Best Friend’s Brother: Best Friend's Brother Romance Read online

  “Would you like to accompany me to my best friend’s wedding?”

  “Only if you’ll accompany me to my little sister’s wedding.”

  “Deal.”

  “She’s due in mid January,” Jakob frowned.

  “What’s wrong with mid January?”

  “Oh nothing’s wrong, that’s just such a Ryan’s-side-of-the-family month to be born in. Do you know what it’s going to be like to ensure that little Capricorn has a decent sense of humor?”

  “Oh my gosh, you’re mean!”

  “Probably. But who was the last cool Capricorn person you hung out with?”

  Zooey, for the sake of entertaining Jakob, actually stopped to think about it.

  “Hey, thought you didn’t believe in all the astrology stuff.”

  “I didn’t really. It was Nathaniel who got me into it. He was a total Aries apparently,” he raised his arms in a dramatic shrug, “he kept saying I was such a Sagittarius, but I have no idea what that really means. He just let me know the basics of each sign.”

  “Very interesting. I’m very much a Taurus. Grounded, my concern is more for friends and family than myself, I’m a great friend, but I’m stubborn too. Sagittarius now. You’re a sign about wisdom. You’re always looking to learn about or try new things. You have no trouble speaking your mind. And if something doesn’t work, you’re quick to put it behind you and move forward.”

  “You’re just saying all of that stuff because you know me,” Jakob said. He snaked a hand across the table and took one of Zooey’s edamame pods.

  Zooey shook her head.

  “When is Ryan’s birthday?”

  “Be damned if I know,” he snuck another pod out of Zooey’s bowl. She shook her head again, but pushed it a bit closer to him in case he wanted anymore. “He told me, but I forgot. I think some time in September.”

  “Hmm. If he’s a Virgo it explains him always wanting to make sure that all is well with everyone. Also explains why he’s got his life together. He’s probably wanted to be a pediatrician since he was 4. If he’s a Libra, then he’s a total charmer who just wants to flirt with everyone. He’s also probably concerned with balancing his love life and his professional life.”

  The two paused for a moment and thought about it.

  “Virgo.”

  “Definitely a Virgo.”

  They spoke at the same time, but laughed at their mutual conclusion.

  “Zooey Dempsey, you make me laugh.”

  “I know.”

  Their server had returned. He removed the edamame and Miso soup. He placed a large smoked cod in the middle of their table, and an order of Dancing Eel rolls. They both thanked him, but kept their eyes on each other.

  Jakob held out both hands for Zooey to take. When she did, he kissed along the knuckles of her fingers and smiled.

  “I wanna thank you, Zoo.”

  “Thank me for what?”

  “For everything. For always being there, even when I thought the only person that did that had died,” Jakob began to tear up, but he swallowed and blinked quickly to keep his emotions in check.

  They spent the rest of the time laughing and talking. Zooey tried but failed miserably to teach Jakob how to hold chopsticks. He eventually just pierced his sushi roll with one of the sticks, and faked it so it seemed like it was really being picked up.

  After their date, Jakob drove to a familiar site. It was the start of the hiking trail that he had taken Zooey on maybe a month or so before. He didn’t get out of the car. They watched the twinkling lights above them. There were no city lights in sight to distract them.

  Zooey scrolled through her phone and started playing a song.

  “I know this. Wasn’t this from Ocean’s Eleven?”

  “Weird that you remember that. But this is actually Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy. Take a look at the sky.”

  The piano sounded like longing arms waiting to be embraced. Like Mr. Debussy had created a thousand foot ladder to reach the stars, but had still not come close. The alternative was this beautiful piece of music. It was like floating on a breeze up into space.

  “I’m weird for liking poetry, but it’s ok that you know all the randomest music on the face of the earth?”

  “Music is my life,” Zooey feigned shock.

  “Poetry and love are mine,” just as he said that, a shooting star flew across the sky and disappeared somewhere out in the galaxy.

  “Make a wish,” Zooey gasped when she spotted it.

  “We, unaccustomed to courage

  exiles from delight,

  live coiled in shells of loneliness

  until love leaves its high holy temple

  and comes into our sight

  to liberate us into life.

  Love arrives

  and in its train come ecstasies,

  old memories of pleasure

  ancient histories of pain.

  Yet if we are bold,

  love strikes away the chains of fear

  from our souls

  We are weaned from our timidity

  In the flush of love's light

  we dare be brave

  And suddenly we see

  that love costs all we are

  and will ever be.

  Yet it is only love

  which sets us free.”

  Zooey smiled. “Who was that?”

  “Miss Maya Angelou.”

  “You always recite poems when you think I need them. Or you said something like that when we were kids.”

  “Not when you need them. When I feel the words are right for you.”

  “Are you saying you love me?”

