Chapter 25
C“Seriously, Annika. I love you. You know I do. But you can’t stay here indefinitely. I’ve already caught Tenny checking out your ass twice, and if Banks makes one more comment about your tits, I might end up in jail.”
Leaning forward, I criss-cross my legs on the sofa and peer over at my disgruntled brother. “It’s only been three days, Dre. I just need a few more to really get my plan in place to—”
“To…what exactly? You haven’t told me what happened or what this supposed plan of yours entails. All I know is that you mope around the house, have eaten more than your weight in ice cream, and smell like you haven’t showered in months. I’m concerned, Nik.”
Discreetly lifting my arm, I sniff my pits and recoil. “Okay, I’ll give you that last one. I’ll shower when we’re done here.”
He comes and sits down beside me, then scooches away just far enough for my stink not to reach him. “Look, talk to me. Maybe I can help. Did they do something to hurt you? If so, say the word, and the guys and I will go beat some ass.”
“But only if you let me cop a feel of your ass for good luck,” Tennyson calls out from the kitchen.
“Shut the fuck up, asshole, or you’ll be the one with a broken neck.”
Tennyson just laughs like a lunatic.
“I couldn’t let them ruin their futures, Dre,” I whisper so softly I’m not sure he can even hear me.
“What the hell does that even mean?”
“Do you remember when Mom agreed to marry our dads?” He nods, and I continue, speaking aloud the words I’ve never uttered to another soul.
“They were on the verge of signing a record deal when Mom got pregnant. They gave it up to be together as a family, except it turns out, none of them were very good at that, so they left us anyway. One night, when I was around six, I couldn’t sleep, so I snuck downstairs to get some water.
I listened in on a conversation I wasn’t supposed to hear. ”
“What did they say?” He reaches over to grip one of my hands, which I’m thankful for.
It was the night my world felt like it was caving in, and I’m not sure I ever recovered.
“They said if everything had worked out differently, they may have made it big and been touring the world. They regretted not following through with the deal. Two babies are a lot more work than one. They may have been able to manage had it just been you. They could’ve still traveled, and Mom could’ve even gone with them on occasion, but two babies on a tour bus just didn’t seem feasible.
They didn’t exactly resent her for it, but they sure as hell had regrets.
I don’t want to be that for the guys—one big regret.
They’ll look back at their lives and wish they’d signed with the big sports teams and gotten endorsement deals and all the money and fame that come with it. ”
“Nik, why didn’t you just talk about this with them? They’d understand. Hell, I’m sure they’d—”
“They’d say all the right things, tell me I’m worth it. That they’re staying in Cedar Vale. And I…” The first tear rolls down my cheek.
“You what, Nikki?”
“I wouldn’t be strong enough to let them go. I’d be selfish just like Mom was, wanting to keep them with me at all costs, even our happiness.”
He sighs. “Look, now I understand why you were always hesitant about staying in town and settling into a family like what we had. But, sis, Owen, Roscoe, and Carson are not our fathers, and they deserve the chance to make their own choices. You can’t make those for them.”
Logically, I know he’s right, but I’m in fight or flight mode, and it’s making it damned hard to see reason. All I keep hearing are Frederick’s words in my head.
…we’re really quite the same, darling.
“Nik, seriously, what am I missing? That look that’s on your face right now. Who put it there?”
“Frederick said—”
Dre jumps from the sofa and stalks toward the door. “Got it. Dude’s a dead man walking.”
“Dre, wait!”
He turns the knob before I can untangle myself from the sofa, and his next word has my belly sinking to the floor.
“Nan?”
“Good grief, boy. Don’t look so surprised. You can’t honestly expect me to sit back and do nothing while my granddaughter douses the dumpster fire of her life with gasoline and lights the match, now can you?”
It’s like the earth goes still when Dorothea Taylor enters the room.
She has such powerful energy, it’s a surprise anyone ever has the balls to tell her no.
Her black sleeveless button down is open to show off an impressive amount of cleavage, and her skinny jeans hug her long, lean legs like a glove.
But it’s really the straw sun hat with the silk black ribbon that sets off the entire ensemble.
With her long, wavy gray hair, large tortoise shell glasses, and bright blue eyes, she’s stunning, and I hope that part of our DNA sticks with me because the woman is in her mid-sixties but still breaking hearts.
