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I laughed because there was nothing further from the truth and we both knew it.
Kite showed up an hour later, then Logan and Emily with Logan’s mom Isabelle. I leaned against the railing of the deck, nursing my beer while Logan and Kite told my dad about the business side of the band: the manager we fired, the security issues we encountered until six months ago when we hired Luke’s Shield Security, a recommendation from Deck, after Haven came back.
I took it slowly with the beer since I was driving later, but I was on edge while constantly listening for the front door to open. Where the hell was she? No way would Ream be a no- show.
I saw her laugh today. It was brilliant—stunning. It was like strumming the guitar and hitting a few new chords that makes your chest open up and your whole body to fill with electricity. It was that magical moment when you find something fresh and knew it was going to be a hit.
The front door opened and shut, and my heart skipped a beat then tap-danced its song.
Ream’s voice echoed in the large marble foyer as he called out to Mom. The girls were in the kitchen and my mom was laughing at something Emily said about Logan’s shoes being chewed by Tear.
I watched the screen door, the grip on the neck of my beer bottle tight, the cold damp glass clinging to my skin. The undeniable reality was . . . Haven did it for me. I loved how she was tall, yet still fit under my chin when she was curled into me yesterday. Confident and strong but I’d seen her vulnerability and fuck, that broke me. I wanted to bust down her walls and force her to let me in. That was the exact opposite as to what she needed, so I didn’t push. I waited. And waiting was hard as hell because I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to pull her into my arms and have every inch of her wrapped around me.
Ream slid across the screen door and walked out. Our dad got up, slapped him on the back and shook his hand. “Good to see you, son. Where’s your other half?”
Ream gestured with a head tilt toward the kitchen. “With the moms and Emily. Something about testosterone overload for the last few months.”
“Where’s Haven?” Subtle wasn’t my thing.
Ream opened the cooler and the ice clinked as he rooted around for a beer. Water dripped from the bottle as he lifted one out, then the lid clunked shut. He twisted the cap and the bottle hissed as the pressure released. Fucker was making me wait on purpose.
He chugged back the cool liquid before he finally said, “Not feeling well.”
I stiffened. No way was she sick. She went running for fuck’s sake. “You let her get away with that?” I took out my phone and quickly texted her.
You bailed. WTF.
Ream shrugged. “I’m not forcing her.”
And I had no brilliant come back except, “It’s just dinner.”
He was right, but this wasn’t about seeing a therapist. It was having dinner. I glanced at my phone, as if willing it to vibrate.
Nothing. I took a long swig of beer and set it down on the table.
The screen lit up and a wave of relief shifted through me.
I’m not ready to meet your parents. Or Ream’s. It’s weird. They’re his, but not mine. Not ready to see that.
It may be small, but with Haven it was a huge step. She told me the real reason why she didn’t want to come and that was something special.
Still . . .
You’ll have to at our wedding. ;)
“I’m getting really sick of hearing about my sister from your mouth.” I ignored Ream as my phone vibrated.
I don’t find you funny you know.
Sure you do. I saw you laugh today, Ice. I might have to start calling you fire instead.
I slid my phone in my back pocket. “You’re blind, bro. You’re not seeing her. You’re thinking of her like she’s still sixteen.”
Ream took a step toward me, his temple throbbing. “You have no fuckin’ clue what she went through. No clue! Shut your mouth, Crisis. And stay the hell away from her. She doesn’t need you teaching her to drive, flirting with her . . . fuck, just stay clear of her. Better yet, move out like you were supposed to do.”
I knew some of his anger was because he was worried about her. I got that. That was why I didn’t plow my fist into his face. I casually pulled out a chair and sat, right in front of him, stretching out my legs, ankles crossed. My toes curled in my running shoes and the muscles in my abdomen tense, ready for Ream’s assault. “Not happening, bro.” His lips pursed. “Haven and I are friends.” And like hell was I giving that up. One step at a time, not my usual way, but she was worth it.
“Friends?” Ream ground out. “You’ve never had a girl “friend” in your life.”
Kite coughed and Ream looked at him. Yeah, Ream couldn’t deny that his fiancée Kat and I were ‘friends,’ had been before they got together, and Georgie and I were friends since the band started hanging out at her coffee shop when we were in high school. Never fucked either of those chicks.
“Baby?” Kat opened the screen door, a tray of cheese and crackers balanced in one hand. Ream strode over and took the tray. “Thanks. You realize it’s a screen door and we can hear everything.” She stepped into him, hands settling on his waist then leaned over the tray of food and kissed him. She whispered something and he took a deep breath and nodded. “Hey, Dad,” Kat said then pranced over and placed a kiss on both of his cheeks. It was nice she called him dad, as Kat and her brother Matt’s parents died in a drunk driving accident.
He smiled, showing off his teeth he just had whitened. “Has Mom been after you about a date yet?”
