“Arya’s a yoga instructor,” I say.
“That’s right.” Arya smiles. “I’ve been doing yoga classes with your hockey team.”
Dad nods. “I’ve never tried yoga. But when I bend down in the morning to put my pants on, it hurts, so I don’t think I’d like it.”
I choke and Arya grins. “If you did yoga, it wouldn’t hurt to put on your pants.”
Dad snorts, but he’s still smiling.
Everyone else chuckles too, exchanging glances. Dad seems to be having a good day.
“Happy birthday, Mr. Wynn,” Arya says. “Thanks for having me here today.”
“What can I get you to drink?” Mom asks us. “We have beer and wine, and pitchers of margaritas. Or iced tea or juice if you prefer.”
“A margarita sounds great,” Arya says.
“I’ll have a beer,” I say. “But I’ll get it.”
There’s a fridge outside on the patio as part of the outdoor kitchen, and I grab a beer from it while mom pours Arya a margarita.
“So, what happened yesterday?” Everly asks. “Come sit here, Arya.” She pats the arm of the chair next to her.
Arya bites her lip as she sits. “Let me first say that Harrison failed to tell me that Asher is his twin. You two do look exactly alike.”
“Nah.” I shake my head. “I’m way better looking than he is.”
Asher flicks me a middle finger. “Our hair is different,” he says.
Arya looks between us and nods. “Yes, now I can see that.”
“I can’t believe he didn’t tell you that!” Everly says. “Oh, wait, I guess I could have mentioned it too.” She shrugs. “I didn’t even think of it.”
Arya continues. “Anyway, I saw Asher at the pier yesterday, um, with a girl.”
The family starts laughing.
“Oooh, who is she, Ash?” Everly asks.
He shrugs. “Her name’s Camilla. First time we went out.”
“I gather they were looking quite friendly.” Everly catches Arya’s eye with a sympathetic smile.
“Oh yeah.” Arya grimaces. “Well, Harrison figured out what happened after he kept telling me he hadn’t been at the pier over and over and I kept saying ‘but I saw you!’ ”
Mom hands Arya her drink. “You’re not the first girl that’s happened to, if it makes you feel any better.”
“So I heard.” Arya shakes her head, her cheeks red again, but her eyes are dancing.
Whew.
“How about the time Asher broke up with a girl for you?” Everly smirks at me. “What was her name?”
“Never mind.”
Arya snort-laughs. “Oh my God. Really?”
“Harrison didn’t want to do it,” Everly says. “He didn’t want to hurt her feelings.”
Arya shoots me a warm glance.
“I let her down gently,” Ash adds with a grin.
“I hope you’re using condoms.”
We all fall silent and turn to stare at Dad.
“What?” He glares back at us. “You all better use condoms.”
“I thought you wanted grandchildren,” Everly says, lips twitching.
“Just from you.” He points at her. “But Wyatt better marry you first.”
We’re all biting our lips now, trying not to laugh.
“You’re so old-fashioned, Dad,” Everly says, pushing his buttons. “You don’t need to be married to have a baby.”
He grunts. “I’m not old-fashioned. I’m practical. You better get a prenup signed too.”
“Oh my God.” Everly closes her eyes. “You did not just say that.”
“Imagine if Dad didn’t like you, Bellsy,” I joke to him.
Bellsy shakes his head good-naturedly. He’s known Dad for a while, playing for the team, but getting to know him better now he’s dating Everly. It’s a little awkward, dating the daughter of the team owner, but like I said, Dad actually likes him, so it’s been going okay.
Dad never did have much of a filter, but now he just blurts out whatever he’s thinking.
“How about you open your presents, honey,” Mom says to Dad.
“I like presents.”
“Don’t we all,” I agree.
Buying Dad a gift is a challenge. He has everything he wants. “My present is still in the car,” I say. “I’ll get it last.”
We watch Dad happily open gifts from Ash, Noah, Everly and Wyatt. Then we go look at what Mom bought him—a new potting bench, which has already been built and installed at the side of the house.
