Chapter 12 Cross Hideaway #2
“Nope. Not buried.” He brushed his thumb along the back of her hand and her fingers tightened around his as he stopped in front of a massive oak, its branches looming high into the sky and housing a child-sized fort.
Nailed into the bark at odd angles, crude steps staggered up to the slightly saggy aerial deck, and for anyone who wanted an extra challenge, a thick knotted rope dangled from the small opening above.
“Welcome to Cross Hideaway,” Phoenix announced. “Anything worth hiding, we hid here. Not only because Dad’s fear of heights prevented him from climbing a foot off the ground, but Mom’s spider phobia had her avoiding the tree house at all costs.”
Phoenix shot her a wicked grin. “Want to come up?”
Addie shook her head. “Not in the least. What goes up must come down, and knowing me, I’d land on my head. Or my ass. I’ll stay safe and sound on the ground.”
“You sure? We also used Cross Hideaway as a secret rendezvous spot.” Phoenix wiggled his eyebrows, not able to help himself. “Nai used it for that more than me, but I’d be up for closing the distance a little more.”
“Considering that we are neither rendez-ing or vous-ing, I’ll stick with my plan to stay right here.”
Phoenix laughed. “Suit yourself, but you’re missing a great view.”
He grabbed the knotted rope and, using mostly his arms, hoisted himself up, hand over hand, and prayed he didn’t make an ass of himself by stalling halfway there, or worse, falling on his ass.
He breathed a little sigh of relief when he made it to the top and glanced down, catching Addie mid-ogle.
“Did you enjoy the view, love?” He smirked, flashing her a coy wink. “Give me a second and I’ll give you another one on my way down.”
She rolled her eyes, but stayed put as he headed into the tree house and went right to the old antique trunk they’d used not only for storage but as a game board and dinner table.
Wedged between two slightly musty blankets, its bright purple cover and bedazzled Nai’s Happily Ever After made the book instantly recognizable.
“Bingo.” He grabbed one of the smaller blankets and wrapped it around the journal protectively before sticking his head out of one of the windows. “Ready to catch?”
“You found it?” Addie opened her hands and prepared for the drop.
“Of course.” He let go and she caught it perfectly, cradling it protectively in her arms as he climbed back down to the ground. “Do you think it will help?”
Addie carefully flipped from page to page, her smile growing. “I think it’ll give us one hell of a good start.”
“No way! How do you know where the secret boxes are? I didn’t even know those were a thing and I read all the cheat mags!” James, Phoenix’s sixteen-year-old cousin, accused a grinning Addie, who simply shrugged and kept her character, Princess Peach, motoring along the rainbow highway.
In first place.
Phoenix’s souped-up Yoshi Bike lasted ten minutes and approximately three heats until he got booted from the tournament, but Addie steadily remained in the top spot despite his cousin’s tricks to divert her attention.
They’d pulled out the distraction big guns and sent in Samantha, but their usual tactic backfired and now the four-year-old sat on Addie’s lap and gleefully “helped” her guide the kart around the track.
Every time they intercepted a flashing yellow star and plowed through their opponent, Samantha giggled and begged her to do it again.
James looked seconds away from spontaneously combusting.
“How’s it going in here?” Phoenix’s parents stepped into the room, his father’s arm linked snugly around his mom’s waist. “Wait … is James…?”
“In last place?” Phoenix chuckled, getting up to stand next to them. “Abso-fucking-lutely,” he whispered.
“Never thought I’d see the day.” Judd laughed. “You picked good, kid. Anyone who can hold their own during a Cross family game night is made of hearty stuff.”
Phoenix reluctantly dragged his eyes away from the sight of Addie sitting between his cousins, and focused on his parents.
His mom’s smile practically stretched her face to its breaking point. “She’s lovely, Nixxy.”
“It’s not what you both think,” Phoenix hated saying.
“No?” his dad questioned. “Because I think you brought someone to the house—if my memory is correct—for the first time in … ever.”
“It is,” Lani interjected with a nod. “Very first. He didn’t even bring his prom date home for pictures.”
“Because I didn’t have a prom date,” Phoenix clarified. “The Stone Talons played at the prom.”
