Axel quirks a brow. “And there’s my super sweet wife.”
I snort out a laugh as a gorgeous auburn-haired woman enters the room. I recognize her instantly as Dr. Blaire Broxton, wife of Axel, mother of five children, and successful orthopedic surgeon. She’s the team doctor for her husband’s team, the Fort Worth Wranglers, as well as for Bubba’s professional hockey team, the Dallas Brewers.
She’s followed by three boys who appear to be around eleven or twelve. Two of them are tall and a bit lanky, while the third is a couple inches shorter with the broad build of a linebacker. A younger girl enters behind them, her nose buried in what looks like a young adult mystery novel.
Their mom crosses and engulfs me in a hug, the soft scent of sugar and expensive perfume invading my nose. She smells exactly how I’ve always thought a mom should smell, and I return the embrace.
“Oh, we’re just thrilled to meet you, Jordie.” The woman pulls back and holds me by the shoulders, her smile white and beaming. “I was so hoping our little Care Bear would get a good roommate for her freshman year.”
“Yes ma’am,” I say, trying not to laugh at Carrie’s exasperated sighat once again being calledCare Bear. “We’ll have lots of fun, and I’ll show Carrie the ropes around here.”
“Thank you. It’s hard when your first-born leaves the nest.” She reaches over and strokes an affectionate hand down Carrie’s curls, and a twinge of something like envy spikes through my chest. “But I felt better the instant I saw that you two were assigned as roommates.”
“Coach Berry likes to pair freshmen with someone who’s been here at least a year, to help with the transition.”
“Great idea,” Blaire says, taking my hand and dragging me across the wood floor. Our rooms are surprisingly large for dormitories, but it’s starting to get crowded with eight of us in here. “Let me introduce you to the rest of my kids. These are the triplets, Dex, Max, and Rox,” she says, pointing at each boy.
Dex, the apparent gassy one of the group, is the broader boy. He and Rox greet me politely before Max steps up and takes my hand, kissing the back of it.
“Charmed, I’m sure, your royal hotness,” he croons formally before flinching when his dad cuffs him on the back of the head. “I mean, it’s very nice to meet you, Jordie.” With his back to Axel, he flashes me a cheeky wink that has me rolling my lips in to stifle a giggle at his antics. This kid is going to be trouble with a capital T when he’s older.
Blaire pulls the youngest forward. “And this is the baby of the family, Danica. Dani, can you please put the book down for two seconds and say hello to Jordie?”
The young lady pulls the book down and tucks it beneath her arm, offering a shy smile. She looks so much like her mother, though her red hair is a few shades darker. “Hi, Jordie. Nice to meet you.”
I shake her hand. “You too, Dani. You like reading?” She nods enthusiastically, and I add, “My sister, Juliette, is a librarian. I’ll bet you two will get along great.”
“Really? I love libraries. I want to be a novelist one day and fill the shelves with my words.” She speaks so earnestly for a girl so young.
“That’s awesome. My sister also writes books.” I realize my mistake as soon as the words are out of my mouth. Juliette, a.k.a. Julie Mack, writes super spicy scenes that are definitely not for the eyes of children.
Dani’s green eyes brighten, and she pulls a phone from the pocket of her denim shorts. “That’s so cool. Are they on Amazon?”
My guilty eyes flash to Blaire in apology before returning to the young girl. “They’re actually mushy love stories, so probably nothing you’d be interested in,” I say in as dismissive a tone as I can muster. “But I bet she’ll have tons of recommendations for you.”
As if summoned, my sister’s cheery voice enters the room. “We’re here!”
She pops in, followed by Pops, Dad, Xander, Bubba, and his wife, Holly. Thank goodness Juliette finally broke up with that douchebag, Collin, a while back.
My family members greet the older Broxtons and are introduced to their five kids before Blaire claps her hands and announces, “Okay, there are too many people in here, and it’s starting to get stuffy.” She’s not wrong. We’re cramped, fourteen people standing shoulder to shoulder in a space designed for two. “Let’s divide and conquer.”
“We could take the girls to Home Goods while the men use their muscles to bring in boxes,” Juliette suggests. We all agree, making our collective way out into the hallway, where other athletes and their families are busy with move-in day.
On her way out, Blaire calls over her shoulder, “Remember to lift with your legs, guys. I’m not in the mood to perform back surgery today.”
Later that evening, Carrie and I are finally alone, resting on our beds in our newly decorated room. She’s a little bit girly while I’m more of a tomboy, but we coordinated her pinks and my blues with a couple simple prints on the wall that blend our styles nicely.
“Thank god they gave us larger beds than normal dorm rooms,” Carrie sighs, stretching out on her cotton-candy-pink bedspread.
“They are really nice,” I agree before rolling onto my side and propping my head in my palm. “I love your whole family.”
“Yours is pretty awesome too.” Carrie mirrors my position and grins. “You even like my little brothers?”
That makes me laugh. Having dinner with the Broxton triplets was an experience. Rox, the most outgoing of the three, had flirted shamelessly with me from the antipasti to the Italian entrees and all the way through dessert.
“Even them. And I hope I didn’t embarrass myself in front of your dad. He’s seriously my idol.”
She giggles. “You were so nervous at first, and then by the end you were all, ‘See ya later, Ax.’”
