Chapter 20
Mom, Deda, and I pulled up to the restaurant and found the guys waiting for us at the entrance. They all looked dashing in their button-up shirts and slacks. Harrison was, of course, in all black, Carter was in a cornflower blue button-up and khakis, Chase was wearing a white dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up to the elbows and black slacks, Bryce was wearing a navy blue shirt with khakis, and Mason was in a red shirt with black slacks. They were all drool-worthy. I looked at Bryce and blushed a little. He tilted his head a little to the side in question. As I walked by him to go into the restaurant, I whispered, “I was thinking about the night of my birthday dinner.” Bryce looked at me with a huge grin and puffed his chest out a little. It made me giggle.
Jean Luc’s was a beautiful restaurant with its chandeliers, white tablecloths, and ornate archways. I was glad I chose my little black dress and black heels with ribbons wrapping around my ankles. I never wore these shoes, because they were uncomfortable, but they were super sexy. I also had my water symbol necklace Mason gave me proudly displayed. I wore it every day, but usually tucked into my shirt. My mom noticed it on the way over and was shocked that he spent so much on a birthday present for a “friend.” I wasn’t about to tell her what the others got me since they were just as expensive. My parents would freak out if they knew how much the guys spent on me. Heck, even I did sometimes.
The dinner was going great; Chase and my dad spoke about cars while Harrison and my mom discussed the Thanksgiving dinner preparations for tomorrow. I was so happy that my parents liked the guys. I felt a sense of relief knowing that they approved. I highly doubted they would approve of me being in a relationship with all of them, but at least they liked them. While we were eating, Chase asked my mom about her childhood and where she grew up.
“There is not much to tell. I grew up in a small town in Nebraska and my parents died when I was eighteen. I became pregnant a few years later and moved to Allendale. I had Bre and met Boyd a couple of years after that, and here we are,” Mom answered. It sounded very vague to me.
“Wow, that must have been hard to be on your own at eighteen,” Chase said.
My mom put her hand on her head and squinted, “It was. I’m sorry everyone, but I suddenly have a terrible headache. Boyd, I think I need to go home. I am really sorry for cutting tonight short. Thank you for the wonderful meal and company. Bre, please finish your meal. I’m sure the guys can drive you home.”
“Of course. Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” I asked.
“No, I’ll be fine. I get migraines sometimes. I just need to lie down and I will feel better. Again, I am so sorry.”
Bryce stood to pull her chair out for her and said, “Think nothing of it. We would be glad to take Bre home. I am sorry you are not feeling well.”
Mom and Deda left and the table was silent. Everyone was wondering what had just happened, but I was the first to speak up, “What the hell was that? Do you think she faked a headache to get out of answering questions?”
“No, she was really not feeling well. Did you see how white her face went as soon as Chase asked her about being on her own at eighteen?” Bryce asked.
“As soon as I asked something specific, she went white as a sheet and the headache started. I have no idea what is going on, but I am going to find out,” Chase said.
Something wasn’t right with my mom and that really worried me. She was the most important person in my life and I would do whatever I needed to do to make it right. “Chase, please figure out what is wrong with her.”
Chase looked at me with concern in his eyes, “Bre, I will do everything I can to figure it out. We will get to the bottom of this.”
I pushed the rest of my food around on my plate, but didn’t eat anymore. Bryce paid the bill and we all left. We stood outside the restaurant and Carter wrapped his arm around my shoulders, “Are you ready to go home?”
“No, can we maybe just walk a little? I need to clear my head before going home,” I answered.
He kissed my forehead. “Of course.”
We walked down Main Street and looked in the windows of the little shops. There were a couple of boutiques, more restaurants, an old hardware store, and a pet store. I stopped in front of the pet store and saw some cute puppies looking out the window. I switched on my animal gift and heard the puppies all speaking at once.
“Pick me!”
“Grrr, you are going down, stuffed monkey.”
“No, pick me!”
“I’m hungry!”
“My ball, mine.”
I laughed at how stinking cute they are. Once everything settled down, I wanted to get a dog. I had always wanted one, but mom had never let me have a pet. I would want a big dog, too, like a German Shephard or an Akita.
“I think they like you, Bre,” Mason said. “What are they saying?”
“Not much. Some of them are asking me to pick them and others are only thinking about their toys. I would love to have a dog one day. My mom would never let me have any pets. She is scared of most animals.” Chase had a strange look on his face when I said that. “What is it, Chase?”
