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EMMA
“Do you miss our mountain home?”
Reagan should know the answer to that. It was hard to think of anything else with the magnificent view in front of us. The beach atmosphere had a completely different feel than our cabin. Standing on our parents’ deck and breathing in the coastal scents was breathtaking. In a way, I wished our parents had bought the house sooner. Reagan was the only one who got to enjoy this paradise. They only relocated to Santa Monica after I left for New York and Ethan moved in with Braden. Also, my father wanted to take an active role in Fightanium.
“I do miss our cabin,” I murmured, closing my eyes as the wind caressed my skin. “Our lives were a lot simpler there.”
Reagan snorted. “Got that right.”
Opening my eyes, I gazed out at the ocean, loving the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. “But this is beautiful too. I like it here.”
The rumble of the garage door made me gasp, and a few seconds later, the kitchen door slammed shut. “Reagan?” my mother called out.
Reagan nudged me in the side, her voice low. “She’s about to get the surprise of her life.” Then, loudly, she shouted, “I’m out on the back deck!” Her eyes darted around the patio, and she pointed to the grill. “Go hide behind that.”
Rushing off, I slunk down behind the grill and peeked around the edge, watching my mother walk outside. Usually, she’d wear her “teacher attire” to school, which consisted of a cardigan, a floral shirt, pants, and a pair of flats. Today, however, she looked cute wearing a pair of bright green pants, a polka dot sweater, and silver shoes with her chocolate-colored hair pulled back in a low ponytail.
“Hey, honey,” Mom said, hugging Reagan. “I didn’t know you were stopping by today.”
Reagan grinned wide. “Thought I’d bring you a present.”
Our mother started to speak, but I jumped out of my hiding spot. “Surprise!”
She jerked around, and her eyes bugged out of her head when she spotted me. “Oh, my God,” she cried, slapping a hand over her mouth. Tears formed in her eyes, and she ran to me, flinging her arms around my shoulders. “What are you doing here?”
Sadly, I couldn’t tell her the whole truth. “I have a job in San Francisco next weekend. I figured I’d fly in early and visit everyone, and maybe stay around for a while.”
Mom let me go and wiped away her tears. “Where are you staying?”
“With me,” Reagan answered.
I could see the sadness in my mother’s gaze. “But I was thinking of staying here a few nights,” I offered, knowing it’d appease her. “That is if you’ll have me?”
My mother hugged me again. “Stay as long as you want.”
“When’s Dad coming home?” Reagan asked. “I left the gym an hour ago, and he was still there.”
Our mother glanced down at her smartwatch. “He should be home any minute. I just got off the phone with him about fifteen minutes ago.”
A few seconds later, we heard the vroom of a sport bike down the street. Lifting my brows, I met my mother’s gaze. “Is that seriously him?”
Laughing, she grabbed mine and Reagan’s arms. “Old habits die hard, I guess. Sometimes I think he still believes he’s twenty-six years old.”
We walked inside to the living room. “Uncle Cam is the same way. He rode his motorcycle to the gym today too,” Reagan divulged.
Our mother stayed between us and kept hold of our arms. “Come on. Let’s surprise him.”
When our father walked in from the garage, he tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter. He lifted his eyes to us, making my heart happy when I watched the joy shine in his smile. He was still as handsome as he was when he was younger. I’d seen pictures of him when he was my age, his hair dark because he didn’t want people thinking he was his twin. Those days were long gone. Now that he was in his mid-fifties, he still had all his natural dirty blond tresses, but there were wisps of gray peeking through in some spots. Be that as it may, I wasn’t about to tell him that.
“Well, it’s about damn time I have all my girls in one place.”
Stepping away from my mom and Reagan, I opened my arms and hugged him tightly. “I’ve really missed you, Dad,” I murmured.
His shoulders shook with laughter. “I’ve missed you too. It’s good to have you home, baby.”
I wanted to tell him all that was going on, but instead, I chose to forget it. I didn’t want anything to spoil this time with my family. For all I knew, the letter was an evil prank. I could think about it and pretend everything was okay, but I knew it wasn’t.
