Page 125 of From the Start

Shit. Is this baby mine? What am I going to do?

I do the same thing I’ve always done when I need help. I go in search of my brothers.

Chapter 36

“Nothing says romance like acoustic insulation.” ~ Harper

Harper

“Dad!” I shout as I shut the front door behind me. “I’m home.”

I frown when I notice his usual spot in front of the television is empty. Granted, he doesn’t spend as much time binge watching crime shows since the cast is off of his arm and he’s able to get around on his own again. But still. Where could he be?

I set the bag of groceries in the kitchen before continuing my search. Dad better not be mowing the lawn. There’s no reason to exert his independence since Kai is now doing all of the mowing.

“Dad!” I shout again as I make my way down the hallway toward his bedroom.

I stop when I notice the door to my bedroom is closed. Why is it closed? I always keep my bedroom door open during the day.

I peek my head inside my room. “Hello?”

Dad claps. “Hot damn! It works!”

Dad and Kai are sitting in the little sitting area – because apparently I need a sitting area in my bedroom to read my romance novels at – near the window.

“What’s going on? And do I want to know?”

Kai jumps to his feet and bounds toward me. He plants a quick kiss on my lips before wrapping his arms around my waist and throwing me in the air. “It worked!”

“What worked?”

“The soundproofing.”

Soundproofing? I push on his shoulders until he sets me down. “Back up. Start from the beginning.”

“I soundproofed the room. This way you won’t be bothered by Henry’s snoring at night anymore.”

“Sounds like heaven.”

“And to prevent Henry from hearing us.” He waggles his eyebrows in case I’m confused as to what noises Dad would overhear.

“There’s my cue to exit,” Dad grumbles as he pushes to his feet. Kai rushes to help him but Dad bats his hands away. “I can stand on my own.”

Kai retreats but he trails behind Dad as he leaves. Those two have formed a special bond. I’m glad. Kai deserves to have a dad who won’t abandon him. Abandoning people isn’t part of the Poole family genes.

Once Dad is safely in the living room, Kai returns to me. “Hi, Slugger. How was the grocery store? Did you beat up any women?”

I scowl at him. “I’ve never beat up any women at a grocery store.”

He wraps his arms around me and kisses my forehead. “Sure, you haven’t.”

“Thanks for doing the soundproofing. It’s going to come in handy for me next summer.”

“I think you mean for us.”

I roll my eyes. “Fine. Us. If I let you sleep over.”

“You can’t sleep over in your own house.”