Page 139 of That Girl
“Absolutely,” I tell them.
Prescott pulls a paper bag from behind his back. I can smell the freshly made donuts.
“I think I love you,” I tell him. JD scowls at him while Prez looks smug.
“Think we’ll get in trouble for bringing you contraband?” Dustin surmises, bending down to kiss my cheek.
“I won’t tell if you don’t,” I say, already drooling at the thought of a chocolate-covered donut.
Dustin and Prescott grab chairs and pull them beside JD’s. JD fist bumps his two best friends and takes my hand again while Prez doles out donuts on napkins.
“I’m glad you guys are here. It’s past time I tell you all everything. About what my dad did,” —JD pulls my hand to his cheek— “and what my mom did.”
Chapter 66
“How can you stand being surrounded by all this shit? It’s like a clown jizzed rainbows all over your hospital room.”
Sebastian is standing in the open doorway, a grimace on his ruggedly handsome face as he takes in all the vases of flowers, stuffed bears, and balloons.
“I said it was a clown that vomited up a rainbow-stuffed unicorn.”
I smile as my brother steps inside the room, and my smile gets bigger when Harper, Jordan, and Holden walk in behind him.
Harper and Jordan visited me yesterday as soon as they flew in from Texas. Fallon said Sebastian was around, but I hadn’t seen him yet until now. I was told Jordan was arriving today, so I’m happy that he’s here with everyone else.
“Geesh. It takes me getting kidnapped and tortured to finally get all your asses in one place.”
Harper gasps, throwing her hands up to her face.
“What? Too soon?”
“Yes!” Harper exclaims, smacking my blanket-covered foot.
“How’s our tough girl feeling today?” Holden asks me, grasping the bed railing and bending down to kiss my forehead.
“I’m good.” He points his blue eyes at my cast and gives me a look that says I’m crazy. “I am! I promise. They’re giving me excellent drugs. I barely feel a thing. Now sit your butts down and keep me company. I’ve missed you guys.” I look at all my siblings. “I’ve missed all of you.”
“We group video every month,” Jordan reminds me.
“Not the same, and you know it. Besides, you and Harper see each other every day.”
Harper and her husband, Bennett, moved to Texas a year ago after they graduated college and they live with Jordan on his family’s estate in Tomball. Bennett was signed to some major league baseball team there. I don’t pay attention to sports, so I couldn’t tell you which one.
“Surprised your man isn’t here,” Sebastian comments as he pulls one of the chairs over for Harper to sit in.
Holden takes the other chair while Jordan sits at the end of my bed. Sebastian remains standing. I reach over with my good arm and Sebastian takes my hand in his. I’m so grateful he found me. Sebastian, like Fallon, is a very dangerous man when crossed. I have my suspicions about what line of work he’s in, but we’ve always been a don’t-ask-don’t-tell kind of family.
Answering Sebastian’s comment, I reply, “I told JD to go spend time with his son, Connor. I don’t want Connor seeing me like this, so Renee and Ben have been watching him while JD has been here with me. Besides, JD needed a shower and a shave.”
I love Jackson, but his multi-days’-old growth of stubble was very scratchy. I have the beard burns on the inside of my thighs to prove it. I will never look at hospital beds the same way after last night.
“Has anyone spoken to Tati?” I ask them.
“Fallon was actually on the phone with her when we got here,” Harper replies.
“Good. Once I’m not so doped up and more lucid, I’ll call her.”
Tati has a habit of worrying herself sick about us because she lives in Spain and has two small children. She can’t just up and leave at a moment’s notice.
