Brady.
24
Brady
“Brady, you have a package up here.”Louisa’s voice comes through my cell phone.
Confusion causes the corners of my mouth to turn down. I didn’t order anything.
“Who’s it from?” I ask, pulling on pants. I’ve just showered and the only thing I was wearing when she called was my underwear.
“I can’t look right now. I left it on the table near the front door. Just come up here.”
Louisa’s voice has an eager intonation. It makes my confused frown deepen.
“Be up in a few,” I tell her. I pull on a shirt and run a towel through my hair one more time. It’s longer than usual and holds more water than I’m used to. After I’ve brushed it into my typical side part, I slide my feet into my shoes and head for the main house.
I use the short walk to guess what the ‘package’ could be.
Maybe my mother sent me something, but who knows what. She’s not the cookie baking, care package type.
Maybe it’s Addison, naked save for a pale pink ribbon tied around her neck. No matter how much I’d love for it to be the latter, it’s obviously not. Louisa wouldn’t be the one calling me.
Before I can come up with any other possible and improbable scenarios, I’m pulling open the back door and stepping into the house.
“Louisa?” I call, walking through the informal dining room and rounding the corner.
“Holy shit!” I stop short.
My ‘package’ isn’t on the table. It’sstandingby the table. And there are two.
“Surprise!” Lennon yells, flinging open her arms and giving a couple small, excited hops on her toes.
My eyes zero in on her stomach. I can’t help it. Her bump is small, probably missed by the casual observer, but to me, it might as well be a flashing beacon. Lennon is pregnant, and even though I already knew it, seeing it in person makes it real.
My shock at seeing the swell of her stomach is covered up by the even greater shock that they are in the living room of Sweet Escape. “What the hell?” I ask, dumbfounded, and step into a hug with both of them.
Lennon laughs. “We wanted to see what you had going on up here in Lonesome.”
We’re still hugging, so she can’t see my eyebrows pinch together. There isn’t a soul in this room, including her own, who believes her. She wanted to meet Addison and check on me.
I take a step back and look at Finn.
He shrugs and tucks his hands into his pockets. “What she said.”
So whipped. He always has been.
“You came all this way to see what was going on in Lonesome?”
She averts her gaze and crosses her arms, knowing her motives have been brought to light but unwilling to admit it. While she surveys the living room, she asks, “Why don’t you show us your cabin? And the town?”
I smirk. “And Addison?”
Lennon groans. “Fine, yes. And Addison.”
“She’s jealous,” Finn quips, grinning. He thinks it’s funny. He’s so secure in her love for him that he doesn’t care if she’s jealous of Addison.
“I am not,” Lennon argues. She meets my eyes. “Okay, fine, I am. And it’s weird. I just want to make sure she’s good for you. You’re on the rebound, and…” Her chin dips to her chest, one hand fidgets with her earring. “It’s my fault. I needed to see that you’re okay. You’re my best friend.”
