‘OK’ I reply dazedly, reaching for my case as twin two picks it up and starts walking. ‘I can carry it!’ I call out desperately, hurrying to catch up as the tall man takes the stairs two at a time.
‘It’s OK princess’ twin two drawls, glancing back at me as we both reach the top of the stairs, ‘I’m not going to drop it, your stuff is safe with me.’
Swallowing down my worry, I nod, following behind him like a lost lamb as he leads the way down the corridor toward where I hope is my new room. The padding of feet behind me has me glancing back, I’m surprised to find twin one following us, my mother’s case in his hand.
I turn back toward twin two, hurrying my steps to keep up with him, damn my tiny five foot six frame!
About halfway down, twin two throws open a door to the right, walking in and setting my case down on a king sized bed with surprising care before sweeping his hand around to encompass the room.
‘I hope this is up to your standards, princess’ he says with a cheeky grin.
I should go all feminism on his ass over calling me princess but I’m too busy gawking at the room I’m standing in. The king size bed is in the middle of the wall to my left, an ornate desk sits under a huge bay window and a chest of drawers and a large book case sit next to it. On the wall opposite the bed is the biggest tv I’ve ever seen and two recliners are placed in front of it, a small table between them.
On either side of the TV are painted white doors, twin two points to each in turn, ‘closet, bathroom’ he says, ‘so you don’t have to share with anyone.’ He leans closer slightly, smiling wickedly, ‘though if you want to, as I said, my old room is right across the hall, I do sometimes stay the night here if my roommate needs alone time.’
A growl rumbles from the doorway and we both look back to find twin one, Caleb? I think his dad said his name was, glaring at his brother angrily.
‘Cale!’ twin two calls out, lifting his arms toward the other man, ‘there you are! I missed you! Come here and give your little brother a biiiiig hug!’
I can’t help it, I snort out a laugh, covering my mouth with my hand as the fun twin as I have decided to call him, grins at me.
‘Ignore Mr Grumpy’ he sighs, ‘he’s always like this, seems when we split in the womb, I got all the fun genes and he got all the moodiness, It’s not personal, he’s a killjoy around everyone.’
‘Gage’ Caleb snaps, ‘how about you fucking leave now? I’m sure you moved out years ago, why don’t you go and spend some time in that house instead of this one?’
Gage winks at me, ‘see’ he whispers loudly, ‘grumpy! He really needs to get laid. hey, if you happen to make friends with any hot co-eds, maybe you could pass on his number? Get him some act . . .’
‘GAGE!’ Caleb yells, literal fire spitting from his eyes.
‘I’m going, I’m going!’ Gage replies, holding his hands up, ‘geez! I’m just welcoming our new sister!’ Turning back to me, he points at the door, mouthing, ‘across the hall!’ before hurrying to his brother who grabs his shirt and hauls him out of the room, slamming the door shut behind them.
Tessa’s POV
The first few evenings in our new home were tense, at least during the day, the men were at work so I could move around the house without feeling like an intruder. But now it’s Friday night, and Mum and Henry are currently sitting at the dinner table to my left, making heart eyes at each other, my new stepdad taking any opportunity to touch my mother as she giggled endlessly.
On the one hand, it was nice to see someone who seems to be so enamored with my mum, God knows, the woman deserves a good man in her life. The downside to this new family was sitting across from me, who, tonight was glaring at his salad as if it had done him a personal disservice.
Feeling my eyes on him, Caleb glances up, our eyes meeting as a jolt of awareness flows through me. The guy has the ability to make me feel exposed like he’s looking through me at all my secrets and I don’t like it.
I feel a hand touch my arm on my left and I turn to find Caleb’s twin, Gage grinning at me, now that is a dangerous smile. I’m sure Gage Hawthorne has zero issues getting a girl in bed, though his flirtatious smiles don’t really do it for me though, no, it seems friendly and fun personalities aren’t what appeals to me, I’m drawn to moody and unattainable.
‘So Princess’ he drawls, ‘what were you studying at your old College?’
I swallow my mouthful, picking up my napkin to wipe my mouth before speaking. ‘I was taking a media studies course’ I reply, ‘I want to work in TV, i’m hoping to continue at the new college.’
A derisive snort sounds from across the table from me and I turn toward the man from which the noise emanates.
‘What?’ I ask defensively.
‘Nothing’ Caleb responds carelessly.
Deciding to ignore the grumpy man across from me I return my attention to his much happier brother.
‘Yeah as I was saying, I want to work in TV, preferably as a producer’ I continue.
Gage nods, swallowing his mouthful, ‘not in front of the camera? A stunning young lady such as yourself?’
I smile despite myself, shaking my head, ‘I bet those lines just get you whatever you want don’t they’ I reply, raising an eyebrow.
Gage laughs, his face lighting up as he grins at me, ‘ooooo, slapped down by the new little sis! You wound me, princess!’
I can’t help it, I laugh too, Gage is just so vibrant, I just can’t help liking the guy. ‘Let’s just say I’ve had my share of macho jocks try and feed me a line over my lifetime’ I giggle, ‘I’ve learned how to spot a player from a mile away.’
Gage nudges his shoulder to mine playfully, ‘Well, if you get any trouble like that at your new college, you just let me know little sis. I may like to tease, but you can be sure that me and my bro have got your back, no one messes with a Hawthorne unless they want to get on the wrong side of all the Hawthornes.’
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.