Page 59 of Unexpectedly In Love

This whole conversation was starting to grate my nerves. I took my phone out, it’s just emails.

“You know I don’t have any social media, right? I find it to be time consuming,” I grumble.

Zac just stares at me in disbelief. “Again…if Anise is happy, my pregnant wife is happy and a happy wife is a happy?—”

“Life,” Khaos shouts.

A date…with Anise? I remember our first time together, she enchanted me. What harm could one date do?

“Get her some flowers too. I can ask Sage what her favorite flower is,” Zac rambles on. I will never have brunch at my home again.

“There is nothing wrong with having a family,” Cid interjects.

“I have a family. You guys. I don’t like families much.” I poked at the meat; I know I sounded jaded but it was true.

“Why? You like us.” Kyros asks.

“Yes, but nothing hurts more than having family betray you or not loving you enough,” I don’t want that for myself.

“You need to go to therapy,” Zac lips thins.

Before I can answer, a shrilling scream echoes from the kitchen, instantly Kyros, Cid, Khaos and I reach for our guns in our hips.

We rush to the kitchen, Zac standing with a chopper right beside us.

Anise and her sisters are all huddled, jumping around together.

“What the hell?” Kyros relaxes and puts his gun away. Cid, Khaos, and I quickly do the same. Zac hides the chopper behind his back.

As the screaming stops, they all look around and see us standing by the door.

“Sorry for the loud screaming. It’s just—” Anise wipes her eyes and rushes to me and shows me her phone.

Senica sent out the email, she was now a brand ambassador. “I did it, Eryx.”

“Congratulations. You deserve it.” She instantly jumps up and wraps her arm around my neck. It was the first time since our meeting she made the move to hug me first.

As if my limps have a mind of its own, I instantly wrap my arms around her. Her face rests right below my chin. I squeeze her tighter as she sighs, it like relief was seeping out of her pores.

A throat clears. “Brunch is ready outside on the patio. The guys and I will carry the dishes. You ladies can uh?—”

“Wine, we can bring the wine,” Cassia says, dashing to the wine wall.

Anise releases me, bending her head, dusts away the non-existent lint from her clothing. “Sorry for crying all over you.”

I wipe her tears away. “There is nothing to be sorry about. I’m proud of you. Let’s go eat.”

* * *

ANISE

Proud of me? I can’t remember the last time someone said they were proud of me. Eryx words swirl in my head, and I can feel them draining my veins. I’m proud of him. The brunch was absolutely delicious. The boys did their thing with the meats and the grill. We are still outside on the patio. The pool fountain gurgles behind us, a small fire is going in the outdoor fireplace. The kids are all asleep watching tv.

Sipping the wine, I look down into the wine glass. I loved the color of this wine. Is that deep red? It’s perfect for a lipstick shade. Wow it’s so deep gray and pretty. I need another glass; I had like what 2 glasses? Or is it one? Hmm, I wonder if Rosemary and Cassia love the wine as much as I do. Sage can’t drink because of our little baby bean in her tummy.

Eryx’s touches my arm and every part of my lit up. The tiny hair on my arms stood up.

“Hey are you okay?” he asks.

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