Page 40 of Catch Me (Townsend Legacy #4)

I vy

“There’s more?” I quietly mumble as two more guests enter from the sliding glass door of Andrea’s parents’ home into the massive backyard where the party for his mother is happening.

“We made it!” the young woman from the pair shouts, holding up a huge light blue gift bag. “Where’s Aunt Patience?” She looks around eagerly, her golden-brown curls swaying as she whips her head around.

“Chloe’s here. Loud and rowdy as usual,” Kyle, Andreas’ oldest brother, grumbles, but obviously doing his best to hide the smirk from his face.

His wife, Riley, swats his arm. “Leave her alone. She’s excited to celebrate your mom’s birthday.”

“Yeah, twin. Leave my baby cousin alone,” Kennedy, Kyle’s twin, says as she attempts to rise to her feet. Her six-month pregnancy belly makes it a challenge.

But less than a second of Kennedy even appearing slightly uncomfortable, her husband, Dae, is at her side, helping her to rise to her feet.

“Chloe!” Kennedy waves with Dae still at her side.

“I like Aunt Chloe,” Kyle and Riley’s teenage daughter, Eve, says as she moves past the rest of us to meet Chloe and the man with her.

“Do not leave her alone with Chloe and Stasi,” Kyle insists.

Riley swats him again as the pair approach us.

The man beside Chloe is striking, and as tall as Andreas. He has the same light brown complexion that’s common among the family. I’ve met all of Andreas’ uncles and aunts, and all of them are interracial couples.

While Chloe looks open and grinning from ear to ear, the man beside her is closed off, stoic even. He also appears familiar. Like I’ve seen him before but can’t put my finger on it.

Andreas leans over and tells me in my ear, “That’s Chloe and Tristan. Tristan is Travis and Annalise’s third, and Chloe is their youngest sibling.”

That makes sense now. He looks a lot like Travis but not quite identical. Then Annalise’s words while we were in Vegas about her brother being too mean to be a professor come to mind.

“He’s not really mean, is he?” I ask Andreas.

Though I’m serious, he laughs. “Yeah, he is. But he’s not even the meanest of us.”

He shakes his head when my eyes bulge. “Don’t worry, they won’t bother you.”

“They?”

“What are you two whispering about?” a deep voice projects from a few feet away, but captures my attention.

I turn to face Tristan who’s glaring at the both of us.

“You,” Andreas says, his voice surprisingly deep and projecting. “Problem?” he asks, wrapping an arm around my waist.

Tristan grunts.

“Didn’t think so. Anyway, Chlo-Chlo and Tristan, this is Ivy, my future.”

Tingles move down my spine. Andreas has been introducing me in this way to everyone in his family since we arrived. I asked him last night why he didn’t just say girlfriend.

He told me it didn’t carry enough meaning.

Anyone can be a girlfriend. But my future is with you and only you.

So, of course, after that I spent the night trying to swallow him whole. I only got so far before Andreas turned the tables and had me calling out his name. Good thing we’re staying in the guest house which is on the other side of the property.

“It’s so nice to meet you!” Chloe says before pulling me into a surprise hug. “You’re really pretty. And I’m pretty sure my cousin is in love with you. Hope he’s told you.”

“Chloe—”

“Where’s Stasi?”

“Right here,” Stasi yells from the sliding glass door, a large glass dish in her hand.

“I’ll help,” Chloe calls out as she takes off running toward her cousin, helping her with the desserts Stasi has just brought out.

The party swirls around us, as I’m introduced to more and more of Andreas’ seemingly endless family. For a while I lose sight of his parents, who’ve been in and out of the house, as well as his many aunts, uncles, and grandparents, and countless close friends.

My suspicions were right.

The love I sensed between Andreas’ nuclear family, is also present within the relationships of his extended family.

“Whoa,” I gasp when a very large man follows a beautiful Black, plus-sized woman. “That has to be your Uncle Brutus, right?” Andreas has told me of the six foot-plus head of security turned adopted family member.

