Loving You {Chicago Book 1}

twenty-one

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - HAILEY ALLEN

It's finally the day before New Year's Eve and is the day that Brody is arriving with his cousins. Mom is ridiculously over the moon as she's adamant that she's about to get three times the amount of eye candy in the house as, apparently, 'No-one can be related to Brody and be ugly.'

Dad, on the other hand, couldn't care less about my boyfriend and his cousins. He's trying to come to terms with the fact that three Blackhawks are going to be in his house tomorrow. Little does he know that Brody is also one of them.

The front door then bursts open to reveal an out of breath Georgia. "Are they here yet? Did I miss them?"

I roll my eyes at her. She has been a constant here since I came home, being here every day except Christmas Day. I think it's a welcome escape from the everyday horrors of her mom's condition.

Cancer is never easy.

Another distraction has been the number of hot guys that are going to be in the house tomorrow. Everyone knows about her lusting after Ryker and it's no secret that she finds Brody hot. I'm just hoping that Tyler and Aaron aren't as attractive.

"Seriously, Gee," I sigh. "They're not superheroes or anything. I don't understand why you two act insane when Brody's mentioned."

Both of their eyes land on me with the same shocked expression on the face. "Honey, honey, honey," Mom says, patting my shoulder. "Brody is picture-perfect. I mean, he doesn't have anything wrong with him at all. It's like he was created with photoshop."

I pause for a moment. "Well, he has this scar on the edge of his eyebrow from a hockey injury when he was eleven and he-"

Georgia cuts me off. "Hails, you know that's not what we mean. Plus, it can't be very big. I've never seen it before."

"Gee, you've never met him in person," I point out.

She responds with a psychotic smile. "There is something called Instagram, you know. Also, you never mentioned all of his friends," she swoons. "That is one fine group of friends."

"If you ever visit me at school, remind me to keep you away from their house," I sigh as my phone buzzes.

I ignore her as she replies, "They're all in one house? That is hot guy heaven!", checking my phone instead.

Pretty Boy: See you in ten xx

Me: Can't wait xx

"They'll be ten minutes," I announce before tucking my phone away again. I collapse onto the couch and look at the two of them who are ruffling their hair and straightening their clothes. "Mom! What the hell are you doing?"

I can understand Georgia because I know that the twins are our age, but my mother? Double their age. She is being ridiculous.

"Well, I have to look presentable for our guests," she replies incredulously as if I should understand her perfectly. I don't. It's getting stupid the way she is obsessed over these boys.

The longest ten minutes of my life pass before the doorbell rings. When it does, I stand up before either of them can. "Do I need to warn you two about what not to do? Or can I trust you not to hit on my boyfriend and his cousins within seconds of me opening this door?" I ask them both, heading out into the hallway where I can see Brody standing behind the door. There are also two guys standing behind him. The twins, I'm assuming, if their identical looks - minus the glasses on one of them - are anything to go by.

When Brody's green eyes meet mine through the glass, my heart flutters and I can't get the door open quickly enough. "Hey, you," I exhale, my eyes immediately finding his. His lips break out into a grin as he grabs my hand and pulls me into him.