fic - generations (a miniseries)
Yay! Hi, F-List, did you hear that it's the anniversary of The OC? You know that show we used to watch that one time?
10 years! We are all so old!
But I made some of the best friends ever because of this 'teen soap opera' and am totally STOKED.
I am officially on vacation - forever from the job I had for the past 6+ years and enjoying bad daytime TV and NOSTALGIA.
So in celebration of officially having NOTHING TO DO for the next 12 days - I bring to anyone who cares - a fic about some people that used to live in California and were sexy on TV.
title - generations (a miniseries)
fandom - the oc
pairings - where's your curiosity, folks?
warnings - language, sexitimes, familial confusion
disclaimer - never owned it, still broke.
words - 3K-ish
MONDAY.
He scanned the storyboard of the latest ad campaign for the growing Lawson Development and tried to pay attention to the perky intern stammering out statistics.
He was proud of his rise in the ranks at the Newport Group and he had worked for every bullet point on his resume. Kirsten wouldn't have turned over the reins to him if she didn't think he'd earned it.
It's not where he'd pictured himself but it was where he'd landed. Movies and TV make it seem like being head of a company was exciting and intense but it was more monotony and math.
Hailey kicked his leg and he blinked and focused on the new bar graph.
"Comic sans," he muttered under his breath.
"Be nice," she hissed.
He kicked her back. Ryan was always nice.
**************
"Dropping off the boy," Kaitlyn called into the kitchen.
"Screw you, Sis," Jackson muttered, dropping his backpack.
Kirsten walked in, styled impeccably in her Newpsie Cougar minidress and gave Jackson a warm hug. "What are you in trouble for today, Jacks?"
"I wouldn't be in trouble if Ry had picked me up," he frowned, crossing his arms.
"He got yellow cards. And a red one. Siri says he's in trouble," Kaitlyn said, holding up her phone.
"It wasn't my fault, that kid was asking for it," Jacks grumbled.
"Sophie's upstairs waiting for you," Kirsten said.
"You're not grounded until Ryan explains what I'm grounding you for," Kaitlyn said. Jacks relaxed.
"Thanks," Jacks said, taking the stairs two at a time.
"Sophie's still pouting that he's on the soccer team, she says it's ruining their BFF time," Kirsten said. "Coffee?"
"Sure. Jacks still spends more time over here than he does at home. Ryan's been making me play video games with him, so I'm pretty sure he's pouting over the East Coast ruining his BFF time with Seth," Kaitlyn said.
"That makes me feel better, actually. I don't want to find out he's spending all his time at work," Kirsten said.
"That place basically runs itself. He says Hailey does most of the face to face stuff," Kaitlyn shrugged. She took a long sniff of the coffee. The Cohens had the best coffee.
"Interesting," Kirsten said. "I'll be sure and ask him about that."
Kaitlyn liked Hailey, they'd bonded over being the 'second child' and she secretly wanted Kirsten to approve of her sister's success.
"How's business?" Kirsten asked.
Kaitlyn reached over and checked the seam of her sleeve. "I didn't know this was in the stores yet."
"I've got a connection at the boutique," Kirsten replied.
"I'm going to kill Ryan if he's stealing from my displays again," Kaitlyn sighed.
"He loves his mother," Kirsten preened.
"I'm never showing you my designs again," she pouted.
"Don't be like that," Kirsten smiled. "I've gotten compliments all morning so it's free advertising for you."
"Still, not cool."
"Now, enough of small talk - now it's time for gossip. Any men on the horizon for you, honey? Because I heard one of the Ward twins left his wife," Kirsten said.
Kaitlyn winced. "Eric had a rough time of it, his wife really did a number on him."
"Oh. Well, we'll find someone else for you," Kirsten said.
"On that note, I'm heading out to pick up Ryan, his car's getting detailed."
"Again? He has to stop eating in the car, he gets that thing cleaned more than he drives it," Kirsten said, kissing her on both cheeks. "Dinner at seven,"
*********
"Kirsten...wants to know...why you keep...getting your car cleaned."
"You're...so...gross..."
Kaitlyn laughed into his mouth, adjusting herself and grinding her hips to take more of him inside her across the seat.
"You know I eat in the car all the time," Ryan said, his rough hands holding her skirt around her waist for better access.
