Runaway

Chapter 31

"Have I ever told you that your logic is really messed up?" I gasped silently and braced myself as I turned around to face the speaker.

"I seem to recall you mentioning it a few times." I felt sheepish looking at all of them now.

"Weren't you the one who said we were like family to you?" Dylan, fully clothed in jeans and a comfortable looking sweater, stepped closer to me. His eyes alone willed me to listen to what he had to say. Damn that hypnotic hazel.

"Family celebrates everything together. Halloween, Christmas, New Year's, and especially birthdays. It's not family if they don't celebrate with you, or wish you happy birthday on the phone or through email, or send you a package in the mail. They are there for you through thick and thin, their love woven so tightly around you that you feel like you're suffocating. But that's what family is. That's who we are, Dani. And don't you ever dare forget that."

Dylan had me pulled into a hug before I could blink, as if to reaffirm what he had said, and I was glad because it gave me an excuse to hide my face in his shirt to disguise the tears that had sprung up at his words. He was always right when it came to this stuff. And I had to stop acting like I wasn't a part of this group, this family of friends. But how would I change that?

I was almost disappointed when Dylan ended the hug; it had been so comforting. I gave a genuine smile. "Thanks Dylan. I think I needed to hear that. But it's your birthday today, so we can worry about my issues later." I think he looked relieved when he saw my conviction, and we all sat down for breakfast.

Dylan got three candles on top of his stack of pancakes, though last I checked, he wasn't a three year old, at least not physically. "Ha ha", he said when I told him that. "The candles represent a ten, an eight, and one for good luck. Another tradition." One of not putting on the full amount of candles? He closed his eyes and made a wish, and I wondered what he wished for.

He already has everything, I thought as I started digging into my pancakes. A great family, amazing friends, a sturdy home life. I couldn't think of anything else he could possibly need or want, or make his life better than it already is because that just wasn't possible. What do you wish for when you have everything?

The doorbell ringing had me jumping in my seat and I wondered who else would be crazy enough to show up this early in the morning. Immediately, I got up to answer it and Andie followed. "I wonder who it is. Andie, do you know?" She didn't say a word, only smiled, and I took that as a yes. I unlocked the door and opened it cautiously.

I'll be honest. I have a bruise on my chin from when my jaw dropped to the floor. That line was so unoriginal, but it was one of the only accurate ways to describe the situation. That being three guys standing at the door who looked like freaking godsent Adonises. I couldn't do anything but stare for a couple of seconds while Andie went straight up to them and gave them each a hug.

"You need something to mop up the drool, Dani?", Andie smirked. I tightened my jaw and raised my chin defiantly.

"I don't know what you're talking ab-"

"Ah, so you're the famous Dani." I looked at the guy who had spoken. He was lean and not overly muscular, with chestnut brown hair and crystal blue eyes with little crinkles around them indicating he laughed a lot. Oh, hot damn. He moved past the other two guys, obviously his brothers, to take my hand and, to my complete surprise, bring it to his lips to kiss lightly.

My eyebrows shot up at the action, though Andie and the two other mystery dudes didn't seem to be overly concerned with it. No sooner than he had pulled his lips away from my hand was I tugged backwards for the second time that morning and landed against a chest that was starting to seem very familiar.