Ice Fairy 4 - 19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Sam’s POV

Housewarming party (part 2)

Sam sat back in his chair and leaned on Brett’s strong, ample shoulder. His eyes glanced at the clock and saw that this party had been going on for two full hours already and it felt like the time had flown by.

He was in his element for sure; surrounded by everyone who loved him and he adored them all too; well, except for Jake, whom they’d just met. But he had a strong feeling that they’d get to know each other very well in the future. There was certainly enough time.

With all the drama of the tour and the house hunt and starting to work again, Sam was very glad just to relax and soak up his family. His eyes surveyed the room and took in what everyone else was doing.

Over in the corner were Ryan and Caleb, being quietly pried for information on their wedding by Meredith. The looks on their faces were priceless as they’d just stared down that monster task; he was so thrilled in five months it’d all be over with.

Next to them, was his mom and sister. Kim was such a chatterbox! She’d barely stopped talking to Mitch the entire time. He didn’t seem to mind though.

Then there were the two opposite ends of the table. Jake was on one side, and Colby on the other. They’d spoken a little, but Colby was a man of few words. He’d always been that way, even with…

Shit. He couldn’t even think about the name of Amber without it bringing forward a tumult of emotions he’d really rather avoid. He leaned deeper into Brett and completed his survey. Last was Jake, who was very handsome, strong, buff, tan, hairy, and the nicest guy next to his friends that he’d ever met.

He was older, in his thirties Sam guessed. He wasn’t rude enough to ask; but Brett had asked of course. Sam had to chuckle at his fiancés lack of inhibition. He was grateful for it sometimes though.

“You doing okay there?” Brett’s voice broke in and Sam was startled a little by the interruption of his thoughts.

“Huh?” Sam stammered out and felt embarrassed by being surprised; but he knew it was no big deal. Not with this crowd. He felt his face blush and he burrowed more into Brett’s side. “Sorry. Just thinking.” He explained.

Brett dropped a kiss on his head. “What’re you thinking about?”

Feeling as content as a cat in a sunbeam, Sam’s thoughts began to come free from his mind. “Just about stuff. Us. Our wedding coming up, our friends’ wedding, our parents, our friends in general. New friends, and old.” His eyes surveyed the room again before looking back up into Brett’s gorgeous blue eyes. He felt a twinge of sadness as he revealed the last thought. “People that’ve messed things up for me and for others.” His eyes went to Colby and then back to Brett.

“Ah. I hear ya.” Brett rubbed Sam’s shoulder. “But that’s all over now. You’re better for having that out of your life. Colby is too.” He whispered, but it wasn’t exactly between the two of them.

“That don’t mean it ain’t been hard.” Colby tossed in his opinion out of the blue. Just him speaking raised heads all around the table.

Sam reached for his friend; he couldn’t reach that far, so it was just a gesture of support. “I know, man. I know. But I’m better now. I was hoping you were too.”

He watched his friend for a long moment, how the expression on his face went from angry to sad to hurt to finally the mask that he’d put on to face the world. Stone cold.

Colby stood. “I need a beer. Y’all want anything?”

Jake nodded. “Yeah. I do.” But instead of waiting to be served, he stood and followed Colby into the kitchen; which was behind a wall, so Sam could only either eavesdrop or imagine what was going on in there with them. His heart really went out to the country boy; so quiet and shy but his heart had been broken. He only hoped that someone could help put it back together again.

****

Colby’s POV

Damn. Why did everything have to continue to be so freaking hard? He and Amber had ended months ago; but she still haunted him…at least sometimes. But not all the time. It wasn’t as if she was present in every little thing he did, but there was something screwed up; and he had no idea as to what.

Of course, his friends were helpful, but he’d avoided them. Why? Shame? Fear? Confusion? Of what? Because of Amber and what she’d done and lied to them all the way she had? No, no. That wasn’t it. Or was it? Colby felt his stomach flip-flop he was so damn confused.

Then there had to be new people; he figured Sam and Brett would meet their neighbor. It wasn’t a very big neighborhood and being some distance apart it was good to get to know the guy. Not like he was bad or anything either; he seemed nice enough. At least at first.

Shit. Maybe that was it. He thought Amber was fantastic too until…

He moaned and rubbed his face. A hand on his shoulder startled the fuck outta him.

“Damn, don’t scare me like that.” He spat at the person who’d touched him. His eyes were big as moons when he saw that it’d been big Jake he’d yelled at. “Oh, crap! Jake, I’m sorry.” He felt horrible and ridiculous all at the same time.

“Easy there, kid. No harm done.” The man patted Colby’s shoulder and stepped back from him a little.

