“So what'd I miss?" Kaylen asked, sitting down to take his plate of food from his best friend Grace as if his uncle Logan hadn’t just chased him down the field.

Daniel chuckled. "We were just saying how you've learned the groups ways rapidly and the only thing you need now to be a part of it is to get a girl we can tease you both over."

Kathy laughed. "Yes and hope she's better received than Nick was," Kathy threw in there with a small smile, thankful their views on him had changed.

Nicholas smiled down at her and kissed her gently. “I don’t think this group will be making that mistake again,” he said confidently. “They’re fast learners.”

Ashton smiled at the blond man who could have retired but didn’t. He enjoyed his architecture business and the random modeling he did despite his age. Ashton was also glad that the focus on finding a significant other hadn’t turned to him or else he was sure Grace would guess who he was smitten with.

Aimée settled against Logan after removing his sweating shirt, leaving him in his wifebeater. She could hear his heart pounding and smile at the fact he’d just beaten someone 26 years his junior.

Kirsten smiled at her friends before deciding to push a little further and tease her eldest daughter a bit.

"Well speaking of significant others…we know Grace thinks she won’t ever fall in love or marry because in her line of work she’d be a softie…"

Grace blushed and Kaylen chuckled, putting an arm around his best friend’s shoulders so she could bury her head against his shoulder and hide her blush. He doubted she would ever really be able to go through with her thoughts. She was too smart and pretty for any guy to give up on. Some guy would change her mind, he was sure of it.

Emily smiled. "And we know Ash has his eyes on someone though he won’t tell me who…"

“Mom,” Ashton whined and Grace gave him a sharp look that said ‘I’m going to find out sooner or later’.

"It's someone you know. Are you happy?" He had snapped but it was not in anger.

Grace quirked an eyebrow at him, "I know her?" she repeated, making sure she had heard him right before shaking her head. "You’ll tell me later won’t you?"

Kaylen chuckled and shook her gently. "You’re such a pest."

"What about you Kay? You're the only one who has left us completely in the dark about your views on relationships or whether or not you've even got your eye on someone special," Anna asked her son.

Aimée smiled and asked herself whether or not Anna could see the connection between her son and Grace.

Kaylen had hoped it wouldn’t come to him since he really had nothing to report. At 22 he was content to just work through college to get his BA in business. There were some beautiful girls in his college but every week he saw them with someone new. The only woman he felt a deep connection with was Grace but she was his best friend and a year older than him. He felt it’d be weird if he liked her like that even though he felt she was smart and beautiful and witty, fun to be around, it just seemed odd to him. "When I know I’ll let you people know."

“It finds you where you least expect it. Maybe someone right next to you,” Aimée said, jerking her thumb back towards her husband. “He hated me and look at us now.”

Kaylen shrugged. "What works for one doesn’t always work for another, but thanks."

Grace smiled at her best friend before rising and going to hang out with her sister and the kids. Susan wondered if the two liked each other or if it was merely a close friendship.

"Well it’s been fun everyone but Trevor and I have to get the youngsters to a pool party at a friends house so we’ll see you all later."

Susan and Trevor said their goodbyes and after rounding up their twins, Kyle and Sunny as well as Kathy’s kids, Sarah and Ryan. They hopped in the car and left the party.

Nicholas sighed gratefully. “Have I ever told you how wonderful your sister is?” he told Kathleen with a smile.

Kathy smiled up at him and nodded. "I’m positive you have," she replied.

“Hey Nick,” Brett called from where he was sitting across the table. “I just found you modeling a suit my boss wants to me to buy in a magazine!”

Nicholas laughed. “Where is that?” he asked as Brett handed over the magazine. “Oh man, I hated that picture. I asked them not to use it.”

Kathy elbowed him gently. "And I told them to use it because I really liked it now shut up."

“It’s completely insufferable to have your wife be your boss,” Nicholas said with a playful roll of his eyes.

“Nah,” Brett said. “I think I’d like it. Special treatment. Kisses between shoots.”

Aimée laughed. “You haven’t gotten one bit more mature but even slicker with that tongue of yours, Brett.”

Emily laughed. "It’s why I still love him so much…mature men are boring. This one’s still as spontaneous as the day I met him."

Kaylen shook his head. "You have odd parents," he commented to Ashton who rolled is eyes.

“You don’t’ have to tell me,” Ashton remarked wryly and Brett ruffled his hair.

“Oh and you’ve inherited this genetic lineage, Ash.”

“I’m thrilled, dad,” Ashton said with a sly grin and a wave of his hand.

“And Logan,” Brett said turning to him. “I guess this means you’re boring.”

Logan chuckled. "That is all a matter of opinion my friend. I have always been the duller one because I’m more quiet and laid back…as I said my friend, opinion."

Brett grinned at him. “Dull, I think not. You’re the one making cross ocean voyages after women, hunting serial killers. I think that certifies you as crazy,” Brett joked and Aimée piped up.

“I agree,” she said. “But I can’t say it’s a bad thing.”

Logan smirked. "Eh I guess you’re right," he said with mock conceit.

Kaylen chuckled. "I was born into an insane family."

“And you’re an insane kid,” Ashton teased him before punching him playfully in the shoulder and taking off. “Let’s go crazy boy! Let the parental units do their thing.” He loved his family, but sometimes their jokes were just weird…coming from old people.

Kaylen grinned, thankful for the excuse to leave and followed Ashton away from the adults. Grace and Hope sat on the swings in the playground talking away and Kaylen smirked.

"What do you think they’re gossiping about now?"

“The newest crush in Hope’s life or how nuts our parents are, or, oh I know! Shoes!” Ashton exclaimed in a high, girly voice. “I need me some Prada shoes!”

Kaylen laughed. "Hope is so unlike Grace it’s amazing to think they’re sisters," he said looking over at the two girls.

“Ya, girly-girl and Tomboy. They look alike. A lot alike. It’s just the personality,” Ashton said. He loved both of his cousins but always marveled about how different they were.

Kaylen smiled. Hope was completely feminine. She wore dresses and skirts, and pretty blouses. She loved children and dated. She was soft spoken and sweet… and then there was Grace who you had to fight to get her to wear anything other than jeans and a t-shirt. She didn’t want to date, and dismissed ideals of a family because it meant getting married. He chuckled. She would be in for a surprise later in life. The only reason he himself wasn’t dating or interested in anyone is because right now he was focused on his studies although he knew once he graduated he would open himself to dating.

"What crazy cousins you have. Who knew sisters could be so different yet so alike."

“Well, look at my mom and their dad. They’re pretty different,” Ashton said, smiling at his cousins. He always had to approve all of Hope’s dates and if Grace began to date, he would do so for her too, and the younger girl’s when they grew up. Hope’s current boyfriend was one that Ashton especially liked.

Kaylen looked over to where Daniel was standing beside his sister Emily and nodded. It was true. They were brother and sister yet were pretty different yet they had their similarities. Kaylen knew that when Grace started to date the man in question would have to go through more than just Ashton and Daniel. Only the best for his best friend. He shook his head and ran a hand across his neck. It was almost funny his protectiveness towards Grace but he related it to being her best friend and growing up with her, nothing more.

"Yea you’re right," he conceded.

“I know,” Ashton said confidently, but strangely without arrogance. “Now lets disrupt this pow-wow.” He ran towards his cousins, caught one chain on each of their swings and swung back and forth a few times before dropping back down into the sand between them.

“Hello lovely ladies!”

Grace rolled her eyes at him. "Get up you’re such a geek."

"Now that’s not very nice," Kaylen said coming up behind Grace and pushing her gently on the swing.

Hope giggled. "She’s never nice. Logan and Aimée have ruined her."

“She’s just projecting her innerself onto me, so she’s really the geek. Freud would be proud,” Ashton said, moving behind the angelic Hope and pushing her gently. The girls really did look alike, with their light brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. But Grace had a wilder look to her. She was taller, but not much, with sharper features that made her almost exotic looking while Hope was smaller with more classic features.

“Logan and Aimée can be nice…they just mask it behind sharp tongues most of the time,” Ashton snickered.

