Storm

“Gram, he’s chewing his bone, take a chill, and hurry it up in there. I’m starving.”

I can’t help but smile and feel at ease with these people. Storm was right, they are so easy going and fun and not snobby in the least. My nervousness begins to subside.

I tap Storm’s shoulder. “Where’s the restroom?”

“Down the hall, third door on the left.”

I excuse myself and make my way down the hallway. The house is much bigger on the inside than it appeared from the outside. I find the bathroom, the door is open about six inches, and the light is on. There doesn’t seem to be anyone in there so I push the door open, and walk right into Storm.

It’s Storm, but it’s not. He’s wearing nothing but a towel and is also covered in tats, but they’re not Storm’s tattoos. His long hair hangs down his shoulders, dripping water down a body that is equally as muscular as Storm’s. I stop dead in my tracks and peer up at him, utterly confused. His eyes are dark brown like rich chocolate and don’t have Storm’s mischievous glint. These eyes are dark, almost sad.

“Oh, my! I’m so sorry!” I say, completely embarrassed. I don’t know where to look or which way to go.

He just looks at me. “Who the hell are you?”

“Um, I’m Evelyn.”

“The blizzard chick?”

What? Is that what they’re calling me? And why didn’t Storm tell me had a twin brother?

I make a face that I try not to make. “Yeah, I guess that would be me.”

“You lost again?”

Ugh. “No, I was looking for the bathroom.”

He tightens the towel around his waist, and I try not to look at him half naked in front of me.

“You found it.”

“I see that. I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was occupied. The door was open.”

“Yeah, I was letting the steam out.”

He’s looking at me but not smiling. I don’t like Storm’s face on this guy. At all.

“Well, um, I’ll just come back.” I turn for the door.

“I’m done. It’s all yours, Blizzard Chick.” He pushes past me, his damp arm rubbing against my breasts.

I lock the door behind him. Geez. I wish Storm had told me he had a twin brother and saved me the freak-out of running into him. I’m confused enough as it is—the last thing I need is a Storm clone running around.

I use the bathroom and check myself in the mirror before heading back to the living room. Sinking back into the chair I was in, I whisper down in Storm’s ear, “You didn’t tell me you had a twin brother.”

“I don’t.” He holds a strawberry up to my lips. I bite it in half and he eats the other half, his eyes not leaving mine. Sharing fruit has never been so sexy.

“Well, who did I just run into half naked in the bathroom who looks just like you?”

He swallows his half of the strawberry. “That’s Asher. He’s a year older than I am. We just look alike.”

“Holy shit. You could’ve warned me.”

“I forgot.”

“He called me Blizzard Chick!”

Storm starts to crack up.

“What’s so funny over there, you two?” Ronnie asks.

“Evelyn ran into Asher and he called her Blizzard Chick.”

They all laugh. Not at me, thankfully, but they seem to find a lot of amusement over it.

“Honey, he gives everyone a nickname,” Aria explains. “Don’t take it personally. He’s totally harmless.”

“And high,” Rayne adds.

“Rayne, don’t,” Storm warns. She makes a face at him and I start to giggle. I wish I had a little sister.

Dinner turns out to be a five-course meal. I am so stuffed by the third course that I can barely eat another thing. I nibble at everything to be polite, but I am not used to eating so much food. Storm literally woofs down everything and then eats what I don’t eat. Asher doesn’t join us for dinner, and I wonder what his deal is and where he’s hiding and why. I hope it’s not because of me. Maybe he didn’t want a stranger here for Christmas. Or maybe, like Rayne hinted at, he’s hanging out somewhere just getting high.

After dinner, Aria approaches me and offers to give me a tour of the house. I accept and allow her to lead me away.

“Mom! Don’t tell her embarrassing shit about me!” Storm yells after us.

“I’m just going to show her your naked baby photos!” she yells back, hooking her arm in mine.

“I don’t mean to fangirl, but I’ve read all your books,” I tell her. “I had no idea you were Storm’s mom. He just told me on the way here.”

“Thank you! If there’s any you haven’t read, just let me know and I’ll give you any you want. I’m almost finished with my latest. I’d love to send you a copy before it hits the stores.”

