WhywasI helping her?
"You work for me. Plus, I can't have you parking in the Svensson PharmaTech parking lot anymore. That's not good marketing."
Henry raced up the wide front steps and banged rapidly on the door.
"I shouldn't have let him sleep in the car," I told Josie.
I heard the yelling of my dozen youngest brothers as soon as we walked inside the house. The teenagers were probably doing homework or still at after-school activities. The youngest ones were, as usual, running wild.
Henry ran off to join the fray.
"Wow!" Josie said. "Are all of these your brothers?"
"It's a small portion of them," I said, hoping she wouldn't ask any more questions.
"A small portion?" she asked, looking at me in shock.
"Who's that?" Nate asked, well yelled, really. He was climbing on the outside of the railing along the stairs.
"Get down from there!" I barked at him.
"This is Josie," Henry said. "She's my best friend."
"Where is Hunter?" I asked Nate. He shrugged. "Don't shrug. It's rude," I scolded him.
"Hunter's out," he said and glared at me.
Of course he was. That was why the kids were out of control. I wondered if Josie thought it was weird to have so many brothers. Sometimes even I thought it was strange.
"Josie, come see my room!" Henry shouted.
"All of you, outside!" I ordered them. "Outside now!" I pulled Nate off the banister and shooed the kids outside.
"Sorry," I said to Josie, looking for signs of revulsion on her face. But her eyes sparkled in delight.
"This is so cool! You have a gigantic family! I always wanted a big family," she gushed as I led her through the house out to the sprawling backyard.
"Incoming!" I heard Remy call. I looked over to see two of the teenagers, Isaac and Bruno, walk by, guiding our oldest brother Remy, who was driving a tractor towing a full-sized school bus.
"Won it at a storage-unit auction," Remy said, flashing me a thumbs-up. "Just needs some elbow grease and new tires."
"You know how I feel about school buses," I told him.
"I'm gonna sell it," Remy assured me.
"You better."
Remy maneuvered the bus into the large carriage house and dusted off his hands.
"Hi," Josie said, holding out her hand.
Remy wrapped her in a hug. "Welcome," he greeted her.
"Remy, put her down," I said. But Josie just laughed.
"I like your beard," she said, petting it. "It's glorious." Remy beamed. "Maybe you're the most attractive Svensson!"
Remy went red through his beard, and I scowled at him.