"Or innuendo," Kaylen added with a roll of his eyes and Grace laughed.

Hope smiled. "For older people they sure are full of it."

Kaylen smiled over at the other girl. "Yes and you’re too innocent to hear it," Hope laughed at him.

“Our angel Hope,” Ashton cooed, playing with her loose hair. “You’re right. She shouldn’t hear any of it. Might give her ideas for her and Brian. God forbid he runs off to France and asks her to marry him!” Although he was joking, Ashton was also ever vigilant that this young man she was dating was good for her.

Hope blushed. "Brian isn’t that serious about me. I don’t think you need to worry Ash," she replied.

Grace smiled at her sister, glad she had someone to make her happy. Grace leaned her head back to look up at Kaylen who winked at her. She smiled.

Ashton smirked at them before nudging Hope and pointing at his cousin and best friend. Then he winked at Hope before tackling Kaylen to the ground.

Hope covered her mouth with her hand in disbelief, hiding a smile. Grace laughed at them and Kaylen fought until he sat atop Ashton.

"Was that really called for?" he asked.

“God you weight a lot,” Ashton grunted before shoving Kaylen off of him and wrestling around for a few moments in the sand. When he had Kaylen pinned by the arms after a long struggle, Ashton whispered, “And yes, it was necessary…to get you to stop flirting.” He winked at his best friend with a debonair smile before releasing him and rising, brushing the sand off of his pants.

"Flirting?" Kaylen asked in disbelief, rising and dusting himself off. "With Grace? No way man."

Ashton smiled at the denial. “I dunno, she’s kinda cute,” Ashton said with a badly hidden grin. When he saw his cousin looked really uncomfortable however he said, “I just had to ruin the moment. Today is not a day for serious moments.”

Kaylen chuckled. "She’s adorable. But she’s also my best friend. There was no serious moment," Kaylen corrected before walking back over towards the girls.

“Whatever you say, sir!” Ashton cried before dashing over to Grace and pushing her on her swing. “Do you guys want to go paint balling in the woods this weekend? I just got a set.”

Hope shook her head. "No way! There is no way I’m going out into the woods so you guys can sneak up on me and give me welts! Those things hurt I hear."

Grace laughed. "I love you sis. You’re so cute and girly, but you boys can count me in."

Kaylen chuckled. "I’m in too."

“Alright. I’ll get some people from school to come,” Ashton said and thought, ‘Maybe Lianne, too.’

“Is it cool if dad wants to come? He bought it for me, actually,” Ashton asked.

Kaylen nodded. "Sounds great. I think my dad could go too, we still got our sets,"

Grace grinned. "I’m so coaxing Logan and Aimée into coming. It’d have to be all of us versus them since they’ve got the experience."

“That would rock,” Ashton cried. “I’ll call them as soon as we get home.”

Aimée smiled over at the foursome. “They look like they’re having fun. I wonder what they are planning,” she said with a yawn.

Logan smiled. "Who knows. Between the boys and Grace you can never tell."

A few minutes later Hope sauntered up to the group. "Were you volunteered to do their dirty work?" Daniel asked his youngest daughter with a grin.

Hope laughed and shook her head no. "I volunteered. They want to go paintball this weekend and want ALL the guys, especially Logan and Aimee to come with…"

Aimée laughed. “Sounds like a challenge to me. I’m in,” she said with a nod before turning to Logan. “He is too.”

"I think I’m still capable of answering for myself Aimée," Logan told her with a roll of his eyes.

“I know, I just knew what you were going to say and figured I’d save you the trouble,” Aimée chirped.

Daniel chuckled. "I’m in. Gotta make sure the boys don’t slaughter Grace."

Bryant laughed. "Paintballing with Kay is always fun…I’m in too."

Hope turned to the others. "Brett, Nick? What do I tell them you said?"

Brett and Nicholas shared a glance before simultaneously nodding. “We’re in,” they chimed in together.

Hope smiled. "Any women takers besides Grace and Aimée?" They all shook their heads no.

"We can all go get our nails done," Kirsten teased sharing a wink with Hope.

Aimée pouted, wanting to go, but also wanting to play. “It will be fun. I’ll get my nails done before I go back to work,” she said, making up her mind.

Hope laughed and smiled at her mom before turning back to the others. "Well all of the guys and Aimée said…they will go with you this weekend."

“All we need is our friends and we’re good,” Ashton said, high fiving Kaylen before going over to the monkey bars to do some pull-ups. Grace followed him.

"Speaking of friends…are you gonna tell me who this girl you’ve got your eye on is?" Grace asked a moment later, wondering what secret her cousin had been keeping from her.

Ashton looked at her before dropping down from the bars. “Um,” he said, staring at the ground before slipping his hands into his back pockets. His thick bangs fell into his eyes, making him look very much like his father at that moment. “She’s in your criminal psychology class.”

Grace racked her brain for a girl in her psych class who could’ve caught her cousins eye. She was only one of the six other girls in that psych class. The rest were all guys.

"When did you even go to my psych class to meet this girl?" she asked then remembered about a month ago when he waited outside of her class room to take her to lunch with Kaylen.

When he arrived she had been talking to 2 girls by the doorway who were in her class, Lianne and Becky. They had been discussing the topic that had been covering in class that week when Ashton had came up to them. Lianne had smiled at him but since she was normally a quiet one she hadn’t said much to him but had been polite just the same. Becky was more taken with him and asked him questions about his major and who he was before returning to the conversation with her and Lianne.

She didn’t think her cousin liked the more clingy type women like Becky but could Lianne have caught his eye while he was merely watching her converse with Becky, receiving only a quick smile from her.

"The only names that come to mind are Becky and Lianne…but I didn’t think you liked clingy women and that would only leave Lianne," she observed after putting her ‘forensic’ type knowledge to the test to rule out possibilities that didn’t work or belong.

Ashton nodded. “You’re good,” he said, sounding miserable. Lianne was very quiet, but very beautiful. She was the untouchable girl in the honors program at college with good morals, good grades and rarely dated. He didn’t think he had a chance. His parents always told him what a catch he was, handsome, smart and sweet, but they were his parents.

"Aww, why so down about it?" Grace asked, climbing up onto the monkey bars and sitting atop it.

Ashton glanced up at her. She didn’t seem like the ‘spill-your-heart-out-‘ kind of girl, but she was his best friend and knew him well.

“Well, she’s so beautiful and so untouchable. Every other guy is after her and I stand no chance. The thing is, they don’t care that she’s smart, who holds true to what she believes or anything,” Ashton explained, angrily pounding against the pole that held up the monkey bars before leaning against it. “And Becky asked me out…and Becky is her best friend.”

Grace scowled. It was true. Most the guys at their college thought of Lianne as the girl playing hard to get and they just wanted to get into her pants to prove to their friends they were ‘irresistible’ to ALL women.

"You actually stand a better chance than most the guys she knows. Because you actually see what she’s worth and not as some challenge to see how long it takes to get into her pants. You’re good looking, you share the same morale and you’re smart I mean you’re going to be a ‘doctor’ researching cancer.., you can’t be some average Joe to do that Ash.

“Don’t be so down on yourself. And as for Becky I don’t know if you want to go there…or you’ll hurt one of them. They’ll see it as using one to get to another or she’ll avoid you thinking that her friend likes you and she’d choose a close friend before she hurt her over a guy," she tried to explain. She knew playing psychiatrist and working out people’s problems wasn’t her specialty, but he was her cousin and she loved him so she had to try. It didn’t hurt she knew the girl in question and was becoming like a friendly acquaintance with her either.

Ashton felt his heart move at his cousin’s kind, but wise words. “Thanks Gracie,” he said, hating that he felt so moved by a girl he barely knew and needed advice. He reached up and took Grace’s hand, pulling her off the bar and catching her gently. From his height of 6’2, her 5’3 was not very impressive, but her personality made up for her lack of height a million times over. “I dunno what I would do without you.” He then did something rare: he hugged his tomboy cousin tightly.

