by Amanda Perry
“You’re evil, Starshine.”
Declan makes a sound of irritation while glowering at Austyn. I want to ask what his sudden mood shift is about, but Maggie cuts in with her “real” cookies. The guys each grab one for themselves and take a small bite to be sure they are edible. Within minutes, they devour the entire plate full.
I go back to leaning against the counter with Maggie, watching the brothers bicker and joke around. “You sure fit in well with my boys, Parker. I’m glad you’re part of the group now.” Maggie grins down at me. Her casual comment hits me straight in the gut. I’ve never fit in with anyone, anywhere. To be told I’m part of something makes my chest ache and my eyes fill with tears. Even while I desperately work to dry the moisture from my eyes, I can’t stop the big smile spreading across my face.
CHAPTER TWELVE
"Men are devils," I groan rolling onto my side. "All you have to worry about is scratching your balls and hiding boners in public."
"Well aren't we in rare form this evening." Austyn smirks, patting my hip lightly. "What's got your panties all in a twist?"
"Girl problems."
Austyn frowns as he tries to decode my groaning. Sudden understanding alights in his eyes. "You're on your... Erm... You know."
"Seriously?" I sniff, pushing him with my foot. "You say some of the most vile and disgusting words I've ever heard in my life and you can't even say that word."
"I don't know much about girl shit, okay? Cut me some slack."
I shake my head. "Nope, I won't. You have a mother. You should be sensitive to her once a month, or at the least Collin and Jack should."
"I'm sure they are." Austyn shrugs, shoving a bite of sandwich into his mouth. "I wouldn't fucking know. It's not like they make her... issues... a family affair."
"You did not just call it 'her issues'." I glare hard and debate kicking him in the balls for being a dumbass.
Austyn rolls his eyes. "I'm going to finish my lunch in the kitchen before I lose an eye. You're evil when your PMSing."
"Just so you know, when I'm not basically dying I will kill you for your assholiness."
"Love you more, Starshine."
"Fuck you, Buttercup." He strides out of the room, but I hear his footsteps stop just outside the living room. He stage whispers to someone. "Beware the beast. She's having girl issues and she's not exactly sunshine and gummy bears."
"Douche bag!" I shout over my shoulder to Austyn. I'm secretly hoping against all hope it's Maggie he's warning, but I know I'd have heard some form of a smack if it was her.
Duncan rounds the corner as Austyn's laughter fades as he walks to the kitchen.
I groan, partly in pain from another bad cramp and partly with embarrassment over having Duncan know what's wrong.
Duncan drops down gently into the seat Austyn vacated. He places his hand on my thigh and squeezes softly. "Hey, love. How are you feeling?"
"You don't want to know," I gripe, turning my darkening cheeks away from him.
He chuckles lightly and squeezes my leg again. "On your period, huh?"
My eyes pop wide and I turn back to Duncan in shock. "Oh god, I cannot believe you just said that."
"What? Period? It's just a word, Parker." He smirks. "There's far worse things I could say to you than to ask if you're on your period."
"I'm in hell." I throw my arm over my eyes, blocking out the world. "Pure hell."
The couch shifts as Duncan stands. I don't remove my arm from my eyes as I listen to his footfalls leave the room. He clearly wants nothing to do with me and my hormonal grumpiness. My period isn't usually so horrible, but this month the cramps make little things like walking a large task. The pain is sharper than normal. I only need a day or two and I'll be fine again. When I explained to Austyn he just needed to let me waste away in my room for a few days, he hadn't believed me. He dragged me downstairs, almost literally, and deposited me on the couch. I tried to warn him. Even a rom-com won't help me feel better right now. He must not have believed me at first. He started some movie and tried to get me into it. I simply held my stomach and moped for an hour before giving up any attempts at paying attention. It's his own fault for not listening to me when I told him to get lost.
About half an hour after Duncan left me to my self-pity, he comes back. I eye him speculatively as he rounds the couch and marches straight up to me. He tucks one arm under my legs and the other behind my back, easily lifting me off the couch.
