Chapter 51 Clementine
Clementine
“Hey, son,” Alec’s dad says as he approaches us, wrapping his arms around him. They are nearly identical, with the same jawline and stiff posture. But Alec got his dark curls and golden eyes from the gorgeous woman joining the hug.
“All of you are here?” Alec says, confused.
“Finn and your siblings invited us. Although we would have loved to get the call from you,” Selene says in a tone only a mother could master.
“He doesn’t know how to use a phone,” I say.
Leo’s laugh is deep and hearty. It’s hard to believe he’s the owner of the largest tech company in the world.
He’s dressed in a gray cotton sweater, jeans, and a Giants ball cap.
But as I scan around us, I notice security guards flanking a journalist who’s snapping pictures from a distance.
“Alec, I’m so happy to see you,” his mom says.
The shock on Alec’s face dissipates. “This is my girlfriend, Clementine Lennox.” He extends an arm out to me, offering me a place in the fold. Despite the casualness of his movements and words, it feels like a standing ovation. I’m a girlfriend! “These are my parents, Leo and Selene.”
“Hi!” I don’t bite back my giddy laugh as they both embrace me like I’ve always been part of their family.
My face rubs on the shoulder of Selene’s cashmere sweater, and I inhale vetiver and wood and…
my BO. “Sorry if we smell. This is the longest I’ve ever not showered, and this one wouldn’t let me bring my lavender body wipes,” I tease.
“Stop, you smell delicious.” Alec wraps his arm around me and buries his nose in my sweaty hair, inhaling.
His mom shields her grin with one hand, the other squeezing my forearm.
“It is so lovely to meet you. And trust me, as the mom of six kids, I’ve smelled some things.
You smell like morning dew.” I shiver under the compliment.
She shifts to her son, running the back of her hand along his cheek, as if she can’t contain her happiness at seeing him alive.
I wonder how many nights she lay awake wondering if he’d come home.
“It’s so nice to see you smiling.” Alec glares at her, then kisses her on the cheek.
“You looked breathtaking on that wall up there,” Selene says.
“She means literally breathtaking, because I swear she didn’t take a single breath for the last hour.
” Leo wraps his arm around Selene’s shoulder.
“Come on. Your siblings saved us a table with some beers and reindeer hot dogs—which, I’m not sure how they differ from regular hot dogs, but I’ll try anything once. ”
“Trust me, I thought the same thing, but they’re actually really good,” I say, following them into a blocked-off area toward the edge of the event.
“I’ll take your word for it.”
I knew Alec had a large family, but seeing them all next to each other is intimidating. Gran is there under a tree, with a blanket over her lap and a paper plate on her knees. Yura and Finn are next to her, foam sticking to Finn’s mustache.
You can pick out the Hastings siblings instantly. Same dark hair, olive skin, and golden eyes. Except Ezra, whom I only recognize from pictures.
The youngest Hastings sister spots us first. Frankie explodes up from the grass, grass stains streaked across her jeans, Mozart yipping after her like a partner in crime. She charges straight into Alec with a squeal that rattles my eardrums.
“Holy shit, you two were insane out there!” she yells, clutching my hand with both of hers and shaking it so hard I nearly lose my footing.
“I thought my heart was gonna burst watching you rappel. Do you have any idea how sick that looked? God, I’m so jealous—” She drops into a squat mid-sentence and starts wrestling Mozart, like her adrenaline has nowhere else to go.
“Frankie,” Alec warns, though his mouth twitches like he’s fighting a smile.
“Thank you,” I beam, cheeks aching from how wide my smile has gotten. “It’s so nice to meet you!”
“Meet me?” Frankie barks out a laugh, throwing her arm around my shoulders like we’ve known each other for years. “You’re about to be inducted into the Hastings Hall of Chaos. No more handshakes, only blood, sweat, and probably beer.”
“That sounds terrifyingly fun.”
“Good answer,” she says. “You’ll survive here just fine.”
Alec groans. “Frankie, stop hazing her.”
Before I can answer, a low chuckle cuts through the noise.
Ezra leans against the table, beer bottle dangling from long fingers, blond buzzcut catching the light.
He’s the only one without the family’s dark hair, sunny where the rest are night.
He’s broad-shouldered and easygoing, an Olympic swimmer carved into every line of him.
“You both did so well,” he says warmly, golden eyes crinkling at the corners.
Frankie crows, throwing her arms out. “If Ezra says it, it’s gospel. He never says anything he doesn’t mean.”
“But I also don’t think I’ve ever heard him say anything rude either,” Alec says.
“Hey, I’ve said mean things,” Ezra protests.
