Now that I think about it, they were acting kind of weird around each other the day they helped me move. Ramzi declined free food for Chrissakes. I'm starting to wonder if these two might have some sort of beef.
"The place looks great," Ramzi says to break the awkward silence that's emerged, even though he already said that to me not less than thirty seconds ago.
"Thanks. It's all Buzz's creation," Court says.
Awkward silence settles over the four of us once again.
A few looong seconds later, we hear Brock starting to wake up through the baby monitor.
"I'll get him!" Court and I cry in unison, springing to our feet, equally grateful for the out.
The doorbell rings.
"You go get Brock. I'll answer the door," I say, then we get the hell out of there as fast as we can.
Hopefully the arrival of more people will get the party back on track and smooth over whatever is going on with Howie and Ramzi.
"Hey, Scooter. Hey, Cyrus." It's only as I'm hugging the guys that I notice someone else walking up toward the house. "Holy shit!"
"Shhh." Zane presses his finger against his lips. "Don't say anything. I want to surprise Court."
"He will be very surprised," I say, taking him in before giving him a hug. "He's just getting Brock, and I have to warn you guys, we have two straight guys in the living room who are acting very weird."
"You should have told me earlier," Scooter says with a wry smile. "I would have brought anxiolytics."
Cy chuckles. "Or we could oil them up and get them to wrestle. That's how straight guys communicate, right?"
But when we join them in the living room, there's no trace of the previous awkwardness. Both Howie and Ramzi are going gaga over little Brock.
"I've been working on my sounding-impressed noises," Scooter tells me, hanging back with me as Cy and Zane rush over to join the gaga-ing. "Because apparently parents take great offense if you don't fawn over their newborn like it's the best thing since sliced bread."
I hook my arm over his shoulder. "Good thing we've known each other forever, and you can be yourself around us, and we won't judge you."
"Really?"
"No. Of course not. I'm the normal one, but unless you get your ass over there and start oohing and aaahing like you've never seen a cuter baby in your life, Court will never forgive you."
"Wow. I totally had Court pegged as the normal one."
I quirk a brow. "You still here? Go!"
"Shit. Okay. I'm going."
He makes a beeline for the Brock circle of love and joins in the cooing. Five years on a hit reality TV show has done wonders for his acting ability.
"So…you haven't said anything about the hair?" I hear Zane say to Court when I approach the group with drinks for the new arrivals.
Zane, Cy, and Scooter take one couch. Court, Brock, and I take another. And Ramzi and Howie sit as close as they can to the respective edges of the couch they're forced to share, both looking stiff and majorly uncomfortable.
"I love it," Court tells him as I clutch Brock carefully against my chest. "It looks great."
"Well, you did tell me to get a haircut," Zane says, running his hand through his newly shaved locks.
Court glances down. "I didn't really mean it. I was being a dick."
Zane lifts his head and smiles. "I know. I just wanted to hear you say that."
"How's the new career going?" I ask.
