“God, yes.” Without a second thought, I slump onto the nearest box. I should’ve checked Mia’s neat writing on the side before sitting my ass down. The crunch of glass doesn’t bode well. “When can you get here?”
“Good news, we’re already on our way. Won’t be long.”
“I love you.” Relief rattles through me as a lead weight lifts off my shoulders.
I’m a touch dramatic, but you should fucking see this place... it’s the stuff of nightmares.
“Hey! What about me?!” Rose’s theatrically wounded tone hits my ears. “Who the hell stayed up with you until stupid o’clock unpacking your clothes?”
That she did. The walk-in closet is my only box-free room. My t-shirts are neatly folded, accessories organized in display drawers, and my jeans, jackets, and shirts hang in tidy color-coded rows because Rose is a stickler for the tiniest details.
“I love you too, sis.”
“Yeah, you do,” she trills, her voice painting a picture of the grin undoubtedly stretching her lips.
A knock on the door has my eyebrows meeting in the middle. “Are you guys here already?”
“No, that’s probably Conor and Vee.”
“Have you called in the whole family?”
“Pretty much. You need all the hands you can get. Start with the box labeledcoffee, okay?” Mia pleads.
“Is that an indirect order to get off my ass and get you a coffee, Bug?”
“Make that two,” Rose chimes in. “Will be there soon. Bye.”
In true Rose fashion, she hangs up the call before I say another word. I’ve grown fond of her over the past five months. She’s easygoing, down-to-earth, and fits our quirky family dynamic like she’s always been a part of it.
Every part of her character mirrors one of us. She’s as moody as Nico, but still carefree like Logan and me. She’s effortlessly funny, like Theo and Conor, though with a slice of Colt’s smartassery. To top it off, there’s a hint of Shawn’s rational thinking to balance out her obvious carelessness.
She’s an explosive mixture, all bundled into a package that’s unmistakably Hayes. Well, not entirely. Her looks are more centered than her character. While she does resemble us all, she looks closest to Nico: black hair, black eyes, a golden complexion. I think she connects with him the most, too. Probably because she grew tobestiesstatus with Mia within a month, which means she spends a lot of time around Nico.
“Come in!” I shout when another knock shakes the door.
Conor and his Little Bee enter the condo dressed in sweats, ready to work.
“I see you’ve made progress,” Conor muses, gaze drifting over boxes that remain exactly where he left them last night.
“Rose was here until two in the morning helping me unpack my clothes. I was too tired to do much else after.”
“Good thing we’re here. Dibs on the bathroom,” Vee says, then stops mid-step, horror flooding her face. She falls into a momentary daze, murmuring under her nose.‘What if there are hundreds of condoms? Or toys...’
“No toys,LittleBee. I prefer my vaginas real not rubber. Though, I might have some condoms. Need any?”
She snaps out of the trance—something the whole family has grown used to. Vee has ADHD and speaks to herself whenever her thoughts get too busy to stay inside her head.
“I’m on the pill, thanks.”
“That’s more information than I needed, Vee.”
She pulls a face, big eyes sweeping across the boxes, searching for one labeledbathroom.
“Coffee first,” I say, carefully shaking the box I sat on, listening for a telltale rattle. “I might’ve broken the cups with my ass.”
Conor fetches his car keys, using one to slice through the tape. Within minutes, the coffee maker is plugged in, ready to go. It’s not as fancy as Nico’s, but I’ve ordered an identical machine. It’s only a matter of time before I’m drinking the best coffee one can brew at home. Until it arrives from Italy, I have to make do with what I have.
By the time my sister arrives with Mia in tow, the breakfast bar is lined with five steaming cups, filling the condo with a rich, bittersweet aroma.
