11. Whatever It Takes

When Carissa and the girls got back to her place, Taylor and Kaylee headed towards Kaylee's room and Carissa began heating oil to fry chicken.

About twenty minutes later Craig arrived.

Tayor took a bag from his brother, and received a stern yet apologetic look from him that said, I'm sorry, but also, you best better not do anything to mess this up for me.

Taylor sighed, dropped his head and turned toward the bathroom to change.

He found that Craig had brought him the same blousy, scarlet-red, peplum top and stone-washed, capri-length, blue jean outfit he had changed out of at the mall, earlier.

Once he was changed out of his football uniform and into the outfit, Taylor stood in front of the mirror and stared at the girly image looking back at him.

Inwardly he seethed with anger and frustration.

He wanted nothing more than to burst into the kitchen and tell Carissa everything. That would stop the charade, but other than that, what good would it do really? He'd still have to go home with his brother and he knew Craig could make his life much, much worse.

Besides, it will all be over tomorrow after Craig sleeps with Carissa tonight, and he had promised to more than make up for all this.

But, what about his football dream? He was getting what he wanted, however, would he be able to play on that team without having to continue this charade?

Taylor took a deep breath, wiped the moisture from his eye, unlocked the bathroom door, and headed into the kitchen.

"Awww, you look cute even with a little bit of helmet head," Carissa teased Taylor, while removing pieces of golden brown chicken from a wok filled with boiling vegetable oil.

"Kaylee, go get me a brush and two headbands and I'll take out your braid for dinner." Carissa told her daughter, who had just walked in behind Taylor.

"Yes, mommy," Kaylee replied.

"See what nice waves those braids made in your hair, honey," Carissa pointed out once Kaylee returned and undid her braid.

Carissa began brushing Kaylee's head and then slid a head band on Kaylee's head. She then brushed Taylor's head and put the other head band in his hair.

"Now, could you two cuties set the table for us, please."

Taylor quickly found himself following Kaylee's lead, laying out each place setting while Craig headed back into the living room with a beer in hand, where a college football game was on the television.

Taylor looked over at Kaylee, and saw the red headband with a large offset bow on her head. Without even having to look, Taylor knew he was in the same one.

He looked back towards his brother on the couch. He was still upset with him over all this. He looked again at Kaylee and a shiver traveled up his spine.

Once dinner was on the table, Carissa and Craig laughed and chatted throughout the meal.

Taylor didn't say much. He just watched the two of them and hoped his brother would get what he wanted so they could move on and try to figure a way out of all this without him losing his position on the all city team.

"Mom, may we be excused to go play in my room?" Kaylee asked as soon as she was done eating.

"Sure," said Carissa. "You two go have fun."

No, please. No more. I'm done.

Taylor stared at Craig, pleading silently, but his brother had no clue since all his attention was laser focused on Carissa.

Having no out, other than to blurt out the truth, Taylor submitted to the inevitable and allowed Kaylee to drag him away, as Craig poured Carissa another glass of wine.

"So, tell me how you know Frank?" Craig asked once the kids were headed up the stairs. "Is he an old boyfriend or something. That whole thing with him hitting on you seemed kind of awkward."

"Well, I didn't want to talk in front of the kids," said Carissa, downing the rest of her almost full glass of wine. "Just so you know, I'm a really different person now."

"I'm sorry Carissa," Craig nervous apologized. "I didn't mean anything by that. I wasn't judging you."

"It's okay, Craig. I've made plenty of mistakes, but that part of my life is behind me," replied Carissa, pouring herself yet another glass of wine. "Right now I'm just trying to beat my addiction, take care of my daughter and move forward."

"And you're doing great at all that," said Craig, moving closer toward her.

He leaned forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm here for you. Anything you need. We can help each other."

"I hope so," said Carissa, looking into his eyes.

At that moment the phone rang. "Oh sorry, excuse me." Carissa said, breaking their gaze.

She answered the phone and it was Frank on the line. Craig could overhear most of the conversation.

A minute or two into the call, Kaylee came rushing in, interrupting.

"Look what I did. Did I do good?"

Kaylee was dragging Taylor behind her and he looked ready to kill Kaylee, Craig, and anyone else who said the wrong thing at that moment.

Taylor's cheeks were covered in huge thick circles of bright pink blush, his eyelids were covered in caked on deep blue eye shadow from his lashes to his eyebrows and his eyes had so much thick black eyeliner he looked more like a raccoon than a girl.

"Gotta go, Frankie. We'll see you tomorrow," said Carissa, hanging up.

"We'll see you tomorrow? So, you're going to the party?" asked Craig, surprised.

"Yes, I feel bad," said Carissa. "I thought it'd be better if we all went together. He really wants Taylor to get to know the rest of the team."

"So all the whole team will be there?" asked Taylor, stunned.

"Yeah, but not looking like a drag queen," teased Carissa. "Why? You got your eye on one of them."

"Ewwww, nooo," Taylor immediately shot back with a look of disgust.

Craig choked on a sip of wine as he laughed.

"I bet it's Johnny," Craig teasingly offered. "I saw how he was looking at you."

Taylor gave his brother an angry glance and took ahold of Kaylee's hand. He shook his head as he quickly drug Kaylee back up the stairs to her room and away from the taunts.

Carissa and Craig resumed their conversation. "She's such a cute little girl. You must be so proud of her?"

"More than you know."

"So, you okay with tomorrow?" asked Carissa, sitting back on her calves next to Craig on the couch. "I guess, as long as it's not too uncomfortable for you," said Craig, sipping his wine.

"Guys are used to being cooped up with a bunch of other guys who like talking sports."

"That's probably not easy then for guys that have different hang ups, like we do," said Carissa.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I find myself stuck thinking about my addiction most of the time, instead of other things. I wish I could think about almost anything else. Thank goodness for Kaylee or I would be a mess."

"I completely understand," said Craig, knowing he didn't really have the same issue as her.

Whatever it takes to get in those panties. He assured himself.

"You know I'm here for you, Carissa."

"It's great to finally have someone who's working to defeat the same addiction I am and understands where I'm coming from. I love non-threatening, sensitive men." Carissa, leaned back on Craig and grasped his hand, lifting it to admire his freshly buffed and clear-coat painted manicure. "And now you've got great nails, too."

"Yeah thanks to you," teased Craig as she leaned over and softly kissed his hand, then looked up at him, her head buzzing from the amount of wine she had consumed.

"Mommmm," screamed Kaylee, from upstairs, interrupting the moment.

Carissa jumped up and ran to Kaylee's room with Craig right behind her.

Carissa froze in the bedroom doorway, covering her mouth for a moment, before quickly grabbed the hot curling iron from Kaylee's hand.