Grace smiled and returned his embrace. "You would be forever lost," she teased. "I may be a tomboy but I do know something about what goes through a normal girls mind."

Ashton grinned down at her as he pulled away. She was a very pretty girl, benefiting from the blend of her parents looks and besting them. He hoped that boys that vied for Lianne’s attention would leave Grace alone although he doubted it. Hope he didn’t have to worry about so much although he did so anyway. Her dating record declared who she would and would not date, but Grace didn’t have one yet.

“Anyway, enough of this stuff. You now know who has taken up so much of my thinking time so now it’s time to get back to the party. What do you say? Take advantage of that French desert Aimée made?” he said with a wiggle of his brows. The men of his family were known to be bottomless pits.

Grace laughed, she ate a lot for a girl too but she had a fast metabolism and so there was no proof to how much she ate. "I’m all for it," she said before skipping ahead of him back to the others.

Kaylen was sitting on the swing opposite her sister and Hope was laughing about something he had said. Kaylen looked up when he saw them and smiled.

"If you weren’t cousins I would question your motives for taking this one away," he jested to Ashton about Grace.

“Hey, hey, hey, just ‘cause I said she’s cute don’t mean nothing,” Ashton defended playfully. “I was picking her brain.”

Grace laughed. "I’m not as dumb when it comes to being a girl as I thought!" she teased plopping down onto the sand.

Kaylen shook his head at her. "No one ever said you were."

Grace replied by sticking her tongue out at him and saying nothing.

"Isn’t she just so mature for being the oldest of us all," Hope said to mess with her sister.

“W-wait, she is?” Ashton asked with wide eyes, feigning ignorance. “Coulda fooled me!”

Grace laughed. "You’re such a geek," she told her cousin.

Kaylen rolled his eyes. "You think I’d be the oldest. I’m the most mature."

“Oh ya, and I’m the geek. Look at this character over here,” Ashton said, jerking his thumb towards Kaylen.

"You mature? Please!" Grace taunted him.

Hope giggled. "Kaylen isn’t mature. He’s still in his ‘I don’t like girls cuz they’ve got cooties’ stage," she added.

“Ah! Girls! Ah!” Ashton screamed in a falsetto voice. “Kaylen needs a cootie shot.”

Kaylen rolled his eyes. "Just because I’m not interested in a particular girl right now doesn’t mean I’m afraid of cooties, he defended himself and Grace laughed before putting on a sad face and rising to go sit on her best friend’s lap, wrapping an arm around his neck to support herself.

"Aww did we hurt poor Kay’s feelings?"

“No, but now you’re stirring up other ones,” Ashton muttered so only Hope could hear him.

Hope stifled a laugh, glad she and her mom weren’t the only one to guess at Grace’s feelings for her best friend.

Kaylen sighed and shook his head. "Not at all…it’s just lame. That’s like them teasing you because you don’t like guys and doesn’t have your eyes on a particular one right now either. They’re just being retarded."

Grace nodded. "I know. I was just kidding."

Kaylen shook his head. "It doesn't matter. We can be loners together. They can have their crushes and love interests...I'll just stick to my best friend since she's safe."

Ashton tried to stifle a laugh and a smart comment. ‘Sure she’s safe,’ he thought.

“Hey Kay, we’re just messing with you. No hard feelings, man,” Ashton said, moving to sit behind his best guy friend. “And don’t worry about me. Girls won’t be playing a role in my life for a long time. Maybe ever. I’m going to be a doctor. When will I have time for anything? Or anyone.”

"Oh please!?" Grace protested. "Your mother is a doctor now…maybe not a research doctor but a doctor just the same…and she has a full day at work and still has enough room for you and your dad. I don‘t think it‘d be TOO much of a problem."

Kaylen laughed. "Yea what she said."

Ashton gave her an odd look for a moment before smiling. “Maybe,” he said in reply.

The kids joked off on their own a while longer before they went off to join their parents and the rest of the adults. The day passed with football games, jokes and a whole lot of fun as it always did when the group got together. One by one the families left with the promise of next time always hanging between them.

……………

Saturday had come and gone, the day of rest and fun now over as it was Monday and Kaylen had returned to college. He hated Mondays because everyone was still in rest mode and it took more to pay attention in classes and get through a full day of moving from class to class. He yawned as the professor rambled on about some financial fundamental and some ‘important’ details about it. He was the first to rise from his seat and head out the door when the professor drew his class to an end and dismissed the class. Glancing at his watch a smile graced Kaylen’s handsome features for the first time that day. It was 2 pm. The time he usually met with Ashton and Grace for lunch.

"Hey Kaylen," a soft voice said to his left and he turned to face the voice.

"Oh, hey Michelle," he greeted in response.

Michelle was one of the only girls in his college he would consider dating because she was down to earth and not some stuck up bitch who jumped from one man to the next as easily as he moved to and from classes during the day.

"So, what’s the smile about? It’s the first time I’ve seen you smile all day." Michelle was in half of the same classes he was and was majoring in business as well.

Kaylen grinned over at her. "For knowing my every move today I’m surprised you don’t already know the answer to that question."

Michelle blushed and shoved him playfully. "Seriously…what made you so happy just then?"

"It’s been a long day so I’m going to treat myself to lunch with my best friends over at their university," Kaylen replied, casting a glance over at the woman beside him.

She was shorter than he was at about 5’5, coming up to about his chest. However though she was short she made up for her lack of height in her looks and maturity. He grinned roguishly as she blushed under his gaze and brushed a piece of her dark brown hair from her face. He thought her hair was one of her best features cause it was fairly different. It was long and wavy and she had almost natural looking blonde streaks going through her dark brown hair that went nicely with her baby blue eyes. She was disappointed to learn he was leaving to go join his friends having wanted to invite him to lunch herself.

"That’s great, have fun."

Kaylen heard a hint of disappointment in her voice and smiled warmly at her. "Would you like to join me over there?" he offered.

Michelle cocked her head up to look at him. "No I don’t want to impose."

"Oh please!" he scoffed. "You wouldn’t be imposing."

Michelle smiled widely feeling a sense of relief and nodded. "Then yes. I’d love to join you"

……………

Ashton drove to Grace’s class to pick her up and take her to lunch. They attended the same university although he was an undergraduate student and Grace was a graduate student.

He pulled up and got out, nervously running his fingers through his thick, wavy brown hair. This was the class that Grace shared with Becky…and Lianne.

Walking towards the building, he found her classroom and leaned against the wall, listening to the faint voice of the professor drift through the wall; he had gone over his allotted lecture time again.

Even though the class was long and usually went over it was one of Grace’s favorites. He was a great speaker who was passionate about his subject and knew what he was talking about. She always left the room with 3-4 pages worth of notes. After about 5 more minutes of waiting the class was dismissed and the students filed out.

"That was interesting about what makes someone who takes drugs a druggie…it’s just interesting to think of the reasons behind things," Becky rambled on as she filed out of the room with Grace and Lianne. Grace spotted Ashton and led the group over to him.

"Ashton hey!" Becky greeted excitedly while Lianne just nodded her usual curt hello before she turned her attentions to Grace.

"So Grace…do you mind if I went along with you to the lab one day to get a good feel for things with you and your friends?" she asked.

Ashton greeted Becky quietly and smiled at Lianne before she turned away leaving him feeling rejected.

“And get to see the married couple in action?” Ashton teased both Grace and Lianne, referring to the well-integrated unit that comprised of Logan and Aimée.

Grace laughed and shoved her cousin. "Knock it off. You know at least at work they’re professional," she defended them.

Lianne smiled half heartedly. "Well I don’t think I’d mind that so much. The lab I’m interning for now only has me as the paper girl…I’m not behind any of the action."

Grace nodded in understanding, Lianne wanted a feel for the action, not the office life. "I’ll talk to Logan and Aimee and see what I can work out," she told her.

“Logan will be happy to have recruited another future C.S.I. into the ranks,” Ashton said, smiling gently at Lianne, once again awed by how lovely and sweet she was, while Becky moved between him and to also be included in the conversation.