"I know that, your mouth's one of my favorite things," Kaitlyn smirked, leaning down for another kiss. He bucked his hips and startled a moan out of her.
"Why were...you talking to Kirsten?" he gasped.
She fisted her fingers in his hair. He was fine with normal conversation during sex, it was one of the things she liked about sleeping with him; but she wanted to get off at least once before they started it. He had stamina but they were on a timeline. They had lived in the same house for years but their private time was scheduled outside of family time.
**************
"Mm. How was your day, honey?" Kirsten tilted her cheek for Sandy to peck before he gave her a real hello kiss.
"Long. Went out to see Julie," Sandy said.
"Ouch, is it that time again?" she winced.
"Yep."
"What's the update?" Kirsten asked.
"Well, she's completely gray now," Sandy replied thoughtfully. "And at least a size fourteen."
"Stop it," Kirsten swatted at him. "Did she ask about Jacks?"
"She always asks about him. Ryan makes sure she has pictures when he visits," Sandy said quietly.
"I can't believe they're still doing that," Kirsten sighed. "It can't be good for them."
"Ryan and Kaitlyn have never liked doing things that are good for them," Sandy replied. "He visits Julie so she doesn't have to and she visits Frank. It works, even if it's not healthy."
Julie and Frank had been tried together for Bullitt's murder. Julie was notorious before the planned murder for being a gold-digger but Kirsten actually believed she'd changed when she settled down with Frank. But with Julie's manipulative, greedy, nature and Frank's criminal pedigree - someone should have seen the danger. It was sad that it took losing a good man to put the two of them away.
"Kaitlyn got banned from the prison for a few weeks for spitting on him. She has to visit through the glass now," Sandy said.
"He wished Ry a happy birthday and it wasn't his birthday," Jacks said, walking into the room with two empty soda cans and heading to the recycling bins. Summer's rules were law whether she was in the country or out.
"Sorry for eavesdropping, but you're talking in the kitchen and we need soda," Sophie said as she followed him in. The two were closer than Ryan and Seth and more siblings than best friends.
"They won't have to do it for much longer," Jacks said solemnly, shrugging. "When I'm eighteen, Ry says he'll take me to see them both. He says I have to be the one to decide to cut the ties."
"Even if he's old enough now to decide, Ryan doesn't believe him," Sophie chimed in. She held out a can of soda to Jacks.
"He insists nobody knows what they're doing when they're fifteen and that parents are important, the ones you choose and the ones you don't," Jacks said, smiling tiredly.
"Come on, we're in the middle of a game and family drama time is at seven," Sophie said.
"I'd rather talk about the yellow cards than this at dinner, though," Jacks said, following her out.
"Ryan and Kaitlyn are doing a good job with him," Kirsten said.
"They've been giving him a stable home for eight years, that's not news, honey," Sandy smiled.
"Yeah, by putting their lives on hold."
"Just because they're not in relationships, it doesn't mean their lives are hold," Sandy said. "And no, you cannot reopen your matchmaking business."
************
"Don't ogle Kirsten," Hailey warned as she shifted into park.
"We've been together two years and you still think I have the hots for your sister? I told you, it was just because she reminded me of my one true love that I hadn't met yet."
She accepted Carter's kiss and response to her familiar joke before climbing out of the car. Ryan loved to tease her about taking Kirsten's sloppy seconds, but he was just as guilty considering his relationship carousel.
She'd figure out who he was banging eventually, it was only a matter of time. It was her duty to cockblock her nephew, or at least run background checks if no one else had. Kirsten, all the Cohens, were depending on her.
"You look like you're plotting, anything I should be worried about?" Carter asked, slipping his hand into her back pocket and guiding her up the front steps.
"Just thinking of defenses against small talk in case there are random dinner guests," Hailey said.
"Yeah, they do tend to have interesting friends," Carter agreed. "I was one of them once, you know."
"Aunt Hailey, what's up? Ryan and Jacks are eating all the breadsticks, so you better hurry," Sophie greeted them as she threw open the door in her rush to get upstairs.
"Breadsticks," Carter said, his eyes lighting up.
Hailey rolled her eyes. She was relieved to see Kaitlyn and Kirsten relaxing on the patio while Sandy worked the barbecue. Helping Kirsten cook was no fun now that her sister knew what she was doing. Carter drifted over to the blond brothers to barter for bread.