“The one and only.” He grabs my hand to make our way through the other guests to introduce us.

“I told her about the chocolate chip scones at your café, Aunt Mia,” Andreas tells her.

“We stopped by yesterday. They were delicious,” I tell his aunt. “We’ll have to try some more before we leave.”

Smiling, she tells us she’ll set some aside for just us since they sell out quickly.

And on and on it goes. By the time evening rolls around, I’ve had to meet at least a hundred new people. The names swim in my head.

“I don’t think I’m going to remember everyone.”

Andreas laughs before he spins me on the dance floor and then catches me with an arm by my waist. We’re one of the many couples in the middle of the dance floor that’s been set up on one side of the yard.

The DJ plays a slow song.

“I kept confusing Tristan and Travis until I was seven, and even called Stasi Chloe’s name so many times that she once put jalapeno pepper juice in my toothpaste as a punishment.”

I cover my mouth and crack up. “No way!”

“Hell yeah that little demon did. Don’t let her fool you because she’s cute.”

I shake my head before moving in and leaning my head on his shoulder.

“It’ll take time to remember everyone’s name,” he continues, running his hand down the length of my back. “But me and you have got nothing but time, baby.”

His words, so sincere, so firm and unbendable, wrap around my heart, constraining it. This feels good.

Too good.

My mind begins to race, my breathing becomes more shallow.

No, no, not now.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” I say, pulling away.

He starts to move as well, to show me inside.

“No, I know where it is.” The song ends around us, and a few people start to move off of the dance floor. “Stay with your family. I’ll b-be right back,” I tell him as I do my best to stave off of the tightening inside of my chest.

I don’t wait, spinning on my heels and heading through the kitchen door toward the bathroom down the long hallway. Thankfully, everyone is outside or in the living room part of the house.

As soon as I close the door behind me, I let out a long rush of air.

“Please, please, please,” I beg my brain not to do this to me right now. Everything was going well.

But now I can’t control the racing of my heart or the sensation of moving further and further away from my body. My fingers grip the edges of the sink as my panic attack overtakes me.

I want to cry in frustration. Even when things are going well, my mind and body manage to act against me. This moment shouldn’t come as a surprise. Smaller panic attacks have been happening with more frequency over the past couple of weeks.

Once again, it seems like the better my life is going, something comes up to snatch my happiness away. This time it’s my own mind.

I don’t know how much time passes before my heart stops feeling like it’s going to explode and the racing in my brain begins to slow. The last thing I want is to go out there to Andreas’ family looking completely disheveled.

I can only imagine what they would think of me if I had a panic attack out of nowhere in front of them.

God, I hope none of them ever saw that video of me from graduation.

When my father’s voice about how much of an embarrassment that was for his colleagues to see plays in my head, I squeeze my eyes shut and pinch the bridge of my nose.

“He’s not here now,” I remind myself. My parents are in Michigan, not here, and their opinion of my failures doesn’t matter.

Knowing I’ve been in the bathroom too long, I grab the handle, but pause before opening it. I inhale until my lungs feel like they’re about to burst. Then I make myself push the air out little by little. After doing this about five times, I feel normal enough to return the party.

Except when I open the door, I walk directly into a brick wall.

“Ah!”

Correction, not a wall.

A man.

I immediately jump back when he doesn’t move. Instead, he looks me up and down, slowly, languidly. It’s not until he lifts his head fully that I can see his whole face.

A gasp I don’t even try to hold back escapes me.

“Andreas?” I whisper.

But no, that doesn’t feel right.

Then I remember the pictures from the family room.

Twin.

This man has the same face as my Andreas. Same height, complexion, and identical green eyes, but the differences are stark. While Andreas is fit, he’s more slim muscular while this guy is bulky. Then there’s the scar on the right side of his face that runs from his temple down to his cheek.

And the scowl on his face.