I gasp at the sudden shift in gravity and cling to him with all my strength. "You're going to drop me! Put me back down."
"What? You think Lochlan can carry you, but I can't? I'm wounded, love." He smirks, clearly not offended at all.
I roll my eyes, though my arms stay wrapped around his neck securely. "You know that's not what I meant. I'm not Greyson sized, you'll throw your back out or something if you hold me too long. Also, where the hell are you taking me? Do you have a secret dungeon I'm about to be thrown in?"
"You're close to Greyson's size." He chuckles, swinging me slowly from side to side with each step he takes.
Allowing one of my hands to drop from his neck, I smack him in the chest and growl. "Not funny, Duncan."
"It's a little funny." He snickers. "And as for our not-so-secret dungeon. Yes, I'm going to toss you in the basement until you behave."
"Been there, done that," I huff under my breath as we reach my room.
Duncan pauses at my bedside, laying me down easily. He places one hand on either side of my head and leans close to me, caging me in. "What does that mean?"
His nearness startles me. I blink rapidly, trying to clear my mind but I can't think straight. "What?"
"You said been there, done that. What do you mean by that?" He backs away a few inches, giving me some space to clear my head.
When he's not so close to me, I'm able to process his question. "Oh, that. It was just a foster home I was in when I was about twelve. They had a basement they'd stick us in when we misbehaved. The family was completely insane. They'd leave us down there for a few hours, sometimes a full day, then they'd let us out and pretend it never happened. They were kind of certifiable."
"Damn, Parker," Duncan breathes, dropping his forehead against mine. "We won't let anything like that ever happen to you again, I promise you."
"You don't have to promise that." My voice is only a whisper, worried if I speak too loudly Duncan will move and break the precious contact we have.
He rolls his head side to side against my forehead. "I don't have to do a lot of things, but I won't break this promise. If you'll let me, I'll take care of you."
His declaration strikes me dumb. I'm sure he means while I'm staying with his parents, but his tone has me wishing he means so much more.
Before I can respond, Duncan backs away and reaches down to the ground. I sit up slightly, trying to figure out what he's up to. He pulls a heating pad off the floor and sets it on my stomach. "That'll help some."
I gape at him. "You set this up for me?"
"It took a while to find it, but yeah, I did." His cheeks darken a shade and he shrugs as if his actions are no big deal. "I grabbed this stuff for you also." He picks up a brown bag from my nightstand and pulls out a bottle of medication, my favorite green tea, and a bar of chocolate.
Tears spring to my eyes at his thoughtfulness. Duncan looks horrified for a split second before scooping me up and holding me to his chest. "What is it? I can find something else if you don't like chocolate, love."
"No, it's not that." I sniffle, pulling shuddering breaths in through the tears. "No one has ever taken care of me like this before. I don't know what to say. You're just so sweet."
Duncan holds me quietly, running his hand through my hair as I gain control of my tears. When I can finally breathe normal again, he pulls back and places his hands gently on each side of my face, ensuring my eyes are locked on his. "You should always be taken care of, Parker. If you stick with us, you always will be. You're worth so much
more than a crappy foster family treating you like you're nothing. You'll never have to deal with assholes like that again. I promise, I'll take care of you."
I don't have a response for Duncan, but he doesn't seem to mind. He continues to push his fingers through my hair in the silence. My eyes grow heavy and rather than fighting the fatigue I let Duncan's soft caress and calming presence lull me to sleep. Just before I slip away I feel a warm kiss placed on my forehead.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Parker,” Maggie calls, poking her head around the frame of my door. “I need to go to the grocery store. Jack and Collin took Greyson to the park for the afternoon, so I can get away with a big trip. Would you like to go?”
Blinking a few times to get my vision focused, I glance away from my computer and smile at her. “Yeah, I just finished my last assignment for the week so I’m free.” Not a lie, I did finish my last assignment about an hour ago. I don’t feel the need to explain to her the last hour was spent thinking about my time with her sons the past few weeks. They won’t get out of my head.
