Page 78 of Surviving in Everton

“Absolutely. Iknowit did Rowe. I can see it in your eyes. They’re brighter than they have been since you’ve been back. Doc J is just goin’ to confirm it. Nothing to worry about at all. Would you feel better if we all went this time?”

I sit up so fast I nearly fall over. Turning bright eyes on him, I feel a sense of rightness. It feels like it did with Declan and Hudson the other day. I shake my head, bringing myself back to the conversation at hand. “Would you?!” I ask, sure my eyebrows are completely hidden in my hairline. “I would feel so much better if everyone was there.” My shoulders sag a little as I realize not everyone can be there.

“None of that. Declan is with Violet. He wishes he could be there too, Lovely. Trust me, he does.” He cups my cheek, wiping away tears I didn’t know were there. “What if we got him out early today and the six of us go celebrate the good news?”

I huff a laugh. “Kayden! You don’t know it’s going to be good news!”

“Sure I do. When I’m right, you’re gonna owe me too.”

“What?! Owe you what? Why?” I sniff and swipe at my eyes as I try to hide my smile.

“I haven’t decided yet. And because you doubt me. Your lack of faith in my vast knowledge wounds me.” He clutches his chest and leans over like he’s about to fall off the bed.

Shaking my head with a smile stretching across my face, I push him and bark out a belly laugh when he topples over the edge of the bed. Unable to contain myself even if I wanted to, which I don’t, I fall onto the bed, shaking with laughter. The door flies open, banging against the wall, and I look up, gasping, to see Nate standing there, one fist clenched like he’s ready to fight someone and the other hand still on the door from where he nearly smashed it in half opening it like he did. His breathing is ragged, nostrils flaring, as he looks around the room for some imagined threat. He finally realizes I’m not in any danger, if you don’t count passing out because I’m laughing so much I can’t breathe.

“What the ever-loving fuck! What the hell is going on in here?! I heard a thud and thought…”

“Thought what, Nate? That someone climbed through my window to kill me?” I laugh. “Everything’s fine. Calm down. I just pushed Kayden off the bed.” I continue to giggle like a little girl as I recall with perfect clarity how he flailed his arms and tried to catch himself before he landed with a resounding thud.

Nate lets go of the door and just stands there, ramrod straight, both fists now clenched as he attempts to slow his breathing. He looks like a bull who suddenly has no one to ram with his horns. Sitting up, I pat the bed next to me and bite my lip as I give him my most innocent smile. He rolls his eyes but stalks into the room. Forgoing the seat I offered, he instead picks me up and takes my seat. Sitting on my bed and placing me on his lap.

Brushing his hair out of his eyes as I straddle his lap, I cup his face in both hands, leaning down to place soft kisses all over it. “You know how long it’s been since someone climbed in through my window?” I ask with a raised brow and a twinkle in my eye.

“No, but I know the last timeIclimbed in through your window.” He gives me his patented cocky smirk.

“Oh, you mean when you walked the block from your house to mine in the pouring rain, climbed the tree and scared the ever-loving fuck out of me when you tapped on my window at one o’clock in the morning?” I accuse with a chuckle.

“Oh, so you remember.”

“Of course I remember! I still have no clue why you didn’t use your magic. You dripped a puddle on my floor!”

“Well, I wasn’t thinking right that night, Kitten.” He looks away from me and I could smack myself for being so insensitive.

“Oh, Nate. I’m sorry, I know you were a mess that night. That’s the only reason my parents let you stay. I know you were almost eighteen, but no one should have to go through what you did.” Wrapping my arms around him, I hold his head to my chest.

His arms go around my waist as he holds me tight. “It’s okay, Rowe. Don’t worry about it,” he mumbles into my chest.

I pull back with a chuckle when Kayden clears his throat behind me. Whipping my head around, I scrutinize him when I start to feel a confusing mix of emotions. Kayden stands there, scratching the back of his head as he looks just over my shoulder, refusing to make eye contact, as he shuffles his feet.

“I… uh… are you ready to get some breakfast, Rowe?”

I almost ask him what’s wrong, because clearly something is going on with him, but at the last minute I decide not to push him in front of Nate.

“I’m starving! Whatcha feeding me?” I hop off Nate’s lap, giving him a quick kiss before skipping over to Kayden and wrapping my arms around one of his.

“I don’t know, Doll, oatmeal?”

Gasping, I pull us to a stop. “You take that back, Kayden Carrington! You take that backrightnow!”

“What’s the matter, Rowe? Got something against oatmeal or something?” He smirks at me.

“Easy, Kitten. Put the claws away.” Nate saves him from certain death as he picks me up and carries me to the kitchen.

“I can walk, ya know!”

“Of course you can, but why would you when I can carry you instead?”

Well, he has a good point there. So I just hold on and enjoy the ride. When we walk into the kitchen I’m greeted by the smell of bacon cooking and my mouth fills with saliva. I probably have some drool leaking out.

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