Not Expecting to Collide (COMPLETE) - ABP Fanfiction

Chapter 13 - Favours

After a while August turned to her and tilted his head curiously. "You're very quiet. What's up?"

October pulled herself from her reverie. She shrugged. "Just thinking about the show tomorrow."

"Are you nervous?" Bam asked while August refilled the wine glasses on the island counter.

"Yes. A little bit." She replied honestly.

August checked the pots on the stove. October pulled a stack of dishes down from the cupboard and began setting the table.

"How did you come to be involved in this exhibit?" Bam asked, interested in learning more about her work.

October set plates around the table as she explained. "I have a friend who works at the gallery and when another photographer was unable to commit, Jaime suggested my name for a replacement. It was rather short notice and I had to scramble a bit to be ready but I think I'm prepared and it's going to be good. It was a lot of work."

August set two serving dishes in the centre of the table and pursed his lips. "Wait! Jaime put your name in?" October nodded as she set cutlery next to each plate. "Creepy Jaime who's been in love with you since college?" He inquired.

"He's not in love with me, August. He's just a friend who happens to have connections at the art gallery. He did me a favour."

"And you can bet that he expects certain favours in return." August retorted with his hands on his hips. "And not of the professional kind."  He turned to Bam. "He practically stalked her when she lived on campus."

Bam's eyebrows furrowed as he raised his eyes to meet hers. October put her hands out, palms up. "He's exaggerating." She defended to Bam. "You're exaggerating." She said back to August. 

August set another dish on the table and sat down, motioning for Bam to do the same. October took a seat next to Bam and slid it closer to the table.  She passed a dish to Bam. "Butter chicken. Auggie makes the best this side of India." She accepted a dish of rice from Auggie and began to serve her own plate.

"Don't try to flatter me to change the subject." August protested, passing the naan to Bam. "I've seen the way he looks at you. It's predatory."

"Stop over-reacting." She muttered as she bit into a piece of bread.

"I'm not over reacting. You are under reacting." August shot back.

October stared down at her plate. "Is it at all entirely possible that I was invited to this exhibit purely from my professional merit and not just for my physical attributes?" She countered in an even voice.

August sighed. "Of course it is, sweetie." His term of endearment made her forgive him a little. "Your show is going to be brilliant and I'm going to brag to everyone there that we share DNA." October's mouth turned up into a tiny smirk. "And maybe I'm wrong about Jaime."  August looked pointedly at Bam and shook his head ever-so-slightly when October wasn't looking. "Just be careful, ok?"

October ran her hand along Bam's thigh under the table. "Ok, Auggie.  I will be careful. Listen," She said, this time changing the subject for good.  "This is the first time Bam and I have seen each other in over a month.  I'm sure he doesn't want to sit here and listen to us argue."

"You're right." August replied. "Sorry, Bam."

Bam shook his head.  "I have two sisters, remember? Nothing I wouldn't be saying myself."

August gave Bam a look of respect.  An unspoken understanding passed between them. "So tell me how the two of you met." August inquired, digging into his meal.

October immediately launched into the story of how she started the contract with the TV production company. Bam watched her as he ate in silence, wondering when October's safety had become his utmost concern and pondered exactly what that meant to his heart.