Her Best Friend's Brother(25)

Surely Parker would be leaving then too. When he came back he could take his friend Libby out to dinner, and maybe a movie, and maybe an ice-cream after that. Just as he had made up his mind, and was heading for his car he heard the front door open.

“Tony!” Turning he saw Libby running towards him. “You’re early.” She said as she slipped her arms around him for a too-brief hug. “You weren’t leaving, were you?” Libby glanced between him and his car.

Yes, he thought, I am leaving so I don’t put your dumb shirtless boyfriend through a wal. What he said was.

“Oh, no. I was just making sure I locked it.”

“Wel come on. Mel is your sister; it is only fair that you help us carry some of her crap down to the truck.” Libby towed tony into the house.

Awkwardly, Tony joined everyone in the kitchen where John and his sister were finishing lunch. “So… Did Mel make you guys do al the packing?”

“No”

“Yes”

“Yes”

“Yes”

Everyone spoke at once.

Tony smiled a little, but he couldn’t keep from glaring at Parker. Finaly catching on Parker cleared his throat. “Oh Libby is just borrowing my shirt until hers dries.” Tony raised his eyebrows. “Because she spiled coffee…” Parker trailed off—his usual confidence shaken.

“Wel I’m sure you’l want it back before you guys get on the road.” Tony turned to Libby. “You can help yourself to anything in my bedroom. You know where that is.” Libby looked a little confused but she headed off down the hal anyway. When she returned she had traded one oversized shirt for another and Tony barely restrained himself from pounding on his chest caveman style.

A couple hours later the truck was finaly loaded, and they were saying their goodbyes.

“I don’t think Mel’s brother is my biggest fan.” Parker smirked a little as he wrapped Libby in a one arm hug. The other arm was holding a barrel sized container of popcorn. Parker had proclaimed that he needed sustenance to deal with the upcoming road trip.

“Don’t let it bother you. He is sometimes a bit overprotective of me.” Libby puled a face. “Like most big brothers.”

“Right, but he isn’t your big brother is he?” Humor danced across Parker’s face.

“Tel him that.” Libby murmured into Parker’s shoulder.

“I think he can work it out on his own.” Parker put a friendly hand on Libby’s cheek. “You okay? You’ve been a little off al day.”

“End of the summer blues I guess. Remind Mel to text me when you get there.”

“You got it.” Parker kissed her cheek and then climbed into the truck. “See ya. Have a good semester.” The truck puled away, and her friends left.

Shaking her head Libby started back to the house.

She had to snap out of this. It wasn’t like they had excluded her from their little New York club on purpose.

And she loved Talahassee. Mel was right. Libby needed to go out more. And that would be on the first order of business when she returned to school next week.

Tony watched Libby through the window. He had already made arrangements to meet John and Mel in the city for dinner at the end of the week. Having accepted a ful time position at the Examiner, Tony would be in New Jersey. He would be able to see a lot more of Mel than Libby would, so he had left them alone to say goodbye.

Also he had reached his Parker tolerance level at least 45

minutes ago. And he was pretty sure Libby wouldn’t appreciate it if he decked her boyfriend. Maybe he would get lucky and Parker would choke on a piece of popcorn.

The rest of the evening was more fun. Tony took Libby to a movie. The movie was bad, but it didn’t matter because it was so bad it was funny. After the movie they got a pizza—half Hawaian for Libby, and half pepperoni and sausage for Tony. They talked as they ate. Libby told Tony how she had falen in love with St. George’s Island, and about the sea shel colection she and Suzy had started.

Tony talked about being a ful time at the paper, and how he had his own cubicle… wel his own desk with a shelf anyway. Tony was a little disappointed in being assigned to the sports section, but he was working on a few human interest pieces that one of the editors had said were ‘not bad’. Libby complained mournfuly about needing to take sophomore accounting, and about how her friend Brian wouldn’t even be available for tutoring this year because he was doing a year abroad with his girlfriend.

“Maybe he can tutor you over the phone.” Tony teased.

“Right—he’s going to Australia. It’s a 14 hour time difference! And I am so not paying that phone bil.”