Page 6 of Grand Slam

I told her it wasn’t a good idea to have anyone here without talking to him first.

“The minute he heard that Mark and Mason where here he assumed I’d let Libby come too. Please.” She rolls her eyes. “Like I’d ever do that. That bitch is toxic with a capital T. She oozes bullshit, and I know better.”

I want to laugh, because Liz, I love her to death, but she is so dramatic at times. She always speaks a mile a minute when she is mad, happy, or tired. It’s always hard to get a word in so most days I don’t even try.

“I can see it now, she’d be here taking selfies and posting about her dating Kelton, the rumors would spread and his agent and publicist would be hot on his ass. I’d be disowned and he’d be buddies with Brigette instead of me. Could you imagine my stuck-up sister talking with him til four in the morning.” She laughs. “Brigette wouldn’t dare be up past nine. Her perfect husband would lose his shit if his dainty little proper wife wasn’t tucked in safe and up before sunrise with his Betty homemaker breakfast all out for him before he leaves for the office.”

She takes a deep breath.

“I think he’s mad at me.” She finally sighs and looks down at her lap.

She may act all tough but there isn’t anything that bothers her more than the idea that she doesn’t have her big brother in her corner. Truth is, he can be madder than he’s ever been and he’d never turn his back on her. She is and will always be his baby sis, she is protected, even if she somehow messes up.

“He’s not mad,” I tell her sitting down at her side. “So he may be irritated, but I think we both know by the time he gets home and sees you, it will all fade. Besides he’ll be too happy we found him a house.”

“The perfect house,” she adds with a laugh, trying her best to hold back the tears I know she wants to shed.

“You take a shower, I’ll go text the realtor and find out where we should meet him.”

“He’s picking us up in forty-five minutes.” She stands and starts to pull off her shirt. Lifting it over her head she tosses it to the floor. “We can leave the rental here and maybe when Kelton gets back in town later we can have him come pick us up.”

“We have the rental,” I tell her, feeling like it’d be better to have a barrier against him and I for as long as I possibly can.

“But we both hate driving, it’s unfamiliar territory and him picking us up will give me the opportunity to force him to look at the house we find for him.” She shrugs. “Whether he likes it or not, he has to have the final say. He is the one who will be living here not me. All I need is the perfect guest room. One that does not have a clear view of the pool, hot tub, or the back deck. Because there is no way I want to wake up in the morningwhile staying over for a visit to find my brother buck ass naked drinking his morning coffee.”

“Excuse me?”

“It was one of his few requests. He wants a place far enough away from neighbors that if he wants to walk outside nude and take a dip in his pool he can without it ending up as nationwide news on TMZ.”

I laugh, then cover my mouth. She smiles and suddenly my head has tiny dancing naked Keltons in it.

I’m already a mess, this is not going to go smooth. I can feel it now!

CHAPTER SIX

Kelton

I look downat the GPS as I navigate the long narrow road. Thinking I must have missed the turn, I’m about to call my sister when I see the gate come into view as I top the hill. Instantly I’m in awe.

She took everything we’ve ever talked about, now and through the years, and found me the perfect location.

I slow, looking down the long gravel drive to the house at the end. My chest swells with pride and it’s not even my place, yet.

White wood siding with a high peaked front porch. All the windows and doors are framed out with a light wood, shutters to match on each side, adding the perfect accents. The porch is trimmed out with the same wood following the peak of the roof. It’s nestled back in the woods, surrounded on three sides giving it such a serene feel.

Turning onto the private drive I pass through a tall iron open gate. The closer I get the more I fall in love. The feeling of homethat I’ve been missing settles over me and I haven’t even stepped inside yet.

I slow to a stop and put my Yukon in park and still stare ahead at the home before me. Suddenly the front door opens and out emerges my little sister in a full-on sprint.

She is smiling wide, practically tripping over her own feet. Climbing out I close the door just in time to catch her as she launches, throwing her arms around my neck.

“Tell me this place is not you!” she squeals in my ear before letting me go and spinning in a circle with her hands out at her sides. “I knew it the minute we pulled up, it felt perfect and then we went inside and I was like oh hell yes. This is it!”

Liz looks back over her shoulder and that is when I see movement. An entirely different kind of emotion hits me like a tidal wave making me feel slightly unsteady on my feet.

Emerson slowly approaches, her hair long, much longer than it was the last time I saw her. She has a timid smile, almost like she’s unsure of what to do next.

My mouth feels dry, my throat scratchy, but without attempting to stop myself I step around Liz and make my way toward her. I notice the widening of her eyes just before I wrap my arms around her and pull her in close. “We aren’t strangers Em, don’t play shy with me,” I whisper, lifting her up to the point where the only thing left touching the ground is her tiptoes.

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