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“Thank you for that unnecessary announcement,” Adrian grumbles.
“Everyone has been anxiously awaiting your arrival.”
“Joy.”
I fight back a smile at Adrian’s attitude clashing with his brother’s exuberance.
Grayson winks at me and slings an arm around Adrian then myself, walking us into the large living area. Murphy trots behind us, sniffing his way through the open-concept home where the kitchen, living, and dining area is one big shared space.
The back wall catches my eye immediately, sporting several windows to show off the gorgeous yard. I spot a firepit, garden, and a pool that I’m sure will feel amazing once the Georgia heat comes back. Smoke curls from a large grill as a man with a backwards hat tends to it. Murphy plops down by the back door, watching a squirrel scamper around.
“So this is the infamous Juliette,” a guy with dark hair and a charming smile greets me first. “I’m Sebastian, Meadow’s husband. Our daughter Maddie is around here somewhere, probably with a camera attached to her face.”
“Meadow is our baby sister, MJ. Sebastian is in love with her and likes to make it weird by calling her by her full name,” Grayson explains before removing his arm.
“I think that’s sweet. It’s nice to meet you.” I fiddle with the sleeves of my sweater and Sebastian grins at me. There are a lot of people here, each of them unbelievably gorgeous too. I feel plain in the midst of them.
“MJ, come meet Juliette.” Grayson waves over a beautiful woman with long black hair that almost reaches her waist.
She walks over and gives me a small smile that reminds me of Adrian before tucking herself under Sebastian’s arm. He looks down at her with such unbridled affection it almost feels inappropriate to look at them. Her smile grows when she meets his gaze.
“I said meet Juliette not make eyes at your husband.”
I laugh at Grayson’s feigned exasperation.
MJ gives him an acidic look that juxtaposes the one she was giving Sebastian moments before. Grayson merely grins back at her. My eyes travel up to Adrian’s face to find him watching his siblings with guarded amusement.
“It’s nice to meet you, Juliette. I’ve been curious about you since I saw your gift to my brother. I loved the idea of planting in a tea tin,” MJ says and I keep my eyes on Adrian for his reaction.
He keeps his expression neutral, so I decide to goad him a little.
“You seem to have told your family a lot about me. Careful Sunshine, someone might think we’re friends.” I tease and he meets my eyes. He’s fighting to control amusement like he always does when I call him his nickname.
“It’s not so much me telling them about you as it is them being nosey.”
I laugh and his lips twitch.
“Did you just call himSunshine?” Grayson asks. A wicked grin takes over his expression. “Oh, I’m so using that.”
“No,” Adrian growls, but Grayson doesn’t even flinch. I didn’t think that Grayson would take the nickname and run with it–I should have known better–I just wanted to tease Adrian a little.
“It has a nice ring to it,” MJ muses and earns a glare from Adrian.
“It’s kind of a personal nickname,” I blurt out. The entire group zeroes in on me. I look up at Adrian again for help. Thankfully, he takes control of the situation.
“Only Juliette gets to call me Sunshine.” His gruff order makes those around us share knowing looks. I’m prepared to write them off when Adrian wraps an arm around my shoulder and steers me away from them.
“Where are we going?”
My heart is beating out of my chest. Too much is happening all at once. Grayson’s words at the singles event, falling asleep on Adrian’s couch, our hug this morning and now a public display of affection? I don’t know if I can handle much more.
“I want you to meet my dad.”
My stomach plummets. Images of my dad’s face twisted up in anger flash through my mind’s eye. I can almost feel his hands gripping my upper arms, bruising his fingertips into me as he yelled about another mistake—about me being a mistake.
Adrian’s fingertips tracing circles on my shoulder bring me back to reality. His dad won’t be like mine. Adrian has never harmed me and has always fought to protect me.I’m safe here.I take advantage of Adrian’s open affection and snuggle into his side to soak in the steady feeling he brings.
My heart slows from a gallop to a trot as we near the man with the backwards hat flipping burgers on the grill. Adrian calls out to him, and he turns around to grin at us.Yes, I’m safe here.