While they’re admiring that, I hike out front and get my gift from the vehicle.
“I couldn’t really wrap it,” I explain to the others, as I set it on the potting bench. It’s a clay pot with a plant in it.
“Wow,” Dad says, fingering the unusual flower. “What is this?”
“It’s a bat flower.” The black blossom does look oddly like a bat. “It’s a tropical flower. It’ll get quite tall, which is why it’s in that big pot.” It’s French pottery I thought would look nice with the patio stones. “There are care instructions on the tag.”
“It’s the ugliest flower I’ve ever seen.” Dad grins at me. “Thank you.”
I laugh. I can tell he likes it.
“Where do you want to put it? It needs filtered shade.” I heft the big pot again.
Mom leads the way back to the patio. “Over here would be perfect. The trees give some shade on this side.”
I set it down where she indicates.
Mom refills drinks and sets out bowls of snacks. “If anyone wants to swim, go ahead. The water’s nice and warm.”
“Want to hit the pool?” I ask Arya.
“I don’t know.” She flicks her gaze around. “I don’t want to be the only one.”
I dig into a bowl of Chex Mix, carefully avoiding the pretzels. “Okay, we’ll wait a bit.”
Arya picks up the pretzels I just rejected, then the cheese crackers, and munches them.
I stare at her.
“What?” she asks, about to pop another pretzel in her mouth.
“Don’t you like the Chex?”
She blinks. “Um, no. They’re cereal. Not snack food.”
I break out into a huge grin. “You are fucking perfect.”
“What?” Her eyebrows pull together.
“I love the Chex. And the little breadsticks. Hate pretzels, and the cheese crackers are meh. Therefore, we are the perfect Chex Mix combination.”
She looks down at the bowl, then back up at me.
Oh shit. Did I screw up again?
Then she laughs. “I guess you’re right. But how can you possibly hate pretzels?”
I shrug. “They’re dry.” I point at Ash. “When we buy Chex Mix, there’s always pretzels and cheese crackers left that nobody wants. We like the same things.”
“Well, save them for me.”
I smile at her, warmth flooding my chest.
“Are you talking about me?” Ash says.
“Yeah.” I gesture at the snack bowl. “Arya likes the pretzels and cheese crackers.”
Ash laughs. “How does she feel about hard-boiled eggs?”
Arya wrinkles her nose. “I like them…?”
“Do you like the white better, or the yolk?” I ask.
“I like the whole thing.”
“Ugh. Damn.”
She laughs. “Why?”
“Ash and I love the egg white, not so much the yolk. When we were kids, we’d give all the yolks to Noah. He loved them.”
“Still do,” he says. “You guys are weird.”
Arya is looking more and more relaxed, laughing at our stories and jokes. “Okay,”
She says to me, “Here’s one for you: do you like to eat the half-popped kernels le
ft in the bottom of a bowl of popcorn?”
“What?” I gape at her. “Who would do that?”
She points at herself. “This girl.”
I start laughing. “Well, okay, then! More support for my position.”
“Uh…what position is that?”
I lean in closer to her ear and whisper, “Any position you want, baby.”
She gives a strangled little laugh and pushes at my shoulder.
My siblings are watching with amusement. Luckily, my parents are standing over at the counter where the grill is, getting food ready for dinner.
“I’m ready for a swim,” Noah announces. He pulls off his T-shirt, runs over to the deep end of the pool, and does a somersault into the water. In his shorts.
What a guy.
Chapter 19
Arya
My mouth falls open as Noah leaps into the pool.
The others shake their heads and laugh.
“Good idea.” Everly stands and sets down her margarita glass. “I’ll go change. Did you bring a bathing suit, Arya?”
“Yes.”
“Come on. I’ll show you where you can change too.”
I follow her, grabbing my bag where I left it near the door.
“There’s a bathroom right here.” She opens the door and flicks on the light. “I’ll go to my old bedroom to change.”
