Dean wasn’t surprised when Tim called and asked him to meet for lunch a couple days later. The Tim he had seen in the last few days was the Tim he had grown up knowing. Fun loving, mischievous, and playful. At first, Dean had been leery of Tim’s return, but Tim had seemed genuinely happy to see him at the mall.

“Hey,” Dean dropped into the seat across from Tim. Tim had suggested their old pizza haunt, where they had spent many hours wolfing down pizza, guzzling soda and battling each other on the old arcade games as small boys. Now the arcade games were gone, replaced by pool tables and tvs.

“Hey,” Tim answered with a quick grin.

They made idle chitchat, with Tim asking about Dean’s sister, and his family. They split a pizza, discovering they still both enjoyed it loaded with meat and onions.

Dean was reaching for his second piece when Tim finally said it.

“I’m sorry.”

Dean paused, unsure how to react to the moment he had wondered about for the last three years.

He finally nodded and said, “Accepted.”

“I was a total douche to you, Dean, and you didn’t deserve it. You stood by me and I treated you like crap.”

“You feeling guilty or something?” Dean asked, taking a bite of his pizza.

“Yeah,” Tim admitted. “I do. I said some nasty things to you, hell, I broke your nose, and I’m sorry for that too. I know you’ve been looking out for my sister and cousins, and I appreciate that.”

“I’m just trying to score with Tiffany,” Dean said, his clear green eyes twinkling.

Tim laughed. “Yeah, good luck with that.”

Neither felt the need to discuss what had happened any further, and the topic turned to the girls Dean still went to school with, who had turned into a babe, and who was to be avoided.

“Callie West, man, she’s such a piece of work,” Dean said with disgust. “Definite skank.”

Tim chuckled. “Man, she was my first.”

Dean’s eyes bulged. “No way!”

Tim nodded. “Yep. But I wasn’t hers, trust me on that. She knew exactly how she wanted it. She was getting it on with that Marko kid, from the gang.”

Dean shuddered.

“It was part of the initiation. Once Marko went off to juvie with the others, she must have decided to just rack up the total count of men. Don’t ever tell Aralyn or Tiffany though. They’d die if they knew I was with her.”

“Secret’s safe with me,” Dean promised. “I hope you wrapped it.”

“Oh, hell yeah. I knew she was doing Blade and Joey behind Marko’s back. I wasn’t a complete idiot. Believe me, I have standards now.”

“Dana’s friend Kendall grew into a pretty girl,” Dean commented. “Remember she used to follow us around?”

“Too young, man. We’re eighteen now, that’s jailbait.”

“Good, then you won’t be eying Bree, either,” Dean said pointedly. Tim laughed. Dean’s middle sister had always been a pretty little thing, and very intelligent, not letting her dyslexia slow her down.

“I promise man, nothing under eighteen. But once she’s legal, she’s fair game,” he grinned. Dean rolled his eyes.

“She always did have a soft spot for you.”

“It’s my natural charm,” Tim smiled.

Dean laughed as their server refilled their sodas.

“Anyone you’re eying? Other than my cousin?” Tim asked.

“Nah. Tracy and I went out a few times, but just no chemistry. Remember Bonnie? Blonde girl from Kentucky? We went out once but then she decided she wanted to be just friends. There was Ryl-sweet girl, we went out a couple times but she transferred out when her dad got transferred. Then there was Ronda, you might remember her, from Washington; she plays hockey with the girls, but again, just friends. Oh, and Tonnie, hot blonde from Tennessee. Another of the girls’ teammates,” he grinned.

“Is there anyone in the class you haven’t hooked up with?” Tim asked, laughing.

“Just your cousins,” Dean said, with the grace to blush. “Good thing I outgrew my crush on Aralyn, she’s so in love with Cam it’s gagging.”

“What’s the story on him, anyway? The real story.”