His dad’s eyes damn near twinkled. “There’s also the fact that you haven’t taken your eyes off her since you got here.”
Fuck. He wasn’t wrong, and judging by the growing smirk, his father knew it, too.
Phoenix struggled to find the words—or any excuse—that steered away from the truth:
Adalyn Love Whitlock fascinated him like no one ever had.
Her sassy obstinance and grumpy, uncaffeinated self charmed him as much as the video game shark–slash–carousel lover.
Despite her “love is a sham” outlook, she cherished her friends and family, not to mention her pups.
She worked too much. Didn’t play enough.
Cheered for the wrong baseball team. And ate pizza wrong.
But hell if he didn’t like all of it.
Phoenix caught his parents’ knowing gazes. “I brought her here to look for Nai’s journal. It’s not like I could just leave her to fend for herself with the Cross heathens.”
“Yes, because they look like they’re eating her alive,” Lani teased. “Pretty sure Blake and River have a crush now, and she earned Samantha’s approval. And that little one is a tough nut to crack.”
Hell, she wasn’t wrong, either.
“But if it’s any consolation,” Phoenix’s mom leaned closer and whispered, “I’m pretty sure she watches you as much as you watch her.”
On cue, Addie’s gaze shifted his way and her lips twitched into a small smile before Sam patted her leg in a bid for her attention.
Something about seeing her comfortable with his little cousins, and joking with his family warmed a spot in his chest, and when she glanced his way and gifted him that subtle smile, that warm spot burned hot.
Thirty minutes later and Cross family game night came to a disappointing end—if your last name was Cross.
“No hard feelings, James?” Addie stuck out her hand to the teen, who took it with a grumble. “I don’t remember the name of the gaming blog I read, but I’ll look it up when I get home and have Phoenix tell you, okay? Maybe you’ll be able to find some more secret boxes.”
The teen looked a little more upbeat. “Deal.”
“You can call me Tails,” Samantha announced seriously, her little arms folded over her chest as she glanced up at Addie. “If you want.”
“I’d like that very much. After all, I couldn’t have won without you.” Addie pulled the gift card, a coveted Cross game night prize, from her pocket, and handed it to the four-year-old. “That’s why I think you should have this. Special helpers deserve special prizes.”
Samantha’s eyes widened as she took the card. “Really?”
“Really. Just make sure you get a really good book.”
“I know the exact one I’m getting! It’s about a unicorn with sparkly hair!”
“That sounds like an amazing choice.”
Goodbyes alone took a solid thirty minutes, which was pretty short based on typical Cross departures. The sky looked like a dark, star-laden blanket as they walked down the lit walkway toward the bike.
“Sorry about bombarding you with all of that.” Phoenix gently bumped his shoulder into hers. “Crosses are not for the fainthearted. Thankfully, that was only one small branch of the family tree. Basically a twig.”
Addie’s eyes widened before she broke into laughter. “I won’t lie, I was a little freaked out in the beginning. Our family gatherings usually total three—four if Bailey hitches along.”
“So your mother’s side…”
“Is a fifty-ring circus.” Addie quickly added, “I adore my aunts and uncles, and my cousins, too, but they’re a lot. And I can only tolerate Olympus shenanigans in very small doses. I have very little patience and no tolerance for drama.”
Phoenix grinned. “And yet you won over Samantha, and trust me, she’s difficult to impress.”
“She’s a little sweetheart underneath all that sass.”
“Sounds a lot like someone else I know.” He shot her a teasing look and she laughed, rolling her eyes.
“And your parents are great,” Addie added, smiling. “Your dad actually reminds me a lot of mine.”
“Maybe we can get them together for a playdate or something.” The words left Phoenix’s lips before he really considered how they’d sound—or how she’d take them.
As they reached the bike, Addie turned toward him. “That sounds like something a couple who isn’t fake-dating would do.”
Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck as he felt the heat creep into his face. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
They’d spent four hours at his parents’ place. They’d glanced through Nai’s journal, and joked around with his family. Addie even joined them more than once to tease his face red. He couldn’t recollect a single moment when something felt fake.