JC jumps off of Ari and to his feet as if he’s been burned. He turns to find a tall, very tall, man standing at the open door watching him: his hair is short and blonde, his shoulders are broad and strong and his hazel eyes are flashing as he takes JC in.
Thanks for the advance warning that your brother is a giant…
JC rakes a nervous hand over his hair and clears his throat, “Hi. Um, sorry. I’m Josh. I was just-we were just…”
“I really don’t need to know.” The giant answers dismissively as he turns to leave the bedroom, “Dinner’s ready.” Without a second glance he leaves the room and leaves JC and Ari in an uncomfortable silence.
“I-I’m sorry…Nick’s really not a bad guy…” Ari stutters for a moment before she hastily straightens her pony tail. She walks over to JC and pecks his cheek softly, “Just a big brother thing…”
JC nods and straightens his shoulders as if bracing for an impact, “Might as well go join them down there.” Ari grins, takes his hand and leads him down the stairs.
While she heads automatically into the kitchen to help her mother, JC stands awkwardly near the kitchen table. Within a few moments some noise coming from the living room makes him turn to see Nick and who he assumes is Ari’s father making their way to the table. Ari’s father is built much the same way as Nick is, only maybe 2 inches shorter. His hair is a mixture of sandy brown and grey and his hazel eyes match those of his son’s.
“You must be the Josh I’ve been hearing so much about.” He says as he reaches out to shake JC’s hand.
“Yes, Sir. Thank you for having me over, it’s nice to finally meet you.”
The greeting is not overly friendly but at least doesn’t hold the open hostility that Nick’s eyes still seem to hold toward JC.
“Come and get it!” Annie’s soft voice cuts through the tension and the men disperse on their way to the table. A pot of steaming chowder is on the table accompanied with an overflowing basket of fresh rolls and a large wooden bowl filled with salad. “Help yourselves.”
JC takes a seat next to Ari, which unfortunately faces Nick, and he accepts the basket of rolls that Sami hands him and then the salad to serve himself. After a ladle of hot chowder is poured into his outstretched bowl he sits back and waits for everyone to be served, unsure of the protocol to follow. A moment later he hears Nick clear his throat, “Well since we have a new addition to our table, I think it’s only fair that he does the honors.”
Shit.
We’ve never even spoken about religion…am I expected to pray?
“Nick…” He hears Ari say in a warning tone.
“What Ari? It’s tradition.” Nick answers her flatly as he reaches into his pocket to pull out a folded sheet of paper.
“It’s fine, honey,” JC reassures her as he accepts the outstretched piece of paper from Nick. Quickly, he unfolds it and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise.
The Canadian National Anthem?
“Uh…”
“It’s a tradition here Josh, before a family meal one of us sings the national anthem and then if it’s hockey season we salute with our sticks before we eat.”
You’ve got to be shitting me.
JC’s eyes lift to meet Nick’s who seems to be taking this very seriously indeed. He licks his lips and turns to see that everyone else around the table does not seem to want to meet his eye.
“You don’t have to…” Ari groans as she gives her brother a stern look.
“Nah, it’s fine. I”ll do it.” JC answers nervously before he takes a deep breath.
C’mon Chasez, you sing for a living for crissakes.
Here goes nothing.
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
JC’s eyes lift to the people around the table from his sheet of lyrics to find that the women’s shoulders are quietly shaking, their faces downturned. He continues,
The True North strong and free!
Ari’s father’s shoulders start to shake.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
Nick’s shoulders start to shake and like a dam breaking everyone starts to laugh at the same time. JC sits sits back with a surprised look on his face, a smirk slowly forms on his lips. Nick’s face lights up and he reaches a large hand across the table toward JC, “You’re a good sport, man. Almost did the whole thing! Sorry for busting your balls.”
“Nicholas. Language.”
“Sorry, Mom.”
Ari sighs and reaches over to pat his shoulder, “I’m really sorry, I shouldn’t have let him…”
JC laughs as he sets the lyrics back onto the table and shakes his head, he feels like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders when he watches everyone around the table smile at him. “No worries, I’m a big brother too. I get it. So you don’t do the stick salute either right?” Everyone laughs once more and start digging into their food.
Guess I passed.
“You know Son, you’ve got a really nice voice. Have you ever sung in front of people before?” Almost comically everyone’s faces turn toward Mr. Anderson as he speaks the words. He looks around and lift his hands, “What!?”
JC looks at Ari and they both burst out laughing.
I like it here.
**********************************************************
Hours later JC is sitting upon a thick folded blanket on the cool sand of the beach. The air is crisp, fresh and fragrant with smells of the ocean and the surrounding trees. So different he thinks, of the beaches he is used to in LA or Florida. So…pure. His eyes take in the soft glow of the driftwood bonfire which sits a couple feet away from him and his ears take in the sound of the waves crashing softly against the sand nearby. They’d had a good time after dinner when everyone helped clean up and eventually bid goodbye to Ari’s parents. They were going back home to spend the night since they wanted to leave the ‘kids’ to enjoy themselves at the cabin. Once dusk had fallen, him and Nick had built the driftwood fire and the girls had gone inside to get some snacks and drinks ready. He was the first one that had finished changing into warmer clothes and settle in.
“Here, babe.” He hears Ari’s soft voice break through his thoughts and looks up from the ground to find her holding two ceramic cups of steaming liquid in one hand and a large bowl of popcorn in the other. He stands quickly and grabs the two cups from her hand, “Mmm. Wow, what’s this?” He asks as his nose picks up the delectable smell of apples, cinnamon and spices.
