Page 34

Chapter

Thirty-One

JONAS

Mom: Can’t wait to see you. Your dad has a surprise for tomorrow!

Jonas: Leaving soon, we should be there in a few hours. Depending on traffic.

“What’s this?” I stop short in my room. Spread out on my bed is piles of folded laundry, everything sorted by type. T-shirts, shorts, socks, boxers. Hadley, standing in front of my open dresser, spins to face me.

“Sorry.” She bites her lip. “I didn’t mean to overstep.”

“Are you…reorganizing my clothes? Because that’s a little odd.” She doesn’t seem that controlling, but what is going on?

“No! Nothing that weird.” She takes two steps towards my bed, cheeks turning pink.

“Wanna fill me in, then? Do you have some kind of underwear fetish I’m unaware of?”

Hadley rocks on the balls of her bare feet. Her floral-patterned shorts showcase her tanned legs, and I have to focus on her face, so I don’t get distracted.

She pats a pile of clothes. “I mean, I’m open to exploring options. You could try going commando, and I’ll let you know what I think.” She winks, and I can’t help laughing at her antics. “But honestly, I hope you’re not mad. I did your laundry.”

“Really?”

She hurries to explain, twisting her hands together. “Not because I think you can’t or something like that. But you’ve been so busy lately. Clinicals and conditioning. Plus this girl who wakes you up in the middle of the night when she’s horny.”

“No problem there.” I step closer, sliding my hands around her waist. Brushing a kiss across her lips, I bob my brows. “I’m a big fan, actually. Last night was awesome. I’d much rather have sex than sleep.”

Pulling back, she stares at her shoes. “Anyway, I was doing a load and thought it would be easy to add yours, too. No big deal.”

It’s simple, yeah, but thoughtful. I haven’t had time for laundry, and I was either going to have to bring home a suitcase full of dirty clothes and beg my mom to do it or start walking around naked. Hadley noticed and took that off my plate for me. My heart beats faster in my chest.

“That was really sweet of you. Thanks.” I tilt her chin up and kiss her again, pouring my appreciation into it.

“Wanna revisit the commando discussion?” she asks, breathless, when we come up for air.

“You’re incorrigible.” I bury my face in her neck, making her gasp with soft passes of my mouth against her skin.

“You like me.” She smiles, the sound of it coloring her voice, as she tilts her head to give me better access.

“I really do.”

“You guys ready to go?” I raise my voice and call down the hallway to Evan and Hadley.

Evan steps out of his room, hands in his pockets, and frowns. “My mom just called. She wants me to come home to Michigan for the long weekend.”

“What?” Wheeling a Louis Vuitton suitcase behind her, Hadley blocks his path to the door. “You’re ditching us?”

He steps back into his doorway so she can pass, and I catch a glimpse of the second bag she has slung over her shoulder. How much luggage does she need for four days? She drops it all at my feet by the front door and pops her hand on her hip.

Evan shrugs. “Sorry. But she’s insisting.”

He meets my gaze, and it’s like a hit against the boards. His glance says it all. He knows about Hadley and me.

He doesn’t say anything but raises his shoulders again. “Mom wants it, so Mom gets it.”

Hadley pouts. “But you’re gonna miss out on so much fun.”

“I know. I’ll send you pictures from the lake, and you text me updates from Hunter and the Wolves, okay?”

He gives her a hug and me a slap on the back, still harboring that knowing expression. I don’t doubt his mom wanted him to spend the weekend at home—but it’s a little too orchestrated to be random, too.

Did he want to get out of spending time with us because he’s uncomfortable? Maybe we need to tone it down when we get home.

We need to play it cool this weekend. Between time with my family and Hunter and Natalie, we have to channel our just friends vibe. Disappointment sours in my stomach at the thought. Good practice for the future, I guess.

Sighing, I scoop my backpack and her extra duffel. “You should be thankful I drive a Jeep. Enough room for all your stuff.”

“Look.” Hadley sweeps past me on her strappy platform sandals. “We can’t all get away with shorts and a polo shirt for every occasion. I need options.”

I gaze down, and yeah, that’s exactly what I’m wearing. I packed four identical copies of this outfit, plus a hat, a toothbrush, and a book. What more would I need?

I follow her out to my car and toss our luggage into the back. When we’re settled and she has the music blasting to her liking, she slides her hand onto my thigh and glances over at me.

“This is the last time I can touch you like this. For the weekend, I mean.”

I try to keep my face neutral, staring at the road, as the ball of dissatisfaction inside my chest grows.

I was thinking the same thing earlier—why should it hurt to hear it out loud?

But if I’m being honest, there was a part of me that wanted her to own it this weekend.

To tell her brother we’re dating and it’s not any of his business.

To introduce her to my parents as my girlfriend.

But she doesn’t want anything serious or permanent. I was good with a summer fling at first, but my stomach sours with discontentment as I nod. “Yeah.”

Hadley sends me a coy look. “Can we sneak away at some point?”