“It’s only Tuesday.” She chuckles. “You can pace yourself with your homework. You don’t need to rush.”
“It’s just habit,” I admit sheepishly, standing and following her from my room. “Before you let me use that laptop, I never knew when I’d be able to get to the library. When I got to use the library computers, I did as much work as possible so I wouldn’t fall behind.”
“I’m glad the laptop is working so well for you.” She grins, patting my shoulder. “But you know I’m not letting you use it, I gave it to you.”
“I’m still not comfortable just taking a whole computer from you,” I admit, biting my thumb nail. “It’s not like a notebook or a pen or something. It’s an expensive electronic.”
“Well, then, you can borrow it indefinitely.”
Arguing with her would be pointless. It’s only been a handful of weeks, but I learned fast Maggie always wins. Instead, I make a mental note to leave the computer when it’s my time to move out. Not needing to rush off to a library or find a close bus stop hits the top ten on my list of reasons why the Harper-Smith family is unbelievably amazing.
Number four on my list jumps out of his room as Maggie and I walk by. “Hey, Starshine. Where are you two going?”
“Hey, Buttercup.” I chuckle, linking my arm with Austyn’s as we continue to follow Maggie down the stairs. “We’re off to the store.”
“We’re going shopping?” He perks up and gains a small skip in his step. “Works for me. I was just telling Mom you need new clothes.”
“That’s not the kind of shopping we are doing, Austyn.” Maggie chuckles, shaking her head.
Austyn gasps dramatically. “Mom, her closet though. You’ve seen it.”
“I have.” She crosses her arms and raises an amused brow.
“It’s a disaster. We have to take her shopping and buy her shit. It’s a shit show, Ma! A shit show!” Austyn waves his arms crazily in the air, and I burst into laughter.
Maggie snorts, trying to keep her amusement in. “Language, Austyn. You two already got to go shopping last week. I’ve seen her closet since then. It’s no longer a disaster.”
Austyn pokes his lower lip out. “You never let me have any fun.”
“I know.” She shrugs, her lips twitching. “Would you like to come to the grocery store with us?”
“Will there be samples?” He perks up at the invitation.
Maggie tilts her head and thinks for a second. “Probably.”
“Sold!” Austyn fist pumps the air. “I’ll go get my shoes.”
While Austyn puts his shoes on, Maggie and I bring the car around to wait on him. “This should be interesting.”
“Why’s that?” I ask, watching out my window for signs of Austyn.
“Our family basically keeps the little grocery store near town in business. They eat every meal like it could be their last. Even the older boys have been stopping by more often, raiding my kitchen.”
“I’ve noticed.” I chuckle.
Austyn emerges from the house, and we make silly faces at each other as he approaches the car. Being distracted by Austyn, the back door on the driver side opening startles me, and I let out a squeal. Spinning around quickly, I lock eyes with Talen.
“Hey there, pretty lady.” He wiggles his brows at me as my cheeks darken. “Where are we going?”
“Grocery store,” Austyn informs him, sliding into the seat next to Talen.
Talen rubs his hands together in glee. “Excellent. I’m out of my peanut butter ball cereal.”
“Nasty.” Austyn cringes. “How can you eat that crap and not get sick?”
“I have a sweet tooth.” Talen shrugs, buckling his belt. “I need my sugar fix in the mornings, or I can’t function properly.”
“You mean you can function properly even with the sugar fix?” Austyn quips, dodging Talen’s elbow when it comes his way.
“Alright, boys,” Maggie huffs, though she appears amused by the two of them. “Settle down and pretend to be adults.”
“I don’t have to pretend to be an adult,” Austyn insists. “I’m under age. I can still act like a kid for a while longer. It’s a perk.”
“You’re not wrong,” I agree, turning in my seat to watch him and Talen. “I’ve got a little bit more time, too.”
“How long until you’re eighteen?” Talen asks, his voice oddly hopeful.
“My birthday is March seventeenth,” I admit, counting the days in my head. “So really soon, I guess.”
“No way.” Talen gapes, his eyes wide. “What are your birthday plans?”