Colby hoped it wasn’t a precursor to him leaving the room. As much as he thought he wanted to, he didn’t want to be alone right now. There was too much on his mind; but dammit the thoughts stayed on the inside. He’d told no one much of anything. His dam was close to bursting.

He jutted his hand out and reached for Jake’s arm out of fear that he’d leave.

“Don’t leave. I’m sorry.” Colby whimpered.

Jake’s smile was easy. “No harm done. What’s eatin’ you, kid? It’s written all over your face.”

Oh crap. Was it really that obvious? Sam could barely hide anything; Brett was a master of it, but he truly hoped and thought he was too. Not anymore he guessed, or at least with something this confusing.

“Just…” he shrugged and took a sip of beer. “Crap.” Was his all-encompassing answer that he hoped the man would understand.

The burly man laughed. “Crap sucks.” He answered, not delving too deeply into Colby’s issues thankfully. “It’s tough to enjoy a party when you feel like garbage, ain’t it?”

Wow, he hit the nail on the head. Colby looked up and brightened just a degree or two. “Yeah. It is.” He drank again and found this new guy easy to approach at least.

“I’m not the prying type, Colby.” Jake calmed his fears. “I’m not a huge talker either. Only when I’ve had too much to drink.” He teased as he knocked back more of his own beer.

Those were two traits Colby could definitely appreciate. He felt his stomach start to undo its knots and relax a little more. “I should eat more. Ain’t had much.” He eyed the food and started fixing himself a huge plateful.

Jake’s eyes were large. “Wow, where do you put it all? You’re a string bean.”

Colby cracked a smile; which felt like the first time he’d done so in forever. “Um, just burn it off I guess. Don’t do too much. Just always been skinny.”

“Well I’m jealous.” Jake teased as he patted his gut. “Hours and hours in the gym sculpted this guy into what you see today. I used to be skinny like you before I hit about 25. After that I drank a lot and gained a lot of weight. But I’ve got in under control.”

Silently, Colby agreed. Jake did have it all under control. He was a very well-built man; and he was happy that he had the discipline to have done it himself. Hard work was something he appreciated more than anything.

“Yeah you do.” Was what slipped out of his mouth. Before he knew what he’d said, Jake smiled back at him and winked at him playfully. Colby felt himself blush and felt his already tight jeans get just a little smaller in a certain spot. It scared the living crap outta him; but he didn’t run from it either. Not anymore.

“If you don’t mind me saying so, I think your build suits you.” Jake commented. “You’re tall, and have that wispy hair and light eyes. All you need is a cowboy hat and some boots.” He licked his lips and took another sip of beer.

Colby had to jolt his mind into what was happening. Jake was flirting with him, or at least he thought he was. Right? Wasn’t this the fun part? He remembered it vividly with Amber and it shut down his happiness right away.

“No jeans?” Holy shit, where did that come from? His own pants got tighter and he felt a burning sensation begin that he wanted to go away worse than anything.

Jake shook his head and his green eyes looked Colby up and down. “No. No jeans. Just the boots and the hat. On a bale of hay. Nothing else.” His lips puckered over the beer bottle and he locked eyes with Colby. Damn he had very wide, pink lips that fit over the mouth perfectly.

Damn. Now there was a look that screamed flirting. He didn’t know what to think, but right now he found it a little tough to even do so. He leaned in over the counter to get closer to Jake, but a ruckus at the front door tore him away from the scene in the kitchen. He heard a loud bang on the door and Sam yelling at someone. He rushed out to see what was going on.

“… you’re not welcome here! Stay out!” Sam screamed at the unwelcome visitor.

As soon as Colby got to the foyer, he knew immediately who it was.

Amber.

“How the fuck did you find this place?” he yelled at her.

Every head turned to look at the usually silent young man.

In a huff, Amber pushed her way past Sam. “How do you think? I have my spies too and it’s not real tough to find someone nowadays. Unless they go into freaking hiding like you did, Colby. Where the hell have you been? I’ve been texting you and Sammie…”

“Stop, okay? Just stop it.” Colby told her. “Quit trying to find us, Amber. It’s over! We’ve been done for months.”

Amber’s crocodile tears started all too easily. “But Colby! You were my man, my baby. I love you!” her lower lip trembled and she turned to Sam next.

“Oh no you don’t. Don’t even try it.” Sam warned her. Colby was proud of his gumption.

“Try what?” she shot back. Her moments of sweetness sure were brief. “I’ve thought it over, Sammie. You’re my bestie! You always have been and I wanna be your friend again.” She tried to reach for his hand, but he pulled away.

