Page 38 of Under One Roof

As we weave through the throng of people, Griffin rattles off names. I meet Ian’s kids, Jasper, Jaybird, and Juniper. There is Eloise, the owner of Sweet Cheeks, the bakery next to Ian’s tattoo shop. Marianne and Clara are here, as well as Taryn’s two kids, Jake and Maddie. Unlike the day she and I met, she appears to be in a better mood. In fact, she tells me she’s heard I’ve been doing a wonderful job with Logan and Grace. Which means Griffin has been talking about me, and I’m infinitely giddy about that.

Especially when Ian shows up to a chorus of cheers. Griffin’s older brother is… Well, he’s hot. A silver fox with a beard, muscles, and tattoos all over. When he finally makes it through the crowd to us, he grips Griffin’s shoulder with a gruff, “Cap.”

“Happy birthday,” Griffin says before hugging him, a few more words I can’t hear exchanged between them. Then Ian turns to me with a raised brow. “And who is this?”

Griffin gestures between us. “Ian, meet Andi. Andi, this is my older brother, Ian.”

“Ah.” Ian takes my hand, his grip firm and warm. “This is the infamous Andi.” His eyes are just as dark as Griffin’s, and he sweeps his gaze over me. Not in any sexual way, more out of curiosity. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting the woman who has my brother upside down and inside out.”

“Fuck off,” Griffin grumbles.

“So defensive.” Then he winks at me, and it kind of…it makes my heart stutter. Ian doesn’t notice because he’s on to greeting the next person, but Griffin certainly does, scowling at me like I’ve offended him.

“What?” I laugh, and he scowls harder. “Your brother is really good-looking.”

“No, he’s not.”

I like jealous Griffin. Ruffled Captain Stone.

“You’re jealous.” I knock my hand into his thick shoulder, and he stares down at me like he doesn’t mind my teasing. Likes it, even.

He opens his mouth to reply but is interrupted by someone calling his name. He glances over his shoulder to acknowledge them then murmurs to me, “Be right back.”

He lightly pinches my wrist before he marches off, and I watch as he effortlessly carries bags of ice from the trunk of Taryn’s car to dump them into a cooler. They have a short conversation, and he tosses his arm around her shoulders, an action that warms my heart. Since I’m not close to my family, it’s nice to see the Stone family interact.

Although I don’t know any of them all that well, I can tell they love and care for one another. A vague notion of being accepted into their circle filters through my brain. I have no idea how I would do that or if I’d even be welcome, but I stand off to the side taking in the party as a whole. Lots of laughter and smiling faces.

It’s a home.

“Andi, do you want to play with us?”

I spin around to find Logan, Grace, and their cousin Maddie. They’ve got a frisbee, and I shrug.

“Sure.” I follow them out to the grassy area and throw it around for a while, learning Maddie is twelve and has terrible aim since I’m constantly running to grab the plastic disk until I’m out of breath.

“All right,” I say, laughing. “I need a break. Let’s go grab something to eat.”

The kids agree, and we help ourselves to plates of food then settle at one of the long tables. Logan shovels macaroni salad into his mouth while Maddie and Grace chat about some TV show. My own plate is piled high, but I’m too distracted by the woman I notice with Griffin. She’s standing awfully close to him, smiling about something.

“Who’s that with your dad?” I ask, all casual-like.

Logan pauses long enough from eating to follow my line of sight. “Ugh. That’s Elsa.”

“Like…Frozen?”

Grace shakes her head. “Yes, but she’s nothing like that Elsa. Except they’re both blond.”

“She’s Dad’s ex-girlfriend,” Logan explains around a mouthful of food. “She’s the worst.”

I raise my eyebrows at that. This Elsa woman is tall and willowy with long, straight blond hair. Even from here, I can tell she’s gorgeous in an intimidating way that highlights all my own insecurities.

“How come?”

“We overheard her talking on the phone one day, telling someone that if she ever married Dad, she’d send me and Gracie to boarding school.”

My mouth drops open in shock. “Seriously?”

Not that the twins couldn’t be terrors, but boarding school is not the answer. Obviously. I mean, I solved the puzzle of their bad behavior. It wasn’t that hard to understand.

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