Shrugging, I bring my thumb to my mouth to chew on my nail. “I don’t celebrate my birthday.”
“You have to celebrate it, it’s like a law or something.” Austyn drums on my seat with his fingers. “You must be really lucky being born on St. Patrick’s Day.”
Snorting a humorless laugh, I shake my head. “I’m the least lucky person ever, I think. Also, for having family in law enforcement you really suck at knowing what’s actually a law and what isn’t. Birthday celebrations... Not a law. Wearing your seatbelt... Definitely a law.”
“Austyn John Harper-Smith, put that seatbelt on right now, or I will pull this car over,” Maggie growls, glaring at Austyn in the rearview mirror. “So help me, if you don’t start wearing your seatbelt, I’m going to get you a child restraint.”
“Traitor,” Austyn mumbles, glaring playfully at me as he clicks his belt into place.
“Lawbreaker,” I fire back, sticking my tongue out at him.
Talen’s eyes bounce from me to Austyn then back again. He pulls his phone from his pocket with a frown and begins typing away. Tilting my head curiously in his direction, I silently ask Austyn what happened. He sighs quietly and shakes his head, clearly not wanting to answer me. Furrowing my brow, I turn back around in my seat, facing forward, and stare out the window for the rest of the ride to the store.
Talen’s odd behavior isn’t the first time I’ve had awkward moments with the guys. The five of them act strange around me when I’m hanging out with Austyn, much like Dominic did the other day during the pillow fight fiasco and Lochlan when Austyn interrupted us in the backyard. The closer Austyn and I get as friends, the weirder Talen, Dominic, Lochlan, Declan, and Duncan become.
Part of me wants them to keep their distance. When the five of them are around me, I get jittery and nervous. Not in a way that causes my anxiety issues to flare up, more in the school girl crush sort of way I’ve watched in movies and overheard other girls gossiping about. The idea of any of them being even remotely interested in a girl like me is laughable. The five of them have completely different personalities. Yet, I find myself drawn to each and every one of them.
Lochlan drives me insane with his grumpy demeanor and constant grumbling. And at the same time, every time we are in the same room together, I want him to pull me into his arms like he did my first day.
Dominic has yet to lose his temper or show any signs of aggression. He’s completely relaxed, and it makes being around him easy and comforting. We spend a lot of our time going over Spanish and watching terrible soap operas in Spanish. He translates them for me, but I’m fairly sure he makes up half of it.
Declan can turn any situation into something funny, and while it should be a bad thing in some moments, I can’t help but laugh along with him every time. He has yet to get me back for the cookie and pool incidents. He probably thinks I forgot, but I’m really plotting my next attack.
Duncan always ensures I’ve got what I need, and I’m comfortable. Of course, he’s simply being a nice guy, but it brings heat to my cheeks every time. He gives me a feeling of safety more than anyone I’ve ever met. When I woke the other day, I felt much better. Duncan wasn’t lying with me like I’d hoped, though, and the disappointment I felt shocked me.
Talen is a complete flirt; I would bet money it’s simply his personality. I actually enjoy him flirting with me and complimenting me constantly. He’s so easy to be around. I’ve spent the least amount of time with him. He never seems to have free time between work and school.
In all of the foster homes I’ve lived in, I’ve had plenty of the guys hitting on me or trying to take advantage of me. Being around a bunch of men isn’t new. Being attracted to not one but five of the men is more than new. I’ve never given a crap about a guy before, not like I do now. They’ve shown no interest in me. All I need to do is sweep my developing feelings under a rug for a few months then ride off into the sunset alone as planned. So why does that thought depress me so much?
“I’m so hungry.” Austyn’s whining startles me out of my thoughts.
Maggie laughs at him. “You had lunch an hour ago. Besides, we’re here already so you can grab some of those samples you can’t live without.”
Maggie manages to find a good parking spot when we arrive. The guys hop out of the back and rush for the door like there’s gold inside. Entering the grocery store, I stand off to the side and allow Maggie to pick her cart. To my surprise, Talen and Austyn grab their own carts as well.