She had never gotten along with the Coopers, apart from Jimmy during those few months of delusion; but Kaitlyn had turned out to be a good friend. She'd grown up in the jungles of Newport gossip and drama but she fought her way out. Hailey didn't have a lot of female friends apart from her sister but Kaitlyn had made a place for herself as an ally.
"Where was Sophie running to?" Hailey asked, sitting down.
"Seth sent her some comic proofs and she wanted to look at them on the tablet," Kirsten said. "How are you, Hailey? I like that jacket."
"Mine," Kaitlyn chirped.
Hailey rolled her eyes but the girl designed nice clothes. "I had a meeting with Rollins from AK90 United."
"Their name is still stupid, but they make good porches," Kirsten said. "Does he still have that - "
"Comb-over? Oh yeah, and a pornstache, it's horrific. He was disappointed with the jacket because he couldn't stare at my tits," Hailey said.
"Nice," Kaitlyn nodded. "I should send that story to marketing."
"It's good that Ryan's sending you out. He's so subdued that I worried he'd channel Dad's hardass persona with the clients. Rollins is a tough sell, you must be pretty good," Kirsten said thoughtfully.
Hailey felt warm all over. She never wanted to prove anything to her Dad, but she had always wanted to prove herself to her sister.
"Dibs!" Carter yelled suddenly, holding the last breadstick over his head in celebration.
"You know, if I wanted to be a babysitter, I would have kids by now," Hailey muttered. Carter was making obnoxious omnomnom sounds and Hailey could see Ryan and Jacks plotting to throw him in the pool through silent glances.
"Do you want me to tell them that there are more in the oven?" Kirsten asked her.
"Nah, I want to see them scramble," Hailey replied.
************
Summer walked into the office and closed the door, reaching over to switch off the stereo so he would realize she was there.
"Hey, baby - I didn't know you'd be back today," Seth smiled immediately. He was always so happy to see her and she felt a knot of guilt sink into her stomach.
She loved him so much. She'd taken advantage of his stay-at-home job to follow her dreams of making the world a better place - and it was still her dream - but Seth had followed her everywhere.
He'd been chasing her for years.
"What's wrong?" Seth asked, his grin wavering.
"We need to talk," she said.
"Oh god. What did I do?" Seth asked.
"Nothing. Well, you had a part in it, but. Let's do a number list, okay?"
"Do I need to take notes?" Seth whispered.
"One. I think we should move home. To Newport. Two. I love you. Three. I'm taking a job at the California branch of Seal Safety. Four. I didn't throw the Twinkies away, I ate them. Five, I'm pregnant. Six. We have a new ferret."
"I need to take notes," Seth interrupted. "Rewind to four and start again."
"Twinkies."
"No, I got that - you're pregnant? Summer, are you sure?"
"Four home tests and two blood tests. Positive," she whispered. She glanced up and he was only a step away.
"Can I be happy about it or are we not happy about it?" Seth hesitated.
She reached out and yanked him into a hug so she could cry.
*************
"When I said bring dessert, I didn't mean Twinkies," Kirsten said.
"They just put them back on the market, we had to celebrate," Ryan replied. "And I think Seth and Summer will be coming to visit soon and you know she won't let us eat processed foods."
Sophie stuffed a Twinkie into Kaitlyn's mouth and Kirsten knew she would be calling Rosa for tips at cleaning up pastry cream tomorrow.
Carter stepped into the kitchen. "There's a strange lady yelling in French in the driveway."
Ryan sighed.
"Taylor's supposed to be in Kenya this semester," Kaitlyn replied.
"Hey, your crazy ex is in the yard, bro," Jacks said, following Carter into the room. "I'm not giving up my room for her again."
"She is not staying with us," Kaitlyn echoed, poking Ryan hard in the shoulder.
"Not it," Sandy said, holding up both hands.
"We sleep nude, we don't take houseguests," Hailey said. "Who is she again?"
"They should have never closed The Mermaid," Ryan groaned, pushing himself out of the chair but Taylor Townsend stepped into the room flushed cheeks.
"I don't know how he's survived this long without anyone killing him - God, he's so frustrating, I should have left him in Spain!" Taylor ranted.
