Out at Home by JL Paul

Tabby suggested, excitement brewing in her eyes. "I could talk to my publisher."
    Taylor’s eyes widened. “Oh, no. I don’t think it would compare to your work.”
    “ Don’t sell yourself short,” Brady said. “You were always the smartest girl in our class.”
    “ I was not,” she denied hotly.
    “ Pretty much. Didn’t you tell me you skipped a grade?”
    She snorted. “It was only first grade.”
    “ Yeah, maybe, but they don’t allow kids to skip grades, even that young, if they’re not intelligent,” Zoey remarked.
    Taylor lifted a shoulder, wishing the attention would turn away from her.
    “ I told you she was smart. If it wasn’t for her, I would have never passed my English class,” Brady stated.
    Taylor took a big gulp of her beer, looking at him in disgust. “You didn’t need me. That was all part of your plan.”
    All the blood left Brady's face. “No, Taylor. That’s not true. Maybe it was an excuse to talk to you but it was never any plan.”
    With a grunt, she turned her head. She ran her finger through the water rings made by her beer bottle on the table.
    Tabby glanced between the both of them. “What plan?”
    Brady shot Taylor a look that almost seemed pleading. She glared back at him before replying. “Nothing. Just a disagreement we had.”
    “ Did you two date or something?” Zoey asked innocently, resting her arms on the table.
    Taylor choked on her drink so Tia gave her a hefty thump on the back.
    “ Something like that,” Brady mumbled as he studied the bottle in his hands.
    “ Well, I take it things didn’t go well,” Kyle observed, giving Taylor a wink. “Maybe a change of subject would be in order.”
    “ How are your dad and brother doing, by the way?” Brady asked. The cocky lift of his lips dared her to contradict him - call him out for asking after her family when she felt he had no right.
    “ Fine,” she replied. “Teddy’s in South Bend.”
    Brady’s eyes brightened. “Ah, that’s right. Notre Dame. Did you graduate from there as well?”
    She looked at Tia for help but Tia only offered a weak smile.
    “ No, I didn’t go to college,” she grudgingly admitted, her heart twinging in despair.
    Brady slid off the rail, empty beer bottle swinging between his fingers. “But you got accepted. I remember that. They offered you a scholarship and everything.”
    “ That’s pretty impressive,” Mark stated. “Why didn’t you go?”
    “ Stuff came up,” Taylor mumbled, shifting uncomfortably in her chair. “I couldn’t go.”
    “ Taylor,” Brady pleaded. “Tell me it wasn’t because of me. Tell me it wasn’t because of the …”
    “ No,” she snapped, effectively cutting him off. “Not everything revolves around you, Brady.”
    “ Okay,” Tabby sighed, trying to relieve the tension. She turned to Taylor. “So, if you didn’t go to college, how did you start reporting? I mean, I know a college degree isn’t required, but most publications I know want their reporters to have one.”
    Relief gushed through Taylor as she granted Tabby a smile, grateful to look away from Brady.
    “ I only recently started reporting. One of my best friends was already interning at the paper and he knew I needed a job so he asked Luther to hook me up. I’ve been there for years and after I wrote some whimsical piece, Luther let me start writing.” She took a drink. “Mostly all I get to cover is garden parties and stuff.”
    “ Uncle Luther told me earlier that the piece you did on Brady was outstanding,” Tia exclaimed. “He said you’re done doing the garden party kind of thing.”
    Taylor's cheeks heated and she ducked her head, wanting desperately to crawl under the table. “I hope so.”
    Brady bent to retrieve another beer out of the color, lifting his eyes to her. “Maybe he’ll let you cover who’s sleeping with whom and who’s been committed to the nuthouse now.”
    Taylor stood abruptly, nearly upsetting the table. “Yeah and maybe