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Willy usually drops off at the back entrance, but I guess my mom gave instructions to use the front door since the whole family is coming. I drag Adalee up the steps. “Aren’t you forgetting our bags?” she asks.
I freeze. “Oh, umm Willy will grab them.”
Her peach lips turn upside down as she rubs them together. “I’m not comfortable with that. We don’t have much. We’re at least carrying our backpacks.”
“Willy, you heard the woman. I’ll take the bags.”
He laughs. “Alrighty, you can carry them inside, but this is my job and I’ll take them to the room your mother prepared. She won’t forgive me if you go to your rooms before the pajama party.”
Adalee gives me a quizzical glance and mouths, “Pajama party?”
There’s no sense in me explaining, she’ll have to experience it for herself. So, I keep it simple, “Welcome to the Chatham’s.”
As soon as I open the door, I’m attacked by my sister, Sarah Jane. Wow, she’s excited to see me. It’s been a few months since I’ve seen her. She flew into Lexington in August to see me before going to a marketing meeting in Cincinnati.
“You must be Adalee. You two are the cutest couple ever. Aren’t they, Lorenzo?” Sarah Jane asks as her husband walks up behind her, pulling her into his embrace. It’s possible he’s restraining her.
“Yeah, adorable. Now give them some air. We don’t want to scare her off.” Lorenzo winks at Adalee.
Admittedly, Adalee appears frozen with the exception of her eyes darting around the grand foyer. She sticks out her hand and Sarah Jane grabs her hand, yanking her into a hug.
Adalee squeaks out, “Pleasure to meet you.”
Sarah Jane hauls her into the living room where everyone in the room lights up but Harper. She hated Julia and even though Archer has given his thumbs up, she’s hesitant. Her anxiety can get the best of her. She may not be the only one—Adalee’s popping her knuckles.
I look between them and walk straight to Harper. My family knows that Harper and I come first for each other. Sarah Jane broke the chain. Harper stands and I open my arms and she jumps out of the navy blue club chair. She’s in my arms and she whispers, “Thanks for coming home. I need you.”
When I think of home, there’s barely a memory without her. Holding her, I can feel the tension in her muscles ease. She probably worried that something would happen to the plane or we would have a wreck.
“I’m here. We’re going to fix whatever it is. I promise,” I say where no one can hear.
“Harper, give us all chance to hug your brother,” Mom says.
Hap slinks out of my arms. I kiss her on the cheek. “I love you, Hap.”
It takes ten minutes to introduce Adalee to everyone. And I give an excessive amount of love to my family. At first, Adalee seems out of place until Megan comes up and takes her into the kitchen. I don’t want her out of my sight even though I know my family will love her. But Harper grabs my arm and says, “Don’t.”
We go into the sunroom and talk. She tells me Tackett and Talynn will be in the suite tomorrow for the game.
“Is she pregnant? That would be Tackett’s luck that he would get the girl pregnant that he lost his V card to.” I chuckle but Harper’s not amused, and neither is my girlfriend who has rounded the corner.
Adalee clears her throat. Shit. I probably have some explaining to do since I’m making light of someone losing their virginity. “Umm, your mom said for you to take me to my room and for me to change. There’s a surprise waiting for us. Why would your mom have a surprise… for us?”
Harper snickers. “You haven’t told her?”
“Stop, no.”
I smack Harper’s arm, lacing my fingers with Adalee’s. “Come on, let’s all go up.”
When we reach the bedroom, mom told Willy to putourstuff inmyroom. I’m stunned. We’re twenty-one but I didn’t think my mom would stand for that. Adalee trails her fingers over my dresser, looking at all my pictures. An entire wall is filled with my baseball portraits and action shots. But the dresser is filled with family pictures. Sarah Jane is an amateur photographer but good enough to be a professional. She never poses us because she likes to show the moment—whether it be happy or serious.
She picks up a picture of Harper and I that was taken in high school. Then one of all of us. I wish I knew what she was thinking but she seems in deep thought. I sweep her off her feet to lighten the mood. “Don’t worry, Little A.”
“Oh God, do not call me that. I hate when Logan calls me that.”
I grin. “I know. Every time he says it, I can see you cringe.”
She pretends to make her body shiver. “So, is your mom expecting me to have a formal gown for dinner? Is that what she meant byfor me to change?” Adalee’s voice has a twinge of annoyance in it.
