Chapter Eighty Nine
Joe dropped onto the sofa next to his brother. Frank, who was working on his laptop, had his long legs stretched out to rest on the cheap coffee table they had purchased from a thrift store, like all of their furniture. In between cases, they had been taking college courses. Frank had just started a Masters program while Joe was finishing his Bachelor’s.
“Guess what I got,” Joe said smugly.
“The Clap,” Frank responded absently.
Joe rolled his eyes. “I’m not that much of a slut. Besides, you know I’m careful.”
“You better be. Syphilis can eat your brain, like it did Al Capone’s.” Frank didn’t look up as his scanned the page he was reading.
“Well, this concerns you too.”
“I don’t see how an STD does.”
“I got us dates for Friday night.”
Frank glanced at his brother, then back to his screen. “Why on earth would you do that?”
“Because this gorgeous, stacked blonde came in and asked us out to the Harry Potter premiere this Friday.”
“I’m really not into Harry Potter, you know that.”
“Not even for the company of built-like-a-brickhouse Aralyn Duke?”
Frank looked up, his attention on his brother now. “Say again?”
“The fair Miss Duke came into the hangar today, asking for you specifically. She settled for me.”
“What did she say?” Frank asked, intrigued.
“I just told you. She asked us to join her and her cousin Friday for the movie. And, also specifically, said to give you this.” He held out his hand.
“She wrote her number on your hand?”
“For you, Dummy. And wait! There’s more!” Joe grinned like the Cheshire Cat.
“What?” Frank asked, memorizing the number on his brother’s hand.
“We’re taking them out to dinner beforehand.”
“What?” Frank sat up, alarmed.
Joe leaned back, stretching out his long legs, trying not to laugh. It was fun winding his brother up. Frank was notoriously shy with women, and a planner. It could take him weeks to work up the nerve to ask a woman out. “You’re welcome. After she asked about the movie, I asked them out for dinner.”
“Without talking to me?”
“You plan to be here in this apartment, Friday night after work, like we always are?” Joe asked, annoyed. “What’s the big deal? I’m excited as hell about getting to share a nice meal with two beautiful women. I’m tired of eating fast food while looking at your ugly mug.” Besides, he was quite certain the vivacious blonde girl would loosen his brother up.
Frank looked at the number again, speechless.
*
“You did what?” Tiffany demanded.
“Got us dates for the movie Friday.”
“Aralyn we don’t even know them!”
“Oh poo,” Aralyn dismissed the thought. “They seem really nice and they are definitely interested. Plus, Frank is really hot when he’s mad,” she giggled, “and Joe didn’t seem to have any problem accepting. He seemed quite pleased and asked us to dinner immediately.”
“Ari, I don’t think I’m ready.”
“It’s just a date, Tiff, not a marriage contract. You had fun with Raphael in Paris, right?”
“Yeah, but I knew I’d never seen him again! Ari, I still miss Emme.”
“Time to move on, cuz. Joe seems like a really fun guy and he’s definitely into you.
I think Joe will be good for you,” she grinned. “I can tell he’s got that impulsiveness that you’re used to with me. And really, it’s just a movie and dinner. Just a nice evening in the company of a couple hot guys. No strings.”
“Well, I suppose Frank does match your MO,” Tiffany replied dryly. “Tall, dark, handsome and serious.”
Natala looked up from where she was painting her nails with a smile. “Joe’s the blond, right?”
“Yes, why?” Tiffany asked.
Natala just shook her head and smiled.
“Dean and I will be there too, and you know Dean can keep any conversation going,” she said. “though most of that time will be during the movie.”
“Is it going to be weird for Dean to see me on a date with another guy?” Aralyn asked. “I know it’s been few months, but . . .”
“No. He knows you both need to move on,” was all she said.
“Holy crap, what are we going to wear?” Tiffany asked, eyes widening.
***
When Friday rolled around, Aralyn had chosen her favorite jeans and cowboy boots, with a low cut, coral tank top with a lace neckline. She debated with one of her jaunty caps to keeps her curls under control, but finally wrestled them into place with a copious amount of hairspray and multiple clips to combat the humidity. Aralyn had vowed to never cut her hair again once it was long enough to ponytail. She dusted her eye lids with a soft peach eye shadow that made her eyes bluer and opted for shimmery red lip gloss. Since movie theaters were often cold, Aralyn chose her light-weight black motorcycle jacket.
