Page 57 of Cloudless
SUMMIT & SPINES BOOK CLUB
KAM
“Your pipes are definitely frozen.” The plumber’s knees pop like pop rocks as he stands. I’m just thankful Wyatt had a contact that could come out on a Friday, especially with the weather.
Lila wrings her hands next to me. “So, what do we do now?”
The plumber's fingers sound like they’re moving over sandpaper as he scratches his beard.
“Well, I won’t be able to start on the repairs until Monday.
This early in the season, many local nursing homes aren’t prepared for this type of weather.
I stopped by here on my way to my next job as a favor to Wyatt.
” With the panic rising in Lila’s eyes, the plumber softens his voice.
“I’m sorry, Miss Sullivan, but I can’t turn the water back on to your house until I’ve made the repairs. ”
Lila’s eyes turn distant as she nods her head. “Okay, so we won’t have water until at least Monday, then?”
With kind eyes, the plumber nods his head. “I’m afraid so.”
Lila’s brows crease as she thumbs the screen of her watch. “Okay. Umm, is it safe for us to stay here in the meantime? And how much is this going to cost? Is there a way to set up a payment plan or something?”
I push off the doorway where I’ve been leaning for the past twenty minutes.
“Alright, here’s what’s going to happen.
” Lila’s eyes grow wide as I fully turn to her.
“You’re going to pack a bag with enough clothes for the three of you to last for the weekend.
Grab everything you might need. Make sure you grab Posey’s nightlight.
I’m not sure we’ll be able to get on the road after the next round of storms tonight.
” My gaze swivels to the plumber’s wide eyes.
“Get a payment plan set up for the minimum amount you’ll accept. We can work out the details later.”
The plumber’s open mouth snaps shut as he nods. “Yes, sir. I’ll get that sent over right away.”
I give him a dip of my head. “Great. You have my number. Call me Monday.” I don’t wait for his nod before I grasp Lila’s limp fingers and pull her through the door into the hall.
The clouds in her eyes are startling after going without them for so long. “What do you mean, pack a bag? Where are we supposed to go? I can’t afford a hotel, Kam.”
I tighten my hold on her hand like that alone might banish the clouds. “You’re staying with me.”
She shakes her head so adamantly I feel it through our joined hands. “I can’t ask you for that, Kam. I don’t want to be an imposition.”
“You didn’t ask, Sunshine. I’m telling you, that’s what’s going to happen.” Her hair flies around her shoulders as I pull her closet door open with more force than necessary. “Now, pack a bag. We’re leaving in five minutes.”
Her fingers stall around the handle of a rolling suitcase. “But—But what about book club?”
I shake my head as I nudge her closer to her overflowing closet. “Don’t worry about it. Everything’s already being taken care of.”
Her brows furrow. “What does that mean?”
The floorboards groan under me as I move toward the hall. “You’ll see.”
“Wait!” My feet halt their advance with her command. “Where are you going?”
I smirk over my shoulder, taking pride in the beautiful blush that creeps up her neck. “Someone has to help Jasper and Posey pack.”
Lila’s slacked jaw sends an overwhelming hit of satisfaction soaring through my veins as she looks around my living room. “You guys did all this?”
Mace’s eyes sparkle as he looks around at their handiwork. “Sure did. We even dusted the ceiling fan.”
Dax grins over his shoulder as he climbs the ladder to hang the banner I stole from Lila’s house. “We couldn’t let you have your first book club meeting in a dump, Sullivan.”
Tears rim Lila’s eyes as she looks around at my three best friends. “Thank you guys so much.”
A rare smile flashes across Wyatt’s face before disappearing. “You’re part of the team now, Lila. We take care of our own.”
Ellie’s arm slides snugly over Lila’s shoulders as her eyes roam around the room. “Color me impressed, boys. I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Dax rolls his eyes as he lands on his feet with a thunk at the bottom of the ladder. “Just cause we choose not to clean doesn't mean we don’t know how, Ellie.”
She rolls her eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t roll out of her head. “The fact you see nothing wrong with that statement just shows how far gone you really are, Declan.”
Dax shivers like Ellie dumped cold water on his back. “Don’t call me that, Ellie. You know how much I hate it.”
The mischievous glint in Ellie’s eyes only grows as she shrugs. “It’s a perfectly good name, Dax. I’m not sure what your problem is with it.”
A car door slamming out front silences Dax’s argument.
Instead, he rolls his eyes and pouts up the stairs.
“Enjoy talking about the porn you’re reading, Ellie.
Make sure you talk aloud enough for Kam to hear.
Every brother wants to hear their sister talking about their favorite sex positions, right? ”
Ellie’s face turns a frightening shade of red as she stares lasers into the back of Dax’s head. Her fists vibrate at her side as she screams, “Don’t knock it till you try it, Declan! You might learn a thing or two from my porn books!”