"Hello, Taylor, it's so nice to see you," Sandy said.
"Sorry, Sandy. Hi, kids, hi everyone else. Now, can I complain about my soon to be ex-husband?" Taylor asked.
"Mom, I'm going to stay at Ryan's tonight, he's going to drop us at school early tomorrow," Sophie said, ignoring Taylor's dramatics.
"Behave, I'm watching your tweets," Kirsten warned. Sophie waggled her eyebrows in an admirable imitation of her father and dragged Jacks out of the kitchen.
"See you at work, Boss," Hailey ducked out of the house, too leaving Kirsten, Sandy and Kaitlyn to hold witness to Ryan's counseling session.
"Okay. Start at the beginning, Taylor. Why aren't you in Kenya?" Ryan asked.
"And why was Luke in Spain?" Kaitlyn added.
"There was this cloud thing happening in Spain so he went with a bunch of his weathermen friends and then they got arrested for trespassing - but that's not the point - he was supposed to stay in Kenya with me and last week - he just flaked out - he didn't even say goodbye!"
Ryan shared a glance with Kaitlyn. Kirsten knew the two were close but it was always interesting to see how much closer Ryan was with Kaitlyn compared to Marissa.
"Taylor, Luke's job started last week. You know, the job he's been working toward for ten years? With The Weather Channel? He told you," Kaitlyn said slowly.
"No - he didn't get that job, he said they gave it to that chick with the fake hair," Taylor replied.
"She got knocked up and took a job at QVC," Ryan said.
"He wore one of my ties on his first night," Kaitlyn preened.
"Before you say any more," Ryan said, holding up his hand. "Answer me this - have you talked to him since you found out he was gone?"
Taylor's face flushed even darker. "His cell phone's not working."
"And who were you yelling at in the front yard?" Kirsten asked.
"If the answer is Henri Michel, all your arguments are invalid," Kaitlyn added.
Ryan held up his cell phone. "Luke's phone is working. He says you're in Kenya."
"I was yelling at Eric's soon-to-be-ex-wife, not Henri Michel," Taylor said. "She knows I'm the one that proved she broke his pre-nup. That's not important - Luke thinks I'd stay in Kenya after he left me?"
Ryan skimmed his phone and set it down on the table. "He says you were working out of phone distance when he got the call and he left you messages with the villagers."
Kaitlyn snorted.
"Would you like a Twinkie?" Sandy offered.
Taylor deflated and took the Twinkie.
*************
"I don't know how you could have ever gone out with that woman," Kaitlyn said.
"We're not dating, you can't be jealous," Ryan said into her shoulder.
She locked her ankles behind his back and his fingers dug into her ass as he held her in place and braced her against the wall.
"She's nuts."
"You're hot."
She stifled a grunt into his mouth and he slowed his pace so they didn't thump against the wall.
It was rare for them to have sex inside the house, and even rarer for them to do it with Jacks in the house. This was their secret.
"Do you want to date? Because you suck at dating from what I hear," Kaitlyn tested, darting her tongue behind his teeth.
"I have heard that, too," Ryan hissed, baring his throat as he pulled her hips down and took her breath.
"I might give you a shot," Kaitlyn gasped.
"I don't want to date," Ryan said, pushing off the wall and carrying her to the bed. He put her down carefully and moved on top of her. She arched automatically as he filled her and covered her mouth with his. "I'm tired of dating."
She was too distracted to consider what that meant.
"If you want...to date...you should find someone else...but if you want...more than that...then we can...do that..."
"Oh."
He finished with a grunt, collapsing on top of her with a sloppy kiss by her ear.
When she blinked the best of the stars out of her eyes, she pushed him off. "Asshole - you can't say something like that when - "
"You're the one that started the conversation when I was in the middle of - " Ryan interrupted.
"I didn't mean for it to get all serious - "
"It's not serious - unless you want it to be serious - " Ryan cut her off but quickly stopped himself.
"Oh."
There was a timid knock on the door. "Ry? What's going on? Is Kaity in there?"
"We're just paying bills - math, go to sleep, Jacks," Ryan replied after a long beat.
"We can't sleep if you're fighting!" Sophie's voice called from further away.
"Stop talking about math and go to bed, guys," Jacks said. "Lights out was hours ago."
They were silent until they couldn't hear his footsteps.