Tiffany opted for jeans as well, with black pumps and a fitted, sleeveless, button down blouse in forest green. Her jacket was similar to Aralyn’s but in dark gray. She pulled the sides of her hair back and clipped them at the back of her head, choosing coral lipstick and light mascara. She was not going all out for this and dreading it to begin with.
Frank had texted Aralyn to confirm the time and place Thursday evening.
Tiffany was trying not to panic at the thought of a dinner date and a movie with a guy she didn’t know at all.
“Raphael,” Aralyn reminded her.
“And how much wine did we drink that night?”
Natala laughed at them both. “It will be fine,” she assured them.
***
“You look fine, stop fussing,” Aralyn swatted her cousin’s hand as Tiffany reached for the visor over her seat to check her lipstick again.
“It’s just…been a while since I dated a guy,” Tiffany murmured.
“You don’t have to sleep with him,” Aralyn giggled. “Though I bet he’d be a lot of fun in bed!”
Tiffany shook her head. “I am nowhere near ready for that right now. School just started and that’s where both of us need to focus.”
Aralyn rolled her eyes. “That doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun! Besides, I have some extra time to spare,” she said quietly.
Finally listening to her cousins, Aralyn had scaled back her extracurricular activities of martial arts and lessened her class load for the fall. She had taken two classes over the summer and done well, bringing up her grade average. She knew the Marshals Service would only take top students and she would have to work hard to bring and keep her GPA up. She was working part time at the local precinct to build up her resume as well.
“Just stay focused this semester, Ari.”
Tiffany didn’t tell her cousin she had seen Cam earlier in the day. He had grown a beard over the summer, and had hugged her and they chatted briefly. He had learned a lot in his internship, Cam said, and had been promised a good reference by Perry White, the Editor-in-Chief.
“I will. But tonight, I think I wanna focus on Frank and those shoulders of his!”
Tiffany rolled her eyes. She wasn’t the only one concerned with her appearance tonight.
“Do I look okay?” Aralyn asked. “Do these jeans make my ass look too big?”
Tiffany rolled her eyes, leaning against the doorframe. “You look hot. Though Frank may have trouble concentrating on your face with that low neckline.”
Aralyn snorted. “Well, you know, if you’ve got them, flaunt them. Besides, I’m showing off my tan.”
“Uh huh. The cleavage is a bonus?”
“For him,” Aralyn smirked, then began applying her lipstick. “Heels or flats? You think he minds tall women?”
“If he did, he wouldn’t have accepted the invite in the first place,” Tiffany said dryly. “He doesn’t seem insecure like that. Wear something comfortable so you don’t trip and hurt yourself. You know heels aren’t your forte and you don’t want to faceplant in front of him.”
“Good thinking. Boots it is.”
*
Frank was waiting for them inside at a table, but Joe was nowhere to be seen.
Tiffany was surprised by how disappointed she was. Joe had changed his mind already.
Frank stood up to greet them with a smile. “Hi. Joe’s running late, but he’ll be here in a few minutes. He said to assure you he didn’t back out.”
Aralyn noticed his pressed slacks, and deep blue dress shirt that brought out his dark eyes. He wore his watch on his left wrist, indicating he was right-handed, and some sort of class ring. His dark hair, which had been disheveled from the helmet last time she saw him, was combed neatly, and she liked the wave to it.
Tiffany smiled at his words, her mood lightening immediately. “Is he often late?” she asked, as they took their seats.
Frank chuckled. “It’s not unusual, I’ll put it that way. Once he started driving, Dad started giving him times to be somewhere about a half hour early, to guarantee he’d arrive on time.”
Both girls smiled.
“Wait, Dad? Are you two related?” Aralyn asked.
“He’s my kid brother,” Frank said slowly. “Ah…you didn’t know that?”
“How would we?” Aralyn took a sip of her water. “We didn’t get your last names.”
Frank suddenly looked concerned. “Your parents didn’t tell you?”
“Tell us what?” Tiffany frowned.
Before Frank could respond, Joe rushed up to the table. “Hi, hi, sorry I’m late!”
