“No.” She giggles. “I saw you from the window, silly!”
“Oh, man. Bored already? It’s because your favorite aunt hasn’t arrived yet, huh?” I set her down and offer a hand. “Let’s go find something to do.”
I turn to find Jace staring at the two of us with an unreadable expression. He’s never really struck me as a kid lover, and thatcouldn’t be more evident than right now. He’s staring at my niece like she’s an alien. “Coming?”
“You two go ahead,” he says, giving Taylor a wary glance. “I’m gonna head to the kitchen and find something to drink.”
“Okay.” The acknowledgment barely leaves my lips, and he’s already through the front door like his ass is on fire.
I shake my head. “Come on, Tay Tay. Let’s go find some uncles to torment.”
As it turns out, there is only one uncle in attendance tonight.
But Taylor and I do our best to tease my youngest brother, Myles, with a lively game of tag that makes me relive old memories of all of us running through the house while Hollis watches as my mom cooks turkey for Thanksgiving.
Hollis.
It’s been a little over a week since that first text pulled him back into my life, and I haven’t told anyone about him. It feels strange now to keep him secret, especially since I’m back at my parents’ house, where the memories of him seem to be woven right into the foundation of the house.
He was once such a big part of our life, and then he was just…gone.
I don’t know why I’m keeping it from them.
I guess I’m worried it’s not real. That eventually our calls and texts will come to an end, and I’ll be hurt and alone, wondering where he went all over again.
And I don’t want my family to suffer that same fate.
Plus, there’s the issue with Jace.
Since he stormed out of the stockroom, we haven’t spoken about Hollis at all. It’s like he completely forgot about it. He hasn’t asked if I’m still talking to him, and I’m careful to keep my phone out of sight, because I sure as hell am not going to be the one to bring it up.
Does it feel wrong? A little.
But I’m also not doing anything nefarious. Hollis and I are just friends, whether or not Jace understands that.
“It’s a bummer Zara got sick,” Mercury starts to say as we all gather around the table later for dinner. She and I are very different when it comes to style. My little sister is all sleek lines and fine fabrics, and I’m…I look down at my frayed shorts and cropped tee. Thanks to my lack of time and funds, my style is whatever I can find in thrift stores.
“I know. Poor thing,” my mom says from across the table. “Hendrix said it was pretty bad too. He sounded so concerned.”
“Why are you smiling then?” Myles asks with a mouthful of salad. It’s hard to believe sometimes that he’s the same guy who can transform into a renegade duke or a charismatic professor on stage.
Of course, those were roles he played in college. Now, he’s in the real world—also known as LA, and it’s brutal for an actor.
“Because she thinks he’s in love,” Cash responds, not even bothering to lift his head as he points to the salad on his daughter’s plate. I suppress a laugh as Taylor grimaces and shakes her head.
“Well, isn’t he? You saw how he was last night when her ex showed up,” I say, remembering that I hadn’t filled Jace in on the backstage drama.
“All I remember is the way Asher told him to get the hell out,” Mercury says, causing me to roll my eyes. My little sister has always had a little crush on the lead singer of Manic at Midnight.
“Kind of sorry I missed that,” Myles says.
“You kind of missed everything,” Cash reminds him. “Where were you?”
Myles shrugs. “Around.”
I can tell Cash is about to press the issue, but the sound of a chair sliding next to me cuts him off, and Jace rises to his feet. “I’m getting another drink,” he says darkly.
Looks are exchanged around the table, and I feel my cheeks begin to flush. “Is he all right?” my mom asks, a genuine look of concern on her face.
