The Nash Brothers (Completed)

15. Cornered and Saved.

Nearly everyone was home by the time we got back to the house, Virginia, no... Ma, had rushed off to find dad and tell him about our day and I had wandered into the kitchen finding May sat with Jazz and Matt.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I question sitting down with them. May sending me a reassuring smile, as i glanced around the table.

Matt grins, "I'm waiting for Jackson to get here, then I've got some stuff to do with him and Beau" he replies, watching with a grin as I glance around nervously. "Jack's not here yet" he laughs at me and I stick my tongue out at him.

"Jack has arrived!" I hear from behind me and spin in my seat to see Jackson and Beau stood behind me. May laughs at my expression, getting up to grab drinks and biscuits for us all and allowing Beau to claim her seat next to me, as Jackson pulls out the seat next to Jazz, who glares at him.

"Jackass" she greets him, shocking me, I had never heard her be rude to anyone, except of course her cousins. I watch as Jackson narrows his eyes at her, making her flush and realise what I am seeing. Jazz likes Jackson but doesn't want to like him and Jackson knows it.

"My Sweet Jasmine" he replies now grinning at her, all of us watching their byplay.

"What are you working on?" I ask Matt to break the tension but only seem to make it tighter as they all exchange looks over my head. I turn to look at Beau "Whats going on?" I ask carefully, not wanting to break the truce we all had.

"Matt is helping Jack and I with some computer stuff" he offers vaguely, not meeting my eye, and everyone else is current looking elsewhere too. I hope they are not up to anything that will get them in trouble, but my gut is telling me this has to do with me and Silas.

I scan his face, and can see the set of his jaw and just know, whatever he is up to, nothing I say will change it. "Beau, just don't get in trouble, not because of me... Please" I reply softly and am shocked by the change in his face as he smiles at me, and I feel my body flutter in response. Holy hell he was beautiful when he smiled.

"Baby, I promise to take care" he tells me softly and I gasp, he called me Baby! What the hell was going on. he just grinned at my look of confusion, his hand coming up to gently brush a lock of hair behind my ear. "Be good" he tells me with another blinding smile, leaving me silently gaping at him, before getting up and taking Matt and Jack with him out of the room.

I turn to Jazz, confusion raging through my mind, to see her looking at their retreating backs , her head tilted as she worked out whatever was going through her mind. Finally shaking her head she focused on me "Come on, lets go relax by the pool, you can tell me about your shopping trip with Aunty Ginny"

I followed her outside and dropped onto a lounger, turning her way, curiosity making me ask the question. "Whats the story with you and Jackson?" I watch as she fidgets under my gaze, then realise how rude I am being. "I'm sorry Jazz, just ignore that question, its nosy of me and its none of my business" I tell her.

Jazz laughs and relaxes back, "Anni, You are the nicest person I have ever met and you're not nosy, its natural curiosity" she laughs again. "Jack and I are complicated, we have been friends for years but typical high school friends story, he chose his way and I chose mine..." she trails off.

"And?" I prompt her.

"We may have hooked up a couple of times but our differences are bigger than what we share" she explained.

"So you like him?" I look at her and she nods, "And he likes you?" she nods again. "Then what exactly is stopping you, because I don't get it?" I say confused.

"He's popular, one of the IT crowd" she explains slowly, but I shake my head at her.

"And?" not seeing her reason.