Page 14 of Pack Baines

Eventually, the gravel road turns into smooth stone, one that leads to the front of the house and to the three-car drive and garage built in the same matching stone as the oversized building beside it. A gorgeous bike sits outside, along with a black Wrangler Iwould give both of my tits to own one day, and two supercars that I’ve only ever seen in magazines.

I find myself swallowing hard at the sight, because that means I was right. Four other vehicles for four other people. My gaze snaps to the house, and I’m certain I see a curtain quiver, a shadow of a silhouette darting to the side and vanishing from sight. Guess dinner will be more than a two-person affair.

Just as Creek parks, he climbs out of his car and gestures for me to slide my truck into an open space beside him. I do so with my heart in my throat, my pulse thrumming with nerves and anticipation, fear and a bone-deep curiosity.

But as I pull into the space, shooting a look at the house once more, I wonder if I’m ready to face the others. What happens when I step a foot through their door? The girl who disappeared, never to be seen again, only to show up on their doorstep years later? Would they even want me there?

Creek knocks on my window, eyebrows raised, and he jerks his head like he’s wordlessly gesturing for me to climb out of the car. Biting my lip, I eye the house one more time before pulling up my big girl panties. Guess we’re going to find out the answers to those questions, whether I’m ready for them or not.

Chapter 6

Evron

“Get away from the curtains, you fucking creep,” Lowie growls from behind me, almost making me jump out of my damned skin, the curtain falling from my grasp as I check for any oncoming cars for what feels like the hundredth time since Creek told us Juniper agreed to dinner.

Turning, I raise an eyebrow at the crabby twin and blurt, “What crawled up your ass? I thought you’d be more excited than you currently look.”

Lowie narrows his eyes on me, his twin saddling up to his side, and says, “You’re making me antsy with your constant checking, twitching, and fidgeting. Just sit the fuck down and have a beer or something. Get your head on straight.”

Battling the growl that I almost let loose at being told what to do, I eye the moody bastard before walking away from him, heading for the fridge to get that aforementioned beer. Over my shoulder, I call, “Looks like you could do with one, too, you miserable fuck. Lighten up a bit. We’re finally going to see Juniper again. At least act excited.”

“Shut up, Ev,” he grumbles, but I don’t miss the way he peers through the small gap in the window where I’ve disturbed the curtains.

Lips twitching, I open the fridge and retrieve two beers, handing one to Lowie when he enters the kitchen, Leylan following after him with a lost look on his face. I can relate, though I’m doing my best to keep it bottled, not that Lowie would believe as much. My anxiety is riding my ass hard enough to leave bruises, and the anticipation of seeing Blue again is making me twitchy as fuck.

Taking a hefty swallow from the chilled bottle in my hand, Lowie doing the same, I lean against the counter and eye Leylan. He’s wringing his hands, sticking close to his brother, having always done in times of stress and worry. There’s no Leylan without Lowie, no Lowie without Leylan. Those boys have always been in one another’s pockets, close by no matter what, ever since they left the womb. I used to envy the kind of relationship the pair have, always having someone to rely on, always in your corner. I didn’t envy it so much when Juno came along, because she gave me that, even as young as we were. The devastation we all felt when she was gone has echoed through the years, hanging over our heads like a dark cloud waiting to rain, but the twins never faltered in their closeness.

Lowie nudges his brother's arm, gesturing the bottle toward him. Ley shakes his head, and Lowie nods in understanding, leaning against the counter opposite me and keeping close to his brother’s side. I smile against my beer bottle, finding that lack of envy that used to trickle through my system. I can only wonder if it’s the idea of Juno coming home that has it missing.

Just as I take another swig of beer, lights flash across the windows, and my entire body turns to fucking stone where I stand. Leylan, Lowie, and I share a look, the shy twin swallowing hard with an audible gulp.

“Why are you all just standing there?” Geo wonders as he steps into the kitchen, eyeing us all like we’ve finally lost our minds. He wouldn’t be far off, I guess.

Upending the beer and finishing it quickly, I throw the empty bottle into the trash before rubbing my hands together. “It’s show time.”

Geo sighs. “You know what Creek said. We make ourselves scarce so we don’t scare her away.”

“Why would we scare her away?” I ask, not for the first time.

“Ev, she ran from Creek the first time she saw him. He called and said she’s driving herself here. She’s clearly skittish, isn’t very trusting, and has walls as high as the Great Wall of China is long. We don’t even know what designation she is. Let’s not overwhelm the poor—” Geo tries to explain, before he’s promptly interrupted by the twisting of the door handle attached to the front door.

Wincing, I blurt, “We’d look a bit stupid if we tried to run upstairs, wouldn’t we?”

“Fuck my life,” Geo grumbles with a shake of his head.

It doesn’t matter now, though, because the door is opening, and Creek steps through with a nervous expression. I can feel nerves riddling my own body. When his eyes turn to us, they widen, and I wince once more in apology. We definitely should have stayed upstairs like we said we would.

But then he steps to the side, holding a bunch of flowers in his hand, and I see her.

A bolt of electricity runs through me the moment Juno comes into view, wintery blue eyes scanning the house with a pinched brow and a look of uncomfortable awe plastered over her beautiful features. She’s dressed in torn-up skinny jeans, a loose tank that hangs low enough to reveal a peek of round, creamy globes tucked in a lacy bra, and fuck-me heels that make those legs run a mile fucking long.

“Holy shit,” I blurt quietly, but not quiet enough, because that stunning face turns to me, pale eyes widening as her mouth parts with a gasp. Her entire body stalls in the doorway, Creek turning to look over his shoulder at the girl that stole my heart all those years ago and never gave it back.

“Blue,” I whisper before I’m suddenly moving across the floor with one goal in mind, one objective, and I won’t stop until I reach it.

Creek doesn’t even step in my way, one look at my face telling him to back the fuck off. Juno only manages to take a single, unsteady step back before I’m on her like white on rice, tearing her off those heeled boots, and wrapping her in a bone-crushing hug that tears a grunt out of her. My face goes right for her neck, where it always went when she was near, and I inhale deeply. A strange rumble echoes around us as I drink in the heady but mute scent of pineapples, coconut, and vanilla, getting drunk off of a scent that reminds me of piña coladas in the sun. Sweet, sugary, and strong enough that the weird rumble grows louder and smoother. It’s enough to almost have me crashing to my knees, everything inside me lighting up at one single whiff of her, and it takes everything inside me to keep walking towards her instead of collapsing at her feet with want.

“Bro, is he purring?” I hear over my shoulder, and it takes me an embarrassingly long moment to realize the rumble is coming from me, my chest vibrating with an undeniable purr that I can’t seem to stop as I hold Juno close enough that I can feel the thundering of her heart which matches my own.

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