9. Storm
“Shitty fucking stupid-ass lawnmower,” I growl and hit it with a wrench. “Why can’t you buy a fucking new one?”
“Because I like this one,” Rick, my older brother by seven years, says. He runs his fingers through his long hair and smirks. He annoys the crap out of me, but I’d do anything for him. He brought Heath into our lives and that kid is the only thing keeping me going lately.
We’ve been in Rick’s backyard working on his stupid lawnmower our dad bought over ten years ago all morning. Rick’s cheap ass doesn’t want to buy a new one so I’m forced to tweak it every three months.
A grasshopper trills as sweat drips down my nose. It’s always so quiet on this side of town. I was going to buy the piece of land two doors over and build a home for Leah and me, raise our babies there. But now that’s never going to happen. That dream died a long time ago. The plot of land is nothing but weeds and every time I look at it, all I think about is my pain. No matter how much I love my family or how easy it is for me to bring a woman home, my expiration date is fast approaching. I just need people to stop interrupting me.
I wipe my hands with a rag. “If you buy a new one, you’d get the insurance on it and I wouldn’t have to fucking deal with fixing this piece of shit.”
“Then why would I ever invite you over?” Rick teases, leaning forward in the lawn chair to nudge my arm. I roll my eyes, looking at the blades under the lawnmower. “Ross left in a hurry, eh? Barely stayed more than ten minutes.”
I lift a shoulder, rubbing my eye. “I think he only made me come here so I wouldn’t sleep all day. He could’ve easily fixed this himself.”
Rick pulls his hair back into a man bun, adjusting himself in the chair. “Good night last night?”
I nod, about to tell him about the best damn sex I’ve ever had when the backdoor opens and Maddison comes out, her blonde hair braided on her shoulder. “Hurry up, we’re leaving soon.”
Rick gives her a thumbs up, looking over his shoulder. “You coming to Frank and Stevie’s barbecue?”
“Wasn’t planning on it.”
He cracks open a can of beer and hands it to me, then opens one for himself. “You should come, guess who finally showed up at Frank’s doorstep?”
I shake my head, draining half the can. “Mm?”
“The kid he gave up for adoption,” Rick says, glancing over his shoulder at Heath running after their golden retriever. Heath’s hair is blonder than his mother’s; it glints in the sunlight.
“Fuck off,” I gasp. “He must’ve shat bricks.” I can’t wait to see the smile on Frank’s face after all these years. “Guess there’s a reason to come to this barbecue now.” I smile, licking my lips as I bring the can to it. “I wonder if he has another boy, or if he got blessed with a girl as pretty as Bobbie-Jean was.”
He arches an eyebrow, thinking the worst of me. Like all I care about is getting laid. “And who says if it is a girl that she’s cute.”
“Mm, that’s true,” I say, shrugging. With my track record, passable is what I go for. Getting off helps me numb the pain. I’m an asshole, there’s no doubt about that. But again, not what I was thinking. It’s just nice to see happiness in a very dark world. “Are Mom and Dad coming?”
Rick shakes his head no, keeping his focus on Heath as he tugs a ball from the dog’s mouth. “Mom and Dad are visiting Denny.”
I tense, gripping the wrench in my hands, and look up as Heath calls me. The only person that can keep me level-headed lately. “Uncle Storm! I’m driving with you.”
Rick pushes off the lawn chair and drains the rest of his beer. “You heard the man, let’s go.”
“Wait, now?” I ask, doing the same until all I taste is foam.
“We had to be there before one, and it’s one,” he says, following Maddison to the car.
She flashes me a grimace, carrying a tray of cut-up vegetables and homemade spinach dip to the car. She hates me, and always has, probably because of what happened with Denny. No, I know it’s what happened with Denny. But she has no choice but to accept me because Heath is my main man. So I put up with her scowls by flashing her smiles.