"I need to get my car cleaned," Kaitlyn said.
"I know a guy."
10 years! We are all so old!
But I made some of the best friends ever because of this 'teen soap opera' and am totally STOKED.
I am officially on vacation - forever from the job I had for the past 6+ years and enjoying bad daytime TV and NOSTALGIA.
So in celebration of officially having NOTHING TO DO for the next 12 days - I bring to anyone who cares - a fic about some people that used to live in California and were sexy on TV.
title - generations (a miniseries)
fandom - the oc
pairings - where's your curiosity, folks?
warnings - language, sexitimes, familial confusion
disclaimer - never owned it, still broke.
words - 3K-ish
MONDAY.
He scanned the storyboard of the latest ad campaign for the growing Lawson Development and tried to pay attention to the perky intern stammering out statistics.
He was proud of his rise in the ranks at the Newport Group and he had worked for every bullet point on his resume. Kirsten wouldn't have turned over the reins to him if she didn't think he'd earned it.
It's not where he'd pictured himself but it was where he'd landed. Movies and TV make it seem like being head of a company was exciting and intense but it was more monotony and math.
Hailey kicked his leg and he blinked and focused on the new bar graph.
"Comic sans," he muttered under his breath.
"Be nice," she hissed.
He kicked her back. Ryan was always nice.
**************
"Dropping off the boy," Kaitlyn called into the kitchen.
"Screw you, Sis," Jackson muttered, dropping his backpack.
Kirsten walked in, styled impeccably in her Newpsie Cougar minidress and gave Jackson a warm hug. "What are you in trouble for today, Jacks?"
"I wouldn't be in trouble if Ry had picked me up," he frowned, crossing his arms.
"He got yellow cards. And a red one. Siri says he's in trouble," Kaitlyn said, holding up her phone.
"It wasn't my fault, that kid was asking for it," Jacks grumbled.
"Sophie's upstairs waiting for you," Kirsten said.
"You're not grounded until Ryan explains what I'm grounding you for," Kaitlyn said. Jacks relaxed.
"Thanks," Jacks said, taking the stairs two at a time.
"Sophie's still pouting that he's on the soccer team, she says it's ruining their BFF time," Kirsten said. "Coffee?"
"Sure. Jacks still spends more time over here than he does at home. Ryan's been making me play video games with him, so I'm pretty sure he's pouting over the East Coast ruining his BFF time with Seth," Kaitlyn said.
"That makes me feel better, actually. I don't want to find out he's spending all his time at work," Kirsten said.
"That place basically runs itself. He says Hailey does most of the face to face stuff," Kaitlyn shrugged. She took a long sniff of the coffee. The Cohens had the best coffee.
"Interesting," Kirsten said. "I'll be sure and ask him about that."
Kaitlyn liked Hailey, they'd bonded over being the 'second child' and she secretly wanted Kirsten to approve of her sister's success.
"How's business?" Kirsten asked.
Kaitlyn reached over and checked the seam of her sleeve. "I didn't know this was in the stores yet."
"I've got a connection at the boutique," Kirsten replied.
"I'm going to kill Ryan if he's stealing from my displays again," Kaitlyn sighed.
"He loves his mother," Kirsten preened.
"I'm never showing you my designs again," she pouted.
"Don't be like that," Kirsten smiled. "I've gotten compliments all morning so it's free advertising for you."
"Still, not cool."
"Now, enough of small talk - now it's time for gossip. Any men on the horizon for you, honey? Because I heard one of the Ward twins left his wife," Kirsten said.
Kaitlyn winced. "Eric had a rough time of it, his wife really did a number on him."
"Oh. Well, we'll find someone else for you," Kirsten said.
"On that note, I'm heading out to pick up Ryan, his car's getting detailed."
"Again? He has to stop eating in the car, he gets that thing cleaned more than he drives it," Kirsten said, kissing her on both cheeks. "Dinner at seven,"
*********
"Kirsten...wants to know...why you keep...getting your car cleaned."
"You're...so...gross..."
Kaitlyn laughed into his mouth, adjusting herself and grinding her hips to take more of him inside her across the seat.
"You know I eat in the car all the time," Ryan said, his rough hands holding her skirt around her waist for better access.
"I know that, your mouth's one of my favorite things," Kaitlyn smirked, leaning down for another kiss. He bucked his hips and startled a moan out of her.