“Oh no you don’t.” Brett warned her. “You just better get outta here, Amber. You’re not welcome.”

She gasped. “Not welcome? In my best friend’s house? Or with my boyfriend of two years?” she started to ‘tear’ up again. Colby nearly gagged.

“What you did before got you banned for life, Amber!” Sam yelled at her. “You wouldn’t apologize to us or Ryan and Caleb, and you hurt Colby something fierce! You don’t belong in our lives!”

Amber stomped her foot and looked ready to pounce. “Like hell I don’t! I have a right to see anyone I want and to date anyone I want.” She marched over to Colby, who stood back from her. He nearly bumped into Jake; but he backed away. She tried to grab his hand, but he snared it from her grasp.

“What the hell you think you’re doin’, girl? Get your hands off me. I don’t want you.”

Shocked, or at least giving the appearance of being so, Amber gasped. “What? You don’t mean that. Yes, I hurt you baby, and I’m so sorry. But we can work it out.”

Colby couldn’t believe the gall this girl had in her. First she pissed off her best friend ever, insulted their best friends, and refused to apologize to them. Plus she thought everything he was she found disgusting. How is that forgivable?

He had a memory of that New Year’s night; of kissing his friends and feeling closer to them than he ever had to her in the two years they’d been together. He felt wanted and appreciated and on some level… loved.

“No, we can’t!” he yelled back at her. He crossed his arms tightly and shook his head. “Amber, you just need to turn tail and get outta here and forget you ever found this place. You understand?”

Amber looked horrified. “No, I don’t! What did I do that was so horrible? Nothing!”

“Nothing?” Sam shot back. “You know damn well what you did and said. You were hurtful and evil, Amber! I can’t believe I spent so many years with you as my friend either!”

“Hmpf!” she brilliantly replied which got an eye roll from everyone else in the room. “Whatever. Your loss. But I won’t give up, Colby. Never. You were mine and you will be again. You’re my baby and what we had won’t ever go away.”

She sounded so adamant and self-assured that it was disgusting! Colby had shocked her once before; maybe he could do it again.

“Oh yeah? You think so, huh? Well get this. I don’t want you, Amber! Not ever again! I’m not into you anymore, got it?” he fairly stomped his own foot laying down the law. He felt a large body move beside him and in his peripheral vision caught Jake standing beside him.

“Bull! You kissed those goons because you were trying to piss me off. Well it won’t work this time! I know you were faking it!” she fought back.

His blood pressure rising and knowing all eyes were on him and not really caring at all, Colby stared at his ex. “Oh yeah? I was faking it, huh? Call this fake!”

Without any warning at all, he wrapped his arm around Jake’s waist and pulled him in for a very passionate, deep kiss that garnered a gasp from everyone else in the room. Colby felt Jake’s large hand on his ass and the other hand was in his hair, holding onto him. He felt something strong for sure… he loved it. The kiss was amazing, and he felt himself want to be enveloped completely into Jake’s embrace. Just the man’s smell, his feel, his touch, everything about him was new…and enticing. But it scared the hell outta him too.

Once it was over, Colby was still in Jake’s arms; he wasn’t letting go and Colby was glad of it. He saw Amber’s eyes were still wide with shock. It looked like she believed it that time.

She swatted at him with her hands, typical girly fight. “You….sicko! You’re just like them! They turned you into one of them!”

“Hey!” Jake stopped her. “Get the message, girly. He’s done with you.”

Amber glared at him. “How dare you! You’re all sick! Sick!” she shoved her way past the others and ran out the door again. Sam followed to make sure she left for good.

Brett cheered. “Yea! She’s gone! Way to go, guys!” he patted Colby and Jake’s arms and high-fived Ryan and Caleb.

“Any time.” Jake replied, still having not let go of Colby completely. “I do mean that.”

Their eyes met briefly, and in just that flash, Colby felt safer and move loved than he ever had in Amber’s arms in two years’ time. But he also felt the other eyes on them and more than on display. He gave Jake a hug and finally separated.

“Thanks, Jake.” He meant that with all his heart.

“No problem at all.” They smiled at each other. “Just tell me that wasn’t just for her benefit.”

Colby felt breathless and finally put the pieces together in his head. He stood close to his new friend and touched his face. “It wasn’t. Believe me.”

Jake smiled wide. “I could tell.” He took Colby’s hand and led them back to the kitchen. “Come on, I think we were eating and talking before that horrid interruption.”

Wordlessly, Colby followed him into the kitchen, and they were joined by Ryan and Caleb, as well as their hosts, and the atmosphere calmed into a nice, easy rhythm.

For the rest of the afternoon, Colby didn’t leave Jake’s side.