I wave him off. “I don't want to talk about it anymore today. Let me wallow in my misery.” I look at Thomas. “Ourmisery because he’s going to be the one who has to suffer through dealing with her. Tomorrow, I’ll get my head on straight and start doing things a dad should be doing.”
“Cheers to that.” Oli raises his glass, and the rest of my brothers clink theirs against it before drinking. “Cheers to the next generation of Summers. Because as sucky as this is, it’s exciting to be welcoming a baby.”
“That’s true,” says Declan, “and I have a couple of ideas I want to run past you guys about future-proofing our family.”
“And I want to know what the two of you were doing at the count’s today,” Thomas says, and Oli vehemently shakes his head.
“You meanourplace,” he says very firmly. I feel a flash of excitement overtake my misery. “We need to start calling it our place.”
“Yeah, I like the sound of that,” I tell him, sitting up a little straighter. We have a wonderful home with Dad, but this will be something of our own that we can mold and shape into what we want. A blank slate for our family to grow and flourish, giving me some of the control that is so sorely lacking in the situation with Veronica.
“Hang on, before we get into what we were doing, what about you?” Holden asks Thomas. “Did you speak to the others and tell them why you didn’t make it before the cruise left?”
Tom frowns, shaking his head. “No, I haven't had a chance to. I’ll do that now. I’m sure they’ve realized that I didn't make it.” His pauses, his brow starting to get that little furrow that means he’s probably starting to catastrophize something. “Actually, I’m surprised they haven't tried to call me. I’ll try Harlow first. I’m sure Jaxon is probably busy.” He pulls his phone out, and I watch as he calls our girlfriend.
God, I wish she was here. That I could bury my face in her shoulder as she wraps her arms around me and assures me everything is going to be alright. She’s given me a sense of peace that has been missing in my life for so long. Don’t get me wrong, my family is amazing, and I wouldn't be the man I am without them, but for so long I felt I had to keep busy to prove I was worth the Summers name. I know I’m guilty of using the adrenaline rush of extreme sports to block out the insidious thoughts that would creep back in if I let myself sit too quietly for too long.
No matter how lucky you are to be placed with a kind and amazing family like the Summers, the scars from my trauma—thanks to my mother’s addiction and her resentment of me and my father— never went away. We hadn't been enough for her, so I’m beyond grateful that I’ve found a woman who accepts me, flaws and all. Harlow wants nothing more than to love me and be loved by me. Although I know this isn't the ideal situation, she was amazing when she found out that I’m the father of Veronica's baby, and I’m sure she’ll support us through this whole charade as well.
“Kai, get out of your head,” Declan commands royally, and I roll my eyes at him. Just like big brother to assume I’m worrying instead of having the comforting realization that I’ve got a ride or die woman on my hands.
Tom pulls his phone away from his ear, frowning. “She’s got it turned off. It went straight to messages.”
“Try Jazzy,” Holden suggests as he leans back in the booth, sighing. “She never turns hers off.”
We watch as he tries first our sister, then Jaxon, getting the same response each time.
“Maybe their phones don’t work out there.” Oli leans back against his boyfriend, and I smile. I’m so glad they worked things out. There’s always been a strained relationship between the two of them, and it’s nice that it’s been repaired. I’m just sad it took so long, but maybe that’s for the best. If they had stayed together as teenagers, who knows if they would have lasted for the long haul.
“They should,” Declan grunts, “but I guess they might have wanted a break without them. If they don't call us by this evening, once they've realized Tom's not there, then I’ll call the ship. I’m pretty sure Jaxon said he left the contact details with Dad.”
“Alright, enough of this. What were you two doing out at our place so early this morning after the gala?” I point my whiskey glass at my two brothers. Noticing it’s empty, I hold it out to be filled. Thomas leans in and obliges, but he puts a couple of cubes of ice in it. Probably a good idea, even if it only waters it down a little bit. I can really feel the alcohol kicking in now.
“We thought we would get a start on clearing out the panic room and sex room before there are too many people coming in and out of the house. The dumpsters were also delivered today, so we were there to meet them.”
I perk up at hearing about the sex room. I haven't had a chance to see it yet, only Oli and Holden have, but it sounds fun.
“And did Harlow decide she wanted to keep the sex room, or does she want to get rid of it?” I ask, secretly crossing my fingers for the former. Thomas and Declan both look like they’re eager to hear Harlow’s response as well, and a small chuckle escapes my mouth. Everyone looks at me, but I wave them away. “Nothing, carry on.”
“Oh, she definitely wants to keep it, but she talked about replacing the furniture, and when Oli and I examined it today, it looked like it was in really good condition. It’s been really well maintained.” Holden keeps going on, but I start to tune him out, more focused on the blush that’s staining Oli’s cheeks.
“Ha, you guys totally tested it out, didn’t you?” I burst out, pointing at the two of them. Oli flips me off, but Holden winks at me.
“Funnily enough, there are still some brand-new sex toys in the cupboard, and we know the count had good taste because they’re all from Aunt Merideth’s collection,” Holden continues, ignoring my outburst. “We need to ditch anything that’s not wrapped, and Harlow asked us to remove all the linens and clothes. We managed to empty the panic room completely, which reminds me, we need to get a new mattress for that gorgeous bed down there.”
“How did you get it out?” Thomas asks. “I thought it was a spiral staircase leading down to the panic room. Harlow said the bed was big enough to sleep four or five adults. There’s no way a mattress that big would go up a spiral staircase.”
Finally recovered from his embarrassment, Oli jumps in. “It came apart in individual sections, which made it easy for the two of us to carry it up and put it in the elevator. When we got down to the public floor, we just hauled it over the balcony and dropped it into the dumpster. I took a photo of it on my phone before we pulled it apart. I’m going to call around and find someone to make us a new one.”
“Oh, Declan, how do you think Princess will cope if we get another cat?” Holden asks our big brother, and his eyebrows jump in surprise.
“Why do we need another cat?” He sounds a little disgruntled, like his Princess isn’t good enough.
“Well, we seem to have a bit of a mouse problem. I just thought if we got another cat, it might help fix that.”
Declan grumbles, “Princess is a good mouser, but I guess we could get another cat. All of her kittens are already promised to families, so we would have to buy one.”
“I know she is, but she’s an inside-only cat, and I think we’re going to need one who likes to go outside as well. In fact, we may need two. It’s a lot of acreage, and the zoo is going to have feed that will attract rodents as well.” Holden’s trying to use his gentle voice, but there’s a little undercurrent of laughter like he’s trying to hide his opinion that our brother is being a little dramatic.