"Why were...you talking to Kirsten?" he gasped.
She fisted her fingers in his hair. He was fine with normal conversation during sex, it was one of the things she liked about sleeping with him; but she wanted to get off at least once before they started it. He had stamina but they were on a timeline. They had lived in the same house for years but their private time was scheduled outside of family time.
**************
"Mm. How was your day, honey?" Kirsten tilted her cheek for Sandy to peck before he gave her a real hello kiss.
"Long. Went out to see Julie," Sandy said.
"Ouch, is it that time again?" she winced.
"Yep."
"What's the update?" Kirsten asked.
"Well, she's completely gray now," Sandy replied thoughtfully. "And at least a size fourteen."
"Stop it," Kirsten swatted at him. "Did she ask about Jacks?"
"She always asks about him. Ryan makes sure she has pictures when he visits," Sandy said quietly.
"I can't believe they're still doing that," Kirsten sighed. "It can't be good for them."
"Ryan and Kaitlyn have never liked doing things that are good for them," Sandy replied. "He visits Julie so she doesn't have to and she visits Frank. It works, even if it's not healthy."
Julie and Frank had been tried together for Bullitt's murder. Julie was notorious before the planned murder for being a gold-digger but Kirsten actually believed she'd changed when she settled down with Frank. But with Julie's manipulative, greedy, nature and Frank's criminal pedigree - someone should have seen the danger. It was sad that it took losing a good man to put the two of them away.
"Kaitlyn got banned from the prison for a few weeks for spitting on him. She has to visit through the glass now," Sandy said.
"He wished Ry a happy birthday and it wasn't his birthday," Jacks said, walking into the room with two empty soda cans and heading to the recycling bins. Summer's rules were law whether she was in the country or out.
"Sorry for eavesdropping, but you're talking in the kitchen and we need soda," Sophie said as she followed him in. The two were closer than Ryan and Seth and more siblings than best friends.
"They won't have to do it for much longer," Jacks said solemnly, shrugging. "When I'm eighteen, Ry says he'll take me to see them both. He says I have to be the one to decide to cut the ties."
"Even if he's old enough now to decide, Ryan doesn't believe him," Sophie chimed in. She held out a can of soda to Jacks.
"He insists nobody knows what they're doing when they're fifteen and that parents are important, the ones you choose and the ones you don't," Jacks said, smiling tiredly.
"Come on, we're in the middle of a game and family drama time is at seven," Sophie said.
"I'd rather talk about the yellow cards than this at dinner, though," Jacks said, following her out.
"Ryan and Kaitlyn are doing a good job with him," Kirsten said.
"They've been giving him a stable home for eight years, that's not news, honey," Sandy smiled.
"Yeah, by putting their lives on hold."
"Just because they're not in relationships, it doesn't mean their lives are hold," Sandy said. "And no, you cannot reopen your matchmaking business."
************
"Don't ogle Kirsten," Hailey warned as she shifted into park.
"We've been together two years and you still think I have the hots for your sister? I told you, it was just because she reminded me of my one true love that I hadn't met yet."
She accepted Carter's kiss and response to her familiar joke before climbing out of the car. Ryan loved to tease her about taking Kirsten's sloppy seconds, but he was just as guilty considering his relationship carousel.
She'd figure out who he was banging eventually, it was only a matter of time. It was her duty to cockblock her nephew, or at least run background checks if no one else had. Kirsten, all the Cohens, were depending on her.
"You look like you're plotting, anything I should be worried about?" Carter asked, slipping his hand into her back pocket and guiding her up the front steps.
"Just thinking of defenses against small talk in case there are random dinner guests," Hailey said.
"Yeah, they do tend to have interesting friends," Carter agreed. "I was one of them once, you know."
"Aunt Hailey, what's up? Ryan and Jacks are eating all the breadsticks, so you better hurry," Sophie greeted them as she threw open the door in her rush to get upstairs.
"Breadsticks," Carter said, his eyes lighting up.
Hailey rolled her eyes. She was relieved to see Kaitlyn and Kirsten relaxing on the patio while Sandy worked the barbecue. Helping Kirsten cook was no fun now that her sister knew what she was doing. Carter drifted over to the blond brothers to barter for bread.