"I hope so," Lianne replied to Ashton. She thought it might be nice working alongside Grace and what made her even more pleased was that if she did intern alongside Grace at least she knew the people there were trustworthy as Grace only ever had positive things to say about them and her internship with them.

"How are your classes going Ashton?" Becky asked, smiling up at him, trying to be included and find out more about Graces handsome cousin.

With an inward sigh of disappointment, Ashton turned his attention from Lianne to Becky. “They’re going well. This chemistry/biology double major is killing me, but luckily my average hasn’t dropped. Analytical chem. Has to be the worst though,” he said with a weary laugh. “The teacher thinks it’s the most important thing to grace our ears.”

Becky laughed. "Well you’re obviously smart enough to manage that, you sound like you‘re doing better than great," she flirted playfully.

Lianne rolled her eyes at Becky’s flirtatious behavior, clutching her books tighter against her chest.

Grace bit her bottom lip, feeling bad for Ashton now that she knew the truth. She grinned a moment later when she saw Kaylen walk through the doors although her smile faded when she saw another woman beside him, both laughing. Kaylen had never come inside before to meet her at her class door as he was always late or couldn’t join them for some reason and so the first time he did he brought another woman with him. She felt a hint of disappointment which she tried to force away and replaced her smile immediately, hating this feeling of jealousy and forcing it to go away.

‘I’m not jealous over Kaylen. That’s ridiculous,’ she told herself.

“Hey Kay!” Ashton called, glad to be relieved from his conversation with Becky. He remembered that they were going to lunch and wanted to invite Lianne, but he didn’t want to leave Becky out.

‘What the heck,’ he thought.

“Hey, you girls want to join us for lunch?” Ashton asked Lianne and Becky, although his doe brown eyes were focused on the petite brunette who held his affections.

Grace was thankful that Ashton hadn’t noticed her moment of displeasure, or that if he had he hadn’t mentioned it.

Becky sighed wishing she could accept his invitation but she had already promised a friend from another class that she’d go to lunch with her.

"Wish I could but I’ve got a prior engagement…rain check?" she offered.

Lianne thought to lie and say she had something else going on but since she didn’t and she didn’t want to lie she slowly nodded her head. "Alright I’ll go."

Ashton nearly jumped for joy but expressed sorrow that Becky wouldn’t’ join them and said he would think about the rain check.

“You’ll have a good time,” he told Lianne and turned as Kaylen grinned in acknowledgement of his greeting and walked up to the group. Lianne fought against shrugging in doubt but instead didn’t say anything and followed the young man’s approach noticing that Becky was taken aback by this man as well.

"How come you know all the handsome men Grace?"

Grace smiled, "I don’t really judge their looks. Ashton’s my cousin and this is my best friend Kaylen. I don’t rate my best friends on a scale of attractiveness," she lied.

She thought Kaylen was extremely handsome and although she knew her cousin was very attractive she didn’t think too much on it as he was her cousin and family doesn’t think about family that way. It was hard to think of him as anything other than her younger cousin.

“Kaylen is not on the market as of now,” Ashton informed Becky with a joking wink at Kaylen.

Kaylen chuckled. "Man, you have always said I’m not on the market," he teased him before turning to Grace and smiling at her. "Hey Grace."

Grace managed a smile as well. "Hey Kaylen? Who’s your girlfriend?"

“Wait? Girlfriend?” Ashton asked with wide eyes, glancing down at Lianne as if she knew what they were talking about before glancing back to Grace, then Kaylen.

Lianne shrugged at Ashton’s glance. She didn’t even know this man, how would she know who his girlfriend was.

Kaylen laughed. "She isn’t my girlfriend you guys. Her name is Michelle Hawkson and she’s in half of the same classes I am. Michelle these are my best friends Grace and Ashton…and I don‘t know who you two women are?" he said introducing them.

Michelle blushed at the thought that his friends thought they were dating, although she almost wished she was. He had a nice laugh, a free smile, she had a lot in common with him thus making for good conversations and he was absolutely gorgeous. No, she wouldn’t mind dating him at all.

"Hi," Michelle greeted after his introductions.

"I’m Becky and this is Lianne," Becky finished for him, introducing themselves.

Lianne scowled at Becky, hating when she jumped in and spoke for her when she was capable of speaking herself.

“I think she can speak for herself, Becky” Ashton said quietly, thinking along the same lines. He smiled to make his statement less harsh. However annoying, the girl meant no harm.

"Sorry," Becky apologized. Lianne was relieved to have someone else say something and gave Ashton a faint smile in thanks and Ashton felt his stomach turn summersaults as he smiled in return, causing Becky to grow jealous.

Grace was silent now however, feeling a bit of relief to know Michelle wasn’t his girlfriend and was now beating herself up over such thoughts wondering why. If she made her best friend happy, more power to her. She couldn’t think of a reason why it would matter.

Finally Ashton turned to Grace and he noticed her grim demeanor. “Okay my lovely cousin. I’m starving. Let’s collect these rascals so we can go,” he said, flinging his arm around her to cheer her up.

Grace smiled up at him and nodded. "Alright. I’ll see you later Becky."

"Bye guys," Becky said following the group off with her eyes, wishing she could join them.

Kaylen could tell something was amiss with Grace but couldn’t place it.

‘Maybe she was just having a bad day,’ he thought, wanting to ask her about it but he couldn’t just walk away from Michelle. ‘At least Ashton’s with her.’

Lianne followed the group out silently as they piled into Kaylen’s red, convertible Mustang. It was a gift from his parents on his 21st birthday and he loved it. Although it was only a 4-seater so Grace sat on her cousin’s lap since it would be less awkward than any other girl sharing a seat with him. After the girls were in the backseat and Grace seated in the passenger seat up front with Ashton, Kaylen started his car and pulled out to find a decent restaurant to go to.

"Who’s in the mood for what? Chinese, Mexican, American?" he called back to them over the wind.

“Mexicano, amigo!” Ashton called out playfully and poked Grace. “What do you think, girlie pants?”

Grace laughed. "I don’t care, I’ll eat anything at this point."

Kaylen smiled over at her. "What about you two?" he called to Lianne and Michelle.

"Mexican sounds great!" Michelle responded.

Lianne shrugged. "Anything is fine," she told him.

Ashton immediately felt bad for inviting her. She looked and sounded uncomfortable and unhappy to be with them. ‘I’m an idiot,’ he thought before wiping the self-pitying thoughts out of his mind. He hated people full of self-pity and refused to be that way.

"Mexican it is! And we know just the place don't we guys?" Kaylen said grinning over at his best friends. Mexican was one of their favorite types of food and so they had discovered an absolutely divine Mexican restaurant where everything was authentic and cooked to perfection. "Rosa's Cantina!" Grace, Ashton and Kaylen said at the same time.

Michelle laughed and even Lianne smiled genuinely, her eyes dancing with laughter at the friend’s playfulness.

“Killer burritos,” Ashton informed the girls in the back with a playful wink.

Michelle grinned a him. "I can’t wait."

Just as quickly as the genuity in Lianne’s smile came it had gone. "Sounds nice, I may have been there before though."

Kaylen looked in the rearview mirror. "And did you like it?" he asked her.

"If it’d the one I am thinking of then yes I did. The carne asada burrito is absolutely delicious," Lianne answered him.

“That’s the one I was thinking of,” Ashton said with a delighted grin, turning around to look at her. “They’re having a special deal on that now, too.”

"That’s cool," she replied to him.

"One of those if you eat 5 of these you get a t-shirt?" Lianne scoffed.

“No, a Lakers cap,” Ashton said with a broad grin. “I think I can do that. What do you think Kay? Wanna get some caps for our girls?”

"Our girls?" Kaylen asked. "Who’s our girls?”

He thought he had made it clear that Michelle was not his girl. The only girl with them who they considered their girl was Grace because she was their best friend and cousin. ‘So why plural?’ he wondered.

Ashton laughed and punched his friend playfully. “The lovely women in the car, of course,” he said with a roll of his eyes that said, ‘no duh’. “That is, unless they don’t want Lakers caps?” He turned around and looked at Michelle and Lianne, trying not to let his gaze rest on the lovely, but very quiet and almost icy girl.