“He’s a great guy,” Dean answered. “If I had to pick someone for Aralyn, it’d be him. He’s smart, devoted, loyal—he’ll never run around her. He’s been in love with her since the day he first saw her. You don’t have to worry about him. “

Tim nodded. “That’s good.”

“I promise, I keep an eye on them. Dana did date this artist guy for a couple months; she dumped him a few weeks ago. He’s mopey, but harmless. Jesse is so smitten with his girlfriend; they’re as bad as Aralyn and Cam on the gag meter.”

“What’s his girl like?” Tim asked curiously. “Jesse isn’t exactly a blabbermouth.”

“Pretty, seems smart, friendly. Cute little cheerleader.”

"My geek brother with a cheerleader,” Tim laughed. “Never saw that coming.”

“She’s got a good rep. Not a slut, not an idiot. Nice girl, I think you’d like her.”

“I think he’s bringing her to the big Christmas party, I just want to be prepared.”

“Because you have to embarrass him properly,” Dean said.

The boys laughed. “You know, the twins, are fantastic with their pranks. I bet you could rope them into a deal,” Dean suggested. “They tried hard with Cam, but they couldn’t rattle him.”

Tim grinned mischievously. “Now that’s a fine plan. I mean, what kind of big brother would I be if I didn’t try to embarrass him in front of his girlfriend?”

***

Sunday, Tiffany was moping as she prowled the house restlessly. Tony was busy with grading today, she might get to see him later tonight. In the meantime, she was ignoring her history report. Normally she and Aralyn would be holed up in one of their rooms, working on them together but things were too strained between them. Tiffany wished she had someone she could confide in about Tony.

The doorbell rang and she hurried to open it, grateful for the distraction.

“Tim!” she beamed at him.

“Hey there. Thought I’d swing by, get some one on one time with one of my very favorite girl cousins.”

Tiffany rolled her eyes. “Well, it’s just me. Mom and Dad are out and Jace spent the night at a friend’s house. You hungry?”

“Nah, Mom stuffed me full of French toast and eggs. I sure miss her cooking.”

They drifted up to Tiffany’s room, which hadn’t changed much, Tim noted. Still decorated in green and gold, her favorite colors. Pictures of her and Aralyn, one of the three of them, as kids pinned on a corkboard with movie and theatre tickets. She sat on her bed as he wandered around, looking at the things that had changed. Books, music, makeup on the vanity. If Tim had a regret, it was missing out on growing up these last few years with his cousins, even though he knew his parents had made the right decision.

He touched the picture of her and Aralyn, taken at their party last month. “You wanna tell me what’s going on with you and Ari?”

Tiffany turned her heads towards, him surprised. “Did she say something to you?”

“No. And to the casual observer, they probably wouldn’t notice. But the vibe between you two is way off.”

Tiffany looked down. She wanted to tell someone. She wanted to tell Tim. “We’re just disagreeing.”

“A disagreement doesn’t result in the cold air between you too. I know I’m not around, but you two are peanut butter and jelly. And you can’t go splitting that up.”

Tiffany gave him a small smile.

Tim took the chair from her desk and moved it next to her bed. “Talk to me, Tiff. What’s going?”

“Aralyn disapproves of something I’m doing.”

“Is it illegal?”

“What? No!”

“Then why does she disapprove?”

Tiffany hesitated. “It’s considered unethical.”

Tim frowned. “You cheating on tests or something?”

Tiffany shook her head. “No. Aralyn doesn’t approve of my boyfriend.”

Tim feigned surprise. “You have a boyfriend? Why hasn’t anyone mentioned it?”

Tiffany took a deep breath. “Only Aralyn knows about it.”

Tim kept up his ‘play dumb’ routine. “And why is that? Something to be ashamed of? He a freshman or something?”

Yes, he’s my teacher, she thought. “He’s…a bit older.”

“How old? Like J. Howard Marshal and Anna Nicole Smith?”

Tiffany shuddered. “Ew, no. About ten years.”

