Broken Hearts & Busted Stereos Ch. 07

Matt smiled at the curled up ball on the passenger seat. Janey had spent much of the day playing with the kids and they had tired her out, given, 10 children between the ages of 3 months and 8 years would have tired out anyone. It was quite amusing, the way she looked happy and tired as she fiddled with the dial on the radio. Always with the music. She finally stopped on the classic rock station, humming softly along with Van Morrison before losing herself in the music.

"I can hear her heart beat from a thousand miles..." He grinned at her sideways, her head was moving in rhythm with the music, her eyelashes barely kissing each other. He pulled into the driveway, leaving the radio on so Janey could enjoy the song. "She gimme love, love, love, love, crazy love..." It was too much not to kiss her, a hand reached to hold her cheek as he moved her to face him, leaning over the console to kiss her softly. He felt tension in her lips and then they melted, soft and sweet. His eyes fluttered softly shut as he focused on the feel of her.

She was lost, the music and the light and the taste of him enveloping her as her hands moved to his neck. It was so pure for them, a kiss without a request. The surprise had caught her first, and then it was as always. She sighed as he pulled away from her, reluctant to move, afraid it would fade away into the oblivion of memory, her only chance for the words that stuck in her throat now.

He watched her eyes flutter open, her lips slightly parted, he brushed his against hers once more, not ready for the sweet contact to end. He sighed, resting his forehead against hers as he whispered the last verse of the song. "And when I'm returning from so far away she gives me some sweet lovin', brightens up my day. Yes, it makes me righteous. Yes, it makes me whole. Yes, it makes me mellow down to my soul. She give me love," he allowed Janey to catch his lips for a breath before continuing, "love, love, love, crazy love. She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love." He sighed, falling into kissing her a bit harder. He felt her moan against his mouth and he reluctantly pulled away, looking into her face. "Why don't we go inside?" She blushed and smiled, unbuckling her seat belt and opening her door before swinging her feet around. He followed suit, shutting off the car before walking behind her as she opened the garage. He watched as she moved to scurry towards her bedroom, grabbing her wrist and stopping her.

She turned on him with brows knit in confusion, he smiled as he stepped onto the first step, regaining his height advantage and his proximity. His hand fell to her lower back, kissing her firmly as he leaned her head back, accepting his lips and tongue. It was then the giggles found their way down from the bathroom. Not just Mika, but a male set as well.

Janey broke the kiss, turning. Rage and confusion bubbled in her veins as strawberry blonde curls ontop of a medium frame stumbled backwards into her view. She blinked, utterly confused.

"Come on, I just wanna make sure you don't miss a spot. Plleeeaassse." She was pathetic, she should be furious. But no, she would let it slide, because even after all this time he was still a hopeless loser.

"Hey, Teddy, if you want a sexy shower you gotta have it at home." Janey bit her lip as he turned, he was obviously mortified. Perhaps playing it cool was better, the look of embarrassment was priceless.

"Oh my G-d! Janey!" Mika came running out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her waist, her bikini top a jet black. "I'm so sorry, girl. I wanted to tell you but I didn't know how and i was afraid you'd be mad and I didn't want to fight like so soon before..." Janey simply lifted a hand with a smile, abruptly cutting off her friend.

"Don't stress it, girl." Eyes turned on Ted, "He should stress it. He's the one who has apologies to make." Ted gulped hard at her words, only more embarrassed by the fact that Matt was standing directly behind her with possessive hands on her hips. He took a deep breath. He and Janey weren't right for each other, and then there was Mika, and... another deep breath. But there was pride here.

"I'm sorry for coming here, Mika, call me." He wrapped his towel tight, heading down towards the living room to grab the clothes he had discarded on the way into the yard.

Quick footsteps carried Janey across the dining room and into the living room, "FUCK YOU!" Ted turned around startled, staring at the eruption from the usually mellow Janey.

