Exception // JJ Maybank

16 ; two can keep a secret if. . .

Danny and Pope huddled over the kitchen table coming up with plans to excavate the gold. Danny was torn between staying and figuring out a plan and celebrating with the others causing a ruckus in the yard.

"That's stupid," Danny commented.

Pope stared, aghast. "That is not stupid."

"Yes. It is," Danny said, took the pencil, and crossed out a part of the plan. "We need something stronger. A boat winch would be better to counter the weight of the gold coming up."

Pope thought it over. He reluctantly conceded, "Fine."

The screen door slammed open, and Danny jerked in his seat.

"You nerds done yet?" JJ asked. He flicked Danny's ear on the way to the fridge for a beer.

"We need to draw it out," Pope said.

"Would it kill you to enjoy yourself, Pope?" JJ complained and took another drink.

Pope rolled his eyes and grabbed a blank piece of paper.

"Seems like a one-man job," JJ said. He walked closer and hooked his finger in the collar of Danny's sweater. He tugged, and Danny obliged. "See ya, Pope!"

As they wandered further into the yard, Danny said, "I don't know whether to thank you or be pissed that you pulled me away."

"Guess I'll have to make it up to you, huh?"

Danny couldn't tear his eyes away from the sly smile tugging JJ's lips.

"Danny."

Danny watched JJ sit on the lawn chair and raise the bottle to his mouth. His lips wrapped around the opening and Danny—

"Danny!"

He blinked and looked down at Kie tugging on his wrist. He leaned down and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead, then sat in the vacant seat between her and JJ. "Hello, gorgeous."

She rolled her eyes. She leaned on the arm of her chair to sit closer to him. "Sarah's claiming she's seen you naked."

"That is not what I said at all!" Sarah protested, her eyes wide.

They sat in a circle around a small fire. Sarah and John B sat closest to the tree trunk. John B held a gold bar in his hands. His thumb kept rubbing across the surface, almost like he was making sure it was real.

Danny didn't let his surprise show on his features at Kie's words. Instead, he sank further in his chair and hummed. "Well," Danny said conspiratorially, "She's referencing that passionate, passionate night we spent together last winter. Fogged up all the windows of my Masarati."

JJ snorted. "That why there's the stain in the back seat?" he asked like it wasn't him who let his ice cream drip.

Danny chuckled and nodded.

"You are so full of shit!" Sarah yelled.

"We can go check. See if it jogs your memory." At her steadfast glare, Danny relented with a quick laugh. "Okay, okay. What are we talking about?"

"She says you have a gnarly scar," Kie answered. "We called bullshit."

"Gnarly?" he repeated in faux offense. "That's quite mean."

"I'm sorry," she said and huffed. "Would you just tell them? They don't believe me."

"Yeah, no shit," JJ said. "There's just no way you know something about him that we don't."

Danny's face drained of color, and he met Sarah's eyes over the fire. He rubbed his hand along his chin and jaw. "Uh, yeah, no, she uh, she's right."

He ignored his friends' outcries of disbelief. "How'd you know about that?" he asked Sarah.