  Jakob stepped out of his car then. He shut the door and moved to the front of it. Since there were no lights, Zooey could only make out his silhouette under the stars. He beckoned for her to come out of the car. She did so and moved towards him. He bowed his head and took her hand for a dance.

  Jakob started to hum, and unexpectedly he started to sing softly in Zooey’s ear.

  “Step back and admire my view. Can I use the colors I choose? Do I have some say what you use? Can I get some greens with my blues?” he sounded lovely. His voice was deep and rich. It was crystal clear, even in a whisper. He was singing Painted On Canvas to her. She rested her head on his shoulder as they rocked under the moon and stars.

  “I’ve always loved you, Zoo, to answer your question. But it wasn’t until now I realized I was in love with you.”

  Zooey smiled and moved even closer to him. She moved her arms and wrapped them around his shoulders, and he wrapped his long arms around her waist.

  “I love you too Jake. I think I always have.”

  “I know John John.”

  “Oh jeez. I hate you.”

  “But you really don’t though. You really really don’t.”

  “I know.”

  She stood on her tiptoes, and gave him a kiss just as another shooting star flew across the night sky.

  *

  Epilogue

  “Look at him, he’s gotten so big!” Zooey crouched down and watched as the little boy ran towards her. He nearly toppled over twice, but he managed to keep his balance. “I remember when ZyZy was your age, my darling one!”

  Zooey picked up the toddler and planted millions of kisses on his cheeks.

  “You’re going to spoil him, and then he’s never going to want to be alone ever again for the rest of his life,” Lauryn made her way over to them. They were in front of Zooey’s apartment block in Manhattan. She kissed her son and ruffled his scruffy black hair.

  “Where’s Ryan?”

  “Back home. He couldn’t come with me today, but he’s getting some free time next month, thank the lord. Because this one’s been so excited about going to D-I-S-N-E-Y,” she tickled him, but spelt out Disney so as to not get him excited. They headed into the building and onto an elevator that was conveniently open.

  “Benji’s almost 4, so we figured it would be a good age to take hi
m.”

  “I’m a big man!” Benji roared in Zooey’s arms.

  “You’re not big. You’re huge. You’re so big the world couldn’t take it, and you had to shrink down to be smaller than everybody again. What do you think about that, buddy?” Lauryn smiled at her son.

  “So big I’m little,” he beamed with pride at the other patrons in the elevator. Zooey knew she wouldn’t ever have to worry about where his sense of humor was going. He already reminded her of a miniature version of Jakob. His eyes were a shocking blue like his. Lauryn and Ryan both had brown eyes.

  “How’s that idiot brother of mine?”

  “Getting ready to graduate. Swamped with work. But he’s got 2 interviews soon. Writing for The New Yorker, and some other one that I can’t really recall.”

  Jakob had made it into NYU. He and Zooey had moved to New York together a few months after Ryan and Lauryn got married. They waited until spring to have the wedding. Benji was barely two months old, but they wanted to be married when everything was blossoming and coming to life.

  Kady wept of course, and sang at the wedding. Isaiah and Carla’s little labradoodle Moxie were ring bearers.

  Carla was sweet enough to let them take their wedding photos on her property. She loaned them her horses for photos, and even for after the reception. Carla was even a bridesmaid, on the condition that she would not be thrown up on, especially since there would be no lake nearby for her to clean herself off in. Over the years, she had grown to become friends with Lauryn and Zooey, but she lived a few states away with a husband and twin boys.

  “When are you guys getting your own,” Lauryn used her mouth to motion to Benji.

  “Not for now. There’s so much work, and we’re getting ready to move.”

  “You gotta hurry it up, girl. The clock is ticking. We’re pushing 30 soon!”

  “You’re not even 27 years old,” Zooey came off the elevator on the 8th floor, and Lauryn followed. Benji was making a drumbeat on Zooey’s face and shoulders.

  “I know. But kids are fun. This guy always has me on my toes.”

  “I already have a guy to keep me on my toes,” Zooey laughed.

  “Zoe! Not in front of the baby!” Lauryn smacked Zooey’s shoulder and laughed. Benji had no idea what was going on, but he cackled wildly with his mother and godmother.

  Zooey expertly fumbled through her bag in order to find the keys to her apartment. She steadied Benji in one hand, and unlocked the door. She put it down, and he ran inside.

  “I wouldn’t let him loose like that. He breaks things.”

  Sure enough as she said it, they heard an “oops” and the sound of a small glass shattering coming from the next room.

  “And you want me to have one? I’ll wait.”

  Lauryn locked the door behind them when they got inside. Benji had accidentally bumped into the coffee table. There had been a glass on the edge of it, but it had broken on the floor. Lauryn picked him up and moved to the kitchen. She put him on the counter.

