Page 55 of Catalyst

Wanda Maximoff – 123

Tony Stark – 120

Steve Rodgers – 100

Natasha Romanov – 98

Peter Parker – 98

Bruce Banner – 95

“Damn, we’ve got a Trojan horse in our mix.” Nolan grins at me. Apparently, I managed the most points somehow. Adam came in second, Sara in third, Carter and Matthew tied, and Nolan came in last.

“That’s my girl.” Sara nudges me in the arm with her elbow.

“Told you guys she’d be killer,” Matthew says.

Nolan slaps Adam on the shoulder. “Ellie getting this stick in the mud to leave work in the middle of the afternoon solidified her place in the family right off the bat. Her being able to keep up with the rest of us is just icing on the cake.”

A warm feeling of acceptance fills my chest. I wasn’t seeking their approval, but getting it this quickly makes me realize I needed it more than I even knew.

I glance at Adam. Is he wishing he could take back this whole afternoon? He’s frowning at Nolan, annoyance clear on his face. I’m just unsure if it’s because he called Adam a stick in the mud or if it’s Nolan’s acceptance of me.Please let it be the former.

“We’re having family dinner on Wednesday. You should come over. If you don’t, Natalie is going to be pissed she missed out on meeting you.” Sara laughs.

I frown at her. “I’m sorry. Who’s Natalie?” I know Adam doesn’t have a second sister, but wouldn’t he have mentioned an adopted sibling at some point?

“Natalie is one of my best friends and a sort of adopted Ellis. She was over at our house so often when we were growing up, she’s practically a fifth sibling.”

“That makes way more sense. I was about to be pissed at Adam for not mentioning another sister.” I grin.

“While he can be an ass sometimes, he would’ve told you about an extra sibling. So, you’ll come on Wednesday?”

“Oh, um…” I look at Adam to see if he heard Sara’s invitation. As much as I would love to go, I don’t want to be there if Adam doesn’t want me there. It would just make things more awkward. He’s already looking at me, a small smile on his face. He nods his head and then turns back to Matthew to finish their conversation.

I can’t hide the wide smile on my face. “I would love to be there. Thank you for inviting me.”

“Of course. Between you and me”—Sara leans in closer to keep her words between us—“Adam really likes you, and he’d never run the risk of making you uncomfortable by inviting you to dinner. That’s why Matthew invited us today. He knew we’d love you, and this was the best way to get Adam to see you’d fit right in with us.”

“Then I’ll have to thank Matthew later. I’m really glad I got to meet you guys.”

“Same.” Sara pulls me into a hug, and I return it, happy to have her as a new friend. “Okay, hoodlums. I’ve gotta get back to work. I’m going to be late as it is. It’s a good thing I’m having sex with the boss.” Sara winks at me as her brothers all groan.

“How many times do we have to tell you to stop saying shit like that?” Matthew grimaces.

“Seriously. I think my ears are bleeding.” Nolan shakes his head like a dog.

Carter rolls his eyes. “I’m out of here, too. Ellie, it was great to meet you.” He squeezes my arm, and I smile at him. They all say their goodbyes, hugging each other and exchanging I love yous.

It still amazes me how they interact with each other. What would it have been like to grow up with siblings like them? How much happier would my childhood have been if I had partners in crime like they did? I didn’t even have friends who took the place of a sibling.

We leave The Fun Zone, each of us going in different directions. Matthew and I made a plan for him to head back to the office to make sure nothing else needs our attention while I was tasked with taking Adam to lunch. I knew if we went straight back to the office, he’d only go back to his surly attitude, which would’ve made the laser tag game pointless. So, we’re going to drive over to Sonoma and get burgers and shakes from Jones’s Diner and then see where the rest of the afternoon takes us.

I’m thinking a hot make-out session in the car might be just the ticket.

CHAPTER26

Adam

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