Imagining Us

Ch.48- Here's to being Friends

"Come on... I think that we've provided enough entertainment for those two," Porte voiced.

Esi gestured over her shoulder to the two men who were aptly watching them.

"Didn't even remember that they were there," Porte said, frowning again. "They're going to give me hell for this."

"They won't." His eyes flickered towards her. "I'm sure of it."

Porte and Esi walked over to where Luka and JJ stood staring at them unabashedly.

She could feel the tension creeping into Porte as they neared them.

He greeted JJ, and inclined his head towards his brother.

"You good?" JJ asked him.

He nodded sharply signaling the end of that discussion. Luka, however, looked at his brother with an assessing gaze like he didn't quite believe it.

"What are you doing here?" Porte asked his friend.

"Didn't you get Trick's message?" JJ asked.

Porte shrugged while Esi was wondering what sort of people named their son 'Trick'.

"You muted the chat again, didn't you?" JJ shook his head.

"I didn't ask to be in it," Porte drawled. "I don't think I'm obligated to check or respond to messages."

JJ brushed him off, like  he was used to this attitude.

"We have a game night tomorrow—

"I can't make it," Porte cut him off quickly.

"It's closed table."

Porte tensed.

"Who's the head?"

What kind of game....

Esi was baffled as she listened to the conversation.

"Garrett," JJ said. "I came for us to strategize...You know how he gets."

Porte thinned his lips.

"Fine," he acquiesced. "But we can't keep doing this."

Esi looked at Luka to see if he had any idea what they were talking about, but he looked as lost as she was.

"Oh and— his eyes shifted to Esi then back to Porte— he might bring a guest."

"No."

"Bro, come on," JJ pleaded.

"I can't—

"I warned you," JJ replied smugly.

"You said I needed to be nicer, so I was," Porte argued.

"Oooh, are we airing Porte's dirty laundry?" Esi interjected teasingly, glad that the air felt slightly lighter.

Luka snorted.

JJ glanced at her, his lips twitching, then he looked back at Porte, his smirk widening. "Damn, you were right about her voice."

Her voice?

Esi raised a brow and looked at Porte. He conveniently wasn't looking at her, but if her eyes weren't mistaken, there was a light flush at the top of his cheekbones.

"Our friend Garrett's sister is in love with him," JJ informed her. "Though I'm not sure what she sees in the kid."

Esi's smile faltered for a second before she caught herself and plastered on a smile. Hopefully, they hadn't noticed, but she could feel Porte's eyes conveniently trained on her face.

"Is that so?"

The sarcastic comment came from his brother, not from her.

She could feel the tension rolling off of them, and it reminded her of that day in the cafe when Luke came to meet them. Not only that, there were little comments made that indicated the deeper lying concerns between the two brothers.

Concerns that she felt maybe needed to be unearthed, but she was too tired after today. It was time for her to leave.

"So I'm gonna go and let you guys catch up," she announced. "It was nice to officially, meet you JJ. Luka, we still on for Thursday?"

They were having dinner with an old classmate that they'd recently connected with.

"Yea, what time should I pick you up?" He smirked.

Esi wanted to facepalm herself—this boy was trouble.

Porte didn't react to Luka's words. Not so the others could see, but Esi did see his fingers twitching. That thing that he did rubbing his thumb and index finger together when something irritated him. When he was trying to calm himself.

"I'm driving. I'll already be in the area anyway," she informed him.

The smirk didn't falter, and she knew that he was getting ready to make another unnecessary comment.

"I'm going to go–"

"I think Delly has something for you before you go," Luke said quickly.

That was not what he was going to say.

"Let me walk you in so I can say hello before we leave," Porte turned to her. Then, he informed JJ that he was headed back into the city if he wanted to meet him at his flat.

Esi followed Porte inside to greet Delly who loaded her with the largest slice of coconut cake. Porte shook his head in amusement at the delight in Esi's eyes. She even made her promise to join them for dinner with the caveat that she drag Porte along with her. As if anyone could make him do anything that he didn't want to.

After they left, Porte called her on the phone and drove behind her until he got to his exit. They spoke about the fun day that they'd had, she teased him about what JJ had told them, and they spoke about his most recent work project–a Montana ranch house. Esi tried to get him to explain what their sketchy sounding game night was about, which he deflected from. Porte didn't end the call until she assured him that she was safe and sound in her room.

She couldn't forget the last thing that he told her. It was 'thank you', again, but his exact words were "Flirting aside, Elizabeth. Thank you for today. For just letting me be normal today. For being you. Mostly, for letting me be your friend."
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A/N

I'm still here. Sorry for the delay. I went on vacay and thought I would have had time to update.

This is a short one, but we'll be right back on track from now on!

Enjoy!

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Xoxo