He gave Tiffany a big smile as he took his seat next to her. Aralyn had the impression he would have kissed her on the cheek if he had been there when they arrived. His blond hair was artfully rumpled, and Aralyn suspected it was on purpose. His broad frame wore a well-fitting dark green polo shirt and khakis; a much more casual look than Frank.
“Tell us what?” she repeated.
Joe looked at Frank, confused.
“They don’t know who we are,” Frank murmured.
Joe’s blue eyes widened.
“What? Bo and Trixie didn’t tell them?”
“Tell us what?” Aralyn asked again, with an edge to her voice. “You’re on a first name basis with my parents?”
Frank drummed his fingers on the table. “Um…we’ve met before, a long time ago.”
“I think I’d remember you two,” Aralyn replied, her eyes focused on him intensely.
Frank suddenly felt like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar under that stare, and his hand was about to get blown off.
“I’m Frank Hardy, this is my brother Joe. Our dad is Fenton Hardy, he’s a friend of your mom’s; she helps him out sometimes with cases. We met years ago when we were kids.”
The girls stared at them. Tiffany turned to Aralyn.
“I told you they looked familiar!”
Aralyn raised one eyebrow. “I vaguely remember that…you were a lot skinnier and wore braces,” she said to Frank.
He smiled. “Yes. You wore them too, as I recall. And you were determined to beat me in a race and your cousin Tim tried to trip me to make sure you won.”
Aralyn burst out laughing. “I remember now! Oh my God…it’s been years!”
Frank was visibly relieved the girls weren’t mad as he smiled. “Yes.”
“So, what are you two doing a couple hours from Bayport, in a skydive hangar?” Tiffany asked.
Joe gave her a mysterious smile. “Can’t tell you.”
“I knew it!” Aralyn laughed. She dropped her voice and leaned forward, unknowingly giving both boys a good glimpse of her cleavage. The brothers immediately focused their attention on her face, but Joe’s eyes lingered just a second longer. “Mom was working a case when we were there, and you are too!”
The brothers nodded and Aralyn didn’t press for details; she knew better. They wouldn’t share any. Breaking into Fort Knox was easier than getting case information out of her mother.
“So how long are you in town for?” she asked with a smile.
Over dinner they learned Frank was twenty-five, Joe was twenty-four. Frank had his PI license, and Joe would obtain his as soon as he was twenty-five. Both brothers enjoyed a variety of sports, and Frank had been captain of the football team in high school. Frank was a 3rd dan in karate; Joe preferred a street fighting style.
The brothers lived in Bayport, about two and a half hours northeast of White Plains, but were frequently sent around the country on cases, working with their father. They had met the cousins several times as children when Trixie was working with Fenton, but had never kept in touch.
Joe grabbed the check when it came before either girl could reach for it.
*
Dean and Natala were at the theater already, holding their seats for the sold-out movie.
“Good lord, that smile of Frank’s…” Aralyn sighed happily as she drove to the theater. “I was thinking all sorts of things I shouldn’t have been during dinner.”
Tiffany chuckled. “They are an exceptionally good-looking pair,” she agreed. “But…I get the feeling Joe is a good-time guy that prefers no strings.”
“Nothing wrong with that. Not every relationship has to be deep and involved, Tiff, we’ve discussed this.”
“I know, I just…”
“It’s time for some fun, cuz,” Aralyn said firmly. “Besides, once this case is wrapped up, they’ll head back to Bayport. So, I don’t think serious or long-term is in the cards, anyway. But some fun boot-knocking might be in order!”
The parking lot was full but Aralyn had anticipated it and knew where to park. While they waited for the brothers at the front, Aralyn began to worry they weren’t going to make it. Natala texted the previews were going to start soon and they needed to hurry up.
“Aralyn!” someone called.
Smiling, the girl turned as the Hardy boys hurried towards them.
“Sorry it took so long,” Joe said breathlessly. “We took one car for easier parking and Frank here drives like our Aunt Gertrude. We had to park way out in BFE.”
Frank shot him a dirty look, then smiled at Aralyn.
Aralyn had the urge to kiss Frank on the cheek but didn’t, smiling at him instead. She couldn’t explain the pull to him but she hoped he returned the interest. He was definitely an introvert, with Joe steering the conversation at dinner, but he smiled at her often. So far, so good.
Tiffany had their tickets and the followed the cousins inside.
