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“Zach? Did you hear me?” Grams’ voice brings me back to the present. “I want to meet this girl.”
“You got it, Grams. Thanks for all your help today.”
We hang up and I hurry up to pay, then load everything in the car. I realize that it’s too late by now. I won’t have time to do my laundry before Hunter is at my apartment.
We’ll just have to survive on the sheets I just put on this morning, plus the clean set I still have.
It’ll be okay.
CHAPTER 6
Plans with Mattie
Hunter
“Good morning,” I sing-song as I walk into my parents’ sunny kitchen. I love their house. It is always bright and airy, giving out a happy vibe all around.
“Morning, honey,” Mom greets me from the stove where she is in the process of flipping strips of bacon. “Sleep well?”
“Totally,” I grin and steal a grape from the fruit platter she has sitting in the middle of the kitchen table.
“That’s good. I thought we’d do some shopping today. Maybe even drive into the city, shop till we drop on Michigan Avenue. The Magnificent Mile is awaiting!” She is giving me such a happy smile, I wince a little because I have to let her down.
I have to choose between shopping with my mother or fooling around with Zach. Unfortunately for my mother, and unbeknownst to her, she loses. There is no competition.
“Uh, I got plans with Mattie, Mom. I’m sorry.” I have no idea why I lie and throw my college roommate in the mix. I’m pretty sure Mom would understand if I told her I met someone and wanted to spend some time with him.
“Aww, bring her with,” Mom ruins my carefully laid plans. “I love Mattie.”
“How about we do it next weekend?” I try to sound as upbeat as possible without giving myself away.
“Fine, I guess I’ll have time now to spend it with your father.” She rolls her eyes when she says it like it is not her favorite thing to do. My parents have always been very close and very affectionate with each other. There have been plenty of times where they’d embarrass me and my brother, Ridge, with their open displays of love and affection.
“Say it like you mean it, Evie,” Dad booms from behind me, making me jump.
“Dad, I didn’t hear you walking in,” I turn to give him a hug. “Mom was just saying how happy she is to spend some quality time with you this weekend.”
“So I heard. Very excited to do so. Right, Evie?” He walks to Mom and wraps his arms around her from behind. I can’t help the grin taking over my face. I love seeing them like this even though I always give them a hard time over it.
“Jack, quit,” she starts giggling when he seems to be nibling at the side of her neck.
“Okay, guys,” I have to intervene before it’s too late. “Please do not traumatize me any further.”
“We’re just teaching you how to traumatize your own kids one day, Slayer,” Dad lets go of Mom and turns around to face me. I love it when he calls me by the nickname he gave me when I was little. He had high hopes for me to be this amazing hunter like he had been by the time I was born. I was never able to shoot and kill an animal, but I slayed life in other ways, and he’s always been very proud of my achievements.
“I appreciate the lesson,” I tease him. “But I think I got enough of these types of lessons over the years. I’m sure Ridge would agree as well,” I chuckle, remembering my brother’s face every time he happened to walk in on our parents as they were kissing.
“Killjoy,” Dad jokingly nudges me in the shoulder as he passes by. I watch with a smile as he grabs the plates and silverware to put on the table.
“Where’s Ridge?” Mom calls over her shoulder as she continues minding the bacon.
“He’s out of town with Marco. I told you last night,” Dad rolls his eyes at me. It’s an inside joke that Mom never remembers anything.
“What’s he doing out of town with Marco?” is the follow-up question. “They’re both supposed to be here on every Saturday, for breakfast,” Mom whines from her spot across the kitchen.
Marco is my brother’s best friend. He also lived with us for a while when he was younger, after his parents died in a plane crash. My parents took him under their respective wings and treated him like a son, which, in turn, gave me another brother.
“Marco’s got a deal down in Florida. He asked Ridge to work on the marketing for the place. They had to go.” Dad is short and to the point with his explanations, not leaving any room for any other questions.