Tim rolled his eyes. “That’s nothing. Hell, your mom was eighteen when she met Luke, and he’s seven or eight years older than her.”

Tiffany nodded.

“Then why does Aralyn disapprove?”

The words were on the tip of her tongue. She hesitated, and then went with the original lie. “He’s married.”

Tim did a good faked surprise look. “Come again?”

“He’s married,” she murmured.

“Are you friggin’ nuts?” Tim demanded.

Tiffany looked away. “I didn’t ask to fall in love with him, Tim.”

“Fall in love? With a married man? He shouldn’t have even been on your mind!”

Tiffany bit back her tears. “I can’t help myself.”

Tim’s green eyes were hard, his jaw set. “Tell me what is so fantastic about a married man willing to cheat on his wife with a girl who is barely eighteen. You are legally, an adult, Tiff, we all are, but barely,” he said sternly. “Trust me, doing things you think adults do isn’t always the best way to live your life.”

Tiffany reached up and wiped her eyes. “He’s handsome. Educated. Kind. Gentle. Witty. He makes me feel special.”

"Tiffany, any guy in his right mind would trip over himself to be with you. Why did you have to pick a married one?”

“I didn’t pick him, Tim, it just happened.”

“How long?” Tim asked.

“I’ve had the feelings for a while,” she admitted. “But we only…got together a couple weeks ago.”

“Got together? How physical have you gotten, Tiffany? And did it start before your birthday?”

“No,” she said emphatically. “Afterwards, I promise. We never even broached the subject until after.”

“You didn’t answer my other question.”

Tiffany hesitated.

“Have you had sex with him?” Tim demanded.

Tiffany finally nodded. Tim sighed.

“Does Aralyn know?”

She shook her head. “Please don’t tell her, Tim. I hate this rift between us, but I just don’t know what to do. I can’t give him up. I love him!”

“Does he love you?” Tim asked, his green eyes cold.

“I know he cares about me. In time, I think he’ll love me,” she said quietly.

Tim shook his head. “And the wife?”

“They’re going to separate,” she added another lie.

Tim rubbed his eyes. “Tiffany, if a man will cheat on his wife with you, he’ll cheat on you with someone else.”

“He won’t!” she cried, looking up at him, hazel eyes blazing. “He wants to be with me, Tim!”

Tim knew better than to argue with a woman he was related to. They were all as stubborn as mules. “Tiffany, I know you don’t want to hear this, but the chances of him leaving his wife for you are slim to none. Follow that up with the fact that once a cheater, always a cheater, is more often than not true. I don’t want to have to leave school to find this asshole, and hunt him down.”

“You won’t!” her hazel eyes were anguished. “I know you won’t. He won’t hurt me. I’m too important to him.”

Tim knew two things. The first was, his cousin wasn’t telling him everything. She was still lying about something. The second was, she was going to get her heart ripped out.

***

The annual Christmas Eve celebration was at Crabapple Farm this year. The Clan made the trek out to Sleepyside, cars loaded down with presents and food.

Aralyn insisted Cam join them, and Jesse brought Stephanie. Jesse was praying Tim wasn’t going to humiliate him.

The stretchy walls of Crabapple Farm seemed to never stop stretching as the family arrived. Jim came, without Hallie, carrying little Regan, and accompanied by Byron and Valerra, who shyly hung back from their older and rowdier cousins. Byron, only a couple months older than Sean, often spent most of his time with the autistic boy. Regan trailed Tim around, and Valerra hung around Dana and Rayma, trying to fit in with her fashionable older cousins. She wanted to be a model for Daisy, and was hoping to pick up runway and fashion tips from the two most fashion-conscious cousins.

Aralyn stood sipping her hot cider, Cam’s arm around her, when she saw Tiffany through the curtains. Tiffany stood on the front porch, on her cell phone. A pang hit Aralyn’s heart. Tiffany mysterious boyfriend was no doubt with his wife. Were there kids involved? She wondered, and hoped there weren’t. This couldn’t end well, for anyone involved. Tiffany looked sad and lonely outside, talking into her phone.