Inside the lobby was filled with lines of people, many in Harry Potter-related costumes.
“Wow, these people take it seriously,” Frank murmured, following Aralyn closely.
She laughed. “We’re big Potterheads in this family. Have you read them?”
Frank shook his head. “I’ve seen the other movies though, so I’m not unfamiliar with them.” He wasn’t big into fantasy, but it was impossible to not have seen the movies on TV at least.
A child darting through the crowd bumped into Aralyn and she stumbled backwards into Frank, who steadied her quickly, his hands on her hips.
“Steady there,” he smiled down at her.
Aralyn gave him a coy smile, gauging him to be around six four or so. He didn’t seem to be intimidated by her height, she thought, her boots elevated her over six feet.
They found Dean and Natala in the theater, who moved to the inside seats to make room. Dean shook hands with the brothers as introductions were made. Tiffany sat next to Natala, with Joe on her side, then Aralyn, with Frank on the aisle.
***
Natala tried not to stare overtly at the brothers. At first glance they didn’t look alike with their different coloring but as she studied them, she saw resemblances. She felt sure these were the two she had seen in the cards. They both had a good feel to them. How permanent they would be though…the cards were unclear on that. And readings were never set in stone.
They were a few minutes early, so there was plenty of time to chat and make fun of the trivia questions on the screen. The armrests were pushed up for more room, which Dean promptly took advantage of, to pull Natala closer.
“Hey everyone!” a tall, heavyset boy in his teens stood up, “it’s my buddy’s birthday so I want everyone to help sing to him!”
Someone else stood up to announce it was his birthday too and then a young man stood up and shouted he was from Africa and this was his first movie in America.
Soon the whole theatre was singing ‘Happy Birthday’ and Frank had to smile at Aralyn, who sat next to him.
“Sorry I yelled at you the other day,” he whispered in her ear a minute later, enjoying the pineapple-banana scent of her hair. He had rehearsed it a hundred times, yet the words barely managed to come out. He wished he had a fraction of his brother’s outgoing personality. It took everything he had to not turn into a stammering high school boy in front of a beautiful woman, and he had been thinking about Aralyn non-stop since the skydiving incident last weekend. He was disappointed he missed her at the hangar.
“It’s all right, I deserved it,” she murmured back, trying not to shiver with delight from his lips against her ear. She turned her head and was close enough to kiss him, but she didn’t. “But I’ll let you make it up to me anyway,” she smiled.
She caught a whiff of his cologne being so close, and she liked it. It made her think of the ocean.
Frank grinned at her, fighting the urge to run his hand over the shiny golden curls, trying to remember the last time a girl made his heart roll over with just a smile. Never, he thought. He wanted to put this arm around her, but it felt too forward. What if he was misreading that smile, the way her eyes sparkled at him? Was she being flirtatious or just polite? He had had a number of relationships, several of them serious, but it had been well over a year since he had been seriously involved with anyone. He focused on work, and his classes. While Joe flitted from woman to woman, Frank longed for someone to settle down with.
The lights dimmed and there was cheering and yelling as the previews started. Aralyn grinned to herself as she saw Joe nonchalantly slide his arm around Tiffany’s shoulders. Her cousin didn’t seem to mind, smiling shyly at him.
Frank wasn’t so forward, but she noted they both inched closer to each other during the movie, and when Aralyn was leaning forward, eyes glued to the screen in anticipation, she felt his hand brush her hair. When she leaned back, his arm settled around her. When Voldemort raised the Elder Wand, Aralyn felt her throat choke up, and Frank gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze, as if he sensed it.
The movie ended and they applauded, waiting till the end for everyone to filter out.
“That’s definitely my favorite movie of the series!” Aralyn announced, clapping her hands in glee.
Frank watched her admiringly. Only because she was engrossed in the movie and the lights were down had he worked up the nerve to touch her hair, and then gambled she wouldn’t mind his arm around her.
“Too bad Myrtle wasn’t in this one,” Natala laughed. “Peeping at Harry in the tub!”
“I love the Weasley twins!” Tiffany said.
“Yeah because you don’t live with a set of them!” Aralyn retorted, making the Hardy boys exchange a curious glance.
“Might you be referring—” the English accent started.
“To your lovable younger brothers?”
