Special Delivery by April Wilson

Chapter 29 – Haley

Haley Donovan

Monday morning, after showering and dressing, I pack up my things and carry my duffle bag down to the front door, where a small mountain of luggage is piling up.

I head for the dining room, where I hear a ton of voices.

The room’s packed, with well over a dozen people seated around the big table, along with three high chairs. Beth’s mom is holding baby Ava while Beth feeds Luke something that looks like oatmeal.

It’s kind of hard for me to identify with such a large family, as I’m an only child. My mom never had any more kids after she married my step-dad, and my dad has stayed single. He’s with Erin now, and she’s much younger than he is. I sort of suspect they’ll get married one day and start having babies, which would be awesome. I still have a chance of becoming a big sister.

My dad asked me once how I’d feel if he and Erin got married and had babies. I told him, Hell yeah. Go for it. I even offered to babysit for free.

Erin saved a chair for me at the far side of the table. When she waves me over, I stop to grab a plate from the buffet line and fill it with bacon and waffles, lots of butter, syrup, and whipped cream. I even grab a few gigantic strawberries that are dipped in chocolate. One thing I love about coming here is the food—Elly spoils us rotten.

When I take my seat, Erin reaches over to hug me. “Did you sleep well?” she asks.

“Yeah.” That’s not exactly true, as I stayed up half the night because my mind was racing about Philip. Going home this morning means I probably won’t see him for a while. It’s hit or miss whether I run into him in my dad’s apartment building.

Every time I see Philip, my feelings for him solidify even more. But Dad treats me like I’m a kid who doesn’t know what she wants in life, and he treats Philip like an ogre who’s hitting on someone too young for him. I’m seventeen years old, for god’s sake. I’m not a kid. I’m old enough to know what I want.

I love my dad, but he’s so overprotective. I think it’s kind of ironic considering how young Erin is.

My dad reaches past Erin and squeezes my shoulder. “Good morning, honey,” he says. “We’ll be heading home after breakfast. Are you all packed?”

I nod. “My bags are by the front door.”

Movement at the door catches my attention. I glance over to see the guy squad coming in for breakfast—Philip, Liam, and Miguel. They’re all freshly showered after a morning run. I saw them leave the house together earlier this morning, from my bedroom window, which overlooks the front drive.

Right behind them are Tyler and Ian. I think that’s everyone now, packed into this dining room. Everyone’s talking at once, and it’s hard to hear a thing. I’m not used to this much noise.

I stand and pick up my plate. “I’m going to take this outside,” I tell Erin. I have to lean close enough that she can hear me.

She nods.

And then I make my escape.

It’s much quieter in the foyer, but I slip out the front door and sit on the steps, propping my plate on my knees and eating in silence.

As I bite into a juicy strawberry, I hear the door behind me open. A moment later, Philip sits beside me on the top step.

“You okay?” he asks.

I nod. “I’m just not used to being around so many people at once. It’s a little overwhelming.”

He laughs. “I’m an only kid, too. I can relate.”

I notice he doesn’t have any food. “Want some of mine?” I ask him.

“No, thanks. I’m fine.”

I doubt that’s true. It must take a lot of calories to fuel that big body of his. All those muscles, long legs, and muscular arms require a lot of energy.

“Are you happy to be going home?” he asks me.

I take another bite of a strawberry, chew, and swallow. “Not really. It means I have to go back to school tomorrow.”

School. That reminds me that I asked him to take me to the homecoming dance, and he said no. Rejection sucks. I never should have asked him in the first place—I’m such an idiot.

“At least it’s your last year of high school,” he points out.

My last year of high school. A lot of good that will do me.

Philip glances back at the door behind us, then to me. “I’d take you to your school dance if I could,” he says, clearly reading my mind. “I’d love nothing more than to be your date. But we have to wait, Haley. You understand that, right? I’ll be counting the days until your eighteenth birthday. It’s not so far away.”

As I turn to meet his gaze, I realize I could lose myself in those eyes. He’s looking at me so intently, like he’s trying to tell me something.

“Will that make a difference?” I ask.

He nods. “It’ll make a huge difference. Once you’re eighteen…” He lets the words hang there in the air between us.

Our eyes are locked on each other, like magnets. He reaches out as if he’s going to touch my face, but he drops his hand. He’s so damn chivalrous. I don’t think my dad even appreciates how honorable Philip is.