“Thanks.”
The bathroom is small but lovely, with black and white patterned ceramic tile on the floors, white subway tiles on the walls, and black cabinets. There’s a full-length mirror on the back of the door that I use to inspect myself once I have my bikini on. I turn to check out the cellulite on my ass and tug the suit down. It’s my favorite, multicolored stripes with a halter top.
I slip on a sheer tank dress cover-up, and slide a hair tie onto my wrist so I can pull my hair up when I get into the water. Then I grab the doorknob to leave.
The knob comes off in my hand.
I stare at it. What the…
I drop my bag again and study the door and the broken knob. I try to pull on the door, but it won’t open. Shit.
Maybe I can fix it.
I try wiggling the knob back into the opening. I have no idea what I’m doing, but maybe if I can get it back into the right place, it’ll work.
No luck.
I’m not sure how long I spend doing that, but I’m getting hot and sweaty and frustrated. I lean my head against the door. I’m going to have to call for help.
Great.
“Hello!” I call. “Anyone out there?”
Silence.
I don’t know if Everly’s still in her room or if she’s gone back out.
I call again, louder. “Hello! Help! I’m stuck in here.” Then I bang on the door.
Still nothing.
My head drops forward. Fuckety fuck.
I sit on the closed toilet seat and slump over. How long am I going to be stuck here? Harrison will come looking for me eventually, won’t he? But how long will it take?
I sigh.
I eye the window at the end of the room. I’m pretty sure it’s next to the patio where everyone is. I jump up and rush over to hammer on the frosted glass.
Nothing.
I let out another expulsion of air. Shit.
I eye the window again. It’s pretty high up. Does it open? I sink my teeth into my bottom lip as I try to see. I climb onto the toilet, which isn’t that close to it, bracing a hand on the wall as I lean over.
It does open.
Okay. I’m pretty strong. If I can get it open, maybe I can pull myself up and get out that way.
Oh my God. Do I really have to do this? Why hasn’t Harrison come looking for me? I plop back down onto the toilet lid again, shaking my head. After a few more minutes, though, I have to try.
I can just barely reach the lever that unlocks the window, then I slide it open. Yay!
I pause, still hoping someone will rescue me. With a sigh, I turn to the wall. I grip the windowsill and hoist myself up, using my feet on the wall. Jeezus. My arm muscles strain. I’m determined to do this, so I grit my teeth and keep working until I’m high enough to rest my boobs on the sill. I pause, panting.
Okay. I got this far. I can do it.
I wriggle myself through the window. Now I’m half hanging out, but I’m headfirst and I don’t want to take a dive into the shrubs beneath me. I peer through bushes and palm trees to see the patio. I can vaguely hear them talking over there.
I really don’t want to make a scene, but…“Help!” I wait, then call again. “Help! Over here!”
A moment later, Harrison’s face appears through the shrubbery. “Arya? What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m locked in the bathroom! Help!”
He starts to thrash through the shrubs toward me. Oh thank God! I’m going to live.
Just as he nears me, I hear the bathroom door open.
“Oh,” I hear Noah say.
I am now painfully aware that my cover-up is scrunched around my waist and my bikini bottom is firmly wedged between my ass cheeks.
Heat flames in my face and I kick my feet in frustration and embarrassment.
“Okay, I got you,” Harrison says calmly, reaching up for me. “Come on.”
“I’ve got her!” Noah calls from behind me.
I close my eyes, mortification scalding my insides. Should I go out or back in? I’d rather face Harrison, I guess, so I push myself through the window and into his arms. I scrape a shin on the windowsill, and the shrubs scratch at my arms, but I’m free. Harrison catches me and holds me, and I bury my face into his neck.
“What the hell happened?” he murmurs.
“The doorknob came off.” I can’t look at him. “I guess I broke it. I couldn’t get it back on and I couldn’t get out. I called for help.” I almost sob. “Nobody heard me.”
