Poolside

Part 1 - Danny

"Don't you think you should step in and do something?" I look at the exchange unfolding before us with mild concern, having seen before how heated things could potentially get - vivid memories of the infamous Monopoly incident flashing before my eyes.

"No way! Tour is over, I'm officially off the clock." He says that so casually, but I know he'll have already assessed the threat level, satisfying himself that the chances of a Kiszka dust cloud of fists and feet are low. Jake has a full drink in his hand for one thing, he wouldn't dare risk anything happening to that.

He leans back into the plush daybed we're lounging on, taking a long, refreshing swig of his beer and returning his free hand to drape over my shoulder. Laid back at the best of times but today he's positively horizontal. It had made picking an outfit for this pool party very difficult, each one I'd tried was met with an equal amount of gusto, his megawatt smile and adoring eyes. "The blue one is gorgeous, babe, just like the last one, and the one before that!"

I'd ended up throwing my hands up in a huff, though before I could even turn to flounce into the closet my face had spread into a giggly smile. How could I ever stay mad at him? He was perfect.

In the end I'd settled on a sage two-piece with some denim shorts and a long crochet cover-up over my shoulders. On our fourth date we'd passed by a little thrift store on a whim after going for a drive and grabbing coffee. It had caught my eye from afar, the navy fabric that had a slight iridescence when it caught the light, and I spent far too much time trying to decide whether to splurge on it. He'd said it looked great, but after turning around and around so much I'd gotten dizzy, umming and ahhing to an annoying degree, I'd put it back and settled on a vintage band tee instead.

In the days that followed I'd internally kicked myself that I hadn't bought it, thoughts about driving back there but I couldn't quite remember where it was. I'd made a note to ask Danny when he picked me up to go beer tasting the next week, but when I opened the door to the little gift bag in his outstretched hand, I knew straight away what was in it.

Despite the relatively early stage in our relationship at the time, I was overwhelmed by the significance of it and the sheer fact he'd thought nothing about driving back to get it. It was such a grand gesture in my eyes that I threw my arms around his statuesque frame and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

Things had definitely progressed since then, an apartment and a serious relationship, but still there's a sparkle in his eye when I appear in the hallway ready to go. He remembers the memory too. "You ready, babe? Perfect choice."

We sit back from the more lively side of the party, thrown to mark the boys' return to Nashville a few weeks prior. We sip our drinks under the shade of the palms whilst catching up with various people as they mingle around us, all very tame and relaxing as we watch the party evolving and growing from the sidelines. When I suggest going and doing the same he just shakes his head, pulling me close and kissing me. "There'll be time for that later, I just want to sit with you."

As he predicted, the brotherly commotion had calmed down, though as usual it had ended in two against one, Sammy storming away from the twins towards us in a rage. "What was that about this time?" I look across questioningly as he throws himself down into the space on the other side of me, droplets from his margarita escaping from the cup and landing on my exposed thigh. It was less than nothing but ever-attentive, Danny's large hand comes to rest there, squeezing gently and wiping them off.

"Eurgh! Put it this way, the playlist for this party is going to suck. And in my own damn house too!" He folds his arms defiantly, well as best he can whilst still taking a drink and I stifle a laugh. Of course it would be music-related. I spy Josh over the other side of the pool smirking smugly, tapping his foot to the beat and I just know that if Sammy sees it we'll be in for round two.