Neighbor Dearest(75)
“It’s so nice to meet you,” I said.
Tyler looked beyond my shoulders. “Where’s D?”
“Out getting some last minute stuff.”
“I was telling Nic the story of how you and Damien met.”
“There were lots of ways Damien and I technically got to know each other. Which story?”
“The time you almost burned down the building.”
“Ah, yes, my most famous claim to fame.” Turning to Nicole, I asked, “How did you guys meet again?”
“I’m a makeup artist for Tyler’s show.”
“Oh, okay. It must be a tough job making that face look presentable.” I winked.
“Actually, it’s tougher making him look ugly for certain scenes.”
“It seems like it would be fun to work in that environment. My younger sister is a stage actress in New York.”
Tyler nodded. “Damien was telling me. Is she on Broadway or off-Broadway?”
“She’s done both, actually. Right now, she has a starring role off-Broadway.”
“When this run is over at the Bay Repertory, I was thinking of moving to L.A. or possibly New York if an opportunity was there. I really don’t want to leave California. It’s not easy in this business, though. You sort of have to take what you can get.”
Nicole looked at him affectionately. “At least I can do makeup anywhere.”
“I might take you with me if you’re good.”
“I just might go.” She smiled.
It sounded like this was getting pretty serious.
The door opened, and Damien emerged. “For my lovely lady, I come bearing Christmas Coke cans, nuts and sticky balls.”
I took a small box from him. “Donut holes. Great. Those weren’t on the list.”
“No. But I couldn’t resist completing the trifecta just so I could say sticky balls.” He turned to Tyler’s girlfriend and extended his hand. Glancing down at it, he joked, “I promise it’s clean. Nice to meet you, Nicole.”
Looking between the two brothers, she said, “Wow. You guys look so much alike.”
I chuckled. “Your reaction reminds me of mine the first time I saw them in the same room. I thought I was seeing double at first, but they actually look less alike to me the more I see them together.”
Damien turned to Nicole and cracked, “We look alike, but surely you find me the better looking one?”
“It’s a toss up,” she said.
A twinge of jealousy crept in at the thought of her finding Damien attractive.
Damien smacked Tyler on the shoulder as he addressed her, “I’ll help you figure it out. I’m the better looking one, but I’ll give my little brother the distinction of having the better personality. He’s way more outgoing than I could ever be. And he’s a great actor.”
“Don’t sell yourself short,” Tyler said before looking over at Nicole. “Damien here has been playing the role of an elusive artist quite well for a few years now.”
“Shut the fuck up.” Damien laughed.
Nicole whispered to me, “Do they spar a lot like this?”
“Yes. It’s kind of cute. You can smell the testosterone like burning rubber whenever they’re together.”
Damien looked around. “Where’s Mom?”
“I couldn’t get her to come. She said to tell you she was sorry, but that she wasn’t feeling very festive. I think she’s in the middle of a depressed episode.”
“Fuck.”
Rubbing Damien’s back, I said, “Shit. I’m sorry.”
“Christmas is really tough for her. She doesn’t want people to look at her and be able to tell she’s sad,” Tyler said. “So, she chooses to stay away.”
Damien looked at me. “When we went to stay with her, she was actually having a really good couple of days. This is more typical.” Taking a deep breath and wrapping his arm around my waist, he said, “Anyway, you guys are probably hungry. My little lady made a bunch of stuff, none of which she burned, so help yourself.”
Everyone seemed to be having a great time. The appetizers were getting gobbled up, and the drinks were flowing. Damien had even put on Christmas music in the background.
Jenna never did come for the dogs, so we made the best of it, throwing some reindeer antlers on them. They hadn’t pissed in the tree again and were having a field day fetching everyone’s scraps; we would likely be paying for it tomorrow.
I was in the midst of listening to a conversation my parents were having with Tyler about the play he was in when Damien came up behind me. The heat of his breath in my ear gave me chills.
“I’m ready for all these people to leave. Those pants are so tight on you that they’re making my pants tight.”