“I’m sorry.” I can hear the amusement in his voice, though.
I lift my head. He’s already been in the water—he’s wearing a pair of wet, black board shorts low on his hips, and rivulets run down his bare chest. His gorgeous, bare chest.
“Sorry, beautiful.” He smiles at me. “I didn’t know you were stuck in here.”
“Didn’t you wonder what was taking me so long?”
“Um…I would have.”
Noah’s face appears in the window. “You okay, Arya?”
I squeeze my eyes shut, imagining what he just saw. “Yes.” I whisper to Harrison, “I think he got a good view of my cooch.”
“What?”
“Shit.” I press my forehead to his chest. “Now I’m embarrassed.”
“Uh…” He feels around my butt and finds my bathing suit bottom. “You’re not naked.”
“Not totally.” My face burns. “I can never face him again. Take me home.”
He laughs softly. “Well, I can’t say I’m happy that my brother may have gotten a look at your pretty pussy, but I don’t think he saw everything. It’s fine, sweetheart.”
“I’m sorry I broke the door.”
He presses a hand to my hair. “It wasn’t your fault. Obviously, the knob was already broken.”
Carrying me, he steps through the bushes and onto the patio.
Mrs. Wynn appears. “What’s going on? Are you okay, Arya?”
“Yes.” I wriggle out of Harrison’s arms to stand and tug my cover-up down. “I’m fine. I’m so sorry, I broke the bathroom door.”
She covers her smile. “I’m sure you didn’t. We don’t use that bathroom very often anymore. I didn’t realize there was a problem.”
She’s so nice.
Noah appears through the sliding doors, wearing a bemused expression. “You okay, Arya?”
Everyone’s concerned about me. Too
bad I’ll never be able to look him in the eyes again.
“Yes, I just need to drown myself in the pool.”
“I was about to come looking for you,” Everly says. “I’m so sorry.’
“It’s okay.” I pull off my cover-up, drop it onto a chair, and walk straight into the deep end, letting myself sink to the bottom in the nice, cool water, where I wish I could stay.
However, I pop back up to the surface.
Harrison’s treading water right in front of me. He eyes me with warm amusement. “Okay?”
“I’m fine.” I roll my eyes. “Just when you want to make a good impression…”
“Don’t worry about it.” His big hands circle my waist and pull me closer. Our slick, wet skin glides together. I hold onto his shoulders, resisting the urge to wrap my legs around his waist, which I would totally do if we weren’t surrounded by his family.
“Too many people here,” he murmurs, his hands going to my ass. “If we were alone, I’d lift you onto the side, pull off this little bottom”—he plucks at my bathing suit—“spread your legs, and feast.”
Oh dear God. I hope no one heard that but me. Inside, I’m melting. He’s doing a very good job of distracting me from my embarrassment.
Harrison laughs softly.
The water is lovely and silky, swirling around us, sparkling in the sun. Our wet skin glides together in sensuous slides that are turning me on. And Harrison too, from the bulge I feel in his shorts. Daringly, I brush my hand over it as we play in the water.
Noah gets a ball and we do a little impromptu volleyball. I’ve always loved swimming, and having a pool is such a luxury. This is heaven, and so much fun with Harrison’s siblings all cracking jokes.
Later, changed into dry clothes, we fill plates from the platters set out on the outdoor bar and take seats to eat grilled chicken and veggies, salads, and bruschetta on crusty, chewy bread. The conversation turns to hockey (surprise).
“What were you and JP nearly fighting about in that last game?” Everly asks Harrison.
He grins as he cuts his chicken. “I played a little prank on him.”
“What did you do?” I ask, wide-eyed.
“I stuffed his gloves full of bubble gum.”
“Eeeew!” My jaw drops. “Chewed-up gum?”
“No, no! It was wrapped. I laugh every time I think of him trying to shove his paws into his glove and trying to figure out why he can’t get them on. And then when he sees the gum. Ha!”
For the Win Page 17