“She’ll be all right,” Cam murmured in her ear. “I haven’t found anything, but I’m still working on it. I can get Dean to follow her if you want.”

“No,” Aralyn murmured. “I don’t want Dean involved. I talked to Tim; I think he’s been following her.”

“I plan to this weekend,” Tim said quietly, joining them. “I haven’t had a chance yet. I couldn’t get a name out of her though.”

“Our phones are identical,” Aralyn whispered. “I can probably get them switched.”

“She’s too smart to have his name in her phone book,” Cam said. “And if this guy is screwing around on his wife, it’s probably a disposable cell phone.”

Tim nodded. “Let me follow her this weekend, see if I can turn anything up.”

*

Across the room, Honey Duke turned to her best friend. “Trix, has Aralyn said anything to you about Tiffany?”

Trixie shook her head. “No, why?”

“I don’t know,” Honey mused. “Something is off with her but she won’t tell me what.”

“She’s an eighteen year old girl,” Trixie said dryly. “Of course something is off with her.”

Honey smiled but shook her head. “I don’t know. I just…get the feeling something is bothering her.”

“I think she and Aralyn had a disagreement recently,” Trixie admitted. “They seem to kind of be avoiding each other.”

Honey’s hazel eyes grew worried. “You think it’s serious?”

“No,” Trixie said honestly. “We had a few arguments, as I recall. I’d be willing to bet there’s a boy involved though.”

“It must be on Tiffany’s side,” Honey murmured. “Aralyn is too happy with Cam to be having any sort of distress.”

Trixie nodded. “Think we should investigate?”

Honey sipped her eggnog. “I don’t know. I hate to invade her privacy. I don’t think she’s in trouble, but she usually comes to me when she’s up against a wall.”

“I hate to think of one of our girls in a bind,” Trixie said.

“Who’s in a bind?” Bo asked, slipping his arm around his wife. Honey shook her head slightly at Trixie.

“You, later tonight,” Trixie said cheekily. Bo grinned as Honey watched her daughter out on the porch.

*

Stephanie, Jesse’s girlfriend, knew most of the cousins but the adults were overwhelming. The younger cousins were adorable, she thought, but she eyed the twins with suspicion. She knew their reputation. Tim was a looker and charmer.

“Good to see Jesse’s hair has grown back,” Tim said cheerfully to her as he sipped eggnog. They stood near the fireplace, chatting.

She raised one eyebrow as Jesse suddenly turned red.

“Aye, aye, mate,” came a British accent and one of the twins appeared out of nowhere, something they were frighteningly good at. They were dressed identically in red and yellow sweaters and Stephanie had no idea who was who. “He was lookin’ a bit odd there for a while.”

“Odd?” Stephanie couldn’t help but ask.

The other twin appeared. “Why yes, the old Nair in the shampoo bottle trick.”

She choked on her cider.

“I thought he needed a haircut and he wouldn’t get one,” Tim grinned at the memory. Jesses’ face was bright red. “So I helped him along.”

Stephanie tried to stifle her laughter but it was hard not to smile when Tim Mangan was grinning at you.

“Say, Jess, how’s that rash?” one twin piped up. “I heard Daisy telling Honey who told Mom.”

Jesse’s eye bulged as Stephanie looked at him. “Leif, that’s not funny!”

“They make some really good anti-itching creams,” Logan replied. “But I don’t know that it will help the blistering. You might to see a dermatologist, make sure it isn’t contagious.”

“I’m gonna blister you in a minute!” Jesse grabbed for the twins but they bolted in opposite directions. He turned to Stephanie, mortified. “I do not have any kind of rash.”

She giggled. “I figured. Cam warned me about them. You have to admit they’re funny though.”

“Like a root canal,” he sighed, wondering what other embarrassing moments of his life were going to be revealed.