  “Now I know that was an accident, but can you tell Aunty Zooey you’re really sorry for that?”

  “I’m sowie Aunty Thoey,” he said.

  “And are you really sorry?”

  Benji nodded his head.

  “It’s ok. I accept your apology,” Zooey had already got a broom to clean up the mess.

  “Mommy’s gonna keep you up here a little. Glass is sharp, and it can hurt you. So keep your shoes on, no rolling around, and no coloring on the floor.”

  Zooey cleaned up all the glass she saw and threw it away. She smiled. Lauryn was such a good mother. She was patient with her son, but she never lost any of her spark or personality. She always said that Benji was the love of her life, but not to tell Ryan, because he would probably get jealous.

  “And what have you been doing with yourself?”

  “I’m a waitress uptown, a jazz singer downtown, and a recording artist midtown. I do it all. I hustle how I can,” Zooey said. She was a waitress at an extremely popular restaurant. Peter had made a few calls and pulled some strings. There wasn’t a night that Zooey worked where she didn’t see a celebrity. She had a great personality, so she got great tips.

  There was a night when Nicki Minaj tipped her $100 and asked her to sing the chorus of a song on one of her next albums. Nicki may have been drunk, but Zooey always secretly hoped that she would come back into the restaurant and take Zooey away for a few days to record. But she humbled herself, and reminded herself that she had to start somewhere.

  The front door opened then, and Jakob tumbled inside. He had a case, a bag, and some papers in his hands.

  “Uncle Jake!” Benji screamed. Not wanting to disobey his mother, he stayed up on the counter. He shook like he needed to pee, but held his arms out. Jakob dropped everything in his hands and walked over to his nephew. He picked him up and lifted him to the ceiling. Benji squealed with glee, and begged to be taken up again.

  Jakob flung Benji over his shoulder, fist pumped his sister, and went to give Zooey a kiss on the cheek.

  “How was your ride over?”

  “Ugh, can I just say I do not miss the big city? Give me a town where everybody knows everybody any day.”

  Jakob tickled Benji while he hung across his shoulders. The little boy shrieked and tried to get free. Jakob eventually put him down.

  “Careful of the glass, sweetie,” Lauryn called when Benji ran around to explore.

  They spent the afternoon catching up. It was like old times. No matter how far away they were from each other, or how long they were apart, they were still the three Musketeers.

  “We’re like Mario!” Lauryn had said once when she and Zooey were 15.

  “How so?” Jakob asked. They were all walking home from school. Jakob was in front with music in his ears, but he pulled out an ear bud so he could hear better.

  “There’s 3 of us. I’m Mario, Zooey’s Luigi, and you’re Princess Peach.”

  “How in the hell am I Princess Peach?” Jakob frowned.

  “Because your eyes are blue, and come on, you’re the most Peach like out of all of us.”

  Zooey had to hold onto Lauryn’s shoulder to keep from toppling over laughing.

  “Well, if we’re doing personalities, Snow, then you are Bowser.”

  “No way, Bowser is grotesque!”

  “I dunno, you are kinda like Bowser,” Zooey said. “You even have the spiky bracelets on.”

  “Ok then, Toad.”

  “I’m not offended. I love Toad!” Zooey clapped. The siblings shot each other a look and started laughing.

  Zooey was brought back to the present when Jakob ran a finger on her cheek.

  “What are you thinking about?” he asked.

  “I was just remembering something, Princess Peach.”

  “You really wanna go there John John?”

  “I don’t know what you guys are talking about, but Ben and I have to get going. Wanna make it out of town before it gets dark.”

  Lauryn collected her things, and took Benji by the hand. They said their goodbyes and left shortly after.

  “What do you want to do tonight, Princess?” Zooey giggled, and slid on the couch next to Jakob.

  “I’m beat. I kind of wanna just stay in. What are you in the mood for?”

  “This,” Zooey adjusted herself so that her arms were around him. He played with her hair, and then he spoke.

  “...And as I quick and quicker walked

  On gravel and on green,

  I sang to sky, and tree, or talked

  Of her I called my queen.

  - ‘O faultless is her dainty form,

  And luminous her mind;

  She is the God-created norm

  Of perfect womankind!’

  A shape whereon one star-blink gleamed

  Glode softly by my side,

  A woman's; and her motion seemed

  The motion of my bride.”

  “Is that Hardy?” Zooey asked when he had finished. />
  He nodded his head, his fingers tracing the outline of her physical form.

  “Thank you for the poem,” Zooey whispered. She yawned and closed her eyes. Jakob continued to run his fingers delicately along her curves.

  “Can you recite Choose Something Like A Star to me?” she yawned again. Jakob kissed her hair.

  “As you wish, my love. As you wish.”

  THE END

  *