She had never gotten along with the Coopers, apart from Jimmy during those few months of delusion; but Kaitlyn had turned out to be a good friend. She'd grown up in the jungles of Newport gossip and drama but she fought her way out. Hailey didn't have a lot of female friends apart from her sister but Kaitlyn had made a place for herself as an ally.
"Where was Sophie running to?" Hailey asked, sitting down.
"Seth sent her some comic proofs and she wanted to look at them on the tablet," Kirsten said. "How are you, Hailey? I like that jacket."
"Mine," Kaitlyn chirped.
Hailey rolled her eyes but the girl designed nice clothes. "I had a meeting with Rollins from AK90 United."
"Their name is still stupid, but they make good porches," Kirsten said. "Does he still have that - "
"Comb-over? Oh yeah, and a pornstache, it's horrific. He was disappointed with the jacket because he couldn't stare at my tits," Hailey said.
"Nice," Kaitlyn nodded. "I should send that story to marketing."
"It's good that Ryan's sending you out. He's so subdued that I worried he'd channel Dad's hardass persona with the clients. Rollins is a tough sell, you must be pretty good," Kirsten said thoughtfully.
Hailey felt warm all over. She never wanted to prove anything to her Dad, but she had always wanted to prove herself to her sister.
"Dibs!" Carter yelled suddenly, holding the last breadstick over his head in celebration.
"You know, if I wanted to be a babysitter, I would have kids by now," Hailey muttered. Carter was making obnoxious omnomnom sounds and Hailey could see Ryan and Jacks plotting to throw him in the pool through silent glances.
"Do you want me to tell them that there are more in the oven?" Kirsten asked her.
"Nah, I want to see them scramble," Hailey replied.
************
Summer walked into the office and closed the door, reaching over to switch off the stereo so he would realize she was there.
"Hey, baby - I didn't know you'd be back today," Seth smiled immediately. He was always so happy to see her and she felt a knot of guilt sink into her stomach.
She loved him so much. She'd taken advantage of his stay-at-home job to follow her dreams of making the world a better place - and it was still her dream - but Seth had followed her everywhere.
He'd been chasing her for years.
"What's wrong?" Seth asked, his grin wavering.
"We need to talk," she said.
"Oh god. What did I do?" Seth asked.
"Nothing. Well, you had a part in it, but. Let's do a number list, okay?"
"Do I need to take notes?" Seth whispered.
"One. I think we should move home. To Newport. Two. I love you. Three. I'm taking a job at the California branch of Seal Safety. Four. I didn't throw the Twinkies away, I ate them. Five, I'm pregnant. Six. We have a new ferret."
"I need to take notes," Seth interrupted. "Rewind to four and start again."
"Twinkies."
"No, I got that - you're pregnant? Summer, are you sure?"
"Four home tests and two blood tests. Positive," she whispered. She glanced up and he was only a step away.
"Can I be happy about it or are we not happy about it?" Seth hesitated.
She reached out and yanked him into a hug so she could cry.
*************
"When I said bring dessert, I didn't mean Twinkies," Kirsten said.
"They just put them back on the market, we had to celebrate," Ryan replied. "And I think Seth and Summer will be coming to visit soon and you know she won't let us eat processed foods."
Sophie stuffed a Twinkie into Kaitlyn's mouth and Kirsten knew she would be calling Rosa for tips at cleaning up pastry cream tomorrow.
Carter stepped into the kitchen. "There's a strange lady yelling in French in the driveway."
Ryan sighed.
"Taylor's supposed to be in Kenya this semester," Kaitlyn replied.
"Hey, your crazy ex is in the yard, bro," Jacks said, following Carter into the room. "I'm not giving up my room for her again."
"She is not staying with us," Kaitlyn echoed, poking Ryan hard in the shoulder.
"Not it," Sandy said, holding up both hands.
"We sleep nude, we don't take houseguests," Hailey said. "Who is she again?"
"They should have never closed The Mermaid," Ryan groaned, pushing himself out of the chair but Taylor Townsend stepped into the room flushed cheeks.
"I don't know how he's survived this long without anyone killing him - God, he's so frustrating, I should have left him in Spain!" Taylor ranted.
"Hello, Taylor, it's so nice to see you," Sandy said.
