Hawk's Eye

Chapter 27

"There's a fire going outside. The guitar is leaning up against the wall in the study Tony. Why don't all of you go out and have a good time," he suggested. Tony smiled and moved from under Kyndall. He grabbed her hand and got the guitar before he went outside. Nick and Nolan were already settled by the roaring fire. Tony sat Kyndall next to Nolan before he sat across from them and propped the guitar up on his leg. He picked his way across the strings, gracefully strumming together a song. He started singing Neon Moon as his small crowd listened carefully. Kyndall was stunned. He hummed her to sleep before, but she never heard him sing that beautifully. She glanced at his face as he looked up from his strings. He looked so comfortable and at peace. She smiled at her Texas boy as he finished up his song. He smiled knowingly at Kyndall before he started playing her favorite song. He started the first verse and Kyndall jumped in on the chorus. Tony stopped singing and just listened to Kyndall. Her voice danced like velvet across the clear night sky. It was beautiful. Tony was a bit taken aback; he was not expecting that. Kyndall would hum along with the radio from time to time, but never like this. The song ended and the voices dissolved into the night air. Nick and Nolan only gaped at them.

"Wow," Nolan breathed.

"Kyndall, you're voice is... angelic," Nick said. Tony smiled proudly as Kyndall's cheeks heated. Tony looked over to Kyndall and set down the guitar.

"Dolly, do you want a smore?" Tony asked, trying to distract her. She didn't get a chance to answer. Nick looked at Tony confused.

"Dolly?" he asked. Kyndall laughed and nodded.

"That's what everyone calls her, but I guess she wanted you guys to call her by her real name instead?" Tony shrugged. Kyndall nodded.

"Well, they're your family; I wasn't going to be as... specified and laid back just yet," Kyndall explained. Nick and Nolan exchanged a glance before they smiled and shook their heads.

"No way... Dolly it is. Plus, you're like the perfect Barbie anyway," Nick smiled. Kyndall immediately took offense to that.

"I am not a Barbie," she snapped quietly. She came back to herself and blinked at them surprised. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Sorry, I'm sorry. There's... this group of girls at school called the Barbies. They're not really... they're kind of... they're the 'mean girls' on campus, and when you said Barbie, that was the first thing I thought of. I thought you were saying I was one of them and I took it offensively. I'm sorry," she explained. Nick raised his hands in surrender.

"Hey, I was just saying that you were hot," Nick defended himself. Tony rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, for like the millionth time since we got here," Tony joked. Nick smiled and poked Tony in the ribs.

"Yup, and I'm going to keep saying it until proven otherwise, and we all know that's not going to happen," Nick laughed before he remembered something. "Oh yeah, Brian is coming tomorrow." Nick informed Tony. Tony rolled his eyes as he stuck a marshmallow on the end of his stick.

"Great," he muttered. Tony turned his attention to Kyndall. "Do you want me to make you a smores?" he asked. She shook her head.

"No, you know things at back in full swing at George's. I can't have soda, candy, sweets, anything fried or cooked in grease, chips, red meat, blah, blah, blah," she said. Nick laughed.

"So what... you're practically only eating rabbit food?" he joked. Kyndall shrugged. Tony stood and offered his hand to Kyndall.

"Come on, my mom will find you something," he offered. Kyndall stood but shook her head.

"No, you eat your smores and talk with your brothers. I'll go ask Angie," Kyndall smiled. Tony reluctantly agreed. He knew he wouldn't get her to change her mind. He smiled and kissed her lightly.