“Homemade apple cider, it’s my favorite. It always means fall is here.” She answers as she sets the popcorn bowl onto the sand and then takes a seat on the blanket. He hands down the steaming mugs to her and then settles behind her comfortably. He wraps a thick blanket around them and wraps his arms around her. With a soft kiss to the side of her neck he smiles and grabs his cup and takes a sip.
“This is amazing.” He says quietly and shuts his eyes to enjoy the taste on his tongue.
“The cider or this?” She asks as she settles more comfortably against him and rests the back of her head on his shoulder.
“Everything.” He holds her a little more tightly and continues to sip his drink quietly.
Move in with me.
This thought has been going through his mind for the last month. He loves it when she spends an entire weekend or a few days in a row at his house. Every time she leaves to return to her place he always feels as if his house is so much emptier and lonelier. Their habits and schedules do not cause them to be stepping on each other’s toes all the time which make for a very healthy relationship. God knows this wouldn’t be the first time a woman moves into his house but he feels like this is the right move to make at this time. He doesn’t feel like he’s taking her in before he’s ready to face the seriousness of that step in their relationship. She hasn’t “fallen on hard times” which forces him to feel guilty to not invite her to stay at his house before he’s ready to commit completely. But this here, sitting with her on a quiet beach, dressed in sweats and covered in blankets while sipping warm cider, he can’t see it getting any better than this. No, he’s fully committed.
“Ari,” He begins and she turns her head on his shoulder to look up at him, “What would you say if I…if I asked you to move in with me?”
Her eyes widen slightly in surprise and she bites her lip as she seems to consider the question for a moment,“I…”
“Who’s up for some music?” Comes the loud voice of Sami as her and Nick make their way to where Ari and JC are sitting. Both of them turn to watch Nick carry some snacks and drinks in his hands while Sami holds an acoustic guitar by its neck. Maybe it’s the look on Ari and JC’s faces that give them away but Sami stops short a few feet from them and suddenly seems terribly embarrassed “Did we just ruin a moment?” She asks meekly.
Yes.
“No, no worries.” JC answers as he gives Ari reassuring squeeze and a look that he hopes she understands as meaning “To be continued…” She smiles at him and nods slightly.
“You’re not going to force my boyfriend to sing again are you? He’s on vacation.” She smirks up at her brother and sister-in-law as they settle down onto the beach themselves.
“Well you see, I think since he’s not being asked to sing at the actual wedding…” Sami answers with a grin before she looks at JC and continues, “But by all means honey, if you get moved by the Holy Spirit or something like it to string up a tune at the wedding I won’t complain…” JC chuckles and rolls his eyes comically. Her eyes back on Ari, she continues “Then maybe we can ask him to grace us with something tonight since it’s just the four of us and if he doesn’t, then Nick will and we all know how bad that is to our untrained ears, imagine what it would be like for him. So really, it’s for the greater good of everyone.”
“C’mon now, I’m not that bad!” Nick protests as he takes a sip of beer and pouts at the girls.
“You only know two songs! Brown eyed girl-
“And Who’ll Stop the Rain!” Ari finishes for Sami and they all laugh.
What the hell.
JC reaches over and grabs the guitar, “I’ll do it.”
Ari moves away from him so that he can set the guitar in his lap, “You really don’t have to Josh…” She starts but he can clearly tell that she’s excited. It warms his heart to see the way listening to him sing makes her happy. He really needs to do it more often.
“So what’ll it be?Brown eyed girl?” He smirks as he looks around at the two girls who both react with a loud “NO!”
He absently strums the guitar with his fingers gently and tunes it as the girls look at each other. “Well?”
“Well, I’ve always been partial to Bye Bye Bye myself…” Nick tells him in an exaggerated high pitched voice.
JC laughs and shakes his head, “I’d need a little time to work that one to an acoustic version.”
Just do it. It’s ready.
He glances over at Ari and decides, “How about something…original? Something new?” He says quietly, his eyes still on hers. He watches her eyes light up once more and her smile widen on her lips.
Here goes nothing.
He clears his throat and strums the guitar for a moment before a now familiar melody starts to form. She’d heard him sing parts of this song either in lyrics or a hummed melody here and there but she’d never heard it in its entirety.
Cover me up
Cuddle me in
Lie down with me
And hold me in your arms
And your heart's against my chest, your lips pressed to my neck
I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet
And with a feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now
Kiss me like you wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
We're falling in love
Settle down with me
And I'll be your safety
You'll be my lady
I was made to keep your body warm
But I'm cold as the wind blows so hold me in your arms
Oh no
My heart's against your chest, your lips pressed to my neck
I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet
And with this feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now
Kiss me like you wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
We're falling in love
Yeah I've been feeling everything
From hate to love
From love to lust
From lust to truth
I guess that's how I know you
So I hold you close to help you give it up
So kiss me like you wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
We're falling in love
Kiss me like you wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
We're falling in love
As he finishes his song his eyes which have not left hers for a moment as he’d sung finally close and he takes a deep breath. No one speaks and the sound of the waves crashing nearby seem thunderous to his ears. He opens his eyes again to find Ari grinning at him happily but wiping a tear from her soft cheek. He raises an eyebrow at her and is rewarded with a slow nod and a mouthed, “Yes, I will.” JC’s heart tightens once more in his chest.
She’ll move in with me.