“No, you haven’t.” The woman tucked snug against his side gives him a look over her glasses. Her curls are pulled into a messy knot, tattoos peeking along her forearm where she grips his bicep. “Don’t let him fool you. He’s the family golden retriever. I’m Hazel.” She raises her ring finger.
“My fiancée,” Ezra adds.
“They’ve been attached at the hip since they were, like, twelve,” Frankie adds. “Though bro’s still afraid to tie the knot. They’ve been engaged for years.”
“We aren’t in a rush.” Hazel’s smile wavers, not quite reaching her eyes, but her nails dig in to Ezra’s arm. She’s clearly uncomfortable.
“Alright, knock it off, Frankie,” Alec cuts in. “Leave them alone.”
Frankie groans but backs down. Ezra just shrugs, still smiling, as if he’s used to it. Hazel presses closer to his side, her tattoos shifting with the motion.
“You’re Clementine, right?” A woman in a lavender sweater dress approaches, tucking a stray black hair behind her ear. “We’re so glad to welcome you to the family. I’m Brooklyn.”
“I know who you are,” I blurt, because I’d recognize that face anywhere. My cheeks heat, but I push on. “Sorry, I just—wow. I’ve watched all your programs. You were my absolute favorite at the last Winter Olympics.”
“Thank you, love. Hold on one second.” Brooklyn squeezes my hand, her eyebrow piercing glinting in the sun. She looks so badass. “Did you hear that, Dante and Ezra? Clem’s favorite event.” Brooklyn laughs, prodding at her brothers.
A man—who I assume is Dante—rolls his eyes.
“I’ll introduce you to a proper sport when we get back to the lodge,” Dante says to me.
He oozes confidence in a James Dean sort of way.
His girlfriend, Reese Sinclair, stands beside him, wearing oversized glasses and a baseball cap with her new short bob tucked underneath, looking like she’s trying not to be recognized.
I tear my eyes away from her. Every girl in my elementary school cut their hair into the famous Sinclair. I begged my mom to take me to Claire’s to get her peach lip gloss collection.
“I’m always trying to one-up my brothers.” Brooklyn shoots me a toothy grin.
“You’re making me wish I wasn’t an only child.”
“Ugh, the only one who ever got to enjoy that was this one.” She nudges Alec.
“It was the best year of my life.”
“Whatever. You love me.” They roll their nearly identical eyes at each other. “You’re a dancer, right? We should go out on the ice sometime. Maybe you can give me some pointers on my choreography for this season.”
“I would love to! But you have to promise you won’t make fun of me, ’cause I kinda look like Bambi on ice.”
“Don’t worry, everyone thinks Ezra is the sweetheart, but I’m the nice one out of all of us. I have to be good this season. My coach is already telling me I’m at risk of aging out.”
“Felt.” I sigh. “Sucks being a woman sometimes.”
“Yep. I’m aging out, and my little sister is about to be at the height of her career,” Brooklyn says.
Frankie pokes her head up. “Fuck yeah! Come work for me, Brooklyn. I’ll teach you how to change a tire.”
“I know how to change a tire, thank you very much.” She spins toward me and mouths, “I absolutely cannot.”
“Me neither.” I scrunch my nose.
“You kids are always giving me a heart attack. Why couldn’t you all have picked a sport like golf or something?” Selene sighs from the wooden table, finishing her second hot dog.
“’Cause you’re our mom,” Alec says.
“Basketball isn’t dangerous.”
“Tell that to your torn ACL, and how many fingers have you broken?” Ezra chimes in.
“Beside the point.” Selene waves him off, eyeing a third dog.
It’s easy, effortless, like we’ve skipped the awkward introductions and gone straight to the late-night-gossip-over-wine stage.
Alec leans in close enough that only I can hear. “See? They’re not all feral.”
I elbow him lightly, though my smile won’t fade.
“We’re not all quite so dramatic,” Dante drawls, flashing me a grin so practiced it borders on illegal. “In fact, some of us prefer to make people feel welcome, not traumatized. I’m Dante, this is Reese.”
Reese swats him lightly but offers me a conspiratorial smile. “Ignore his dramatics. We’re really glad you’re here.”
“Same,” I manage, trying not to gawk at Reese Sinclair in real life.
“I absolutely loved watching you rappel!” Reese gushes.
“Thank you. I loved your Robyn Hood movie! I saw it in theaters.”
“Appreciate that,” she says genuinely. “I’d love to pick your brain about climbing. My production company is looking at a project about the first woman to summit Everest.”
“Oh, Alec is probably going to be better at that.”
“Yes, but not the woman stuff. Like, where do you go to the bathroom on these overnight trips?”
“Oh, I can show you my shovel.”
Reese’s face goes pale.
“Don’t worry, fighter, I’ll fly you out your own bathroom.” Dante drapes his arm around her waist and pulls her in close.