"Sorry, Sandy. Hi, kids, hi everyone else. Now, can I complain about my soon to be ex-husband?" Taylor asked.
"Mom, I'm going to stay at Ryan's tonight, he's going to drop us at school early tomorrow," Sophie said, ignoring Taylor's dramatics.
"Behave, I'm watching your tweets," Kirsten warned. Sophie waggled her eyebrows in an admirable imitation of her father and dragged Jacks out of the kitchen.
"See you at work, Boss," Hailey ducked out of the house, too leaving Kirsten, Sandy and Kaitlyn to hold witness to Ryan's counseling session.
"Okay. Start at the beginning, Taylor. Why aren't you in Kenya?" Ryan asked.
"And why was Luke in Spain?" Kaitlyn added.
"There was this cloud thing happening in Spain so he went with a bunch of his weathermen friends and then they got arrested for trespassing - but that's not the point - he was supposed to stay in Kenya with me and last week - he just flaked out - he didn't even say goodbye!"
Ryan shared a glance with Kaitlyn. Kirsten knew the two were close but it was always interesting to see how much closer Ryan was with Kaitlyn compared to Marissa.
"Taylor, Luke's job started last week. You know, the job he's been working toward for ten years? With The Weather Channel? He told you," Kaitlyn said slowly.
"No - he didn't get that job, he said they gave it to that chick with the fake hair," Taylor replied.
"She got knocked up and took a job at QVC," Ryan said.
"He wore one of my ties on his first night," Kaitlyn preened.
"Before you say any more," Ryan said, holding up his hand. "Answer me this - have you talked to him since you found out he was gone?"
Taylor's face flushed even darker. "His cell phone's not working."
"And who were you yelling at in the front yard?" Kirsten asked.
"If the answer is Henri Michel, all your arguments are invalid," Kaitlyn added.
Ryan held up his cell phone. "Luke's phone is working. He says you're in Kenya."
"I was yelling at Eric's soon-to-be-ex-wife, not Henri Michel," Taylor said. "She knows I'm the one that proved she broke his pre-nup. That's not important - Luke thinks I'd stay in Kenya after he left me?"
Ryan skimmed his phone and set it down on the table. "He says you were working out of phone distance when he got the call and he left you messages with the villagers."
Kaitlyn snorted.
"Would you like a Twinkie?" Sandy offered.
Taylor deflated and took the Twinkie.
*************
"I don't know how you could have ever gone out with that woman," Kaitlyn said.
"We're not dating, you can't be jealous," Ryan said into her shoulder.
She locked her ankles behind his back and his fingers dug into her ass as he held her in place and braced her against the wall.
"She's nuts."
"You're hot."
She stifled a grunt into his mouth and he slowed his pace so they didn't thump against the wall.
It was rare for them to have sex inside the house, and even rarer for them to do it with Jacks in the house. This was their secret.
"Do you want to date? Because you suck at dating from what I hear," Kaitlyn tested, darting her tongue behind his teeth.
"I have heard that, too," Ryan hissed, baring his throat as he pulled her hips down and took her breath.
"I might give you a shot," Kaitlyn gasped.
"I don't want to date," Ryan said, pushing off the wall and carrying her to the bed. He put her down carefully and moved on top of her. She arched automatically as he filled her and covered her mouth with his. "I'm tired of dating."
She was too distracted to consider what that meant.
"If you want...to date...you should find someone else...but if you want...more than that...then we can...do that..."
"Oh."
He finished with a grunt, collapsing on top of her with a sloppy kiss by her ear.
When she blinked the best of the stars out of her eyes, she pushed him off. "Asshole - you can't say something like that when - "
"You're the one that started the conversation when I was in the middle of - " Ryan interrupted.
"I didn't mean for it to get all serious - "
"It's not serious - unless you want it to be serious - " Ryan cut her off but quickly stopped himself.
"Oh."
There was a timid knock on the door. "Ry? What's going on? Is Kaity in there?"
"We're just paying bills - math, go to sleep, Jacks," Ryan replied after a long beat.
"We can't sleep if you're fighting!" Sophie's voice called from further away.
"Stop talking about math and go to bed, guys," Jacks said. "Lights out was hours ago."
They were silent until they couldn't hear his footsteps.
"I need to get my car cleaned," Kaitlyn said.
"I know a guy."