Two Minutes (Seven Series Book 6) Read Online Free
beanstalks! I just saw you last summer. What the heck happened?”
They laughed, eating up the compliments about how big they were getting and how old they looked. I gave them each a hug, which they accepted with reluctance since preteen boys like to pretend they want nothing to do with hugging anyone of the female persuasion. I mussed their hair and then reached in my purse.
I swear, I still couldn’t tell them apart.
I held my closed palm in front of them. “This is for Hendrix.”
The boy on the left eagerly reached out with his palm up, and I dropped a large chocolate coin in it.
“Imported chocolate. I know how much you like it.”
“Wow. Thanks!”
When I pulled out the other gift, Lennon already had his hand out. “Gum, right?”
“Not just any gum,” I said. “The kind with all that gooey liquid inside.”
“Cool—my favorite! I love this stuff and Mom never buys it.”
They appreciated the simpler things, which was nice since I didn’t have much money. I’d sold all my personal possessions to help pay for my plane ticket. While Austin had funded my schooling, I’d always been responsible for making my own spending money.
“Where’s Melody?”
“She went out shopping with Dad,” Hendrix said, already biting into his chocolate. He gave it a second glance and then wrapped up the rest. “I’m saving the other half for later.”
“ Mom! ” Lennon yelled, looking at the top of the stairs. “Company!”
I laughed and wandered through the room, feeling a pinch of nostalgia. A romance novel worn at the spine lay on a small table, a bookmark tucked inside. One of Jericho’s black guitar picks was on the floor by the leather chair.
When Naya returned, Lexi and Austin were following her.
Lexi’s eyes widened. “I thought you were kidding!” she gasped, gripping Naya’s arm. “Maizy? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?”
I shrugged and set my purse in the chair. “I missed home.”
She ran across the room and pulled me into a tight hug. “How long are you staying?”
“I don’t know,” I murmured in her hair. “How long do you want me?”
I felt her body sag and then her arms squeezed harder. Austin came up behind her and cupped my cheek.
“Missed you,” he said. “Your room’s been waiting for you.”
Lexi wouldn’t let go.
“You smell like outside,” I said, wrinkling my nose.
She laughed and stepped back. “Sorry. I was helping Austin dig up Mom’s flower bed in the back. A bunch of blue jays ate up her tomatoes a couple of years ago and she threw in the towel on a vegetable garden. We’re going to try it again, and Austin’s going to put up some kind of a mesh fence around it.” Lexi touched the wily hairs around the nape of her neck that had curled from the sweat. “Where’s your stuff?”
“Wheeler already took up my bag. I didn’t have much to bring.”
I’d never been a girl who accumulated things. I’m not sure why, but when I left England, I decided to stuff the things I really loved into a bag and give away the rest. Turns out the only things I kept were a few old letters, some clothes, and photographs. I had no idea what my plans were, but this was where I needed to be.
Chapter 2
The entire day felt like a carousel reunion. Jericho and William returned that afternoon with Melody, who was over the moon to see me. When my mom got the call from Lexi, she took the entire day off. In fact, I was willing to bet she’d canceled all her appointments with her clients for the full week. April and Trevor weren’t due home from work until later, Reno was doing PI work, and Izzy left at three to cover the last shift at the bakery.
It was just like old times with everyone coming and going. It was as if life had gone on without me, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
A knock sounded at my bedroom door and I peered down the length of my body. “Come in,” I said, a bit groggy.
The hinges squeaked as the door opened. “We
They laughed, eating up the compliments about how big they were getting and how old they looked. I gave them each a hug, which they accepted with reluctance since preteen boys like to pretend they want nothing to do with hugging anyone of the female persuasion. I mussed their hair and then reached in my purse.
I swear, I still couldn’t tell them apart.
I held my closed palm in front of them. “This is for Hendrix.”
The boy on the left eagerly reached out with his palm up, and I dropped a large chocolate coin in it.
“Imported chocolate. I know how much you like it.”
“Wow. Thanks!”
When I pulled out the other gift, Lennon already had his hand out. “Gum, right?”
“Not just any gum,” I said. “The kind with all that gooey liquid inside.”
“Cool—my favorite! I love this stuff and Mom never buys it.”
They appreciated the simpler things, which was nice since I didn’t have much money. I’d sold all my personal possessions to help pay for my plane ticket. While Austin had funded my schooling, I’d always been responsible for making my own spending money.
“Where’s Melody?”
“She went out shopping with Dad,” Hendrix said, already biting into his chocolate. He gave it a second glance and then wrapped up the rest. “I’m saving the other half for later.”
“ Mom! ” Lennon yelled, looking at the top of the stairs. “Company!”
I laughed and wandered through the room, feeling a pinch of nostalgia. A romance novel worn at the spine lay on a small table, a bookmark tucked inside. One of Jericho’s black guitar picks was on the floor by the leather chair.
When Naya returned, Lexi and Austin were following her.
Lexi’s eyes widened. “I thought you were kidding!” she gasped, gripping Naya’s arm. “Maizy? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?”
I shrugged and set my purse in the chair. “I missed home.”
She ran across the room and pulled me into a tight hug. “How long are you staying?”
“I don’t know,” I murmured in her hair. “How long do you want me?”
I felt her body sag and then her arms squeezed harder. Austin came up behind her and cupped my cheek.
“Missed you,” he said. “Your room’s been waiting for you.”
Lexi wouldn’t let go.
“You smell like outside,” I said, wrinkling my nose.
She laughed and stepped back. “Sorry. I was helping Austin dig up Mom’s flower bed in the back. A bunch of blue jays ate up her tomatoes a couple of years ago and she threw in the towel on a vegetable garden. We’re going to try it again, and Austin’s going to put up some kind of a mesh fence around it.” Lexi touched the wily hairs around the nape of her neck that had curled from the sweat. “Where’s your stuff?”
“Wheeler already took up my bag. I didn’t have much to bring.”
I’d never been a girl who accumulated things. I’m not sure why, but when I left England, I decided to stuff the things I really loved into a bag and give away the rest. Turns out the only things I kept were a few old letters, some clothes, and photographs. I had no idea what my plans were, but this was where I needed to be.
Chapter 2
The entire day felt like a carousel reunion. Jericho and William returned that afternoon with Melody, who was over the moon to see me. When my mom got the call from Lexi, she took the entire day off. In fact, I was willing to bet she’d canceled all her appointments with her clients for the full week. April and Trevor weren’t due home from work until later, Reno was doing PI work, and Izzy left at three to cover the last shift at the bakery.
It was just like old times with everyone coming and going. It was as if life had gone on without me, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
A knock sounded at my bedroom door and I peered down the length of my body. “Come in,” I said, a bit groggy.
The hinges squeaked as the door opened. “We
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