“Not sure, but as soon as we get back, I will start researching. Try not to worry, we will get to the bottom of this. So you want a dog?” he asked, changing the subject.
I let it happen, because I really didn’t want to stress about it anymore. “Yes, one day I want a really big dog, at least a hundred pounds.”
“Well, we have enough land to have any size dog you want,” Bryce said. “Should we look for one when we get back?”
“Not yet. I want things to settle down first, but then I would love to find one!” I said. These guys were so good to me.
“Bre, is that you?” I turned to see Tyler Robertson from high school walking toward us with Raven Haynesworth at his side. I hated both of them. They were a couple of the kids at school who picked on me. Most left me alone, but those two loved to embarrass me in front of everyone. One time, I was covered in my lunch, don’t ask, and Raven took a picture and sent it to everyone in school. She called it Bre-rrito. The entire school called me that for months. I have hated her ever since. I looked to the guys in horror, because I just knew she and Tyler would try to embarrass me in front of them. I immediately stiffened when they walk closer.
“Bre-rrito! That is you!” Raven all but yelled. The guys seemed to know I was uncomfortable and took a step closer to me. Tyler and Raven looked around at the guys and Raven was practically drooling. “We haven’t seen you since graduation. What have you been up to?”
Before I could speak, Bryce wrapped an arm around my shoulder and kissed my forehead, “That would be my fault. Bre and I started dating at college and this is the first time we have had a chance to make it home. And you are?”
Raven blushed and stepped away from Tyler a little. “My name is Raven. Bre and I went to high school together. Are you all in town for Thanksgiving break?”
Chase stepped forward, “Yeah, ever since Bryce started dating Bre, we all just fell in love with her. She was nice enough to invite all of us home for her birthday and Thanksgiving.”
“Oh, how nice. Bre was always such a sweet girl in high school, everyone just loved her,” Raven said while stepping toward Chase. She was such a liar. I started to change from anxious to angry. She ran her hand down his arm and said, “There is a party Friday night at the old mill in Allendale, you guys should come.”
Bitch better get her hand off of my man or I will remove it for her. Bryce could tell I was about to do something, so he tightened his arm around me. Before I could move, Chase pulled away from her and looked to me, “We are here to spend time with Bre and her family. We have absolutely no interest in going to your little party.”
Raven, not one to be discouraged, looked up at Chase with her big brown eyes, thick with black liner, and said sweetly, “It will be fun. You could be my guest.”
“Not interested. Now go away. We were having a nice night until you came up,” Chase said, making me chuckle. We left them gaping there and continued down the street.
Take that, bitch! Where were the guys when I was in high school? I would have had a much easier time if I’d had them around.
We walked the main street until I started to get tired. “I’m ready when you guys are,” I told them. We all headed out to the cars and I jumped in with Carter, Chase, and Mason.
Chase sat in the back with me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “We will figure this out, I promise. Try not to worry about it.” He leaned over and kissed my forehead. I relaxed into him and laid my head against his chest. Too soon, though, we were back at my childhood home and I had to tell each of them goodbye again.
“We will be here first thing in the morning to help you and your mom with lunch,” Harrison said.
Bryce hugged me and said, “Get some rest and we will see you tomorrow.” He whispered in my ear before pulling away, “That means, don’t think about the other night if you want some rest. Unless you aren’t tired and I can sneak into your room tonight and recreate it.” He pulled back and smiled at me with his devilish dimples.
I giggled and blushed, thinking about how he’d made me feel and how I couldn’t get enough of him. God, how I would love to be in his arms tonight. I wasn’t sure how I would even get to sleep without one of them with me. But it was my parents’ house and that would be disrespectful, no matter how much I wanted him in my bed. I smiled up at him, “No, not while we are here, but ask me again when we get back on Sunday.” He nodded and they all got into their cars and drove away.
My parents were already in bed when I returned, so I went up to my room and changed into my pajamas. I laid in bed trying not to think about anything stressful. I needed to relax and sleep. My phone dinged with a text from Carter.
I miss you already. Sleep well, my love.
I texted him back, I wish you were here.
Over the next few minutes, each of them sent me a sweet or supportive text. I loved each and every one of them. And I was in love with each of them, too. I never comprehended a life like this. Hell, I never imagined I would have a real, lasting relationship with one man, much less be bonded to five of them. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.