"But there’s only two of us and 3 women?" Kaylen pointed out.

Grace shook her head. "I don’t want one," she lied.

"You can get them for Lianne and Michelle."

She knew Ashton wanted to get one for Lianne and since Michelle was with Kaylen he should give one to her.

"I love the Lakers," Michelle answered.

Lianne nodded. "Yeah. Best team in the NBA," she answered before climbing from the car.

“But of course!” Ashton said enthusiastically. He and Kaylen constantly played basketball with their friends or the family friends. “Me and Kay have got season tickets. We haven’t missed a home game yet.” He opened the door for Michelle, Lianne and Grace as they walked in.

"Cool. I haven’t been to a game in forever but I make sure to catch every game on TV," Lianne replied. She was talking but her tone held little to no emotion. Kaylen wondered how a sweet girl like Grace could have a stony girl like Lianne for a friend.

Ashton also wondered at the lack of emotion in her voice, but she seemed sweet and he knew she was intelligent and extremely beautiful. “Well, if you want you can come along with us to the next game,” he offered, getting in line.

‘Maybe I’m making a mistake. What do I know about her?’ he asked himself, but he couldn’t’ help how he felt.

"Maybe," she replied, thinking it would be fun to go to a Laker game again.

‘Maybe if Grace goes I’ll go,’ she thought to herself as the group slid into the round booth.

Michelle slid in first followed by Kaylen and Grace then Ashton and finally Lianne.

Ashton joked around with Grace, Kaylen and Michelle, trying to include Lianne but finding it difficult. He wondered if it was him.

When the waitress came Ashton and Kaylen ordered the challenge. A 5 lb carne asada burrito; a burrito filled with carne asada, guacamole and zesty salsa. Kaylen was finding Michelle amusing as well as pretty and considered asking her out to get to know her better. Maybe he could end up liking her as more then a friend. He was goofing off with the group although he and Michelle conversed alone for some time.

Grace talked with Ashton and included Lianne and then the food came. Kaylen and Ashton dug into their burritos and Lianne found them amusing as they tried to get it all down. She had to admit the group was fun and found both men extremely attractive. Lianne ate in silence although she’d converse with those who asked her questions so long as they weren’t too personal, whereas Grace had taken role of the silent one.

She’d make a comment here or there but mostly she picked at her food, wondering at her feelings of jealousy as well as the feel of a strange churn in the pit of her stomach as she watched Kaylen talking and laughing with Michelle when it used to be her he’d talk to and laugh with. She had a feeling that soon she’d be the third wheel in the group. Kaylen would date Michelle, Ashton would try to woo Lianne and she’d end up replaced by these other women. She wished she could disappear right there to spare herself from it and these disappointing thoughts.

Ashton noticed his cousin’s reticence and put his arm around her. “Gimme just a sec, Lianne,” Ashton told her so that she wouldn’t’ think he was ignoring her.

Lianne nodded and returned to her food thinking he didn‘t have to ask her permission but thinking it was kind of cute…she brushed the thought aside.

“Something on your mind, Gracie?” Ashton asked her in a hushed voice.

Grace shook her head, wrapping an arm around her midsection to fight against the quelling of jealousy and disappointment and unease at those thoughts she felt. "No," she breathed.

Ashton laughed but said, “Okay.” He knew her better than that. They were not only family, but best friends. Following her nervous gaze, he let out a quiet exclamation of understanding. Kaylen was actually flirting with Michelle, which not only surprised him, but caused him to realize what Grace’s problem was.

“It’ll be okay, cutie pie,” he said, kissing her temple, comforting her even though she was the older cousin.

Grace shook her head. "It’s what I get for letting this happen," she whispered so only he could hear. It was as close as she ever came to admitting she felt something other than friendship for her best friend.

“If you actually had your way, none of this would have happened,” Ashton said sardonically, knowing it was true. Grace believed that love was weak and did not belong in her profession despite the fact that her two role models were two very good C.S.I. members and very much in love. “Let’s just have fun.”

Grace nodded. He was right. She hated this weak feeling she felt because of her feelings towards Kaylen and knew she wouldn’t make it in her profession if she let emotions lead her. She would get over this feeling she felt. She promised herself that. "Yea okay," she told her cousin after she had come to her resolve.

“That’s my girl,” he said with one last squeeze before releasing her and turning to Lianne.

“Sorry ‘bout that,” he said, opening his palm in a gesture of apology. “Needed to do my cousinly duty.” He grinned at her, enjoying how her porcelain features looked as she bent over her drink.

Lianne licked her lips to get the drops that had escaped the straw onto them as she pulled away. "It’s fine," she told him, thinking it cute how he cared for his cousin.

Ashton had to look away for a second, momentarily overpowered by her mesmerizing full mouth and hated that he was focusing so much on the girl’s physical features. He decided to change it. Glancing back at Lianne he asked, “How did you get into the field? I know Grace was exposed because of my aunt Aimée and uncle Logan.”

Lianne wiped her hands on her napkin and leaned back against her seat, turning her head to look at him. "I grew up watching the news and CSI. I was enthralled and horrified by all the crap that went on in the world and how these people find the evidence that will put these people to justice. I got so tired of watching the news because of all the kidnappings and rapes and murders and theft that filled that channel and I wanted to help put an end to it. My…brother thought I’d grow out of it but it just intensified and so now…hear I am," she spread her hands wide in gesture. "Going to college to become a CSI to help put a stop to it all."

“Wow,” Ashton said, genuinely impressed. “Talk about ambition. But why did your brother think you would grow out of it? Is it ‘cause you are small and cute?”

"No. it’s because when I first resolved to go to college and become a CSI I was only 13 or so. Most kids that age switch careers ideas numerous times. Always have a dream but wind up doing something different. I don’t think I can recall a time when I wavered in that decision," she explained, ignoring his comment about her being cute.

“I don’t think it’s all that unusual. I’ve always wanted to be a surgeon and go into cancer research…for as long as I can remember,” he said quietly, remembering how even now his mother was weak and how, when she fell ill, his father would worry nonstop.

Lianne had never heard this and cocked her head to the side. "Cancer research? Wow." She wanted to ask why but if she asks about his reasons then he could ask about hers, something she didn’t want to share with him.

Ashton didn’t elaborate further. His mother hated to be thought of as weak and he would not share her problems with the world. His love for her was stronger than his desire to impress a girl.

“Ya, the double bio/chem major is intense, but I think it’ll be worth it,” he said quietly, wondering why he was so awkward around this girl. She wasn’t even interested in him. Why should he care?

"I’m sure it will," she replied/ Kaylen turned away from Michelle just then and sighed.

"I hate to break this party up but Michelle has a class to get back to," he told them.

‘So now we must cater to her needs?’ Grace thought bitterly.

“That’s fine. I have a million hours of studying tonight. It seems like every class I have is giving an exam next week,” Ashton said with a groan.

Everyone slipped out of the booth and paid before they piled into the car and Kaylen drove to his college to drop Michelle off. Kaylen jumped out to open her door for her and she smiled up at him.

"Thanks for inviting me Kaylen. It was nice."

Kaylen smiled gently at her. "It was. Thanks for coming with, I’m glad you had a nice tome."

Michelle didn’t think she’d meet a sweeter more handsome man and she sighed softly to herself after she had waved to him and headed inside to her class. Once he hopped back into the car Grace had moved to the backseat with Lianne.

"So what did you guys think of Michelle?" he asked his best friends once he got back in the car.

“She’s hot,” Ashton said, looking out the window. “She seems nice and pretty smart. I’d ask her out.” For the moment he didn’t think about Grace because he saw the happy grin on his best friend’s face.

Kaylen grinned as that had been his thought to do so but he wanted to know what his friends thought first.

"What did you think Grace?"

Grace had wished he wouldn’t ask and forced on her best poker face turning from the window to smile at him. "She seems nice and you appear to like her…"

"But do you like her?" he asked.

