“What?” Raven wrestles herself free. “I like to watch TV at night commando. Sue me, wouldyou?”
“Don’t tempt me. I happen to be bedding alitigator.”
“Eww!” Teagan clamps her hands over her ears. “Can this night get anyworse?”
My phone bleats in my pocket, and I fish it out. It’s a text fromMarlin.
Emergency meeting at the Black Bear. Rush says he has something to tell us. I’m on my way. Can you makeit?
I glance up at Teagan and the tears melting her mascara into muddyrivers.
“I’ll grab the Pinterest pineapple canapé and glitter cake pops. You and Raven grab the tulle covered balloons and whatever you can from the candy buffet! I’ll meet you in the parking lot in thirtyseconds.”
I could never pull off this change of venues without Raven—who ironically has been closer to me than Serena lately. We’ve bonded over missing our dads, and she’s the one who’s prolifically introduced me to rom-coms and girls’ night in while I introduced her to the finer points ofcutlery.
Yes, it’s nice to have friends indeed. Now that’s something I never thought I’d say. With Axel back in my life, with friends to call my own—life is shaping up to be everything I never knew it couldbe.
Now if only this party shapes up, I’ll really have itall.
* * *
Okay,so it takes almost twenty minutes to convince Teagan’s so-called friends that a change of venue will not land them on some social media blacklist under the header ofhates pets. Darn Stumpy and that endeavor she’s spearheaded against me. I’ve let this nightmare go on for far too long. I may have been a tad complacent when I was the sole target of her hateful sooted soul, but now that she’s effectively killed business at The Sloppy Pelican and killed Teagan’s official Freedom Fest, she’ll have the wrath of the old me to contend with. The old Lex Maxfield was far more of a bitch to deal with—if I do say somyself.
The Black Bear is booming tonight, and just the sight of all these hippy dippy coeds bopping to the live band makes me scowl. I hate that I’ve single-handedly destroyed business for The Sloppy Pelican. It’s as if I’ve been dragging around a curse with me ever since the time of my mother when she abandoned my siblings and me. Speaking of my siblings. I turn to Axel and swipe a quick kiss off hislips.
“Marlin is here. He sort of called a familymeeting.”
Axel cranes his neck and growls once he spots him. “I take it I’m notinvited.”
“Not yet.” I give a little wink. It’s safe to say Axel and I are well on our way to becoming inseparable. Soon Marlin will have to deal with that. “Why don’t you help wrangle Teagan and her guests inside? They can take selfies with that old stuffed bear later. Trust me, he’s not going anywhere. Raven is taking care of the food.” Axel called ahead to the owners of the Black Bear and they said they’d gladly give us their poolroom to do as we wish. It’s kind of sweet the way Levi, Brody, and Axel have forged a bond with the people who own this place. Especially since it holds so much nostalgic meaning to all ofus.
“Will do.” He steals a kiss off my lips before disappearing, and I head to the back where Rush is flagging me down. Rush is Sunday’s older brother, the middle child of my Aunt Priscilla, and coincidentally the one who happens to blame himself for what happened to her. I’ve always had a soft spot for Rush for that very reason. I’ve felt the same guilt about my mother. I was the one who drove her away. It’s been obvious to me since thebeginning.
Both Marlin and Rush stand up once they see me, and I offer them each a quick embrace. Marlin is dressed head to toe in his navy Jepson PD garb, and Rush is every bit the preppy fratboy.
“Why are we hiding in the corner?” I say as I bat a fake banana leaf out of my face. That’s one thing about the Black Bear—they’ve lined the periphery of the establishment with silk plants spanning ten feet tall. It gives it a slight tropical appeal, and yet it feels homey. Teagan and her friends run by in a flurry. On second thought, hiding in the corner might bebest.
Rush is the spitting image of Nolan, his older brother, yet his hair is a bit lighter. His eyes are the same steely shade as my aunt’s were, and he’s hands down to a fault like his father. Same straight nose, smooth brows, high cheeks, strong jawline. He’s built like an athlete, and the girls don’t seem to mind onebit.
Rush leans in. “You’ll find out in about sixseconds.”
“Six seconds?” I parrot, amused. “Will Sunday be joining us in six seconds aswell?”
Rush glances to both Marlin and me. “Nope, I’ve arranged for her to show in about five minutes. Hate to say it, but Sunday has been harboring a little secret from the two ofyou.”
“What secret?” My curiosity piques. Clearly, I haven’t spent nearly enough time with my family as oflate.
Serena pops up to the edge of the table, and both Marlin and I bolt to our feet to greether.
“Here she is!” Marlin gives his baby sister a quick embrace, and I’m quick to get in on thelovefest.
Marlin ticks his head back, amused by my actions. “You’ve changed.” He gives a little wink. “It’s as if you’re suddenly happy orsomething.”
My mouth opens as I glance toward the poolroom. “I am.” I pull my sister into the seat next to me, and she hesitates before falling hard on her bottom. “So what’s new with you? Rush here is being extrasecretive.”
Serena looks to Rush and snarls at him. My heart breaks seeing the action because I know Serena is simply modeling the behavior she’s seen me do a thousand times. Maybe it’s a good thing I’m finally happy. I’m hoping to model that behavior for Serena, too. The last person I want her turning into is me. Heck, I don’t even want to be meanymore.
“Nothing’s new,” she grits it through her teeth at her cousin, and every alarm in me starts to go off. “I’mfine.”
