Chapter 38
Aspen
I’m used to large group gatherings. Marley and Sara love to host at our apartment, and there are plenty of girls night outs that quickly add up to more than ten of us.
But none of that prepared me for the overwhelming nature that is Reid and his best friends. I’ve grown used to Reid’s dominating presence, but it’s magnified by the three men surrounding him as he guides me into Hayden’s kitchen.
All eyes instantly turn in our direction, his hand squeezing mine reassuringly. “Everyone, this is Penny.”
I give a small wave, instantly feeling embarrassed by the action.
He starts introductions, even though I already know who everyone is. Everyone knows who these men are.
Reid points to Nikolai. “You’ve already met that one.” Nikolai gives me a bright smile, putting me slightly at ease.
“And you sort of met Walker already.”
Walker steps forward, leaving the embrace of the woman next to him. He extends a hand to me with genuine kindness on his face. “Nice to officially meet you, Penny.”
His hand almost crushes mine, but I don’t think it’s on purpose.
He’s just a big guy who seems like he probably doesn’t understand his own strength.
“Nice to meet you, too. I like your shirt.” It’s a neon-green cut-off T-shirt that exposes his tattooed, beefy arms with a picture of a cartoon T-rex in the center.
He beams, and my compliment earns an exaggerated eye-roll from the woman next to him. “Christ, I’m never gonna hear the end of it now,” she mutters.
Walker grins triumphantly at her. “See, I told you it’s cool.” He turns back to me. “She tried to throw this one away when we were cleaning out our closets the other week.”
“It looks like a child’s shirt,” she argues.
“It’s fun!” he playfully spits back.
She shakes her head at him, but her lips purse in a barely restrained smirk.
“This is my girlfriend, Scar.” She doesn’t step forward to shake my hand, but she doesn’t strike me as one for formalities. She’s dressed in all black, matching her long, wavy hair, minus the dark purple hue at the end of the strands.
Her boots are a similar shade.
“I can’t believe there’s anyone able to put up with this asshole.” She flicks her eyes to Reid. “But I guess there really is someone out there for everybody.”
I’ve heard their history, but that doesn’t stop my walls from rising at her attitude toward Reid. That’s my boyfriend after all.
But Reid shoots back, just as cooly, “The same could be said about you and him.”
Walker watches the two of them, all traces of humor wiped from his face. He looks ready to jump in, but then Scar cracks a ghost of a smile. “Fair enough.”
A look passes between the two of them, some sort of unspoken truce, and it seems like everyone in the room lets out a collective breath.
The woman tucked into who I recognize as Hayden’s side breaks the silence. “I’m Carter, by the way. I’m so happy you were able to make it over.” She brushes her blonde hair back behind her ear, engagement ring catching the sun. “Would you like a tour?”
“Yes, please,” Jane jumps in, looking rather eager to escape the kitchen as well. “Have you guys ordered yet?”
The four guys look at each other.
“Oh my god,” she mutters. “Someone order the damn food while Carter shows us around. You’ve only been here all day!”
I decide there and then that I like her, no matter her history with Reid.
The girls follow Carter out of the kitchen, while the guys talk amongst themselves. The moment we’re away from them, it’s like I can breathe easier.
“You feel it too?” Scar nudges my shoulder. “The dominating air the four of them have that sucks up all the oxygen from the rest of us?”
“Yeah. I thought it was just me.”
She fiddles with the string of her oversized hoodie. “It’s not. You’ll get used to it. And sorry if I offended you earlier. I only meant to insult your boyfriend.”
Her bluntness takes me aback for a moment, but once the shock wears off, I can’t help but laugh. She gives me a conspiratorial grin, but it doesn’t quite reach her brown eyes.
“No offense taken,” I say.
Carter leads us into a guest bedroom off the foyer.
It holds a few instruments, a desk, random trinkets.
She points to the cozy looking window bench with a bookshelf built into the wall next to it.
“My dad helped put that in.” Noting my shock, she adds, “He’s in construction.
Most of the big projects we did in this house, he had a hand in.
As hard as Hayden tries, he’s just not handy. ”
She leads us to their primary bedroom, then to the other end of the house that is open to a gorgeous office space.
It’s surrounded by windows that allow so much natural lighting.
It’s filled with tripods and light reflectors.
“This is my studio space here. That was important when we moved in that I had room for my work, and Hayden had room downstairs for his.” She darts her eyes at us, an optimistic look in them.
“Hopefully he’ll be getting more use of it now. ”
I take it as a good sign that Reid got so lost in their studio time today that he forgot about meeting me for dinner. The others seem inclined to agree.
Carter continues on with the tour, the four of us chatting along the way.
I learn that Scar and Carter met on tour with the band and became fast friends from it.
Jane fits in seamlessly with the two of them, having so much history with the guys and grateful when more girls were around for her to talk to.
It’d be easy to feel left out, the three of them having experienced so much together already. But they include me every chance they get, asking me about myself, my job, Reid, how I moved to LA.
By the time we walk downstairs to see the basement, I feel a part of their little group.
The house is nice, but not over the top. Every room is bathed in warm colors, walls covered in art. “Do you have any of your photos hanging?” Jane asks Carter.
She shakes her head with a sheepish smile. “If it were up to Hayden, they’d be everywhere. But I don’t know…that feels strange to me.”
“Don’t hide your art,” Scar says.
“I’m not.” Carter looks around the open-concept basement. “But I’d rather cover the wall in photos that mean something to us as a couple. Not just my own personal portfolio.”
We peak into the studio, but it’s covered with the guys’ equipment. None of us want to disturb any of it, so we quickly back out.
“Let’s go see if the guys figured out the food,” Carter says.
My stomach growls, having been waiting for Reid to get back to start making dinner. We head back upstairs toward the living room, where the guys have all gathered to watch whatever hockey game plays on the TV.
A gentle hand stops me in my tracks. Jane jerks her head, and I step to the side with her. “Sorry, I just wanted to pull you aside quickly.”
Anxiety swells in my stomach. “Sure, what’s up?”
She picks at her manicured nails, shifting in her heels. “I just wanted to let you know that I didn’t know that Reid hadn’t told you about our history, and I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable at all when we were over the other week.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.” Reid and I have moved past it, and Jane is a part of this family. Now I am, too, I guess. We’re going to be around each other, and I don’t want any weird energy between us.
She smiles warmly. “I really would like for you to show me your favorite beach spots sometimes. I need someplace to unwind after work.”
“What’s this about needing to unwind?” Nikolai sidles up next to Jane, pressing a kiss to her cheek. She flushes while batting him away.
“None of your business.”
He nips at her ear. “Everything about you is my business.”
Well, I’m going to excuse myself from that. Reid beckons me over to where he’s sitting on one of the orange, velvet couches. I immediately snuggle into his side. “You good?” he asks.
I smile up at him, listening to the chatter of his family grow louder as everyone gathers in the living together. “Yeah. I’m good.”