“I’ve never known anyone like you,” he says as he stares off into the distance, across the drive, toward the woods. “Some things are worth waiting for, Haley, you know?”

Mesmerized by his words, all I can do is nod. My pulse is racing now as I consider the possibilities.

“Look,” he says. “I know it’s not fair of me to ask, but if you’ll wait for me—”

“I’ll wait.”

“I don’t want you to miss out on your school dances. If there’s someone you want to go with, it’s cool.”

“There’s not. If I go, it will be with my girlfriends. Honestly, I don’t even want to go if you can’t go with me.”

“I don’t want you to miss out on your high school milestones, Haley. Those only happen once.”

I shrug. “It’s not important.”

Before either one of us can say another word, Aiden comes running out the front door, followed by Jake, who is carrying multiple overnight bags.

“Hi, Haley. Hi, Philip,” the kid says. “I’m helping my dad get the van because it’s time to go home.”

Aiden’s practically bouncing on his feet as he clutches a worn dinosaur to his chest. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the kid not excited about something.

Jake lays a hand on Aiden’s head. “Wait here, buddy. I’ll get the van.”

“Okay!” Aiden squeezes himself down between me and Philip, completely oblivious to the momentous conversation he just interrupted. But I can’t be mad at him. He’s too young to realize.

“I had waffles, too,” Aiden says as he surveys the uneaten food on my plate. “And strawberries.” Then he glances up at Philip. “What did you have?”

“Nothing yet,” Philip says.

“You can have some of Haley’s,” Aiden says, nodding toward my plate. “I’m sure she’ll share if you ask her nicely.”

As Philip and I meet each other’s gaze over the top of Aiden’s head, we both smile. I offer Philip my plate, and he takes one of the remaining strawberries and pops the entire thing in his mouth.

A big gray minivan pulls up to the front door, and Jake hops out and climbs the steps. “Let’s go get your mom and sisters, pal.”

Aiden jumps to his feet. “Excuse me, but I have to go.”

Once they’re back inside the house, Philip smiles as he shakes his head. “That kid.”

“He’s adorable,” I say.

“Do you like kids?”

I nod.

Philip reaches over and steals another strawberry from my plate—one that I’d already bitten in half—and pops it into his mouth. “Delicious,” he says as he licks his lips.

My face heats to a hundred degrees because I’m pretty sure he’s not talking about fruit.

The door behind us opens again, and out walks Jake and Annie and Aiden. Jake and Annie are each carrying a twin baby girl.

Philip stands to clear the way for them. He shifts to stand in front of me, blocking the sun as I gaze up at him. “It’s not fair of me to ask you to wait,” he says quietly so no one overhears him.

I rise to my feet, and because I’m one step up from him, we’re standing eye to eye for a change. Usually, I have to crane my neck to meet his gaze. “It’s not fair of me to ask you to wait,” I say, throwing his words right back at him.

He grins like I just issued a challenge. “Oh, I’ll gladly wait for you, baby. You can count on it.”

I smile, feeling a whole lot more hopeful about the future. Yeah, I’ll wait for him. I’ll wait until I’m eighteen, and then no one can tell us we can’t be together.

He holds out his pinky finger, and it takes me a moment to catch on. A pinky swear. I hook my pinky around his, and we shake.

I think we just made an oath.

When he quietly says, “Ride or die, baby,” my heart does a somersault.

The front door opens again, and a whole slew of people stream out the door, including my dad and Erin, a bunch of McIntyres, and the rest of the hot guys. Looks like the party’s over. Everyone’s heading home.

“Time to go, Haley,” Dad says as he heads across the driveway toward his SUV. He’s carrying my bag, his, and Erin’s.

Philip takes my plate from me. “I’ll take this in for you.”

I glance up at Philip once more, then head down the steps to the drive and walk toward our vehicle. Just before I climb into the back seat, I look back at Philip, who’s right where I left him. He’s standing there, still holding my plate. His other hand is on his hip, and he looks so freaking hot my body heats to a million degrees. His eyes are locked on me.

“Get in the vehicle, Haley,” my dad says impatiently as he guns the engine. He and Erin are already belted in and ready to go.

“I’m coming.”

I can’t help smiling all the way back to the city. Philip said he’d wait for me, and I’ll damn sure wait for him. Nothing and no one could keep me from him.

He’s my ride or die, and I’m his.