Out of Time (Collectors Cross-Over)

Chapter 15

Nate – Matched

To say that sleep eluded me would have been some kind of understatement. I'd gotten texts from Brody and Emily off and on through the night. She was apparently having the same trouble I was, and it was keeping him awake. He didn't mind, and I was glad that she had him, but it was hard as hell for me. I had been kidding when I told Emily I'd go cuddle with Sean, but honestly, there was one point during the night I'd given it some serious consideration. I didn't want to be alone, and I thought that of any of the people in the house, he'd have understood the most.

I didn't go because yeah, didn't want to give him that kind of blackmail material. The thing with Ian was bad enough.

Instead, I was sitting at the kitchen table drinking my second cup of coffee. I wasn't even sure of the time. The wedding picture from our bedroom was sitting in front of me, and I was staring at Emily in it. Brody texted that she'd put a picture of me as her wallpaper on her phone, and was just staring at it. He'd tried to get her to sleep, and she had for awhile, but when she realized it was Brody in bed with her, and not me, she'd cried for like an hour. That broke my heart.

"How long have you been awake?" Mom walked into the kitchen.

"Let's just go with all night," I brought the cup up to my lips and took another sip. "It'll be easier that way. I don't think Brody and Emily slept much either."

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Mom poured her own coffee and joined me at the table.

"No," I sighed. "I don't know what I want or need."

Ian came into the kitchen next. There was something about the guy, not sure what, but I wanted to get to know him better. He just seemed like an all around good guy. "Hey," he pulled out a chair and sat down. "You don't look any better."

"I'm not," I picked up my coffee again.

"Think if I start breakfast that everyone else will wake up?" Mom patted me on the hand then took my mug. She walked over to refill it. "Any requests?"

"What can you make?" Ian asked.

"She's a professional chef," I hoped my voice had the pride in it I honestly felt for her.

"Damn," Ian whispered. "Um, honestly, anything you want to make is good with me."

"Yeah, Mom, you know us. We're a bunch of guys, as long as there's meat, we'll be good," I accepted my third cup of coffee from her. "Thanks."

"How many does that make?" she pointed to it.

"You don't want to know," I stood and found the flavored syrups that Emily kept. I didn't like them that much, but her favorite was the mocha one, and it was making me feel closer to her.

"Our Emily can't stand coffee," Ian watched me as I dumped in all the crap my Emily usually used.

"I don't want to say mine is an addict," I turned back to my seat.

"Fine, I'll say it," Sean walked in and grabbed a mug. "Emily doesn't have a blood stream, she has a coffee stream."

By the time Brody M. and Drew were in the room, Mom had sausage and bacon out. I had no idea what she was making, but I was sure it would be good. All the other guys started talking, including trying to figure out how they would handle soccer practice the next day. Brody M. pulled out his phone and his thumbs were flying, typing in a message to his Emily no doubt.

"You should ask her about a glamour spell," Sean suggested as he drained his coffee.

"I'm sure she could get one from Charles," Brody M. went back to his phone. "Maybe Sean could be goalie, and your Emily could be Sean."