Growing Up A Stafford (The Trouble With Brothers) When Kat Meets Billy-Book 1

The Party's End

As the clock ticked, the four left the party. Back at the house, the living room was uncomfortably quiet. The house was eerily still without the clamoring of the gang.

"Where is everyone?" Billy asked.

"Oh, Steve and Sean are in their bedrooms with the girls." Scott scooped Steve's car keys and shot out the front door, driving Kelly home.

Steve jogged down the stairs bearing only his jeans. "Alright Billy, it's time for you to go home. Kat, say good night." It seemed like Steve was waiting for her.

Billy made a call and changed back into his own shirt. When he was picked up, Steve directed Kat to sit down. She was going to get a lecture about keeping him informed. But she felt that she had good reasons.

"Alright. What's going on? Why aren't you telling me everything?"

Steve lit a cigarette and strolled to the refrigerator. Kat knew when Steve got both a cigarette and a beer that it meant he was stressed, mad or both. She rested her elbows on her knees and propped her chin up with her hands.

"Steve, I don't want you to fight." She answered. He dropped down in the recliner, facing her. She mentally prepared for the lecture she was about to receive.

"Kat, it's not your decision to make. You know that. If this kid wants to fight he's not going to let up until he gets one. Sean could have gotten hurt that night he went to pick you up. You should have called and told us to come and get you."

"No, then there would have been a hundred of them against you four. Besides, I'm tired of you always protecting me. I want to protect you and Sean for once. This is my chance to be there for you."

Kat knew fighting was the way boys handled things and worst of all, they were close and she kept a secret from him. But she hated fights, especially after being at the foster home with boys who had no reservation on picking on little kids or girls. She held her arm across her chest.

"This is not the time for that." He said harshly. Steve paused and put his cigarette between his lips and in a softer tone, knowing she didn't mean any harm, "Damn it, you're hanging around Scott too much. You're starting to think like him. Just don't do it again and if you do, at least let me know afterward, okay? I don't want to hear it from the neighborhood kids. You know better than to keep a secret."

She knew what he meant, Scott didn't always tell Steve things. Steve usually heard second hand from Sean.

"I'm sorry," Kat said. She dropped her head.

"Alright forget about it. Well, how did it go tonight with your little rich boy?" Steve asked.

Kat got his point. She was glad he changed the subject, not going to bed on a bad note. He wanted them to part on better terms. He stood up, wanting to go back to bed with Colleen.

"It went fine." Kat gave a deep sigh, "I guess. He looked so nervous there so I gave him an out. We'll see if he calls tomorrow." Kat really liked Billy, but she wasn't sure if he could or wanted to hang with the guys in the neighborhood. She was really hoping he would stay with her though, and wondered if she had played it right.

"He's an alright little guy, I think he's starting to grow on me. It'll be fine," Steve stated, blowing it off as a girl paranoia. He looked around. "Where's Scott?"

"He's driving Kelly home." She answered, feeling better having Steve's lecture over.

"Okay, I'm going to bed." He said. Steve pressed the tip of the cigarette it into the ashtray. A white swirl of smoke floated to the ceiling. Then tossed out the beer bottle, and headed back to up the stairs, Kat followed.