Chapter 7 Will #2
“Well I’ll be damned. Brooks told me you were joining us for dinner, but I’d convinced myself he was playing another one of his pranks on me. Pinch me, Son,” his father says, completely awestruck as he holds up his arm for Brooks to do just that.
“Jesus, are you for real?” Brooks questions, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Serious as a heart attack,” his dad replies.
“That’s not fuckin’ funny considering you’re only a year out from having just had one yourself,” Brooks scolds.
His dad smacks him on the shoulder. “Lighten up, would ya? It’s not every day the William Sinclair comes to dinner.
” Walking over to me, he holds out his hand for me to shake.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, kid. My name’s Hank, and I see you’ve already met my beautiful bride. We’re glad you could join us.”
“Thank you for having me, Mr. Warren.”
“Call me Hank. I insist.”
“Alright, Hank. I appreciate you welcoming me into your home. It’s been far too long since I’ve had a home-cooked meal,” I admit somewhat bashfully.
“It’s our pleasure,” Hank says before lifting the jersey in his hands. “There’s just one caveat: you don’t get dinner unless I get this rookie jersey of yours signed.”
“Dad! Stop fangirling. You’re embarrassing not only me but yourself,” Brooks huffs in exasperation.
Elena chooses that moment to chime in. “Don’t act as if you aren’t guilty of fangirling yourself, my boy. As I recall, you called me after your first pitching practice together a few weeks ago and talked my ear off, going on and on about how talented Will is.”
“Mom,” Brooks chastizes, his cheeks heating crimson.
Interesting. So maybe it turns out he didn’t hate me as much as he led on.
“Not to mention the giant poster you had on your wall of him when you were in high school,” Hank adds.
“Dad, are you fucking serious?” Brooks grumbles, looking equal parts annoyed and mortified.
At this point, I’m grinning like the cat that ate the canary.
I will most definitely be circling back to that little factoid at a later date, but before I can give him any shit, the front door opens and in walks a girl with sleek, raven hair down to her waist. As she gets closer, I realize she isn’t a girl, but a very petite woman who appears to be in her early twenties.
Going by her sage green eyes, I assume she must be Brooks’ little sister he’s warned a few of the guys not to entangle themselves with.
“Ah, Jade, there you are,” Elena says, wrapping her in a warm hug.
“Fashionably late as usual,” Brooks teases, to which his sister holds up her middle finger in reply behind her mother’s back.
“Oh fuck off, golden child,” Jade retorts with a playful lilt.
“Language,” Elena scolds.
Jade steps out of her mother’s embrace and apologizes. “I’m sorry, Mamá.”
“It’s alright. I’m just glad you made it home finally. It’s been too long,” Elena says, brushing a strand of Jade’s long hair behind her ear. “I’ve missed you, agápi mou.”
She offers her mother a soft smile. “I’m here now, and that’s all that matters.”
Suddenly, Elena’s expression hardens and her shoulders stiffen. “What in heaven’s name is on your nose?”
Jade smirks. “You like it? I got my nose pierced while at school with Quinn.”
“Jade, no! Tell me this can be taken out immediately. Why would you do this to your beautiful face?” Elena admonishes.
“Oh, come on. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“It is! You’re about to get a full-time job. You can’t very well interview with that metal in your nose like that.”
A mischievous smile lights up Jade’s face. “Relax, Mamá. It’s fake.”
“Fake? Oh, thank heavens.”
Jade takes a deep breath and sighs in content. “Is that moussaka I smell?”
“I made your favorite,” Elena tells her, turning back to the kitchen and putting on a pair of oven mitts. “Though now I’m questioning if I should’ve, considering your prank about the fake piercing.”
“I’d never do that to you, Mamá,” Brooks coos innocently, adding fuel to the fire.
With their mom’s back to them, Jade elbows Brooks in the ribs and murmurs, “Would it kill you to be on my side for once in your life?”
“Ouch, you little shit,” Brooks grumbles, rubbing his side. “What kinda brother would I be if I didn’t give you a little shit from time to time?”
“This girl is the cause of all my gray hairs, I swear.” Then, Elena turns to me. “Do you have any sisters or siblings, Will?”
I falter, a knot forming in my stomach from her question. “Yes, two, a brother and a sister.”
“Well, I hope she’s a lot nicer to you and your mom than this one is to me,” Elena teases, pointing to Jade while completely unaware of the fissure down my chest her lighthearted words cause.
“Brooks, would you and Will set the table, please?” she asks, and Brooks being the mama’s boy he is, dutifully grabs plates and forks before nodding to a cabinet and asking if I’ll grab some glasses.
I follow him over to the dining room and trail behind him with the glasses, placing one in front and to the right of each plate he sets down.
Pausing, I look over to find Brooks staring at me strangely.
“Are you good?” he asks.
Furrowing my brows in confusion, I assure him, “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Brooks shrugs. “I don’t know. You just seem like you’re in your own head. But what I do know is my family can be a lot to take in. We’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but you’re being a good sport about it.”
Giving him a polite smile and a curt nod, I pray he’ll change the topic. Only he doesn’t have to because in storms Jade with serving utensils in hand. She hip checks Brooks out of the way, and he feigns being hurt.
The simple sibling exchange makes me miss Abigail and her feisty personality—makes me long for the carefree days we’d banter and play together before everything changed.
Before I can get too far in my head, Brooks pulls out his phone and shoots me a shit-eating grin.
“What’s that look for?” I ask.
He shakes his head and then looks up while pocketing his phone. “If you’d check the team group chat, you’d see the guys wanna go out tonight. Ever been to a club, Sinclair?”