I slip my white polo back on, figuring I can veer away from flannel today. Because today I woke up with a smile and I haven’t done that in ages.
I jog to my Jeep where Heath has already buckled himself into the front seat. I wink at him as I get in, tapping my leg so their golden retriever can jump in as well. He sits between us, panting heavily and looking out the window.
“Did you hear? Grandpa has another baby,” Heath explains as I reverse out of their long driveway.
“I heard.”
I speed off to Main Street. Frank and Stevie live close to the main town, which isn’t far from Rick and Maddison’s place.
Heath pouts. “Do you think Granpa’s new baby will have kids? I don’t like being the only one.”
“You got Johnson,” I say, patting the dog’s side.
Heath groans. “He’s so boring.”
I laugh, I love this kid’s spunk. “Let’s hope there are kids, then,” I say, waggling my eyebrows.
Heath turns the radio up and starts dancing silly in his seat, making a silly face at the dog, too. I want to leave this world, but I’ll never grow tired of this. He’s my little man. I smile when I glance over at him, wondering what my babies would’ve looked like now. I’d give anything to have that warmth blooming inside me when I heard their heartbeats for the first time.
My ex broke me, broke my trust, and nothing can heal these wounds. Not even the sight of a pretty redhead I’ll never see again.
I pull up to Frank and Stevie’s to see her setting up the table. Lloyd is lying on the grass shirtless, sunbathing. He reminds me of myself when I was his age. Spunk, attraction, and confidence coming out of his ass. Johnson is off to the side, sitting on the swing set reading. He’s going somewhere, unlike half the fucks in this town.
I don’t see this adopted kid anywhere, nor do I see Frank. He must be catching them up on everything they missed out on.
Stevie waves. “Hi, sweeties.”
Heath runs to her and hugs her, Maddison struts through the grass, stepping over Lloyd and placing the veggie platter on the table. Rick slaps Lloyd’s stomach as he walks by with a cackle. He’s always been a little shit disturber, being the middle child and all. More so with me, because I’m the youngest of us boys, and Denny is a scary motherfucker. I get tense just thinking about him.
Lloyd groans. “Oh, you fucking dick.”
I laugh and make my way over, helping myself to a glass of sweet tea. Johnson waves but goes back to his book. Before I hit puberty, my face was in a book just as much. Then I noticed girls. I thought I found myself a good one, I was wrong because Leah’s an asshole.
“So, when are we meeting the adopted kid?” Rick asks.
“She’s just getting the noodle salad inside,” Stevie replies, waving her hand at him. “She’s very sweet.”
“Oh, a she?” Maddison raises her eyebrows. “Finally, some more women in this house.”
Lloyd nudges me in the ribs after getting a shirt on. “Don’t hit on her,” he teases me. “She’s my sister.”
I scoff. “Who says she’s even hot?”
Rick tilts his head. “Because you care if a girl’s hot or not.”
“Shut up.”
“She’s very beautiful and extremely smart. She’s a Princeton graduate,” Stevie says, smiling, then wiggles a finger at me. “She doesn’t need you tainting her with your wicked ways.”
I chuckle. “I’m not that wicked.”
“How many women have you slept with?” Maddison says, widening her eyes.
I shrug, taking a sip of the sweet tea. “Not as many as you think.”
Frank makes his way down the stairs talking to someone in a light purple dress. I don’t get a good look at her because her head is down and she’s behind Frank, but as soon as they approach the table, I spit out my drink. Her eyes meet mine and widen. What is she doing—oh, shit. I screwed Frank’s long-lost daughter. She wasn’t passing through town, she’s here with a purpose.
Rick scoffs, swatting the sweet tea I spat out from his arm. “Jesus, dude.”
“S-sorry.” I clear my throat, taking in how red her face is. But shit, she’s so fucking beautiful. She came back. My angel came back.