I roll my lips to keep my laugh firmly locked away. “Well, on that note—” I kiss Lila’s smile as my voice falls to a whisper, “—have fun talking about your porn books.”
Her smile turns into a full grin. “There’s more to our books than sex, Trouble.”
Ellie raises her brows as a knock sounds at the door. “Of course there is, but you have to admit that reading about it is pretty great.”
I close my eyes as I let out a breath. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.”
Ellie’s beaming smile greets me when I open my eyes. “What? Sex is a normal thing, little brother. And so is reading about it. Plus, sex actually only takes up like one percent of the book, if that.”
I raise my brows. “Oh, I know. I just don’t want to talk about it with my sister. ”
She shrugs as she unlocks the door. Her squeal reverberates through my bones as she opens the door and throws her arms around someone just out of view.
My smile returns as I look down at a grinning Lila. I plant a quick kiss on her nose that makes her smile turn even more radiant. “Have a good time.”
Their voices fade behind me as I make my way to the hall leading to the kitchen. Jasper and Posey’s red-stained smiles greet me from where they sit coloring at the kitchen counter.
I shake my head as my smile grows. “How can you guys eat popsicles when it’s this cold out?”
Jasper looks at me like that’s the stupidest question he’s ever heard. “It’s not cold in here , Kam. Plus, Matt said it’s never too cold to eat a popsicle.”
I raise a brow. “Matt, huh?”
He nods while licking a trail of syrup off his finger.
“Yeah. He’s not so bad once you get to know him.
He just needed a friend.” Red food coloring tents his smile.
“I made sure he knows he’s not allowed to talk about Posey like that anymore, though.
It doesn’t matter if he’s my friend. Sister trumps friend any day. ”
His hair is silky against my palm as I ruffle his hair. “You’ve got that right, Tank.”
The sound of cabinet doors opening and closing fills the room as Mace looks through his stash. “What do you guys want for dinner tonight?”
“Guys!” Dax’s booming voice and beaming smile pull everyone’s attention. “I’m pretty sure I just met my future wife.”
Even Wyatt’s brows raise with Dax’s declaration. “You just happened to meet your future wife on your way down the stairs?”
Dax rolls his eyes like Wyatt is the ridiculous one. “No. I met her in the living room.”
Wyatt nods his head as he crosses his arms. “Oh, okay. Because that makes way more sense.”
Dax nods as his smile grows. “It does, though! She’s here for book club.”
Mace crosses his arms as he abandons his search. “Oh yeah? What’s her name?”
I can practically see the hearts in Dax’s eyes as he leans against the counter. “I have no idea.”
Posey bats her eyelashes as she swoons in her seat at the kitchen counter. “Aww! Dax is in love!”
Jasper wrinkles his brows as he takes another long lick of his popsicle. “Eww. I’m sorry, Dax. That sounds awful.”
My palm connecting with Dax’s shoulder sends a loud clap through the kitchen. “Well, come on! I want to see your future wife.”
Mace rubs his hands together. “Ah, yeah. This should be good.”
Wyatt rolls his eyes, despite abandoning his seat to follow us to the doorway. The girls' voices grow from a distant murmur into recognizable words the closer we get.
Lila’s laugh sends a bolt of lightning through my spine as a smile blooms on my face. “I loved that part! I can’t believe he would just abduct her like that!”
I raise a brow as I whisper over my shoulder. “Well, which one is she?”
He grins as he strains to see around me. “The one in the pink shirt.”
For the first time, I get a good look at the two strangers sitting on the couch across from my girlfriend and sister.
There’s a girl in a black shirt with deep red hair. Her stern brows remind me of a female Wyatt as she sits back to observe the conversation happening around her.
The girl in the pink shirt, however, laughs quietly along with whatever Ellie just said. My sister’s boisterous laugh almost drowns out her gentle voice.
Her stick straight, black hair is pulled back in a ponytail that sways behind her as she covers her mouth to laugh.
Her vaguely familiar brown eyes sparkle as she blushes from whatever Ellie just said.
Why does she look so familiar?
“Oh, shit.” Wyatt’s voice sends all four sets of eyes looking his way.
Dax elbows Wyatt in the ribs with more force than necessary. “What? What’s wrong?”
Wyatt inclines his head to where the girls still sit, completely unaware of our observation. “That’s Coach’s daughter, man.”
Dax’s smile falls, and his face turns a sickly shade of white. “Coach’s daughter? As in our coach’s daughter?”
Of course. I must have seen her in the family photos Coach has lining his office.
Wyatt nods as he pats Dax’s shoulder. “Sorry, man.”
Mace’s eyes fill with sympathy. “That’s too bad, Dax.” Mace wrinkles his nose as Dax glares at him. “There’s more fish in the sea, though, right?”
Dax lets out a long breath as his eyes return to the girl who's captured his attention. “Yeah, I guess.”
Dax’s reluctant footsteps follow us into the kitchen, but his eyes never stop straying to the hall.