As much as I want to shout to the world she’s mine, that’s not where we’re at right now. I’d rather be dating her outright, but if I can’t have that, I might as well enjoy what we’ve got. The hidden thing can be hot and fun.

So I smirk at her. “Are you planning on defiling my childhood bedroom?”

“God, yes.” She squeezes my leg. “Did you ever fantasize about having a girl in your bed?”

“Hadley, I’m a guy. Of course I did.”

“I’m about to make all your dreams come true, then,” she says, her tone smug and flirty. If I wasn’t driving, I’d kiss that grin off her face. Because she already does.

I park on the street outside the three-story brick townhouse I grew up in, and my mom bustles out the red front door.

Located on the corner in our Lincoln Park neighborhood, it’s a gem.

My parents could probably sell it for five times what they paid—a four-bedroom, three bath house with a two-car garage below?

Yeah, they’d make a killing. But it was perfect for our family of seven, and they’re not ready to move yet.

My three older sisters are all married and out of the house, only Emma lives with my parents.

She’s still in high school and will be until she’s twenty-two and can’t utilize public education services anymore.

Maybe I should have prepped Hadley more about her and the situation, but I don’t like warning people about my family.

It makes me feel gross, like I’m saying there’s something wrong with Emma when there’s not.

Different isn’t bad—it’s just different. Hadley will see soon enough.

My mom has never met a stranger in her life. As a kindergarten teacher, nothing phases her and she excels at putting people at ease. Case in point—she barely waits until the car is in park to open the passenger door.

“Oh, you must be Hadley,” she says, shaking her hand before Hadley has unbuckled. Her straight red hair frames her face, but the bangs over her green eyes are new. “It’s so nice to meet you! Come on in, let me get you a drink.”

“Hi, Mom,” I say, a teasing lilt to my voice. “Did you forget about me, your favorite son?”

“Now, Jonas, I was only being hospitable. How about you carry in the luggage and then come sit with us on the deck?”

Hadley lets my mom drag her inside as I open the tailgate and grab our bags.

“Thank you, Mrs. Kaminski. I appreciate you letting me stay here,” she says, grinning as they enter.

“Of course! And please call me Mary.”

My mom leaves the front door wide open, chattering away while I follow after them.

My dad recently converted the downstairs bedroom to an office space with a pullout couch.

Emma sleeps there sometimes if the stairs are giving her problems, and it’s great for company.

I leave Hadley’s bags there while my mom shows her the guest bath.

As Hadley freshens up, my mom pulls me into the kitchen and wraps me in a hug. “There you are! So good to see you, honey.”

I squeeze her back, letting the familiar scent of home wash over me. Fresh laundry detergent and a hint of lavender from my mom’s favorite lotion. Warmth fills my chest. Even if it’s not as my official girlfriend, I’m excited to have Hadley in my house, with my family.

As if she can read my mind, my mom raises her eyebrows. “She seems nice!”

“Mom.” I shake my head. “We’re friends. It’s not like that.” Though I hate lying to my mom.

“Well, I’m glad she could come. Where’s Evan?”

“He’s on the lake for the Fourth.” His family has a vacation house in Muskegon on Lake Michigan, so it makes sense they’d do a big get together.

Did he back out because he suspects something is going on between me and Hadley?

Maybe. But as long as he doesn’t ask, I don’t have to lie.

Although keeping a secret isn’t much better.

“That’s lovely,” my mom says, oblivious to my inner turmoil. “I’m sure it will be nice to see Hunter. And Cooper’s in Colorado?”

“Yep, Denver.”

She sighs. “I can’t believe you’ll graduate next year and move off like that.”

What’s there to say to that? I kiss the top of her head and smile. “We’ll see.”

My mom makes a happy little noise in the back of her throat. She drops this conversation when Hadley steps into the kitchen, beaming.

I itch to touch her, to lace my fingers through hers or rest my hand on the small of her back. Instead, I lean against the butcher block counter and smile.

“Mary, your house is beautiful,” she tells my mom, who practically bursts with pleasure. She loves hosting.

Beautiful is a stretch. Our house is nice but comfortable, probably nothing compared to what Hadley experienced growing up with a mom who’s a model and a dad with professional hockey money. But her gaze holds nothing but joy as my mom offers to show her the patio.

The yard is the size of a postage stamp, barely big enough for a game of catch.

It’s fenced in, a tiny corner of the city tucked away from everything else.

Half of the space is covered by the deck my dad built off the house.

He stands at the grill now, wearing an apron that says, “Hi, Hungry. I’m Dad.

” My sister Katie bought it for him for Christmas. He couldn’t be prouder.

He waves at us—not a big talker—and lets my mom chatter on to Hadley.

I shouldn’t be surprised when the fence gate swings open and a handful of my nieces spill in, full of shrieking and laughter. Because of course my mom invited everyone over for dinner.

I hope Hadley is strong enough to meet my family.