarette stub into the can of water they leave outside. He stops beside me at the table and raises his dark brows at his dad.
“Apparently, Mina thinks he’s cute and he’s been sniffing around her…” James mutters darkly, and my mum watches Shay closely for his reaction.
At once, he tenses up just a bit beside me, and I freeze. Shay has become a little overbearing lately when it comes to boys, much to my frustration. James let me invite some friends over a few weeks ago so we could go fishing in the creek nearby, but when two of my guy friends, Matt and Liam, showed up, Shay decided to accompany us and literally stood five feet behind them at all times, arms crossed, his silver eyes narrowed on them. Safe to say that they’ll never come over again. They even keep their distance at school, now.
“Really?” Shay’s eyes flicker down to me and I bite the inside of my cheek nervously.
Well, this backfired, I think and lower my gaze, avoiding his stare. “It’s no big deal, Shay.”
For a long, nerve-wracking moment, no one says anything. I hold my breath until Shay wraps an arm around my head, yanks me against his side, and mutters, “Any guy touches you, I’ll be the one to kill them, not Dad.” Releasing me, he saunters off to his room.
I glare at his back and look to Mum, who shakes her head, looking heated.
“You know he’s just protective, Mina,” James says to me, his expression concerned. “Ever since that summer BBQ with the Spades-”
“I know, I know.” I hold up my hand, silencing him. I don’t need reminding. I think years had been taken off everyone’s life when I’d been found in the woods with Keenan Mathers… I hide the blush on my cheeks and turn away from my parents to hide my smile. “But he seriously needs to let me breathe a bit.”
“Don’t worry about it, Baby Girl. You’re going to have an awesome birthday. I promise.” James downs his coffee, gives my mum a long, lingering kiss under her jaw, grabs his leather jacket with the cool Celtic dragon on the back, and the keys to his bike. “Gotta meet Shawn for church. I’ll be back later.” He pats my head as he passes and heads outside. Moments later, I hear the rumble of his motorcycle as he starts it up and heads away to the clubhouse.
The field behind the clubhouse was decked out for my birthday. Mum and Raya had set up picnic tables, a dance floor, and a sound system to blast music into the area. All the kids of members who were my age hung out with me in the field, while the adults lingered on the back patio that ran along the length of the building. James was barbequing while Mum organized the long potluck tables that were piled with plates of food. Shay and his friends lingered near the tree-line on their own, though Shawn said some of them had to work. He made them organize the parking lot to manage all the cars and bikes, and some are stationed by the chain-link fence at the entrance. I asked him why, but he just said something about security. Why we need security, I have no idea, but it made me feel pretty darn special with all the fuss they were making over my birthday party.