‘No,’ Grace thought but instead said, “Yea, sure. I didn’t really talk to her much but she’s fine."

It was then that Ashton realized how much Grace must be hurting, but at the moment he couldn’t do anything about it. He wasn’t about to play matchmaker so instead he asked Kaylen, “You gonna ask her out?” He hoped Kaylen would say ‘no’ for Grace’s sake, but ‘yes’ for Kaylen’s own sake. It was a trying situation.

Kaylen nodded. "Yea. She’s sweet and we’ve got a lot in common. It’d be a nice way to get to know her more…I just wanted to know what you guys thought," he replied.

‘If only we could make it a double date,’ Ashton thought looking into the rearview mirror at Lianne, then Grace who didn’t look very happy at all. His heart went out to her.

“You coming over today Grace?” he asked her, knowing his parents would love to see her.

Grace was thankful for Ashton who could always sense how she was feeling and knew when to let subjects drop or change the subject and nodded.

"Sure, if you’re not tired of seeing me enough today," she teased him to get her own mind off of Kaylen and Michelle and the picture perfect way they had looked together.

Her hair was a little darker but their heights standing next to her had been perfect, they each had beautiful blue eyes…it looked like a storybook couple. She couldn’t compete with that, when she herself was shorter than Michelle with boring brown eyes and normal brown hair, hell everyone has normal brown hair.

‘In my dreams is the only time that’d ever work,’ she thought.

“I never get tired of you, cuz,” Ashton assured her. “We can play some b-ball and we can play Halo 2. What’s sad is that I think I’ve got dad addicted. Mom hates it.”

Grace laughed. "You’ve got me addicted. I was fine with my Nintendo 64 but NOOO! Now you had to make me go out and buy an X-Box with the halo games."

Kaylen chuckled. "Did you seriously go buy an Xbox Grace?"

Grace nodded. "Yes and it’s all Ashton’s fault."

Lianne grinned at the comradeship of the three. "You have quite an influence on your cousin Ashton," her tone was actually teasing a bit.

Ashton’s stomach jumped into his throat and it took years of watching his father put on his lawyer act to manage to hide his emotions. “I’d like to think so,” he said flirtatiously, although he didn’t mean for it to come out that way as he shot a lop-sided grin her way.

"Well believe it," she told him before turning her gaze out the window, hoping she hadn’t given him the wrong idea.

‘I really don’t need a relationship right now’ she told herself.

Grace wanted to help Ashton win over Lianne and sighed knowing that when she did she would no longer be needed. Kaylen would have Michelle and Ashton would have Lianne leaving her alone.

Ashton saw how Lianne had immediately turned off. ‘What a smash hit I am,’ he thought bitterly as they reached the college. “Thanks for coming, Lianne,” Ashton said softly, opening the door for her, but refusing to meet her beautiful blue eyes. His pride was hurt and it was just painful to like someone and not have it be reciprocated.

Lianne smiled faintly at him. "Thanks for inviting me. I’m sorry I’m not better company."

“It’s fine,” Ashton assured her with a gentle smile that he inherited from his mother, putting his hand on her arm, noticing just how small she was compared to him. “Not everyone’s a chatterbox. You’re welcome whenever you want to come along.”

Lianne looked down at his hand resting gently on her arm and bit her bottom lip a second before returning her gaze to his. "Thanks. See you tomorrow Grace," she called before turning to head back into the college.

Ashton let out a rush of air and ran both hands through his hair, messing it up. “I will be single forever. Perfect for my profession,” he muttered, slumping back down into the front seat, watching as Lianne’s lithe body disappeared into the building.

Grace sighed. "Me too," she agreed with him although she’d make sure her cousin wasn‘t.

Ashton walked her to his car after they said goodbye to Kaylen and opened the passenger door with a bow and a cheeky grin, trying to dispel the mood he was in. “Your carriage my lady,” he said in a flawless British accent.

Grace grinned at him. "Thank you good sir."

“‘Twas my pleasure lovely lady,” Ashton said with a dashing grin before shutting the door and jogging to the driver’s side and getting in.

"Would you like me to invite her to our group get together next weekend?" she asked him once he started the car.

Ashton jerked his head towards her before turning away. “No, she was obviously uncomfortable with us. I don’t think she likes me at all. I’d rather abstain from making a fool of myself,” he said with a strain in his voice.

"Aww, you didn’t make a fool of yourself Ash. She’s that way with everybody. All the guys who hit on her are all flirtatious and full of innuendo. I think she had a hard time when she saw you weren’t. It’s not that she doesn’t like you," Grace told him, her heart going out to her cousin.

“You think?” he asked her softly, driving back to his house with the radio on in the background.

Grace smiled. "Pretty sure. I’m sure Kaylen’s girl will be there too this time so….if you’d like me to invite Lianne I’d be more than happy to for you."

“Please do, then,” Ashton said before he made a face. “What about that girl, Becky? She seems to like me as more than a friend. Can you get Lianne alone to ask her?”

Grace laughed. "I’ll see what I can do."

“You’re so selfless, Grace,” Ashton said with a smile in his cousin’s direction.

Grace smiled thoughtfully. "It’ll be my downfall," she said with a sigh just as he pulled into his driveway in front of the house his parents had lived in ever since his dad moved in with his mom for the first time.

“What do you mean?” Ashton asked her, turning off the car and facing her. He reached out and moved a strand of her silky, light brown hair behind her ear.

Grace shrugged, wishing she hadn’t opened her mouth. "Oh I dunno," she sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "What idiot falls for her best friend? And then lies saying she likes the girl he’s going to ask out so he’ll be happy?" She shook her head, hating how much she cared.

“You can’t help who you fall for, kiddo. Trust me I know. I like someone who can barely look at me,” Ashton said, putting his hand on Grace’s dainty shoulder. “And a good friend supports her friend, sacrificing her happiness. You’re amazing, Grace. No pun intended.”

Grace smiled weakly. "Thanks Ash. Now let’s go inside so I can whoop your butt on Halo2 and say hello to your mushy parents."

“We better make lots of noise and give them warning,” Ashton said with mischief written onto his face as he walked loudly up to his front door.

Grace laughed and stamped her feet on the pathway towards the house before pounding on the door and then entering beside Ashton.

Brett heard the noise and groaned. “The young’un is home,” he whispered to his wife who lay under him with her eyes closed as he pinned her down.

Emily opened her eyes and shoved him off her. "I think I hear Grace with him," she told him, running her fingers through her hair to fix it.

With a roll of his eyes, Brett, fixed his shirt and straightened his hair. “I thought this was why we sent him to college,” he teased his wife, wrapping his arm around waist once she was finished primping.

Emily laughed. "Really? And here I thought it was so he could get a better education?" she teased, leaning against him a second.

“Well, that too, I guess,” Brett said with a shrug of his broad shoulders which his son had inherited.

“Mom, dad. Grace is here,” Ashton called out in warning and Brett grinned.

“What a fast learning boy he is,” Brett said with fatherly pride.

Emily laughed. "We’re coming" she called back.

"You’re so bad. He learned because he had too," she taunted him before rising and heading downstairs to see her son and her niece.

“It takes two to tango, pretty lady,” Brett said as he followed her, smiling as he saw his grown boy and his niece. “Oh Gracie, you get more gorgeous every time I see you.”

Her uncle was genuine as he moved to embrace her before holding her away from him and studying her.

Grace smiled, a slight blush touching her cheeks "No wonder you charmed Emily here. You know how to make a girl blush," she teased him, touched by his words since she knew they were genuine.

Brett grinned. “There are no amount of words to charm this woman here,” he said about his wife. “You have to SHOWER her with everything you can give.” He changed the subject from her to Emily to ease her embarrassment.

Grace laughed and Emily shook her head.

"He’s such a liar." Emily rolled her eyes. "How are you doing Grace?"

Grace shrugged. "I’m doing alright and you both?"

"I’m good," Emily replied.

“Wonderful, sweetheart,” Brett said, ruffling his son’s hair. “You guys want some chocolate cake? Aimée brought some over. I swear the woman is addicted to the stuff.”

