Page 6 of Coming Home

"And she's never let me live it down," I admitted. "Why is everyone up so early today?"

"Maddie and Liam are arriving this morning, remember," Mom said.

I tried not to groan. No, I didn't remember. I hadn't talked to my youngest sister in over a week. I forgot all about their visit. I instantly felt guilty for feeling disappointed it was this weekend. I just wanted some peace and quiet, and while I loved my niece and nephew to pieces, they came with anything but peace and quiet.

Peyton stepped out of the kitchen to say hello to everyone.

"Hey, Mom, I was wondering if it would be okay with you if Oliver and I host dinner tonight for everyone. I'm only working the morning shift and it would be our first family dinner since we finished the house," Peyton said. I could see she was holding her breath, awaiting Mom's answer.

For good reasons, our mother got very territorial when it came to Maddie. Madelyn had snuck out of the house when she was sixteen to attend a concert with a friend. She'd met some guys and they got her drunk, drugged her, then separated her from her friend.

I shuddered just thinking of her story and everything she went through. Shame and embarrassment kept her away for over eight years before her one true mate crossed paths with her and everything changed. She and Liam were now happily mated and even married. He had adopted Oscar and they gave him a baby sister shortly after. Sara had her big brother wrapped around her little finger.

I was excited to see them. Being a year older, Sara was going to look like a giant next to my other nieces. We didn't see Maddie and Liam as much because they lived in Westin Pack.

Westin got Maddie, and ironically, we got Lily Westin. Now that had been a huge shock to all, and quite humorous. Lily had made it very clear how little she thought of my baby brother, but when she came to Collier as emotional support for Maddie, she'd been in for a huge surprise. Thomas was her true mate, and while he tried to be patient, he made it clear she wasn't getting away.

They had quite the mating period, though not nearly as bad as my oldest sister. Lizzy and Cole had a sad and beautiful story. In some ways I could relate to her, though. She'd met Cole Anderson when they were just teenagers and they both knew they were meant to be together, but she'd stubbornly tried to help the Pack by mating an Alpha heir instead. It hadn't panned out, and her wolf had already begun to bond with Cole. For years they sat in limbo with an unresolved bond. I saw firsthand how that had nearly destroyed her. I vowed not to let the same happen to me.

I sighed and looked down at the cup of coffee that I hadn't even noticed Kate deliver.

I jumped when a sharp pain hit my leg. I looked up and saw Peyton glaring down at me. Shit, I'd lost myself in my own thoughts again. Only Pey really knew about the feelings I still harbored for Ben.

“So six o’clock dinner at my house. Everyone better come. I’m so excited about this. Thanks, Mom,” Peyton said. She shot me a glare that told me she was repeating herself for my sake and knew I’d been stuck in my head.

When she headed back to the kitchen, I jumped up and followed her. I grabbed a stool and sat next to the stove, but with enough distance to ensure I didn’t get in her way. I knew mornings were crazy in Kate’s kitchen, or really, Peyton’s kitchen. Hiring my sister to cook was the smartest thing Kate had ever done.

“It’s getting worse, you know,” she said, not at all surprised to find me shadowing her. “I think it’s probably because the twins are in your class and you see his reminders every single day. You have to find a way to control it, Shelbs.”

I knew she was just concerned for me. I think she was a little overly sensitive to it after everything Lizzy had gone through.

“I promise you, we never bonded. That’s not what this is about. I just feel like a part of me is missing. And I think you’re right. Seeing the boys every day is just stirring up all these memories. Will may not be the one that looks like him, but he acts exactly like him, and he’s got Caroline who does everything with him. How does that not remind me of us? I can’t help it.”

“It’s been nine years, Shelby. You have other friends. I mean you guys weren’t even romantically involved or anything, so it’s not like he broke your heart in that way.”

I bit my bottom lip and looked out the window. My silence may as well have screamed the truth and one of the biggest secrets I kept from everyone.

“Nooooo!!!!” she said, sounding shocked, but it only lasted a second. She seemed contemplative for a few minutes and I didn’t say a word. “Okay, I can see it. And that really explains so much. He was your first, wasn’t he?”

I sighed. “First and only everything really,” I confessed.

“What? What about Grayson?” she asked.

I scrunched up my nose at her. I knew how much Ben had always hated him, so when I was twenty and made myself stop sending the letters, I started dating Gray. It was sort of my personal “get-over-Ben campaign,” and it didn’t work. We’d dated for about six months, if you could even call it dating. Really it was more like hanging out. I couldn’t even bring myself to kiss him, though the memories of a vacuum being sucked to my face stalled that one more than Ben’s memory. That’s basically what it had felt like the first and last time I’d kissed Grayson Ward back in middle school.

He had been more than patient with me, and we’d even had some good times together, but in the end, I’d been dumped for refusing to put out or even make out with him. I’d dated off and on since then, but nothing serious.

“Damn girl, we need to fix this ASAP!”

I didn’t know what Peyton had planned, but I was worried I wasn’t going to like it.

“I’m not even going to ask,” I said, quickly changing the subject. “Does Ruby have Evie today?”

“Yes. I’m only working until one today. Ruby is bringing the girls over and meeting me here, then we’re going back to the house to catch up with Maddie. I can’t wait to see Eve and Opal with Sara.”

“Sara’s going to look huge next to those two,” I said.

Peyton laughed. “Yeah, you’re probably right about that.”

---