Page 15 of Under Pressure
Axel’s phone started to ring and he held it out. “I’m calling Johnny.”
Sean dropped his head back. “Oh, come on!” He didn’t need them both haranguing him.
“Who’s Johnny?” Blue asked.
“Our brother,” Sean said as he wiped his hand down his face.
Johnny answered. “Missed me already?”
“You know it, brother,” Axel said. “Sean’s going to take my underwear modeling job. You want to write the ad copy for it?”
Nonna leaned closer to Blue. “Johnny’s a writer.”
Blue nodded.
A snarky laugh came through the phone. “I don’t write ads for Batman Underoos.”
Blue snorted.
Sean stepped forward and spoke into the phone loud and clear to be sure Johnny could hear him. “Hey, I do not discriminate between superheroes. Any would do.”
Blue perked up. “What about Archie? Or Rugrats? Or Mickey Mouse? They’re popular Underoo characters.”
Axel pointed at her. “She has a good point.”
“Who’s that?” Johnny asked, sounding a little too eager. “That sounds like a girl.”
“That’s Bluebell,” Nonna said. “Sean’s date.”
“Nice to meet you, Johnny,” Blue said, waving a hand in front of the screen that was currently aimed up at the rafters. He might be able to see up Axel’s nose, too.
“Let me see her!” Johnny demanded.
“So, Rugrats?” Blue asked.
Sean glanced down at her. She had a totally straight face, wide-eyed innocent look. Sean knew better. Two could play at this game. “Nope, no way. I’m talking manly underwear only.”
“What about Bob the Builder?” Blue batted her lashes at him.
“Well, he can build anything, so yes.” He folded his arms.
“Great, now there’s two of them.” Gramps rubbed at his eyes.
Nonna looked at Grandpa. “I know, they’re the cutest.”
Sean had to agree, he felt pretty dang cute with Blue. He loved this banter. It was fun.
“Could we change the topic?” Gramps asked.
Blue narrowed her eyes at Sean, and faced him straight on, folding her own arms. “How about Wonder Woman?”
Sean scrunched his nose. Okay, maybe she’d bested him. “I saidmanly.”
“She’s hot,” Johnny said from the phone. “Isn’t she? Aim the phone at her so I can see.”
“Do you have a problem with a woman in your pants?” Grandma asked.
A passing stagehand came up short, eyes bulging in their direction.