“Wow, thank you!”

We walk through the kitchen to the other side of the house to a beautiful four-season room that is all glass. She takes my hand and we sit on a long white couch. Storm’s family is very affectionate I’ve noticed. It’s not annoying though. It’s actually very comforting.

“Are you having a good time? We’re so glad Storm asked you to come.”

I nod enthusiastically. “Yes, I really am. I’m glad I came, too. I didn’t want to at first, but Storm is very persistent.

“Yes, he is. It’s one of his many charms.”

“He’s very lucky to have all of you.”

“We’re lucky to have him, too.” She tilts her head at me. “Your parents passed when you were seventeen?” she asks softly.

I am a bit taken aback. I never told Storm that information.

“Yes, they were in an accident,” I tell her, looking down. I don’t like talking about my parents, especially with people I barely know.

“Evelyn, I want you to know I had you checked out by a PI. And before you get upset, please understand that I only did so because I love my son. I needed to know if there was anything about you that was... well, bad.”

Yikes. I have no idea how to take this. Checked out? Did she think I was some kind of criminal?

She continues. “I wanted to apologize for invading your privacy. It’s hard to be a mother and watch your children get hurt. Storm has been through a lot. They all have. It’s one thing if they’re off partying and just screwing girls for fun, which of course I don’t condone as proper behavior, but when I see they are serious about someone, my instinct is to find out as much as I can. I guess it’s the writer in me to fact check.”

I nod in understanding. “It’s all right. I understand why you would do that. I’m not upset with you.”

She looks visibly relieved. “I’m very sorry for your loss. I was not expecting to hear such sad information.”

“Thank you.” My eyes drop to my hands in my lap. “It was a long time ago. I miss them very much, though. Especially my mother.”

“If you ever need to talk, or need anything at all, you’re welcome to call me. I mean that.”

“I really appreciate that. Thank you.”

She stares out the glass windows for a moment, thinking. “Mother’s aren’t supposed to pick favorites, you know. But between you and me, Storm has always kind of been my favorite. I love all my kids, but there’s just something about him. He always makes me laugh. He has such a good heart, he always has. When Britney died, he changed. I didn’t think he’d ever be happy again.”

Britney. Now I had a name to put with the girl he married.

“He’s never spoken of her,” I say. “But, I read about her.”

“No, he rarely talks about her. She was a very troubled young girl. Teen love is so full of angst. She set her sights on him and that was it. She had a lot of problems at home, the poor girl. An alcoholic father, her mother was hardly ever home. I think she saw Storm as her savior. And he tried so hard to make her happy. She had crazy mood swings, happy one day and completely miserable the next. She was hard on him. Nothing was good enough. I think she pushed him into marriage because she wanted to get away from her parents. And I hate to say this, but I think because she knew we had money, she thought he was her golden ticket. Our kids have always made their own way, though. We never threw money at them. Things got bad for them, she did drugs, she cheated on him, and she wanted everything under the sun. New car, a house, vacations. She berated his music, his work on motorcycles—everything he did. All he wanted was to be loved. I don’t think she ever did love him, though. He was too young to be going through all of that and being responsible for someone who was so unstable. It took a huge toll on him. Then getting pregnant really pushed her over the edge. She hung herself in their bedroom closet, and he found her that way. It was absolutely horrible.”

I gasp and cover my mouth. The thought of it makes me feel sick on so many levels. What went through the poor girl’s head to make her want to end her own life? And her child’s? Storm must have been completely devastated.

“He blamed himself for a long time. He turned to drugs and alcohol. It tore us apart to see him that way. And especially right after Asher... Well, that’s a story for another time, sweetheart.” She gives me a weak smile. “I know you’re wondering why I dragged you out here to talk about this, and it certainly wasn’t to depress you. The thing that happened with you and Storm and being stuck in the truck together? I think you formed a special bond. Am I right?”

“Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but we did.”

“He hasn’t been in or wanted to be in a relationship in a very long time. He cares about you very much and I can see why. You two have chemistry. The way he looks at you and touches you, like you’ve been together forever.”

“Aria, we do have some sort of connection. I can’t deny that, but I am in a relationship. Did Storm tell you that?”