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Who are you, and what have you done with my sweet Annika?”
I take it back. Now I know exactly why she doesn’t get everything she wants. Her smart mouth ruins it for her.
Rolling my eyes, I stand and cross my arms over my chest. “Very funny.”
Hers narrow in warning, but she forgets I was raised by the woman herself so she only has herself to blame.
“Care to tell me why my store is being run by a twenty-something girl I’ve never met in my life when my granddaughter is over here wallowing in her own pity like a pig in mud?”
“Lane graciously offered to help me out for a few days while I got my shit together.”
“I thought you had your shit together. You’ve got the bookstore, an apartment, and three hot men who apparently aren’t afraid to fuck you in public.”
“They did what?” Dre growls.
Nan turns to him, waving her hand. “Oh, give up the protective big brother act already. She’s older than you in all the ways that matter except time of birth.”
“Ouch,” he mutters, rubbing his chest.
“I taught you better than this, Annika Reed. We don’t run and hide away from our problems. We face them head on.”
My head tilts. “How’d you even know about any of this?” My suspicious eyes dart to my twin. “Did you call her?”
“Hell no. She was the last resort. I don’t need her harping on me for my life choices. I had to deal with three years of that after you left. I was enjoying the breather.”
“Ungrateful little brats, I swear.” Nan rolls her eyes. “Like requesting you to keep your pants on for longer than a week was too much of an ask.”
“I’m a twenty-one-year-old college hockey player. What do you think?” Dre grumbles.
“But back to how I knew you’d gotten yourself into a heaping pile of rotting garbage…” Nan holds out her phone, showing a Grapevine post on the screen.
I stare blankly at the screen. Of course my relationship drama would play out in The Grapevine. I should’ve expected nothing less, to be honest.
“So you…what? Called an early halt to your holistic retreat to come save your granddaughter’s failing relationships?”
“No, Annika. I came rushing back to Cedar Vale to make sure you didn’t screw up the one truly good thing that’s ever happened to you.
The holistic retreat is on hold while I clean up this mess, and my time is precious.
Meet me at the bookstore in an hour.” Her eyes trail up and down the length of my body, and her lips curl as she waves her finger at me.
“That should give you enough time to fix all of…that.”
She storms out as quickly as she came, and I turn to my brother who looks as shell shocked as I feel. “What do you think will happen if I don’t show?”
“Best guess…” He scratches his chin with his hand. “She sends Sheriff Myers over here to arrest you for elderly abuse or some shit. You know he’s had the biggest crush on her for years and would do just about anything she asked if he thought it meant she’d give him a chance.”
“Fuck.”
“Get cleaned up, go to the store, and hear her out. Once she flits back out of town, you can get to work on this mysterious plan of yours if you really think that’s best.”
“Do you think she’s right?”
“About the guys being the best thing that’s ever happened to you?”
I nod, wrapping my arms around myself.
“Yeah, Nikki. She’s not wrong about that.” Then he smirks. “Except she forgot about me, of course.”
I snort. “Are you kidding? You’re like my evil other half.”
“I’m gonna take that as a compliment.”
“Jesus. Why do I bother with you?”
“Cuz you love me.”
“I stupidly do.”
“Hey now…” He comes over and wraps his arms around me. “For the record, I love you too. Stinky pits and all.”
Pulling back, I head for the hall bathroom. “Ugh. Fine. I’m going to shower.”
“Don’t forget to lock the door.”
“Got it.”
I’m just shutting the bathroom door when I hear him call out, “And it might not hurt to check for hidden cameras.”
Leaning back into the hallway, I eye my brother suspiciously. “Excuse me. What?”
He shrugs. “I wouldn’t put it past the two fuckers who are obsessed with you to try to sneak a peek, if you know what I mean.”
“Tennyson!” I shout, knowing damn well that nosy fucker’s been listening in on our conversation. “I will kick you in the dick if you put cameras in here.”
“I thought about it, but I also like my dick, so I never went through with it. Banks didn’t either because he was worried you might chop his off.”
“Good. Remember that.” Turning my attention to my brother, I roll my eyes. “You need better friends, bro.”
“Amen.”
“I heard that,” Tenny calls out.
I just shut the door and begin to mentally prepare myself for whatever hell my grandmother has up her sleeve.