AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What?” he asks after a beat, blinking hard before he manages to arrange his features into a frown. It’s only after that when we both pull away at the same time.
I take a step back, trying to hide how disarmed I am by all the electricity I feel crackling through me every time we end up touching. “I, uh… I’m going to need to know what you’ve got planned for us tonight. My dad will want our itinerary considering that developing situation we discussed the other day.”
“There is no situation,” he snaps, but as his gaze hooks on mine, he sighs. “Fine, I’ll let him know where we’re going, but I’m not telling you. It’s a surprise, and if I do tell you, at least Izzy and Jay will find out where we’re going before the end of the day.”
“I can keep a secret, Vincent.”
He’s still looking at me when he mutters, “Yeah, apparently you’ve been keeping a lot of them, but that doesn’t change my answer. I’ll text Mike directly.”
“I’m part of Mike’s team.”
“Like I need the reminder.” Finally breaking eye contact, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and spins, leaving without another word while firing off that text to my father.
I sigh as I watch his broad shoulders when he makes his retreat. He’s wearing a long-sleeved henley today, an ocean-blue one that makes his eyes seem so much brighter. I really wish I could stop making these observations about him, but I just can’t.
For a long time now, I’ve seen him change from a boy to a man. Seen him grow and mature—physically at least—and now that we’ve been spending so much time together, it’s like I’m noticing even more things about him that I never have before.
Realizing that I’m wasting time when the others are probably all in the shower already, I shake myself out of my trance and double-time it upstairs. Once I get back downstairs and to the front door, only James, Isabella, and Mason are waiting.
“Where are all the others?” I ask, glancing over my shoulder when I hear laughter coming from the hall leading to the bedrooms on the first floor.
Maxim and Emma appear, both of their brows lifting in surprise when they realize they’ve made it before even Vincent. Maxim breaks out into a wide grin. “Would you look at that? Icannotwait to rub this in his face for the rest of our lives.”
Adrian walks up to us next, laughing when he realizes the same thing. “Since we’re the only ones who know how to read the time, how would you guys feel about us teaming up against everyone who’s not here yet?”
Emma smiles. “I’m up for that.”
“So am I.” I agree, but I also need to find a way to get Vincent onto our team so I can keep an eye on him. On the other hand, we’ll all be out there together today, which isn’t really the situation my dad envisioned when he gave me my assignment.
Deciding to let the chips fall where they may since everyone will be together anyway, I turn when I hear Vincent’s voice ring out from the hall. “We can split into two teams of five or five teams of two. If you all team up, that leaves only me, Ashley, and Jaylinn against all the rest of you. I’m up for it, but you can bet Jay won’t be happy. Let’s talk about it over brunch.”
There’s a shriek from above, followed by a shout of laughter, and then Jaylinn and Ashley are racing down the stairs, neither of them wanting to reach us last. They skid to a stop side by side, still laughing when Ashley shrugs and swings an arm around Jaylinn’s shoulders, pulling her into her side.
“You know what?” she asks. “We might as well claim it. Yes, we take the longest to get ready, but at least we look good.”
“Are you saying the rest of us don’t?” James pretends to be hurt, pulling his navy-blue jacket up and away from his body and spinning in a slow circle. “I’ve been told that these jeans make my ass look good.”
More laughter rings out, a slow clap sounding from the top of the stairs and drawing all our attention upward to the balcony where the parents have appeared out of the blue. Jolene just about has tears in her eyes as she stares down at us.
“Look at all of you so grown up,” she says in a dreamy voice. “Have fun today, children. Be safe.”
My dad steps around her, trying to look stern, but I see the smile breaking through. “Vincent sent me your basic stops for the day. Don’t stray too far from them, okay? And—”
“Keep your eyes open,” Maxim and Ashley chant simultaneously. As the oldest kids in the group, they’ve probably been told those exact words more times than even I have.
There’s a collective mumble of agreement, some nods and salutes, and then the parents start descending the stairs, so we turn and make a run for it before it takes another hour to get through all the hugs. Laughing as we spill out onto the damp sidewalk, we take off down the block together, our chatter ringing out in the quiet air of the suburb we’re staying in as we search for a place to eat.
9
OLIVIA
In the end, Isabella and I are on a team against Mason and Ashley, James and Vincent, Maxim and Emma, and Adrian and Jaylinn.
As we split into our pairs after grabbing a quick bite, my friend links her arm with mine and pulls me down the street. “Finally, you and I will get to spend some time together again. What’s been going on with you recently? I feel like I’ve hardly seen you.”
“You’ve been studying a lot,” I point out. “It might be distance learning, but it’s still a lot of learning on your end. And I have work now, so it’s not like it used to be when we went on tour.”
“Sure, but you’ve been hanging out with the boys at night, in Vincent’s room, and since I know you’d rather shave off your own eyebrows than spend every night with him, there’s something you’re not telling me.”
