Closer Than A Brother Read Free

my dearest friend’s daughter tonight. Miss Izzy requested you be there, baby.” His mother waited.
    “Okay, Ma. What time, seven?”
    “Six o’clock. Don’t you dare pull that on me, Shane Scott,” she scolded.
    He cringed at the first and middle name usage.
    “Okay! I’ll be there, six o’clock. I got it.” He hung up the phone, knowing by the time he took his cold shower—just to get his mind off the encounter this afternoon with Danielle—it would be closer to seven.

Chapter Three
    “Dude, I’m screwed,” he said into his cell, on the way to Miss Izzy’s house. It was already after six. His best friend, Jason, chuckled on the other end.
    “I can’t believe you pulled her over, and gave her a ticket.”
    “I didn’t know it was her when I pulled the car over. I’m not going to turn in the damn ticket. I ripped it up as soon as I got in the car, but she thinks she has to pay it.”
    “How did she look?”
    Shane sucked in a breath. “Wow.”
    Jason laughed. “That good, huh? Dani always looked good, man. You’ve been into her forever.”
    “No, she looks… wow ,” Shane said again.
    “Personally, I would like to see wow . You think Miss Izzy would mind?” Jason asked.
    “A whole bunch of people are coming over. I don’t think she would mind. Besides, you came to her graduation party and no one cared.”
    “Miss Izzy is cooking, right? Damn, I’ll meet you there in ten minutes,” Jason said, hanging up without a good-bye.
    * * * *
    Dani stood in the warm evening air, listening to old friends and family welcoming her home. Word spread fast, and at least thirty people came to say hello—everyone, but him . At six thirty, Shane was nowhere to be seen. Her cousin, Joe, had turned up the music and dodged her mother’s attempt to swat him. “This ain’t the club, boy. Turn that music down.”
    “Oh leave him alone, Izzy. You don’t want to shake your grove thang ?” her father asked coming up behind her, dancing to the beat. The group laughed.
    One of her oldest and best friends, Brandi, sat down next to her on a lounge chair. “Where is tall, dark, and handsome?” she asked, sipping her beer.
    “Hell if I know,” Dani said, trying to sound nonchalant.
    “Girl, don’t fake the funk. You know that man is fine. I’ve seen him driving around town in his sexy, little uniform. Mmm, I’ll admit he’s turned my head more than a few times.”
    Danielle looked over at her friend. “Have you slept with him?”
    Brandi smirked. “You sound jealous, Dani. No, I haven’t slept with him.”
    Danielle exhaled a breath she hadn’t realize she was holding.
    “Hmm, sounds like you are thinking about it though,” Brandi teased.
    Dani chuckled nervously. “Absolutely not. Why are we even talking about him? He isn’t even here!”
    “He is now,” Brandi whispered.
    Dani’s gaze darted across the yard to the porch. He stepped out the back door. Another good-looking guy was with him. “Damn.” Dani heard Brandi say. “Now tell me those two men aren’t fine.”
    Dani avoided the question. “Who is that with him?”
    Brandi answered softly, “Jason Stover.”
    Danielle looked back across the yard. “That lanky kid he used to hang out with all the time?”
    “Not so lanky anymore. They both went to the academy together. He is a cop too—a very sexy cop,” Brandi said, biting her lip. She crossed her legs and gave Jason a look from across the lawn.
    “Whoa, calm down, girl,” Dani said, swatting her friend’s leg.
    “You take the blonde. I’ll take the brunette,” Brandi said.
    “What! Are we going after younger, white guys now? We are over thirty, girl!” Dani argued.
    “We are barely over thirty, Danielle, and they are damn near thirty.” Brandi bit her lip. “They are grown!”
    Danielle watched Shane lean in to kiss his mother’s cheek. He was definitely grown, and filling out every inch of those faded jeans. It was her turn to chew her lip.
    “When did he grow up?”