EvieI pulled open the door to the hall where my father’s office was located. I knew he wasn’t in class. I knew his schedule. He wasn’t returning my calls, which really pissed me off.He was the one acting childishly. I couldn’t believe he was actually mad at me. He was the one who had acted like a tyrant. I was not going to let him get away with ignoring me.I had mulled over it all week. The only way this was going to get settled was to hash it out. There would be some things said that would probably hurt. They needed to be said. We needed to clear the air. He knew it and I knew it, but he was avoiding it.He couldn’t hide from me. I was fully capable and willing to track him down. I didn’t really have the time to do it, but I was doing it anyway. The week had been hectic and irritating. I was irritated in general. I was pissed I had not been able to see Xander all week. We never got the chance to go out on the boat.This weekend was busy for both of us as well. I wasn’t going to be
EvieMy father studied me for several seconds. “I don’t have to explain anything to you. It is what it is, and I would appreciate it if you accept it and let me get back to work.”“Dad! Why are you being so hateful?”“I’m not being hateful,” he answered without any real inflection. “I know him. I know his type.”“You are wrong.”“Listen, Evie. You are a good girl. You have this natural inclination to like everyone. You see the good in people. I see the bad in people. I have lived on this earth a lot longer than you. I know people.”“I’m not naïve. I know people. It’s what I do for a living. I read people. I anticipate their needs. Xander is not a bad guy.”He scoffed. “Yeah, right. He is using you to get to me.”“He didn’t even know you were my father!”“Bullshit. It isn’t hard to figure out. Your last name. The college bio page.”It was my turn to roll my eyes. “That would be assuming he stalked you. Do you really think he has followed you all these years? I think you are giving your
XanderI stood in the living room, looking around to make sure there wasn’t any dirty socks, trash, or anything else. I was probably being ridiculous, acting like a little old lady expecting company, but I wasn’t used to visitors.I rarely got visitors. If I was being honest with myself, I got zero visitors. Charlie didn’t count. I supposed I could count Evie. Two. Exactly two visitors.After assuring myself the room was ready for company, I checked the kitchen. I was just moving the bowl of fresh fruit to a new spot on the counter when I heard the doorbell. I quickly made my way to the front door.“Hi,” I greeted.Kade grinned and launched himself at me. He wrapped me in his arms, giving me a bro hug. I patted his back before he released me.“Damn, did you get taller?” he teased.I laughed. “I think you got shorter. All those years packing around a heavy ruck will do that to you.”I opened the door and gestured for him to come inside. He picked up the small duffel sitting next to his
XanderI rolled my eyes, groaning at the memory. “How could I forget? He would get us up when it was still dark outside. Mom used to get so pissed at him.”“Lance, they are little boys. You can’t get them out of bed that early. They are going to need a nap!” He said it in a falsetto voice, imitating my mother.“They are going to learn to be tough,” I said in a deep voice, pretending to be my father.Kade shook his head. “I think I was three the first time he taught me to do pushups.”“And running the mile, I think I was six the first time he started timing me.”“Mom always tried to get him to lighten up. Remember when I fell during the obstacle course?”I couldn’t help but laugh. “How could I forget? I thought Mom was going to beat Dad with a two by four. She was so pissed. She picked you up, hauled you to the car to take you to the emergency room, and left me and Dad standing there.”“The whole way to the hospital, I kept telling her I was okay. She wasn’t having it. She was so pisse
EvieI finished pulling my hair up into a messy bun that would keep the heavy strands off my neck. It was going to be a warm one.I sat down on the foot of my bed and put on my tennis shoes before standing up and checking my reflection in the mirror. I wasn’t really all that concerned with my appearance. I was going for an extra-long walk today. I needed to walk off the frustration of the week.I headed for the kitchen and filled my water bottle that I carried when I knew I was going to go farther than my usual spot in the park. Despite my declaration I wasn’t going to work today, I needed to check my email. One peek.When my phone started ringing, I slowly shook my head. “No. No way. I’m off.”I glanced over at the screen, unable to keep my curiosity from checking to see who it was. I smiled and grabbed the phone. “Hey there!” I answered.“Hi,” Xander’s rich baritone came through. “What are you doing?”“Uh, getting ready to go for a hike. What are you doing? Are you with your brother
Evie“You could have mowed the fucking lawn,” he shot back.Kade chuckled. “But that was your job.”The two bantered back and forth. Kade revealed more about Xander than I had ever known before. Their relationship made me a little sad. I never had a sister or a brother to have that fun banter with. I didn’t have a person in this world that knew me like that. There was no one who had shared my childhood.We made it to the lookout, each of us a little out of breath.“I need to take a leak,” Xander said, looking around.I laughed. “There are no bathrooms up here.”Kade nudged me with his shoulder. “Sweetie, he isn’t looking for a bathroom.”Xander walked off, disappearing into the trees.I was a little shocked. “Oh. Okay. Wow.”“He likes you,” he said.“What?”“My brother likes you. I’ve never seen him like that.”“Like what?” I pressed. I didn’t want to interrogate him, but I was going to pump him for as much information as possible.“He’s possessive of you.”“That’s just how he is,” I
XanderI jogged downstairs. I had canceled my meetings for the day and was going to hang out with Kade until it was time for him to catch his flight back to Oregon.I was going to make him breakfast. Something nice and greasy and completely unhealthy. I spoke to Alexa and asked her to turn on the morning news station.While I was apprised of the events happening in the country and the city, I fried bacon and cooked hash browns. I cheated a bit and opened a jar of gravy and popped open a can of biscuits. The final touch was the scrambled eggs, a little on the wet side, just like Kade liked them.I had thought he would be down by now. Neither of us was prone to sleeping in. Years of living on a military base and living with a military man stole away the whole sleeping in thing.I went upstairs and knocked on the door to the room he was sleeping in. “Kade! Wakey, wakey, little brother.”There was no answer. I opened the door and immediately noticed the bed was neatly made. I didn’t have
Xander“Hey,” I said, smiling as I took a bite of bacon. “What are you doing?”“At this moment, I am going to a coffee shop.”“Do you have a packed schedule today?”“Nope. I only have a few things. Why?”“Want to play hooky?”She softly giggled. “What do you have in mind?”“I took the day off to hang out with Kade, but he ditched me. I was thinking me and you could do something. I think I’m due for a new lesson in having fun.”“I’m in. Let me go into the office and check on a couple things. Then I can be free, say by ten?”“Awesome.”“What did you have in mind?” she asked. “Theme park? Beach?”“How about the zoo?” I blurted out, surprising even myself.“The zoo?” she questioned, sounding surprised.“Yeah, why not? I don’t think I’ve been there in forever.”“I’m excited. That sounds like a great way to spend the day. I’ll need to go home and change. Do you want me to meet you at your place?”“I can pick you up,” I offered.“I’ll text you my address.”“See you soon.”I ended the call an