Bubblegum

Part 3

The place in question was called 'Casa de Greta'. After leaving the restaurant to blinding flash photography, courtesy of the paparazzi they were more than sure Natalie and Bryan paid to be waiting, Jake drove off, out of the city and through to the suburbs a few miles outside. The houses were still large, but much smaller than the ones around Eden's. He pulled into the driveway of a red brick house, and shut the engine off.

"I have to warn you," Jake started. "I live with my brothers. And they may not have heard the nicest things about you today." The young woman shrugged.

"Compared to what you've said to me today, I'm sure it's not much worse." she opened the car door and let herself out. Jake followed suit and met her at the front of it, stopping her in her tracks.

"Listen, I'm sorry. Your music is just not my taste." he said. "But I didn't have to be so mean about it. I'm just angry at this whole situation."

"I am too." Eden nodded. She thought for a moment and stuck her hand out towards the long haired young man. "I'm sorry as well. Let's start over. Hi, I'm Eden." Jake stared down at her hand before reaching out to shake it, a smirk tugging the corner of his lips.

"I'm Jake. Do you want to come in and have some ice cream?" Eden laughed and nodded, following him up to his front door. Once inside, Eden noticed something was off, it was entirely too put together to be the home of a young man who only lived with his brothers. As if sensing her thoughts, Jake offered an explanation. "It's a rental, while we're here working on our album. There's a recording studio in the basement, and it's the only place big enough for all of us and some family when they come to visit."

"Well helloooo nurse!" Eden's head whipped around to see a tall, brown haired young man grinning at her. His hair was near shoulder length, and his eyes were a lighter shade of brown than Jake's. The way they scanned Eden's body made her tug at the hem of her dress again.

"Sam, fuck off." Jake scowled at the boy. The taller boy rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Let's go into the kitchen, Eden." he grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her past his brother, who wiggled his fingers in a smarmy wave, and down the hallway, entering an open, empty kitchen. Jake let go of her wrist and made his way to the fridge. Eden struggled to seat herself on one of the high bar stools at the peninsula counter. As she struggled, she glanced over and saw three pairs of eyes staring down from around the corner in the dark hallway.

"Jake?" she asked. He hummed in response as he grabbed a carton of french vanilla ice cream from his freezer. "Do you have any pets, by chance?" he shook his head, turning to look at her. "No really large dogs with big, brown eyes?"

"For fuck's sake, come out here." Jake called, already exhausted. Sam and two other men stumbled into the kitchen, all three grinning ear to ear. "Eden, these are my brothers. You've unfortunately already met Sam, this is Josh, my twin, and Danny. Not blood related but a brother nonetheless."

"Nice to meet you..all." Eden waved slightly, giving up on the chair and leaning up against the counter.

"I thought you said you wouldn't bring her home in a million years." the one designated as Josh said pointedly to Jake, making the long haired brother turn pink.

"I did say that." Jake began, slamming shut the drawer where he dug out an ice cream scoop. "But she's here for ice cream. Nothing else."

"I might want sprinkles on my ice cream." she muttered, trying to ease the tension with a joke. It was quiet for a moment, and then they all broke out in grins, chuckling at the response.

"She's not as bad as you made her seem earlier today." Sam went around Jake and got a bowl for himself out, nodding towards Josh and Danny, and grabbed two more, making five bowls in a line on the counter with the ice cream. "A little over dressed for an ice cream social though." Eden grimaced and nodded in agreement.