Stephanie found herself alone when Jesse went to the restroom, though she suspected he was hunting down his cousins.

“Jesse’s a bigger fool than I thought, to leave you alone,” Tim said, appearing with a plate loaded with cheese, crackers and dips. He held the plate out to her but she shook her head.

“I don’t think he’s worried about my safety,” she replied with a smile.

He looked her over blatantly and leered at her, causing her smile to dim noticeably.

“He definitely has good taste. He gets that from me you know.”

“I see,” Stephanie’s blue eyes darted around the room as her creep o’ meter started to go off.

“You know you’re his first, or going to be his first, if he ever gets around to it,” Tim crammed a cracker with dip into his mouth, his eyes intense on her.

She turned red. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

Tim chewed with his mouth slightly open, lips smacking, and leered again at her. “Well, you know if you want to test out the Mangan waters, with a little more experience than Jess, I’m in town for a little while. I can show you what the men in this family are capable of.”

Stephanie looked desperately for a cousin she could grab. She didn’t want to talk to Tim anymore. He was making her feel ill. She saw Jesse heading towards them, and he didn’t look pleased.

“No, thank you,” she said stiffly, to Tim.

Jesse reached them, looking cross. “I don’t know how much you paid the twins, but payback is a bitch, big brother. And stop playing the sleazeball, you’re making Steph uncomfortable.”

Tim laughed, to Stephanie’s surprise. Instantly the slime was gone, he was friendly Tim again, all creepiness gone.

“She passes. She didn’t even waver. Good choice little brother, I like her.” Tim ruffled Jesse’s too-long hair and wandered off.

Jesse turned to Stephanie. “I’m so sorry. It’s his way of testing you, making sure you’re not…”

“Like Callie West?” she asked. He nodded and then she smiled.

“It’s okay. He’s just looking out for you.”

Jesse kissed her softly. “You’re really awesome, you know that?”

*

Tiffany hung up the phone after she left him another message. He didn’t have family around here, so she wondered where he was. She wanted him there, at Crabapple Farm, with her. She wanted to be able to show him off to her family, so they could meet him and see how wonderful he was. She wanted to have that glow that Aralyn had around Cam, and her parents, and the other adults in the family. Even Moms and Grandpa Peter had it, and they had been married for decades.

She rubbed her arms against the cold, knowing she should go back inside and just not wanting to. She didn’t want to deal with everyone, but she couldn’t really leave and it was too cold to stay outside. With a heavy sigh, she walked towards the door.

*

“Where’s your foil hat?” one of the blond twins appeared in front of Jesse and Stephanie. Jesse was looking murderous.

“You know,” the other twin appeared, “Up until a couple years ago, Jesse used to wear this foil hat everywhere, outside of school.”

Jesse turned red as Stephanie smiled at them. “I wonder if it matched mine,” she mused.

“Moms probably has it, she keeps those sorts of thing—” he was cut off as Bo appeared, grabbing each twin by a shoulder.

I think you two have bothered this young lady enough for tonight,” he said firmly.

“But Dad—”

“Stephanie, I do apologize for their behavior. I hope this won’t make you think we’re a bunch of nutjobs.”

The teenager shook her head. “No, they’re kind of funny.”

“They must have gone easy on you,” Bo mused, as he dragged his sons away.

“I know Tim put them up to it,” he said darkly.

Stephanie looped her arm through his. “I’m not worried about it. I think I got off easier than Cam did. He says they still test him.”

Jesse laughed. “Probably.”

***

Tim found it more difficult to follow Tiffany than he had anticipated, and one evening, when they were close to Croton, he lost her in traffic. He knew he didn’t have much time; he had to return to school shortly, and he was still avoiding a certain conversation with his dad.

To his dismay, he realized he was on a strip of antique stores, with about six bookstores. There was no way to covertly check them out without her potentially seeing him.

He wondered what and who, she was still hiding.