“Oh ya!” Ashton cried. Aimée had the recipe down pat and it was delicious.

Grace grinned. "Absolutely. Them I’m going to kick Ashton’s butt in Halo 2," she told Brett as she followed them into the kitchen for dessert.

Brett chuckled and took down the cake before cutting two thick slices. “Sounds wonderful. That boy of mine needs to be humbled a bit,” he teased his son and Ashton playfully punched his father’s shoulder. Brett put down the knife and wrestled his son around the kitchen for a few moments before they both heard Ashton’s stomach growl.

“Damn, I just ate, too,” he commented.

Emily laughed and turned to Grace. "I thought Kaylen was coming over too?" she asked.

Grace shook her head. "No I think he went back to the college to wait for this girl to get out of classes so he could ask her out," she told her aunt.

Ashton fell silent as he dug into his cake. When his father looked as though he were going to speak, Ashton shook his head and Brett heeded his warning although he didn’t understand it. He would ask later even though he had a feeling it was to do with Grace’s crush on Kaylen.

Grace noticed her uncle’s motions and knew he wanted to say something. She was thankful for Ashton’s thoughtfulness to protect her and her emotions but decided to see what her uncle had to say. "What is it Brett?" she asked him.

Brett sighed and shrugged apologetically at his son. “I wanted to know what you thought of Kaylen going off to ask another girl out,” he asked gently, his chocolate brown eyes glowing with sympathy.

Grace bit her bottom lip for only a second and shook her head. "He’s my best friend. If she makes him happy then…all power to them both," she replied, even as her heart fell at the thought.

Brett reached out and pulled her in for a hug. “Your such a sweetheart, Gracie. But you’re beautiful and smart and your own women. Someday there will be a man who won’t be able to think of anyone but you, and you about him,” Brett promised her, ruffling his fingers through her hair, remembering suddenly when she was little and holding all the families together with her innocence through difficult times. Now it was his turn to hold her together.

Grace returned the hug with a soft sigh, thinking it had been 23 years and she’d never had a crush, and now she did on her best friend. She didn’t think she’d ever fall in love with anyone who would actually love her in return…especially not Kaylen…nor anyone else if she had her own way.

"Thanks Brett," she replied to her Uncle not wanting to sound negative and complain to him.

“Anytime you need to talk, sweetie, we’re here. If you don’t feel comfortable talk to me, Em would be happy to listen,” he said gently, pulling away from her and tracing her cheek with a finger like he used to do when she was younger.

Grace smiled softly. "You’re my uncle I don’t have much I’m not comfortable talking to you about," she told him.

“Good to know, kiddo,” Brett said, rubbing her shoulders before turning and cutting a piece of cake. “I hear chocolate is a girl’s best friend?”

Grace laughed and nodded. "Most definitely,” she said taking a large piece Emily offered to her.

“Good stuff, dad,” Ashton said with his mouth full. “Wanna bite, mom?”

Emily didn’t want a whole piece as she had had some earlier but she couldn’t turn down at least another taste of it, "Why not?" She said through an amused laugh and moved to take the bite he offered her.

Ashton laughed and fed his mother a piece of chocolate cake before putting his arm around her. “How are you today, mom?” he asked her with a grin. This was the woman who had risked her life for him just in giving birth. He loved her more than life itself.

Emily smiled down at her son and ruffled his hair affectionately. "I’m doing just fine. How was school?" she asked him.

“Intense, mom. It’s so intense. This double major is really gonna take work,” he said and the weariness could be seen in his eyes and in the bags underneath. “I don’t think I’ll be sleeping for a few years.”

"Aww. I’m sure you’ll do fine," Emily bent so she could hug her only child.

"You’re a smart young man. You’ll pull through just fine. You’ll sleep if I have to drug you," she teased him before releasing him and standing up.

"Just set a schedule for yourself. From this time to this time classes, from this time to this time study this subject and so forth. Make a schedule for yourself with a set time for every subject and work on that way alone that way you don’t get so overwhelmed with everything and know you’ll have enough time for every subject as well as time to sleep and relax and then you’ll do just great," she suggested.

Ashton smiled at his mom and hugged her back. “I’ll try that. I don’t understand how you went through med school. You are so strong mom,” he said and Brett smiled.

“That she is,” he said and Ashton smiled up at his dad who was his role model.

Emily smiled widely. She loved her family more than anything and was proud of both of the two most important men in her life. It had been hard going through med school in her condition, not knowing whether she’d live to see the end of grad school and make a career for herself, sometimes too sick to attend classes but it had worked and now the disease was gone and she was blessed with a wonderful family who she adored and who she knew adored her in return. Grace smiled softly at the scene unfolding before her; there was never a doubt about how close this family was.

Brett saw Ashton’s empty plate and patted him on the shoulder. “Now scat you. I believe you’ve been challenged to a game of Halo 2,” he said, wrapping his arm around Emily’s waist, loving how she worked her magic on her son.

Grace nodded and pulled Ashton from the room. Emily leaned her head on her husbands shoulder while watching them leave the room. "How did I get so lucky with you both?" she asked quietly, in awe of how her life had turned out.

“I ask myself the same thing every day,” he said, bending to kiss his wife of over twenty years as though it were the first time, with the same amount of tenderness. “You and Ash make my life worth living.”

Emily sighed softly in thought, her mind turning to her second child she had miscarried 19 years ago. "I wonder if our second child would be anything like Ashton…he’d be in his first year of college this year…" she trailed off with a wistful sigh, this was one of the times when she thought of him and wondered what he would be like at 19.

“I’m sure just as wonderful,” Brett said, feeling the familiar ache in his stomach at the mention of their lost son. “Bright, handsome, and he would have loved you just as much as I do.” He turned Emily to him and enveloped her tiny body in his arms, resting his cheek on the top of her head.

Emily sighed and leaned into his embrace. "I love you Brett," she murmured quietly, knowing she would never have gotten through such a horrible time had it not been for him and her 2 year old son.

“I love you, more, pretty lady,” he said before tipping her chin up and capturing his lips with hers. “What do you say we go and soak in that hot tub for a while? I can give you a massage?”

Emily smiled. "Sounds good" she agreed and moved to head upstairs to change into her swim suit.

Ashton surreptitiously watched his parents interact. They were the coolest people he knew. He felt a little jealous over what they had though. The way his father looked at her mother as though she were a prized possession and how his mother had no eyes for anyone but his father. That kind of love didn’t seem to want to happen to him and he sighed before taking the controller from Grace and starting up the game.

Grace smiled softly. "I love your parents," she told him.

Ashton grinned at her. “Me too,” he said, working his way through the start screen. “They’re amazing people. It’s hard to believe all the crap they went through looking at them now.”

Grace had to agree. "Hey, it gives me hope for you and Lianne," she told him. If his parents had worked through a disease and near death experience and a miscarriage as well as numerous other trials she was sure Ashton could work things out with a quiet and shy woman if she were the girl for him.

“Ya, I guess,” he said, remembering how his father had told him the story of how long he had to chase his mother before she even began to look at him romantically. “But Lianne is not my mom. She seems a little…stiffer, more unyielding. Mom had sickness to bring her sadness. It’s almost like Lianne’s suffered more.”

Grace was astonished. She knew a bit of Lianne’s life and didn’t agree with Ashton whole heartedly. They had both been challenged. "Oh I don’t know about that. Your mom nearly died, lost a son, and believed she would never get to love? I think that’s pretty high on the ranking of suffering" she argued.

Ashton nodded. “But she has dad now, Lianne has no one. I have no one,” he said, sadly, in a warped state of mind for some strange reason.

"You’re only 21 Ash. You have plenty of time and women even if Lianne isn’t the one for you. Cheer up," Grace told him.

Ashton shot her a lopsided grin. “Ya, your right. Now, let’s get down to business,” he said, pointing to the screen.

Grace grinned and started hitting buttons to give her cousin a challenge he‘d remember.

They played for several hours, going back and forth, but finally, as she’d promised, Grace won.

