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Adam groaned and glanced at his watch. “Can’t you call someone else? People should be showing up any minute, I should be here.”
“Justin’s car is already packed because he picked up Hilary and Liam. Patrick’s picking up Lexie, so you know he’s going to be trapped there for a while catching up with her parents. Andrew’s running late. Jared and Truckstop are making up again so he’s probably not going to make it at all and Rick’s coming from the complete opposite direction plus he’s already been driving for two hours to get here. Now come get me.”
She sounded a little annoyed, which he couldn’t fault her for since she’d obviously called everyone else before she’d called him.
“Alright, I’ve gotta tape a note to the door and I’ll come get you.”
“Thanks.”
Olivia lived about fifteen minutes away, so about half an hour round trip. Adam glanced at his watch again and sighed. Chances were, everyone but Andrew would make it here before him. He’d wanted to be here when Angel got here. Especially because he knew she was nervous about hanging out with his friends outside of the club.
Oh well. The sooner he left, the sooner he could get back.
Angel
When Angel pulled up to the driveway of the address Adam had given her, there was already a car in it with people piling out. It was a bigger house than she’d expected, bigger than the one she shared with the guys, and the lawn and garden were immaculate.
“You’re here! Angel’s here!” Jessica called out unnecessarily over her shoulder to the guys, who could obviously see. Angel giggled as she got out of the car. “I’m so glad you came!”
“Thanks, I’m glad I could,” Angel said, warmed by Jessica and Hilary’s exuberant greetings. Justin, Chris, and Liam were less expressive, but they all made her feel welcome as well. She helped them unload the trunk of various boxes and containers obviously holding food. “Good grief, are you guys catering or something?”
“Justin’s an amaaaaaaazing cook,” Hilary said. “Jessica lucked out with him.”
“Hey,” said Liam indignantly.
Hilary shot him an affectionate look. “I lucked out too, but I’m just saying. You could get Justin to teach you how to cook some stuff.”
“Or I could have Justin cook it for me and take the credit,” Liam muttered under his breath, putting an innocent expression on his face when Angel laughed and Hilary looked over her shoulder suspiciously.
“Huh, Adam’s had to run out and get Olivia,” Chris said, looking at a piece of paper taped to the front door. “He’ll be back soon.”
It felt a little weird to be going into his house without him there, but at the same time Angel was kind of glad to be able to look around and study her surroundings without Adam’s presence. Get a feel for the man without him looking over her shoulder. The front door opened into a foyer with an immediate stairway. To her right she could see some kind of formal living room, but she couldn’t get a good look at it because Jessica and Justin were behind her and she didn’t want to hold them up.
As she followed Chris, Liam, and Hilary down the hall, there was a television room on her left; big with beige carpeting, a big TV, a comfortable looking brown leather couch with matching armchairs, and a fireplace. The others led her past that and into the kitchen, which was obviously completely updated with sleek granite countertops, a gas stove-top, a double oven, and a giant island in the middle.
“Good grief,” she muttered.
“Ahhh,” said Justin with an exaggerated sigh. “Heaven.”
Jessica giggled. “Our kitchen isn’t much smaller than this one.”
“Yeah, but I don’t have all his fun toys.” Justin grinned. “Yet.”
“Like what?” Angel wanted to know.
“If you can think of it and use it in a kitchen, Adam probably has it,” Chris said, exchanging a knowing smile with Justin. “He’s like a pack rat when it comes to his kitchen. A super organized pack rat, but still a pack rat. He’s got three different kinds of coffee makers, a quesadilla maker, three different sized toaster ovens, two differently sized woks, a slow cooker, a garlic press—“
“And he never uses any of it,” Justin said mournfully, cutting off Chris’ recitation.
“Then why does he have it?”
“Lots of people gave him kitchen stuff when he first moved in here, because it was the only stuff he didn’t have, and then he kind of started collecting it. He always says that if he uses it once, then it’s worth having.”
“And he uses three different kinds of coffee makers?” she asked, amused.
“Regular coffee maker, French press, and espresso. They all serve different needs,” Chris said, winking at her. She giggled.
“Don’t forget all his specialty spices,” Liam said, throwing open one of the corner cupboards. Angel’s jaw dropped. It had rotating circular shelves, five of them, and they were all filled with spices. Not only that, it was obvious they were organized by the little labels at intervals along each shelf. This wasn’t a case of repeat spice buying like she did, he seriously had that many spices.