“Everyone. This is Auden,” Frank says, placing an arm around her shoulders. “Auden, this is my stepdaughter, Maddison. Her fiancé, Rick. Rick’s younger brother, Storm. And that little man running with the dog, is my grandson, Heath.”
Auden shakes everyone’s hand, smiling as she does it. When she takes mine, there’s a spark. A legit spark, she wrinkles her nose at it and licks those lips I’ve had the privilege of devouring last night.
“Hi,” she says, curling a strand of her luscious red hair behind her ear.
“Hey,” I say, trying not to make it look like I want to grab her face and kiss her. I thought I’d never see her again. God, I don’t think I’ve wanted someone more than I’ve wanted her.
We sit at the table, and I make sure to sit in front of her. I have to stare at that beautiful face. She looks completely different than she did last night. Her hair is straight, not curly. She’s wearing a light purple dress that has got to be my favorite color on her. I haven’t seen her in anything aside from a white tank top and jeans, but this is definitely it. I thought she was gorgeous yesterday; today I have no words.
“What do you do for a living…Auden, right? That’s a bizarre name,” Maddison asks.
“It’s more of a nickname, really.” Auden nods. “Um, I just graduated from university, and I’m taking a little break before I start work next week.”
“What did you study?” I ask. But why? Fuck, why do I have to know everything there is to know about her?
“Psychiatry,” she answers, smiling at Stevie for filling her glass with sweet tea.
“At Princeton,” Stevie exclaims. “On a scholarship.”
Is it weird I find her that much more attractive now that I know she’s a brain?
Rick tips his glass at her. “Damn. Some of us didn’t even graduate high school.”
She nibbles her lip, looking at her sweet tea. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
But it is and I hope she knows how amazing she is.
“What’s the job?” Maddison presses, asking all the questions circling my head.
“Therapist,” Auden replies, wiping under her lip. “It’s a little overwhelming, but one of my friends is doing me a solid and letting me work at his practice on probation. If they like me and I can help some of their patients, then I’ll be a permanent employee.”
Rick whistles, sitting back in his seat. “Wouldja look at that, eh, Frank? You got a freaking doctor in the house.”
She chuckles, looking at Frank. They do look a lot alike. I didn’t even notice it until they smiled at each other.
“You three have the same eyes.” Maddison points at Frank, Auden, and Lloyd. “It’s the craziest thing.”
Stevie smiles as she places her hand on Frank’s. He’s beaming right now. Finding his long-lost daughter after all these years. I don’t think I’ve been happier for someone before. Not even when Rick told me about Heath. The smile on Frank’s face is a release that has finally left him. Life is good again.
Stevie puts her hand out to Maddison, gripping Frank’s. “Shall we say grace?”
Frank turns to Auden, putting his hand out as well. “Auden? Would you like to do the honors?”
She stutters and turns a shade of pink, glancing at me before she shakes her head. “We’re not religious at home, so I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
I chuckle, tempted to put my hand out to her so she can hold it instead of Lloyd’s. I’ll hold her hand soon enough. I’ll hold more than just her hand if she’ll let me.
Heath waves his hands in the air. “Can I do it?”
Rick nods, taking my hand, then his son’s. “Of course, babe. Go for it.”
Heath says grace. Dragons burning down forests and melting the candy cane trees to give us room for our feast. Baby bears make us honey for the sweet tea—and my favorite—the fire that burned Auden’s hair and changed it red. This isn’t the craziest grace I’ve heard from Heath, although the candy canes are a nice touch. Heath’s imagination is so wild, I wish I could be in it for just a day, I think it would be enough to mask the chaos that is my life.
We eat, she laughs, I smile, and everyone hammers her with questions. She’s an only child—I knew that—her dad’s a cop and her mom’s a lawyer. She lives in New Jersey but is moving to New York City for her new job. Her birthday is in April. Her ex took her car, leaving her with the shit box that broke down and got her to walk into Creed’s. I’m happy about that. I’m happy about a lot of things circling this woman. Her smile has brightened up my day. The wrinkle in her nose when she laughs makes my heart flutter.