I’m instantly thrown back to Mr. Townsend, Andreas’ father, and his perma-scowl. Yes, this man is definitely his son.

“Thiers?” I finally say, releasing my breath. The twin that calls Andreas in the middle of the night.

He just scowls.

“That’s him,” Andreas’ voice responds as he comes up beside his brother.

While I, and most sane people, would peg Thiers as scary, almost an instant threat if we were in different circumstances, Andreas slings an arm over his brother’s shoulders.

“I should’ve told you this guy always shows up late to Mom’s birthday celebrations.”

“But I always come,” Thiers finally states, cutting a glare in his brother’s direction.

Andreas doesn’t pull away. He does the opposite when he presses his forehead against Thiers’.

“Yes, you loyal prick, you always show up. Missed you.”

For the first time, the scowl on Thiers’ face drops and he extends his arms, hugging Andreas.

My heart opens up, watching these two.

“This is Ivy,” Andreas introduces. “My?—”

“Future,” Thiers finishes in a low voice.

“Damn straight,” Andreas agrees.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I extend my hand.

Thiers looks at it, then back at me.

That’s when Andreas’ expression turns more serious. “For a second,” he tells his brother.

Thiers slowly extends his hand, shaking mine for all of one second before he releases it.

“He doesn’t like touching,” Andreas explains, his arm still draped over Thiers’ shoulder.

Andreas chuckles and looks down at his arm after following my line of sight. “I get certain privileges since we shared a womb.”

“Like hell.” Thiers shakes Andreas’ arm off of him.

“Is that Thiers?” Mrs. Townsend calls from down the hall.

“You didn’t even say hi to Mom yet?” Andreas sounds incredulous.

He rolls his eyes at his brother. “You slowed me down.”

A beat later both of their parents round the corner and welcome Thiers. Andreas moves to me and pulls me to him.

“Came to check on you. You okay?” he asks in my ear.

My first instinct is to lay my head against his chest and ask him just to hold me. How do I explain that things were starting to feel too good? Who wants to hear that their girlfriend gets frightened and panicky when things are going well?

“I’m good,” I say. “Your mom looks happy.” I gesture to the scene happening over his shoulder.

He looks back and grins. “Yeah, Mom’s especially happy whenever we’re all home.”

“I think they’re about to bring out the cake.” He squeezes my hand.

“Let’s go.”

His parents and Thiers are ahead of us as we head back toward the backyard to rejoin the party.

A chorus of cheers sound when everyone sees Andreas’ twin. He remains unfazed by the uproar, and barely tolerates the hugs the literal dozens of family members give him as he passes through.

“Your family is so interesting,” I tell Andreas as he wraps his arms around me from behind and leans his chin on my shoulder.

“They’re fine but it’s me that’s the most interesting.”

I laugh and go to spin to kiss him but stop. I glance around, suddenly feeling uneasy with such a public display of affection.

Andreas draws our lips together. He makes it quick, then moves his mouth beside my ear. “You don’t have to be shy about affection. Ever. No one here will find it odd.”

I glance around noting the many couples young and older holding hands, whispering in one another’s ears, and yes, kissing. Destiny Townsend, Andreas’ uncle and mother to Tristan, Travis, Annalise, and Chloe wipes lipstick off her husband, Tyler Townsend’s, mouth.

No, I don’t think anyone in this crowd would mind my giving Andreas a peck.

“That’s so different from my family.”

“Want a new one?”

My eyes bulge, and I stare up at Andreas. I expect to see a playful expression on his face.

It’s not there.

There’s an earnestness in his eyes that steals the breath from my lungs.

I don’t have time to ask him for clarification before someone calls out that it’s time to bring out the cake.

Seconds later, the DJ begins playing instrumental music and everyone starts singing happy birthday as a three-tier chocolate cake with strawberries along the edges is brought out on a rolling table.

I sing along, trying but failing to push away that look on Andreas’ face.