Page 17 of Taking Root

Chapter Eight

Irritation flashed through Adrian, followed by guilt. The one time he indulged in a little bit of selfishness, his family smacked open the door to come stampeding in. Except Mom had gotten hurt, and he didn’t know how badly. He loved his family more than anything, but Christ Almighty, the way they depended on him made it impossible to have a life of his own. No woman could put up with this shit, a fact Betty had never forgotten to hammer home.

His car zoomed along the highway, and he brimmed more tension than a pressure cooker on full boil. Danny leaned back into the seat next to him, fanning the edges of her dress in front of the heater he’d put on full blast to try and dry their clothes off.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered again for the thousandth time. Already, he hurtled toward Hanahan, the suburb they both grew up in. When he’d asked her out on this date, he sure as hell hadn’t planned on bringing her to his parents’ house. This had been something private, for him, something he didn’t have to share with the rest of his chaos.

And the way she’d melted against him in their kiss, the sensations more consuming than the thundering sea—fuck, Adrian never possessed that chemistry with anyone before.

“Apologize again and I’ll kick you,” Danny responded. “You gave me the option, and I agreed to come along. I’ll have you remember, I told you to pick up the phone, so you can blame me.”

She might be considerate now, but what happened when she discovered this sort of thing was the norm? Danny would check out like Betty had. His stomach squeezed tight. There he went, thinking about the future when she’d explained it clear from the start—this wildfire between them would be smothered when she had to leave.

“Hope you don’t mind the extra coating of sand lining your car,” Danny said, her voice drawing him to the present. She fluffed her dress out in front of the heaters, a few more granules trickling down. His pant legs began to dry under the blast, but bits of grit still lingered inside his shoes. He didn’t regret a second of it.

“Nothing a vacuum won’t fix,” he responded, tapping his steering wheel as he zoomed closer and closer to his parents’ house. Lex said not only had Mom fallen and refused to go get checked out, but Matty and Nellie got into a screaming match that increased in volume by the second. Dad did his best to tame the raptors while Lex handled, i.e., argued with Mom, but they could use the extra help. Sometimes he wondered why he hadn’t become a nanny. He’d be dealing with the same amount of dramatics, but at least he could excuse kids for their behavior.

“She’ll be okay,” Danny murmured, her thoughtfulness drilling right through to his heart. He hadn’t even realized he’d lapsed into silence, stewing over his family’s problems the same way the ones from work consumed him. Betty used to assume he wanted to be left alone, so she’d retreat to another room. All he’d wanted was for someone to try to pull him out.

“Are you prepared to face a mob of Dukases at once?” he asked. “Diving into family dinner means the horde is there in all their ugly glory.”

“Not a problem, as long as you make it loud and clear that I’m Danny Reynolds,” she warned, the implication clear. Lex might remember her from high school, but he’d be able to keep her quiet. Somehow.

“Y’all aren’t so scary.” Danny crossed her arms over her chest, her thick Carolina accent returning like it never left. “Just mouthy.”

Adrian snorted. “That’s about right.” He passed her a sidelong glance. “So you should fit right in.”

Danny jabbed him in the arm a second later, and laughter escaped from him. Something about the way she played around carved through his serious exterior every time. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this light or free, but he would treasure every second with her.

Adrian got off the highway and wove through the snarl of backroads leading to his parents’ rancher. How they’d fit five kids in this house had been a miracle in and of itself, but between sharing rooms and two squeezed into the finished basement, they’d made it work. Besides, as they’d gotten older and the nest emptied, Adrian was grateful his folks didn’t have some massive mansion to upkeep or flights of steps to climb.

As he zipped down Everwood Drive, familiar houses popped into view, of neighbors he knew like aunts and uncles. He pulled up to park on the street in front of a rolling green lawn that stretched to the patterned grey and black stone of his parents’ rancher. Lights glowed amber through the wide bay windows, and the American flag they kept out front rippled in the night breeze.

Danny stared out the window, a look of longing flickering across her features. Her fingers curled around the door handle as she sat there absorbing everything. He reached over to grab her other hand and squeezed tight.

“You haven’t been to Hanahan since,” he murmured—not a question, because he could already tell. Her gaze landed on him, a helplessness there that had his stomach in knots. As if the years melted away, and she was seventeen again.

“It’s just a shock being around here.” The words were a whisper on her lips. She sucked in a deep breath and straightened her back. “I’ll be fine. Let’s go check on your mom.”

He gave her hand one last squeeze, and her eyes melted with relief. Christ Almighty, he wanted her like nothing else. Adrian hopped out of the car, and together they walked through a front yard that needed a trim, the tendrils tickling his ankles as they headed to the front door.

Adrian didn’t bother knocking—the rest of the family expected him. The closer they got, the louder the voices sounded even from where they stood. He turned the knob and stepped inside.

The savory scent of Mom’s moussaka filled the air, and warmth from the heater blasted him as he took the first steps inside, Danny following close behind. Shouts exploded through the house like shrapnel, and he might as well have entered a war zone. Mom sat in the living room on one of their weathered couches while Lex crouched by her side. Meanwhile, Nellie screeched from across the room at Matty, tears running down her cheeks and blurring her mascara. Dad shouted louder, both of his hands out as if he were a lion tamer at the zoo, and Matty sat at the dining room table, his arms folded as he offered a snarky comment that set off his sister anew.

Adrian heaved a sigh and headed toward the living room.

Danny leaned in and whispered, “How long until they realize we’re here?”

“A bomb could go off and that wouldn’t deter them,” Adrian muttered.

“My boy, what are you doing here?” Mom called from where she rested on the couch. At once, she tried to stand, and Lex glared, stepping in her way. “I thought you had a date tonight,” she continued as if Lex didn’t stand right in front of her.

“I do,” he said, and Danny slipped out from beside him to offer a quick wave. Lex’s brows rose high, and she opened her mouth, a familiar look in her eyes, like she prepared to say something stupid. Adrian met her gaze and shook his head no. The two of them had always been close enough to communicate without words.

Instead, Lex stepped away from Mom and gestured to the couch. “Here, take a seat and check her out. She’s refusing to go to the hospital, but I caught some pretty nasty bruises forming.”

“Because I’m fine, and it’s no bother,” Mom piped in, thwacking Lex’s side. Adrian couldn’t help his smile as he knelt in front of her.

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