“Hey,” Heath says, poking Rick’s shoulder as almost everyone at the table has gotten up.
He smiles, bringing the beer to his lips. “Hey, babe.”
“Wanna color with me?” Heath asks, placing the coloring book with his pack of markers in front of Rick.
“Not right now,” Rick says, nodding at Maddison. “Maybe Mom does?”
She shakes her head no and Heath goes up to Johnson who opens his book and continues reading, then to Frank who is bringing plates into the house with Stevie, and then walks over to Lloyd sunbathing again. Everyone says no because they’re either too busy or too preoccupied to color with him.
He plops down in one of the empty seats with a quivering lip, leaving this ache inside me. I understand how he feels, it’s hard being the youngest with no one to play with. My brothers are seven and ten years older than me. We rarely played the same things as kids, which made me grow up faster than I should’ve.
I go to scoot out of my chair to console him when Auden gets up and joins my nephew, taking a blue marker from the pack. “I’ll have you know, I’m the best at keeping the colors in the lines,” she says, smiling.
A smile spreads to his face and he wipes his eyes. “You’ll color with me?”
“Just tell me which picture we’re tackling,” she says, winking. “And I’ll be sure to hang it on my fridge at my new place.”
Heath pulls the chair up beside her, opens the coloring book to a random page, and hands her another marker while he takes the red. I can’t help it. I’m smitten. I feel myself smiling at her doing the simplest thing. None of my lays ever met Heath, not even Leah. So this is a treat. I’m beaming, and Rick knows it.
“Look how Storm’s staring at her,” he whispers to Maddison. Auden glances up for a moment, flickering her gaze from Rick to Maddison, then lands on me and looks back at the coloring book.
“I know,” Maddison whispers back.
I turn to them and scowl, but I’m smiling still. My angel is changing me.
Known the woman for a minute and she’s already taking over my life.
She’s my dream.
My future.
I’ll make sure of it.
“You color with the funny hand,” Heath says, hitting her marker with his.
Auden laughs. “The funny hand?”
“You’re left-handed like your mom,” Frank comments, sitting back down with a fresh beer.
Auden finishes coloring in the petal of a flower. “My mom’s right-handed like my dad.”
“Biological mother,” Frank corrects himself.
“Right.” She sighs with a chuckle. “This as weird to you as it is to me?”
Frank squeezes her shoulder. “Feels like the missing piece of my puzzle is complete.”
Heath pokes her shoulder again and taps the flower on the page. “I need you to color this.”
“Oh, sorry,” she says, finishing the drawing with him.
Maddison clicks her tongue, staring at me when she asks Auden this. Probably because I’m still beaming. “You got a boyfriend, Auden?”
My angel shakes her head but doesn’t say anything.
Rick narrows his eyes. “Girlfriend?”
Auden chuckles. “Broke up with my boyfriend a month ago. And I never had a girlfriend before.”
“Me neither,” Lloyd groans, dropping into the chair beside me.
Auden laughs, taking another marker from Heath, and continues to color the bizarre flower that has a yellow stem and different colored petals. She looks up at me and smiles. Stealing all of my attention.
“Watch out, Auden,” Maddison says. “He’s a womanizer.”
Rick snorts. “A whore.”
I scoff and frown at them for spitting out such insanities at this woman. “Fuck you, I am not.”
“Uncle Storm is the best,” Heath says, even though he has no idea what we’re talking about.
Auden scrunches her nose and continues coloring. “I’m sure that he is.”
My angel. My gift from God.
Of course, He’d help me see her again. She saved me last night and doesn’t even know it.
I’ve never been in love before—maybe once. Nothing ever stuck with the girls I’ve been with. The chicks in high school, the random women at the bar. But her. Shit, I fucking like her and we just met. This is not a good idea. Not a good one at all.