Every Breath You Take

54

My chair slid across the floor with a loud screech, catching not only one but many gazes from all over the restaurant. It seemed that being across from Kaden wasn't cutting it because I now sat at the head of the communal oak table, right beside the troublemaker himself.

Kaden, the mischievous little schemer, hummed to himself. He looked quite content with his actions as he picked up his clay mug and took a long and satisfying sip of coffee.

I gave the man an incredulous look, my lips twitching with amusement.

"And what, pray tell, do you think you're doing?"

Lashes fluttering, eyes shining with what was supposed to be puppy-love-innocence, Kaden replied, "I couldn't hear you from over there. My ears are getting old."

I stifled a laugh at his attempts, "Can you hear me now, old man?"

"You know, maybe if you moved a little closer..." Kaden gently tapped his hands along his lap. "Right here should suffice. In fact, I think I might be able to hear you loud and clear from here. I'm getting old, buttercup. You've got to tend to me a little." Mini-Satan flailed his hand a little as if he were helpless, his face twisting into what was supposed to be a mock expression of pain.

"Oh really? And I suppose sitting on your lap will magically make it all better?" I arched a brow his way, amusement dancing on my lips.

Kaden moaned as if he were in pain. Closing his eyes, he threw a hand over his forehead, "My hip!"

I burst out laughing, "I thought your ears were the problem?"

With his hand still thrown over his face, he cracked one eye open, "That too. I have many problems." Kaden closed both of his eyes again, dramatically throwing his head back. "OH! My hip!... And my ears!"

Laughing, I shook my head at the guy. He was so dramatic, just like his best friend. Suddenly, it made sense why those two loved each other so much. They could've been brothers, their personalities nearly identical. Although, I will say, Cole seemed to be just a tad more dramatic than Kaden. Cole always had a knack for theatrics.

Setting my arms along the tabled, folded, I leaned into them as I asked, "What should I get Ella for her birthday? There must be something she's into these days..."

"If I'm being completely honest, Ella is sort of going through this phase where just about anything will amuse her. Not entertain. Amuse...Elena likes to joke that turning two is just like turning twenty for Ella." His chuckle filled the air, a sound that travel along my arms and deep into my soul. The sound was lovely. "She's a sassy little thing."

"Well, that sounds oddly familiar." I giggled a little under my breath, slowly arching my brow Kaden's way. "I wonder which uncle she gets that personality trait from, especially, if Uncle Kaden is occasionally bringing around his best friend. Both kings of dramatics, if you will."

"Me?! Sassy?! No way! I'm the coolest uncle that's ever existed! Ella loves me!"

"Doesn't Ella have another uncle? One from Elena's husband's side?"

"That's right. Ryne, Elena's hubbie, has a brother whose name I conveniently don't remember, nor wish to remember. Anyways, this so-called uncle doesn't stand a chance against me if that's what you're asking. Yes, Ella does have more than one uncle, but I am rare. Rarest of the rare. Diamon in the ruff type of stuff. Uncle-who-shall-not-be-named never stood a chance against the glorious, beautiful, and charming Uncle Kaden." All of a sudden his chest began rising, and it took me a few seconds to realize that he was puffing his chest out in pride. Staring down his nose, ego inflated, Kaden replied, "Ella told me I was her favorite this morning, anyways. Uncle-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named can go suck it!"