“Okay Liz, I’m alone now. Tell me everything.”
“Why are you wearing heels in your house at this hour.”
She pauses. “My husband and I were just going to role play.”
“Do you want me to let you go?!”
“No! He’s here every day. You need me. Plus, this keeps the anticipation going. When I say tell me everything, Liz, I mean everything!”
CHAPTER 29
C ADEN
I ’m on the phone with Kian, covering my ear so I can hear him over the crowd of Cockers who have overtaken my home. “I just need to get a mattress, really?”
He reassures me, “Yeah man. I threw his out. It was nasty. Dude was unclean, not that we’re the tidiest motherfuckers around. But filth is different from mess.”
“Yeah,” I mutter, rubbing the back of my head.
“Hey, Caden,” Hannah calls over. “I’m ordering pizza!”
“Sounds good!”
I face the wall again to focus as Kian explains, “He moved back in with his folks and left all his furniture for us to deal with. Selfish fucker. Nothing fancy. Dresser. Small desk. Crappy chair. Bed frame. Couple of nightstands from Ikea. Bunch of wooden hangers from them in the closet.”
I frown, “That makes it a lot easier, thanks.”
“I’ll pick you up from the airport. Text me time and flight. I work from home.”
“Dad said you’re a graphic designer now.”
“Yep, logos, websites, ad copy for social media. My schedule is my own, even though I work a lot of hours. Can leave anytime though, so I’ll come grab you. Just let me know which airline and all that.”
“You got it. Thanks, man. I’m looking forward to seeing you.”
“It’s going to be great. You’ll love my friends. Chicago is awesome.”
“I’ve no doubt. Everyone is here helping me pack so I’ve gotta go. I’ll send you that text.”
We hang up and I turn to the dismantling of my whole world. Boxes are spread throughout the living room, pictures that were on the walls now propped on the floor against them. My immediate family is here, as are all the cousins in Atlanta, leaving out Elijah, Sofia and Ben.
Lexi and Sam are in my room with Zoe, packing up clothes and throwing everything out they don’t deem fashionable. I gave them full control because why the fuck not?
My cousins Hannah and Emma are sitting on my couch with Wren—Eric’s wife—chatting about their pregnancies because they’re all expecting. Ethan’s wife, Charlie, has her second child on the way, but she’s at Wyntech today, and she found out more recently. She’s not as ballooned out as these three. She’s going to work until the very end since she’s a CEO.
As he jokes around with his younger brother Eric, Ethan’s got daughter Kaya on his hip, tiny shoes banging his legs. I see glimpses of them walking dishes to cardboard boxes in my kitchen just beyond.
Gabriel’s taking apart my sound system I stupidly installed when I moved in.
“You ever use this, Caden?” Max calls out, which makes Gabriel look over at me.
“Nope. Maybe twice. But fell asleep during what I was watching.” They shake their heads at the waste. “Max, you want it? Hook it up to your editing system to hear what you’re doing.”
My brother nods with pursed lips. “Good idea. Sure.”
“Hey, everyone! If anything strikes your fancy, take it. Looks like I only need to bring the bare necessities. Kian’s extra room is furnished.”
Nathan hurries in through the front door. “Hey, sorry I’m late. Had to take an EMT test.” He gives me a hug. “Have new respect for you, Caden.”
“Fire department make you do that?”
“We work in tandem with the ambulance calls, you know that.”
“I never see the fire trucks.”
He drags a hand through his hair, looking tired. “Oh, right. Well, yeah. I’ve got the fire academy, and EMT classes. It’s rigorous but I fucking love it.”
I smack his shoulder, “I know the feeling.”
Nathan’s older brothers walk into the living room having heard his voice. Wyatt’s in his uniform—only had a chance to drop by on his way somewhere. Nicholas works in stocks from home so he drove over and said he could stay as long as everyone else. His live-in girlfriend, Madison, pokes her head out from my hallway. “You guys just going to leave me in the bathroom packing up?”
Nicholas nods with a somber face, then turns to face me with a grin she can’t see.
She shouts, “Hey!”
He waves, “Nobody chained you up. Get over here!” Madison disappears and he grins, “We fuck with each other. That girl makes me laugh.”
Wyatt and Nathan, standing next to each other with crossed arms, subtly nod that it’s a good thing. With these three guys and Zoe, that covers their immediate family, sans parents who are on a cruise.
Dad’s twin walks up to us, wearing a stellar suit as usual. “Caden, Jamie and I are going to leave you all to it. It’s a little crowded.”
I smirk, “You calling my place small, Uncle Justin?”
“It’s a shoebox,” he volleys back. “But your new career is going to change that. I have to tell you…Cardiology. Impressive.”
The approval shining from sharp, pale green eyes stills me. I’ve always admired him. We all have—the man was one of the most honest and effective Senators that Georgia’s ever known.
“Thanks, Uncle Justin, I appreciate that.”
“Your Dad is going to miss you, kid.”
“Mom, too.”
He glances around for her. “Yes, she’s taking it out on the clan, got everyone working like dogs. At least she did. Looks like break time.” Under his breath, he asks, “Where’d she run off to?”
“I dunno,” I frown.
Aunt
