"Well, here we are," Howie said unlocking the door to his parent's house. "Mom and Dad should be home in about an hour. We can hang out here or go over to Polly or John's if ya want," he smiled over at Rebecca.
"We can stay here," she replied looking around the room.
"Nervous baby?" he asked wrapping his arms around her.
"A little," she nodded. "I just hope they like me," she said laying her head on his shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. They're going to adore you as much as I do," he said leaning in to kiss her. "Who could that be?" he grumbled walking over to the door. Looking through the peephole, he grinned and flung the door open. "DANI!!" he smiled at the girl on his porch step.
"Hey sweetie," she said wrapping her arms around him.
"Hello," he said hugging her tightly. "How…how did you know I was home?"
"Your mom told me that you were coming into town today. So, where is this spectacular beauty who has stolen your heart away from me?" she asked smiling at him.
He laughed. "Becca's inside. Come on, I'll introduce ya," he said taking her hand and pulling her inside. They walked into the front room where Rebecca was looking at all the pictures of Howie and his siblings that were on the wall. She turned around as they walked in the room. Her gaze fell on their hands locked tightly together, and she looked up at Howie questionably. Howie smiled and walked over to her. "Don't worry beautiful. She's just my friend," he whispered in her ear as he hugged her. "Danielle, meet the most beautiful, sweet, loving, and wonderful woman in all the world, Rebecca. Next to which you would come dear," he winked. "Becca, meet one of my best friends in all the world, Danielle."
"HI!! I've heard so much about you," Danielle said hugging Rebecca. "You are so good for him. I've seen him fall for many girls, but you don't seem like any of them." Rebecca looked at her funny. "That's a good thing, sweetie," Danielle said laughing.
"Until now, I thought Dani was a guy," Rebecca said smiling. "Don't ask, I don't know," she said.
"Well, ya'll, I was just coming over to say hi. I'll leave ya'll alone. I'm sure Howie wants to show you around the house and stuff," Danielle smiled. "If ya wanna do something sometime," she said looking at Howie and then at Rebecca, "just give me a call."
Howie smiled. "Maybe tomorrow," he said.
"Okay then," she smiled. "It was nice meeting you Rebecca. And Howard. You take care of her. She's a good girl," she said pointing her finger at him.
"Yeahyeahyeah," he said shaking his head at her. "Get outta here. I wanna be alone," he winked.
"Bye ya'll," she said waving and letting herself out.
Rebecca laughed. "She's cute," she said smiling.
Howie nodded. "She's cool. We've known each other for YEARS," he said walking over to her. "She dated John a LONG time ago," he said wrapping his arms around her. "Now where was I?" he asked.
"Ummm…somewhere about here," she said gently pulling his face about two inches from hers.
"Ahh, yes," he said smiling at her. "And I believe that I was preparing to do this," he murmured as he placed his lips on hers. Pulling her close, he deepened the kiss, her arms coming up to encircle his neck.
"Whoa, HOWARD," a male voice said interrupting them.
Grinning, Howie turned his head slowly towards the doorway. "Dude, you have like the worst timing in the world," he said to his brother.
"Yeah, I know," John said laughing. "Bummer ain't it?"
Shaking his head, Howie turned to Rebecca, "Bec, this would be my brother John. He's a big pain in the ass."
"Nice to meet you," she said smiling and shaking his hand.
"So this is she whom my little brother has been babbling about for the last month," John said grinning at her.
"I should hope so," Rebecca smiled.
John laughed. "I like her," he said turning towards Howie. "Mom and Polly are on their way here. And dad should be here shortly."
"Okay. I'm going to give Becca a quick tour of the house before the family arrives," Howie said putting his arm around her waist. She smiled up at him and slipped hers around him. "Oh, by the way," Howie said over his shoulder as they were walking towards the hall. "Dani stopped by." He watched his brother's face light up.
"Oh really?" John asked a smile playing on his lips.
"Yeah, she told me to tell you hi."
"Perhaps I'll have to give her a call," John said walking over to the phone. Howie grinned and shook his head.
"You trying to set them back up?" Rebecca asked.
"Kind of. They like worship each other. It was stupid why they broke up to begin with. And they've been miserable for the past four years," he said. "They just need to stop being so gosh darn proud and let themselves be happy."
"What happened, if you don't mind me asking," she asked.
Howie smiled at her. "I don't mind you asking anything baby," he said. "Danielle went to Europe for a semester. Kind of like an Exchange Student. It was for a scholarship for college. John didn't want her to go. Said that she'd meet some European dude and forget all about him. So they decided that they didn't want to have a relationship while she was gone. And if they still cared for each other when she got back, then they'd get back together."
Rebecca nodded. "Okay. I'm assuming they didn't feel the same then?"
"Well, yes and no," he said. "They decided that while she was gone, they would date other people. Make the whole seperation experience completely fair and separate. Anyway, John dated a couple of people and Dani dated a few, but nothing was ever serious because they were too busy missing the other. Well, John decided to surprise Dani by going over to Europe to see her for her birthday. When he got there, she was with some friends," he said.
"Okay. So it upset him that she made friends?" Rebecca asked confused.
"No. What upset him was the fact that she introduced him to them as "one of her closest friends" and not her boyfriend. And the fact that she left with some guy that night instead of him."
"Oh," Rebecca said.
"But it turns out that the guy was the son of the family that she was staying with and that he had been her ride to the party. But John refused to say he was sorry for the whole ordeal, and Dani refused to forgive him for being a jerk in front of her friends. So they have this whole love-hate thing going on," he said shaking his head.
"I see. And you're trying to play match maker?" she asked.
"Yeah, kinda. I know that they still care for each other. It's obvious when you see them together. And my family adores her. They think she's wonderful," he shrugged. "Oh well," he said. "Things will work out eventually I guess."
"I love you," she said laughing.
"What?" he asked looking at her funny.
"Nothing. You're just silly," she said pulling him close and kissing him.
"I'm silly?" he asked.
"Yes, you're silly," she said.
"I'm assuming that silly is a good thing," he said kissing her softly. "Or you wouldn't be with me."
"Silly is a very, very, VERY good thing," she whispered kissing him again.
