Page 199 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
“You’re just going to leave your truck?” Brody asks.
“Yes! I’ll come back for it. This is more important.”
“All right. I’m on my way. Where can I meet you?”
“Just go to the Silver Creek exit on I-26,” I say, already pulling over onto the uncomfortably narrow shoulder. I park and unbuckle my seatbelt. “But don’t get on the highway. We’ll have to take 176 into Hendersonville.”
“Got it,” Brody says. “I’ll be there in ten.”
I climb out of my truck, lock it, say a little prayer for its safety, and then I start to run.
Brody is already waiting at the shoulder when I make it to the top of the on-ramp. His double cab truck is easy to spot because it almost always has his bright red kayak loaded into the back. As I approach, Kate jumps out of the front seat and climbs into the back, where it looks like several other family members are already crammed inside.
So this is going to be a family affair.Fantastic.
“This is so exciting!” she says, squeezing my arm as she passes me.
“For real, cabbages?” Lennox says from the back as I climb in.
Olivia leans forward. “And you said the entire highway is blocked?”
“Seriously?” I say to Brody. “You all had to come?”
“We’re happy for you,” Olivia says. “Plus, the most exciting thing I’ve done in the past two months is pump seven ounces out of each boob in one sitting. I need more adventure in my life.”
“Too much information, Liv,” Lennox says.
“You just don’t like it when I say boob.”
“Because you’re my little sister. You aren’t supposed to have boobs, let alone talk about them.”
“So the boobs are a problem, but the baby isn’t? Got it. Very mature of you, Len. I suppose you think I found Asher in a cabbage patch.”
“Speaking of cabbages,” Kate says, her voice rising enough to calm the bickering between Lennox and Olivia. “Were there really cabbages blocking the entire highway?”
“Piles of them,” I say. “Here, give me your phone.” I hold my hand out to Brody. “I’ll plug in the address of the park.”
He hands it over. “We were at Olivia’s visiting Asher when you called. Then Lennox showed up, and they all wanted to come. Sorry if it’s overwhelming.”
I wave a hand dismissively. What’s overwhelming is realizing that even if we hit every green light between here and the soccer field, I’m not going to make it on time.
“At least I left Asher with Tyler and Mom,” Olivia says. “Can you imagine if we had a baby with us too?”
I run a hand across my face. This isn’t at all how my morning was supposed to go.
“Hey,” Brody says. “She’s going to understand. You’re trying. You’ll get there.”
I shake my head. “I wanted to be there when the gamestarts.If I’m not there, she’s going to think—”
“Hey,” Lennox says. “Let go of theperfectidea you have in your head and just roll with it. This is going to work out. Lila loves you. She’s going to understand an overturned semi full of cabbages.”
I nod. He’s right. Of course he’s right.
“Just call her,” Kate says. “Or text, at least. If you don't want her to worry, let her know you’re on your way.”
I nod and quickly pull out my phone. I wanted to be there. To show up next to her, hold her hand while we cheer for Jack together. But there’s no way I’m making it in time.
Lila doesn’t pick up, so instead of leaving her a voicemail, I end the call and send her a text.