"I said I was sorry, I'm fucking leaving." He rolled his eyes, balling his clothes beneath his arm and walking in Janey's direction and towards the door. He stumbled when she blocked his way, pushing him rather roughly. "What the fuck? Are you fucking crazy?"

"No, I don't want you to leave, I want you to sit the fuck down and give me an explanation." The stern look in her eyes wasn't one he was used to seeing.

"For what? I met Mika at the bar, sorry." He tried to pass again but she blocked his way.

"No, for the last two years. Look, Ted, if I did something to piss you off, I'm sorry. But I have racked my fucking mind and I can't think of anything that makes sense. So I'm only left with one explanation. If you're jealous of the fact I fucking slept with Matt-"

"I'm not fucking jealous."

"You're not fucking jealous? Why did you stop talking to me then?"

"We grew in different directions."

"Shut up, we were friends for years and you NEVER made a move, nothing. I gave up on that, I realized that wasn't what we were. Aren't you glad that of all the people in the world I could've slept with it was Matt? Aren't you fucking happy that maybe for a couple of hours once in a while I can be happy? No, you're not, you're too fucking busy crying for yourself. Fuck that, Ted." She was rambling, babbling, but she was right. "You're two best friends sleep together, so what? It's not like you weren't out sleeping with random girls I hated. I never walked away, though, no matter how fucking jealous I was. I was a friend to you, and I think I deserve at least the same. If nothing else, I deserve a legitimate explanation for why you can't stand the sight of me." He waited a moment.

"Are you done?" His words were met with Janey shaking her head, sighing and rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, sure. Guess so." He sighed, swallowing hard, he could see the tears shining in her eyes. It was time to fess up, this wasn't fair.

"I'm sorry, Janey. You're right." He walked around her quickly as the shock held her in place. She simply stared at the wall, had she heard him right, was he still just walking away? She took deep breaths, trying to force back the tears. The opening and closing of the front doors left her with no option but to let her legs fall out from beneath her and let the tears roll down her cheeks. All these years, and he couldn't just say something. And it was all her fault.

"Janey?" Matt's voice was quiet, and far softer than normal. She quickly wiped her eyes before turning to look at him with a forced smile.

"Hey, babe." He sighed, he knew her too well for this. He took small steps, finally settling in front of her on the floor, legs spread apart with knees bent so he could fit her between them. Fingertips pushed the hair that hung to frame her face back behind her ears.

"Don't 'Hey, babe' me." He half-smiled, tilting his head and looking into her eyes. "How long have you thought that the problem between you and Ted was me?" She bit her lip, looking down.

"How long have you?" Matt shook his head and looked at her.

"You're too smart for your own good you know. I figured it out about six months in, New Year's Eve, Ted didn't want me to invite you down to the shore with us. You're turn."

"A month in, when he first asked me if we were... ya know... and I said yes, and he was silent the whole way home." She hung her head. "I guess he kind of does have a right to hate me, I mean, I knew, and I just kept going with it, I put this before the friendship."

Fingers on her chin lifted her to eye level with him, "He didn't say anything, it isn't your job to figure out the puzzle."

She laughed, "You always had the benefit of being Ted's buddy, I was his confidante, his shrink, his mom. My job WAS to figure out the puzzle."

"Janey?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll fix things with Ted for you if you make me a promise."

"What?"

"Promise me that you're willing to give this," he pressed his lips to hers gently, "a real try." He watched her face swirl with confusion and then excitement. "This has been much more than us sleeping together for a long time, and you know that." She simply nodded, leaning forward with her chin on his shoulder, enjoying the feel of his fingertips on his back.

"How are you going to fix things in three days?"

"I forgot he was leaving so soon. Well, at least on the third day Mika will be gone-"

"Mika! Oh my G-d!" Janey jumped up, Matt chuckling as she scrambled upstairs. He sighed, rising from the floor and moving towards the front door. He shouted a good bye up the stairs before moving out the door, he had things to take care of.