Aralyn groaned as she turned, to see the twins behind them wearing Gryffindor Hogwarts robes, their red wigs in place.
“What are you two doing here?” she asked impatiently.
“Watching a movie,” they replied in sarcastic unison.
Aralyn sighed and introduced her brothers to Frank and Joe.
“Lovely to meet you properly, mate,” Leif shook Frank’s hand.
“Splendid indeed!” Logan grabbed Joe’s hand for a shake. “Has her rash cleared up?”
“You two, get lost,” Aralyn said pointedly.
“Yes, we have quite a few lovely lasses to charm!” The twins hopped over the seats and bolted down the stairs. “Don’t forget the cream for that rash, Ari, twice a day!” one of the yelled over his shoulder.
Aralyn sighed. “Dumb and Dumber.”
“They’re kind of amusing,” Frank said mildly, his dark eyes twinkling at her.
“You have no idea how nice it was to move out of the house,” Aralyn grinned. “I was never so glad to get out of there when we got the brownstone and I don’t have to worry about those two yahoos getting into my personal life, with their wretched pranks. Don't ever accept anything edible from them.”
“Thankfully it’s just me and Joe,” Frank chuckled, “otherwise I would have run away a long time ago if there had been two of him!”
Joe made a face at his older brother as they got up to leave.
No one wanted the night to end so they headed for the girls’ favorite coffee shop, where they sat chatting late into the night. Dean and Natala excused themselves after a while and left.
The girls learned both were certified skydiving instructors as well as pilots too.
“Wow, I haven’t done any flying,” Aralyn’s eyes sparkled. “Maybe I should consider getting a pilot’s license next!”
“I’d be happy to help you,” Frank said quietly.
Aralyn grinned at him, enjoying her leg close to his. She hadn’t minded at all sitting closer to him in the theater and was hoping to get closer to him yet. A lot closer and with less clothing.
“Count me out. I’ve had enough of air travel for a while,” Tiffany sighed. “I’ll stick to schoolwork for a while.”
Joe slipped his arm around her with a smile.
“Aw, come on, I’ll tandem jump with you. This weekend.”
Tiffany just looked at him as Aralyn chuckled.
“Somehow I don’t see Bo liking the idea of you flying,” Tiffany laughed at her cousin, moving the topic away from herself.
“He and Luke have licenses,” Aralyn reminded her. “Though it’s been years since either flew. And statically, it’s safer than driving.”
“You’re something of an adrenaline junkie, aren’t you?” Frank asked.
Aralyn grinned as Tiffany laughed.
“Are you kidding? She was forever climbing things and juping off - roofs, trees. Bo took her bungee jumping and mountain climbing when she was fourteen, allowed her to get belly button pierced and start skydiving when she was sixteen, and has let her race his car on the track since she was seventeen. Not to mention the skiing and waterskiing since we were kids. I can’t even recount how much trouble we got into because she was looking for her next thrill!” Tiffany exclaimed.
Joe grinned as Frank looked at Aralyn in a new light, amused to see she was blushing a bit. Aralyn would definitely be good for his brother. While Frank loved their motorcycles and outdoors sports, the older brother wasn’t so keen on some of the ‘adventures’ they had gotten into.
“Your belly button’s pierced?” he asked, amused. He could see she had multiple piercings in each ear but she didn’t have any facial piercings or strange places in her ears.
“You should see her tattoos,” Tiffany added, which definitely had Frank’s interest. She could see he was wondering where they were.
“What about you?” Joe asked Tiffany with a twinkle in his eye. “Any fun tattoos?”
Tiffany chuckled and shook her head. “I leave that to her.”
The brothers recounted some of their cases, many of which revolved among smuggling.
“You’re not the only adrenaline junkie,” Joe said to Aralyn. “Though Frank is often more of an unwitting participant.”
Aralyn had the very distinct feeling Frank was more like Tiffany in her reservations, while Joe was like her. A good balance she thought. Tiffany needed someone to help her relax, and she was more than willing to help Frank relax. He had beautiful lips, she thought, wondering what they would feel like against her skin.
The conversation continued until the coffee shop closed at midnight.
Meet the cast in full & see the family tree!
Author’s Notes
- a giant yee-haa! To Ronda, my lovely editor. All mistakes are mine!
- Word Count, 4,039
|