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Whitney looked tentatively between Jonah and me before we arrived in the kitchen. “Do you think there will be healthy food? I don’t want to eat cookies for breakfast, even if it is New Year’s Eve.” She apparently was still appalled that Jonah and I had eaten cookies for breakfast on Christmas morning.
I wasn’t sure if the food would be healthy, but it smelled divine, whatever it was.
Jonah ruffled Whitney’s hair. “If there isn’t anything you like, we’ll stop on the way to the museum to get you something.” Jonah was taking Whitney to the museum after breakfast to give me time to speak to Roger. We thought it would be better if Whitney wasn’t here. We weren’t sure if Roger’s state would frighten her or not. Or my state of mind after facing him.
Whitney let out a breath of relief. “We should hurry. I have lots of research to do today. I need to learn all I can about Máximo. He’s the biggest dinosaur ever discovered and he’s at the museum!”
Seriously, this girl owned my heart. Whitney’s loud declaration drew attention to us. Sabine rushed to the hall to pull us into the kitchen. Oh my. Kinsley would be in heaven if she were here. The restaurant style range and cooktop along with the wall ovens had even me drooling. Not to mention the beautiful dark cabinetry.
“Come, come, we are all here,” Sabine sang.
I nervously peeked in the direction of the breakfast nook. It was as light and beautiful as our room. The built-in booths, chairs, and country table fit perfectly in the naturally sunlit space. My father and brothers filled the chairs around the table. They turned and gazed our direction. And as if on some unknown cue to me, they all stood at the same time.
“Ariana, Jonah, Whitney.” Dean walked our way. “I hope you all slept well.”
I know I had—I always did—but poor Jonah said he’d had a hard time. Apparently, sleeping in the same bed as me had him tossing and turning, trying not to think about being in the same bed as me. He didn’t mention that to Dean. A fact I appreciated. I already worried about what Sabine and Dean had said about me after they left last night. Little did they know I had much deeper issues than sleeping with my boyfriend.
“I slept well, thank you.”
“Me too,” Whitney chimed in, “but now I must get to the museum.”
Everyone chuckled.
Dean took my hand and led me to the table. “Maxwell, Sebastian, this is your sister, Ariana, and,” Dean turned, “this is her boyfriend, Jonah, and his adorable daughter, Whitney, who I hear loves dinosaurs.”
“I do,” she confirmed. “I’m going to be a paleontologist one day.”
Jonah shook hands with Maxwell and Sebastian who both had serious cases of bed head and were still in flannel lounge pants and t-shirts. I stared at them, trying to judge if I looked like them. Sebastian and I shared the same eye color, but they both favored Sabine, with their dark hair and celestial noses. I had more of a button nose, like my grandmother I never knew.
After shaking hands with Jonah, Maxwell and Sebastian approached me cautiously.
I took a good look at them. “Wow. Brothers.”
Without warning, they rushed to hug me, making a sandwich out of me.
“We always wanted a sister to torture.” Sebastian laughed good naturedly.
Maxwell let go and turned toward Jonah. “We’ll grill you later to see if you’re good enough for our sister.”
“He is good enough.” Whitney stomped her foot, making everyone laugh.
“Yes, he is,” I agreed.
“Boys, be good,” Sabine chastised her sons. “Don’t scare Ariana. Let her get used to us first. Everyone sit down. The food is getting cold.”
Dean waved to one of the benches. “After you.”
I slid in and Whitney and Jonah followed. Dean sat on the corner so he was next to me, and Sabine, Maxwell, and Sebastian sat across from us. Dean looked around the table, his face alight. “It’s so good to have all my family together. Let’s eat, shall we?” He admired the spread on the table. “You outdid yourself again, my love,” he said to Sabine.
“I know.” She patted Dean’s arm.
I loved the dynamics between them.
“Don’t be shy.” Sabine reached for the coffee.
That gave my brothers the go ahead. They began reaching for everything, from the citrus almond brioche to the fruit platter, which Whitney was eyeing. I dished some fruit and scrambled eggs for her. All things she found appropriate for her morning meal. I took very little, even though everything looked delicious. I was nervous about meeting Roger. I still didn’t know what I would say.
I was glad the table conversation was about normal things, like Jonah’s job and the studio. I was grateful I didn’t have to give a history of my life. But I was very interested in my brothers lives and peppered them with questions. Everything from their favorite music and bands to what they were studying and if they liked school.
