“Oh, honey. It’s wonderful!” She exclaimed, her green eyes misting over as she looked around the opened concept area again. Glancing back at me, she smiled, her eyes twinkling. “The landscaping is beautiful. That view of the water! And you can really tell the previous owners loved to garden.” Mom had a thing for gardens—she had several at home that she lovingly tended to from May until October.
I wasn’t a gardener, so I’d have to hire someone to look after them.
“That’s what caught my attention first. I know the inside needs a lot of updating, but that’s okay. I can do most of it myself, but I’ll hire a contractor for the bigger things, like the studio renovation. I’m turning the guest house into a small recording studio so that I can work from home most of the time.”
“You know a contractor.” My mother pointed out, arching a brow. Dad. I’d worked on one of his crews in every summer between ages fourteen and seventeen. It’s how I’d saved up for my first Jeep, and my first electric guitar.
“He won’t take my money.” He’d insist on doing it free, and then I’d feel obligated to try and help because I knew, that with him, nothing was ever really free. That would also mean more time spent in each other’s company. Right now, I didn’t want to see him. I didn’t want to waste a single moment stressing about what he thought or anticipating what was going to piss him off next. I just wanted to let myself be happy, finally.
I really couldn’t spare any time to help, which is why I’d wanted to hire someone in the first place. I had enough things in my life needing my focus. Tai had been blowing up my phone with text messages all day, badgering me about setting up some kind of interview now that photos had started circulating. I got a headache just thinking about it, but I knew it would all be worth it in the end.
“Ask him. I’m sure he’d love to help.” Mom insisted.
“Dad usually keeps his schedule pretty full, Mom, but I’ll think about it. What’s in all the bags?” I asked, distracting her. My attention was mostly on the brown paper bag in her hand, and the enticing smell coming from it that made my stomach rumble.
“We picked up a few things. Necessities mostly, and some items for the house. I hope that’s okay.” Mom explained, exchanging a look of conspiracy with Connor as she led us back into the kitchen. A quick peek inside one bag revealed a can of coffee, sugar, and cream. The other bag held a new coffee machine, not top of the line, but not cheap either. Cleaning products were in the fourth bag, and the rest were full of groceries.
“Mom, you didn’t have to do this.”
“I wanted to. It’s something I planned on doing for all my children,” she assured me. “Are you boys hungry? We brought dinner.” She deflected, holding up the two brown paper bags she’d refused to give up before setting them down on the island countertop.
My little sister—dressed in a pair of jean overalls with old paint splatters on them from her summers volunteering at habitat for humanity—paused at the counter, placing her hands on the surface as she examined the dated pine kitchen.
The kitchen hadn’t been renovated since the late nineties, but everything was functional and updating it wasn’t high on my to-do list. I envisioned doing those kinds of renovations with Harper’s input, once she and Asher were living here, too.
Evan practically skipped up to the counter, grabbing one of the huge pitas, his brown eyes bugging with appreciation. He planted an over-exuberant kiss on my mother’s cheek and attempted to get Connor next, but she swiftly darted away. Unbothered by her reaction, Evan tore open the wrapper and moaned. “You ladies are agodsend.” He said, chomping down.
Mom held out one of the pitas, and I stepped forward to take it, opening the foil wrapper and biting off the end of it. Chewing, I turned to see what was taking Dare so long.
He stood on the other side of the island, hands in his pockets, eyes anywhere but me. Jaw clenched, and his brows furrowed. Something was eating him.
“Can I have a tour first?” Connor interjected, her eyes sliding to Dare briefly before shooting back to me. “Mom and I ate in the car, and I can’t wait to look upstairs.”
I was mid-chew of my second bite—just as large as the first. I nodded as I swallowed, but before I could say go ahead, Dare spoke up. “I can show her around quick.”
Connor frowned. “I can show myself around, thanks.” Her fire gave us all pause, and she cooled her expression. “I just mean you can eat, Dare. I’ll have a look myself.”
He nodded slowly, his brows tugging tighter together, detecting her irritation, but not surprised by it. He shrugged. “Suit yourself.” Connor arched her brows and pursed her lips before she took off upstairs. “I need a smoke.” Dare clipped, turning and heading for the door.
“Oh! I’m coming, too.” Evan called out, carefully setting his nearly fully consumed pita down on the counter. “I’ll be back for you, my love,” he whispered to it, touching it reverently before darting out of the house.
“What just happened?” I asked, my stare moving from the stairwell to the closing door with confusion.
“She’s been in a mood today, I’m afraid. Boyfriend trouble, I suspect.”
“Connor doesn’t have a boyfriend,” I scoffed. I would have known—she would have said something. She’d dated before, and she’d even brought a guy around once, but she was single right now, and had been since her last boyfriend cheated on her. She’d told me she had decided to focus on school.
All of her posts on social media featured artsy portraits, the occasional selfie, places she’d been to, and her college friends. I suppose it was possible that she was dating one of them, but it wasn’t like Connor to hide it from me.
Mom just arched an auburn eyebrow, like she knew something I didn’t. “Don’t give me that look. I know my daughter. She’s involved with someone.”
“Who? And why’s she upset? Whose ass do I have to kick?”
“I don’t know the answers to those questions, but probably someone at the university. And you’ll be kicking nobody’s ass.” She narrowed her eyes at me in warning as she moved past me to pick up a few of the bags. “Now, where’s the powder room?”
“Down the hall to your left,” I instructed. “I’m going to go check on Connor.”
I put my pita down and jogged up the stairs, catching my sister in the hallway.
