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It had been an unusually calm day for the two inhabitants of Robin’s Nest. Thomas and Juliet had slept in a bit later than usual, letting the sun wake them instead of an alarm. Then Thomas had disappeared out onto the ocean on his surf ski while Juliet headed out for her daily yoga session. After that, followed a late breakfast with witty banter and stolen kisses. That unfamiliar but very welcome feeling of serenity stayed in the guesthouse throughout the rest of the day.
Juliet was sat at the bar counter, her laptop open in front of her, when she heard heavy footsteps behind her.
“I think the steaks are almost thawed out.” Juliet informed her counterpart, eyes never leaving her laptop. Her vision was obscured though, when a bottle of Malbec appeared in front of her. Leaning down, Thomas whispered in her ear, “Look what I got us for tonight.”
Juliet didn’t have to look at Thomas to know he was sporting a grin. It was evident in his voice, which brought a smile to hers. She let her head tip backwards, leaning against Thomas as she said, “I do hope you plan on properly decanting that bottle, seeing as you stole it from the wine cellar.”
“Why would you just assume I stole it?”
“Because I know for a fact that you didn’t buy it.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because the Ferrari is still in the garage, and as we all know you are allergic to an uber.”
“Only teenagers use uber,” Magnum mumbled and dropped a kiss on Juliet’s head. He placed the bottle on the counter and moved to check on the two steaks. He had planned a home cooked meal for an impromptu date night having decided that it was the perfect time to wine and dine his beautiful girlfriend.
He still couldn’t control the smile that appeared on his face every time when he thought of Juliet being his girlfriend. He’d thought that after seven months he would have gotten control over the involuntary action but apparently, he hadn’t and honestly, he found he didn’t really care. He was happy and if that meant he had to put up with Rick and T.C.’s teasing, then so be it.
Leaning back against the counter with his arms crossed, Thomas looked at Juliet. She looked so comfortable sitting there, on a bar stool busy with something on her laptop. He sometimes wondered what keeps her so occupied on that thing but she has a way of always evading that specific question.
Catching her eye as she closed her laptop Thomas said, “Well, I don’t know how to decant a bottle of wine.”
Juliet huffed and shook her head, trying to hide her smile as she stood up and made her way to one of the cabinets in his kitchen. As she pulled out a decanter, Thomas felt his jaw drop. What the …! When did …?
“How did that thing find its way into my kitchen?”
“I put it there seeing as it’s my kitchen and all.” Juliet said with a grin, knowing exactly what button she wanted to push. She reached for the wine bottle, but before she could pick it up, Thomas had one arm circling her waist and pulling her back against his chest as the other hand stayed poised near her waist.
“Your kitchen? I think you’re forgetting that I’m the one living here.” Thomas said, trying to keep his amusement out of his voice.
Well, actually, Juliet was living there too. Unofficially, of course. She kept insisting that she was still living in the main house but she spends most nights curled up next to him and half her closet could be found in his room. His bathroom counter had all these little pots and tubes of creams and serums on it that didn’t belong to him and he didn’t have any use for the box of tampons he had found in his bathroom cabinet a while ago. But for this argument’s sake, he’s the only one living in the guesthouse and it was his kitchen.
Juliet eyed the hand with wiggling fingers wearily and said, “I think you are forgetting that I am the one who owns the estate and therefore I own this kitchen.”
“You little …” Thomas said as his hand descended on Juliet’s waist. Her laughter rang through the guesthouse along with “Magnum! Stop! That tickles!”
Thomas keeps his hold on her, relentlessly moving his fingers on her sides even as she squirms. “Seeing as I’m tickling you, I should hope so!”
Thomas and Juliet were so wrapped up in their tickle fest, they hadn’t noticed that Rick and T.C. was standing in the living room. They only registered that they weren’t alone anymore when T.C. had cleared his throat.
Their heads moved towards the sound simultaneously and their laughter had stopped but their smiles had stayed. As had Magnum’s arm around Higgins. Something neither of the newcomers missed, but that wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. They had always known Thomas to be an affectionate guy, someone who experienced his emotions intensely, and when he found something or someone he loved, he wasn’t afraid to show it to the world. And damn anyone who had something to say about it.
“Hi guys.” Higgins greeted.
“I didn’t know you were coming around,” Thomas said. A frown suddenly appeared between his eyes. “Did we have plans I forgot about?”
“No,” Rick said, “we just thought we could come over after work and watch a couple of movies or play some poker. Maybe throw a few burgers on the grill.”
“But by the looks of it, you two seem to already have plans.” T.C. commented, as he saw the wine bottle next to the decanter and two steaks on the counter.
The silence stretched on for a beat. Higgins felt Magnum’s arm tense up around her waist, alerting her to his inward struggle. She knew he wanted to cook for her tonight but she also knew he loved spending time with his brothers as well, even though he sees them every day. And their plans for tonight wasn’t official. It was an in the moment decision, much like the boys’ decision to drop by. It was then that she made her decision. She took the bottle of wine and placed it in a cool corner next to the fridge.
“Who want’s a beer?” Higgins asked, as she opened the fridge.
Simultaneously she heard, “No, you guys obviously had plans,” and “Don’t worry Higgy-baby, we don’t wanna intrude.”
“Oh please,” Higgins said as she closed the fridge, four beers in hand. “Nobody’s intruding. You know you’re always welcome here. Now, beer anyone?”
“You guys were going to have a romantic dinner.” Rick tried, making a last attempt to excuse themselves and let the couple return to their plans.
“And we can always have that dinner tomorrow.” Higgins stated and looked at Magnum, eyebrow slightly lifted. He had this huge smile on his face and without saying a word, she knew she had made the right decision. Turning her head back to Rick and T.C. she lifted two beers again, asking silently. This time neither declined the offer.
Taking a beer, Rick took a seat on the barstool Higgins had earlier sat on while T.C. rounded the counter and pulled Higgins into a side hug.
“You’re the best, Higgy-baby. Anyone ever tell you that?” She laughed and looked up at him. “Someone might have mentioned it before.” T.C. gave her shoulder a squeeze before she walked over to hand Magnum his beer.
“So, we making burgers tonight?” Magnum asked the group, already knowing they were moving to the outside grill.
“Yes,” Rick said as he clapped his hands together, “now we’re talking. Beers and burgers.”
“You boys need to be careful,” Higgins said, her voice laced with warning as she gathered everything they were going to need outside. “If you continue on a diet of beer and burgers, you are all going to end up with very large beer bellies.”
Cries of outrage rang through the guesthouse and onto the lawn. Rick took the burger patties and utensils from Higgins to help her carry it out to the grill.
“This, my dear Jules, are rock solid abs!” Rick said as he pointed to his stomach with the tongs.
“Maybe for now, but …”
Standing on the patio, Magnum and T.C. watched Higgins and Rick walk down the lawn. Moments like these were what made Thomas so incredibly happy. These moments where Higgins interacted with his brothers and it seems like she has known them for as long as he has. Moments when he knew his brothers thought of her as their little sister and that they would do anything to protect her, just like he knew they would do for him. Like he would do for them and like he knew, Juliet would do for them.
“You did good T.M. You’ve got a real good one there.”
Magnum could hear the approval in T.C.’s voice and knew if it was Rick standing there, he would hear the exact same thing. Thomas smiled as he took another sip of his beer and clapped T.C. on the back in acknowledgement before they both made their way down to join their little ohana.