Page 40 of Waiting For A Girl Like You
“Wait, wait.” Izzy scooched in next to Simone. “You and Rowan share an aunt? What am I missing here?”
“Jeez, Izzy, I figured you had this family tree memorized by now,” Liam teased as Theo removed his baseball cap to place on her head. “Charlie Fairweather’s wife was Vivian McIntyre, and I’m guessing that’s her.”
Vivian McIntyre—the woman Charlie cheated on. Hearing that it might be her, Jamison rose on tiptoes.
Her father went pale. “Oh God. It’s Bianca and…is that a fucking parrot on her shoulder?”
“Who’s Bianca?” Bernie asked, popping into the crowd. “Ooh! That’s not just a parrot. That’s a green macaw.”
A tiny woman close to Vivian’s age had hopped out of the SUV’s passenger side. Two more exited from the back, looking to be in their early twenties and equally appalled by the parrot sitting proudly on the smaller woman’s shoulder.
“Bianca is Rowan’s other aunt. He told me she raised parrots in Costa Rica,” Annabeth said, sounding legitimately afraid. “I thought he was joking.”
“That thing is not coming into my house, Benjamin,” Simone hissed when Vivian reached Rowan on the front path. “I mean it.”
Aunt and nephew didn’t speak, with Vivian simply patting Rowan’s cheek lovingly before moving on toward the house. He allowed her to pass, waiting for the others.
“Should I do something?” Taylor asked, wisely hovering near the back. “I can go greet them and say, you know, welcome to our home or whatever.”
Jamison shared a look with LiamOurhome? She told herself not to say anything, but good God, Taylor was pushing all her buttons today.
Vivian walked unhurried, allowing the security detail in the front yard to stare. She paid them no mind, completely comfortable with the attention.
“I’ll get the door.” Simone shoved her way through the crowd. “Everyone be nice. It can’t be easy for Vivian to be here.”
“I think I’m going to throw up,” Annabeth whispered with a hand on her stomach as everyone else hurried off to the hallway. “Why is Rowan’s family here?”
Jamison took her hand and pulled Annabeth out from behind the curtains. She couldn’t hide in the parlor, not with half the women in Rowan’s family about to walk through the front door. “It’s going to be okay,” she assured her. “They’re probably just here to check on Rowan.”
Evie joined them, the room clearing out entirely. “Yeah, but how would they even know something’s wrong? All the public knows is that we had some skirmish with Zanmi, and it was played off like it was no big deal. No, they must be here for Annabeth. Rowan’s probably been talking about the relationship, and if those women are anything like the women in our family…” She waved a hand erratically. “They’re nosy as hell and want to meet you.”
Leading Annabeth to the hall, Jamison shot Evie a glare. “We’ll stay right next to you.”
“No, you won’t. You’re going on the boat with Liam,” Annabeth whispered. “Going to check out some dock, my ass. You’re going to check out his dick.”
Jamison didn’t think there was any point in lying. “Well, it hasn’t been used in a while, and I need to make sure it’s in proper working order.”
Evie waddled behind them, her blonde ponytail swaying in time with her hips. “I tried to check out Samuel’s dick on a boat once. It didn’t work out.”
“You’re about to pop with his third kid, Evie,” Annabeth snickered once they entered the hall to stand with everyone else. “At some point, I think it worked out just fine.”
Simone swung open the front door just as Vivian climbed the final step, her heels clicking smartly across the porch.
“Vivian.”
“SiSi.” Vivian paused at the threshold like a vampire waiting for an invitation. “Am I intruding?”
“Not at all.” Simone swept her hand in a grand gesture, ushering Vivian inside. “Welcome to Haven House.”
Crossing into the foyer, Vivian removed her sunglasses with a practiced flourish. Up close, she was even more stunning, and Jamison caught Annabeth’s eye. If this was the aunt, what the hell was Rowan’s mother like?
Josie stepped forward with a cautious smile. “Viv.”
“Jos.” Vivian leaned in, and the two women dropped air kisses on each other’s cheeks. “Long time. Where’s your boy?”
“He’s the giant in the back.”
“Hey, Aunt Vivian.” Samuel gave a half-hearted wave, keeping one hand on Harper, who was still on his shoulders. “This is my oldestdaughter, Harper. The one turning Liam into a jungle gym is my youngest, Theodora.” His arm slid protectively around Evie. “And you’ve met my wife, Evangeline. Once.”