“It’s cause I spend all my time studying and you, Miss Obsessive, went out and bought a system as a conspiracy,” Ashton said, throwing down the controller with good humor.

Grace laughed. "Whatever you say boy. You know I study just as much as you. I’ve already been where you are," she teased him.

The door opened a moment later and Kaylen entered. "Hey, your parents told me you were in here," he explained.

“Hey dude. Take a seat,” Ashton said tiredly. “Did mom offer you some of that chocolate cake Aimée made. It’s divine.” He shut his eyes as he spoke.

Kaylen chuckled. "Someone’s tired," he said as he strode into the kitchen to get some cake for himself. This was like a second home to him so he wandered about it easily before reentering the living room with a slice of cake in hand and sat on the couch.

"So did you ask Megan out yet?" Grace knew she was being childish, purposefully messing up the girls name but didn‘t care.

Kaylen smiled at her. "Her name is Michelle and actually yea I did."

Ashton cracked an eye open. “And Mr. Smooth?”

Kaylen grinned. "And she said yes." He was truly happy she had.

“Alright Tiger. The one of us we said wouldn’t get a woman, has one now,” Ashton said with a lopsided grin and a slap of encouragement on Kaylen’s back.

Grace could tell Kaylen was genuinely happy at the thought of going out with Michelle and forced her most realistic smile she could. "Congratulations."

“What’re you guys gonna do?” Ashton asked, letting his eyes slide shut again.

"Well our first date will be Wednesday night…typical first date, dinner and a movie or something and then if things work out I’ve invited her to the family gathering," he answered, polishing off the cake.

“Sure you want her to see the inner workings of this crazy circle?” Ashton joked, putting his hands behind his head.

Kaylen chuckled. "Well hey, it’ll show how loyal she is. If she can put up with the group then I’ll know I can keep her around for a while."

Grace rose and stepped from the room, she hadn’t said a single word the whole time the boys conversed. She had been fighting against her disappointment and jealousy. Kaylen followed her out with his eyes.

"What’s up with Grace? She’s been quiet all day," he asked Ashton.

“Not quite sure,” Ashton said, telling a partial truth. “I think all the coupleness is getting to her ‘I-must-stay-single’ mentality.”

Kaylen sighed. "Maybe I should go talk to her." He loved Grace as his best friend and didn’t want to see her quiet. He loved the playful, energetic Grace.

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” Ashton weakly protested. “Why don’t you play some Halo with me? I’m sure she’ll come running back when she hears it.”

Kaylen cast one glance in the direction Grace had gone before nodding. "Alright," he agreed.

Ashton started up the game and they played for a while, enjoying themselves although both wondered when their friend would return.

Grace peered in a while later and moved to sit opposite Kaylen on the other side of Ashton, watching the boys play. Kaylen got the distinct feeling that she was avoiding him. Usually she would always take the seat beside him, her head on his shoulder of resting in his lap; she used to love being near him and today she wouldn’t step closer to him than she had to. He wasn’t liking it at all.

Ashton noticed the weird vibes going around and decided to fix it. He hauled Grace onto his lap and ticked her, getting the spots he knew would make her laugh hysterically all while shoving her between him and Kaylen.

When Ashton released her Grace panted to try to get her breath back and realized what he had done. She scowled at him a second before she shook her head, her eye’s laughing at him.

Kaylen slipped an arm around her shoulders and drew her closer to him. "Why do I get the feeling you’re avoiding me today Grace?" he asked her, his fingers playing with her hair habitually.

"I’m not…You’ve got a girlfriend now. She wouldn’t like another girl close to you," she argued as easily as she could although the real reason was she was trying to put distance between them now so that when he started dating Michelle and having less time for her she wouldn’t be heart broken but would have enough distance between them to take it in stride.

“That doesn’t mean, crap, Grace,” Ashton said. “You’re his best friend and Michelle knows that. If she can’t handle it, she can leave. Friends over significant others is the rule.”

Kaylen set the controller down and lifted her easily onto his lap sideways so she could look him in the eye and face him. "Is that what this is about? Grace I’ve known you my ENTIRE life. How could some girl I’ve just met mean more to me then that? I don’t like you avoiding me Grace."

Grace’s heart squeezed tightly at his words and she sighed heavily. "Sorry Kay."

Ashton watched with something akin to envy. One day there may be something there. He smiled faintly, wondering if Kaylen would ever reciprocate her feelings. The potential was there, but not the sight.

Grace climbed from Kaylen’s lap a moment later and sat between the guys watching as they resumed their game. Half an hour later she moved from between them to lie on the couch and was soon sound asleep.

Kaylen smiled watching Ashton carry his cousin upstairs; he always thought she looked so peaceful when she slept, giving her another trait he loved about her that he thought made her that much more attractive.

Ashton smiled over at her. “That’s why my parents kept that extra room a guest bed instead of making it into an office,” he said softly, lifting his small cousin into his arms and carrying her upstairs.

Kaylen smiled. He knew Daniel and Kirsten were used to this by now. Her cousin’s house was like her second home. On the days when she went over to Ashton’s house after school they knew she wouldn’t be coming home that night. After a full day of classes and goofing off with her cousin and friends she usually fell asleep over there and didn’t return till the following afternoon. It didn’t bug them anymore because they were used to it and Emily always called to inform them that she had fallen asleep and would be sleeping over again.

This time Ashton called and spent a brief while talking to his uncle before hanging up. “Parents worries are quelled and, we, my friend, are free,” Ashton said dramatically.

Kaylen chuckled. "So who was that other girl who came with us?" he asked.

Ashton had forgotten that he hadn’t told Kaylen. “Lianne…is who I’ve had my eye on ever since this semester started. She’s the most beautiful girl but its like she’s impenetrable. I know she’s sweet ‘cause she is nice to Grace and to me sometimes…” Ashton explained, growing frustrated even as he spoke. “I just…she drives me crazy!”

Kaylen laughed. "She seems very quiet…but yea girls do that to us. They get to us in the strangest ways."

“It’s completely retarded. I barely know her. I feel like this is just a hormonal reaction to a beautiful woman with an amazing body. I don’t want that to be my reasoning,” Ashton said before laughing at himself.

Kaylen laughed at the way Ashton made it sound and shook his head. "Somehow I doubt it. Why don’t you invite her to the party this weekend so you can get to know her better? Find out what is attracting you to her and prove to yourself it’s not just hormonal."

“Grace said she would. She seems almost scared of me and she’s more open to Grace,” Ashton said with a wry grin. “It was her idea. She’s the little matchmaker I tell you.”

Kaylen shook his head. "For you maybe. She had nothing to do with me and Michelle."

“You can’t blame her. She was kind of our girl and now we’re looking at other women. She’s got to feel pretty crappy,” Ashton said, realizing that it was partially the truth.

Kaylen hadn’t thought of it that way. She had grown up with them and played with them from the time they were born, and were the only men besides her father and uncle and the family friends who she was close to and suddenly they’re showing interest in other women, going to be spending more time with them.

"No, wonder she was ignoring me. She won’t ignore you because you’re her cousin and you’ll see her constantly anyways but she doesn’t have that same peace of mind for me."

Ashton smiled exactly. “You could say that,” he agreed, but not completely. “Just show her how much you care, man. However tomboyish she acts, she still needs the love.” He laughed to lighten the moment, but his warm, brown eyes showed his seriousness.

"She’s my best friend of course I love her…" Kaylen argued. He would hate to have Grace distanced from him, today alone proved that.

“I know that,” Ashton said with a roll of his eyes. “She’s just unsure so show her. It’s not hard. Make sure you spend time with her and show her that Michelle has nothing to do with you and her.”

Kaylen rolled his eyes. "I was planning on it. I’m not going to forget our Grace."

“She’ll be glad to hear it,” Ashton said before pushing himself up. “Let’s go shoot some hoops. I need to pack in as much fun as possible before tomorrow…it begins hell week.”

Kaylen rose and followed Ashton outside. "Prepare to get your butt whooped."

“Prepare to eat your words,” Ashton called back and the game began.

……………