Thwarted - 11. Chapter Eleven

“Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea.” Mark was all for turning around and just taking Trey back to his apartment. He still wasn’t sure how he’d let Jackie talk him into bringing Trey to her place for dinner.

“Would you relax, it’s going to be fine.” Trey must have caught his doubtful look. “Look on the bright side; at least I’m not coming out of your bedroom this time.”

Mark grinned and shook his head before knocking once on the door. Usually he’d just go in if she was expecting him, but since he had Trey with him he waited until Brent came to the door and let them in. Brent quirked his eyebrow at him and he just shrugged and followed his brother-in-law inside, pausing long enough to shut the door behind Trey. When he turned back, he found Brent perched on the back of the couch studying Trey.

“Trey, meet my brother-in-law, Brent.” Mark gave Brent as stern a look as he could muster. “Brent, this is Trey.”

“Good to meet you.” Trey held out a hand.

“Same to you.” Brent moved from his perch and took the offered hand but didn’t say anything more before releasing Trey and moving towards the kitchen. He came back seconds later with three beers in hand and Jackie trailing behind. He handed out the beers, the caps already removed.

“I’m so glad you were able to make it,” Jackie moved forward and wrapped her arms around Mark, “Brent kept betting me that you’d back out.” She turned to her husband, “I win.”

“Thanks a lot.” Brent grumbled at Mark. “I was sure you’d find an excuse not to come.”

“Oh be quiet.” Jackie smacked Brent on the arm. “They’re here, nothing else matters.”

“I had to come and see my favorite nephew.” Mark glanced around the living room. “Speaking of Matthew, where is he?”

“Actually, he’s at the babysitters for the night. We thought it would be nice to have a child free night and really give us all a chance to visit.” Jackie’s innocent smile didn’t fool Mark for a minute. He knew exactly why Jackie had gotten a babysitter for the night.

She and Brent would now be able to completely focus on giving Trey the third degree all night. He really wished he had given in to the desire to back out of dinner and just taken Trey back to his apartment for the evening. He glanced from Jackie to Trey and back to Jackie.

“Jackie….”

“You’re such a worrywart, I promise, we’ll behave ourselves.” She grinned at him. “For the most part.”

That was exactly what he was worried about. Jackie wouldn’t know the word behave if it reached up and bit her in the ass and Brent really wasn’t much better.

“Trey, why don’t you make yourself comfortable while Mark helps me bring out some snacks? Dinner is going to be another half hour or so.” Jackie didn’t even wait for an answer before she headed back towards the kitchen.

Mark made no move to follow, unwilling to just abandon Trey, especially as he knew what his sister was trying to do. He didn’t know what questions Jackie had charged Brent with asking Trey, but he was damned if he was going to make it easy on them.

“Aren’t you going to help your sister?” Trey took a swig of his beer and raised his eyebrows.

“Nope, I’m sure she can handle it.” Mark took a drink of his own beer and settled onto the couch. Seconds later Jackie hollered from the kitchen.

“Mark! Get your ass in here and help me!”

Brent smirked. “You know she’s not going to give up. You may as well give in.”

“Or you can help her, it doesn’t really matter which of us helps her, does it?” Mark smirked back. Two could play at this game.

“Oh, just go already.” Trey sat next to Mark on the couch and slid a hand behind his back and urged him to his feet. “Go, I’m fine.”

With a last doubtful look at Trey, Mark headed out of the room and towards the kitchen. He knew Trey wasn’t likely to be scared away, he was made of sterner stuff than that, but damn it, that didn’t mean he liked Jackie’s little game. He stepped into the kitchen, determined to tell her so. He found her leaning against the counter.

“Damn it Jackie, is this really necessary?”

“What? Me wanting a minute alone with my brother?” Jackie glared at him. “What’s so wrong about that?”

Okay, that wasn’t what he’d been expecting. “Huh?”

“Is Trey planning to re-enlist?”

He wondered if he looked as dumbfounded as he looked. “He hasn’t decided yet, why?”

“I’ve seen the way you look at him.” Jackie shook her head. “You’re falling for him.”

“I haven’t known him for very long.” Mark wouldn’t deny that he already had strong feelings for Trey but it would take time to figure out where, if anywhere, those feelings would take them.

“What’s going to happen if he re-enlists? What if he re-enlists and he goes to a different base? You’ll go with him.” Jackie’s shoulders slumped. “I just got you back; I don’t want to lose you again.”

“Jackie…” Mark sighed and walked over to wrap his arms around his sisters. He couldn’t tell her that her worries weren’t valid, but the truth was, he didn’t know. He didn’t know what would happen between him and Trey, or what would happen if Trey re-enlisted. He couldn’t soothe away her fears. He wished he could. “All we can do is deal with that, if and when it happens. All I ask is that you give him a chance. Please? For me?”

He felt his sister nod and kissed the top of her head.

“Now, what did you need me to take out there?”