ball t-shirt. Her hair is down, but badly needs to be brushed to smooth the tangles. From what Harrison has told me about them, Elle is more outgoing while Peyton is reserved.
“Do you want to come up here?” I ask them. I want to have the same relationship with them that I do with Quinn. I know that Katelyn is an only child, and I believe Mason was one as well so that doesn’t leave them a lot of family options. My brother has adopted them, so as far as I’m concerned they’re my nieces.
“Yes,” Elle says as she climbs up, but Peyton just stands there. She’s watching Elle like a hawk, but quickly turns her gaze to Quinn.
“You can come up, Peyton. Auntie Yvie is really cool.”
I sit up, thinking that maybe she’s afraid to hurt me. Peyton starts biting her lower lip and her fingers pull on the hem of her shirt. Quinn pats the spot next to him, but she starts taking steps backwards. She’s out the door before I can say anything.
“She’s shy,” Quinn says, shaking his head.
“Is she always like that?” I wonder if I’m going to have to tiptoe around her.
“No, only since Daddy Mason went to heaven. He was her bestest friend, but now she has Uncle Liam and Daddy. They take care of her.”
My eyes become a bit misty as I listen to Elle refer to Harrison as her dad. The day Quinn came to us, he became a changed man. He had something to live for, something to prove.
“Mom’s cooked breakfast for you. She says you need to come downstairs.” Quinn sighs as if breakfast is ruining his day.
“Are you not hungry?” I slide out of bed and wait for them to get off so I can make it.
“I’ve eaten mine, and I want to spend time with you.”
“Me too,” Elle says, bouncing on her knees.
“We have plenty of time since I’ll be here for week or so. I’m in no rush to go back to New York.”
“Are you a really real ballerina?” Elle asks.
“I am, wanna see?” she nods as I get off the bed and rise up on my toes and perform a small routine. She stands on the bed and starts to follow what I’m doing. I watch her from the corner of my eye and think that I could teach dance lessons to someone like her. But that would mean giving up on my dream.
“I want to be a ballerina just like you,” Elle yells as she twirls on my bed. I laugh and Quinn rolls his eyes.
“Next week she’ll want to be something else.”
“Will not,” Elle says as she stands on the bed with her hands on her hips. Quinn nods, but doesn’t say anything else. “You’re a poopy head, and I’m telling.”
Elle jumps down and doesn’t miss a beat as she storms out the door and starts yelling for Katelyn. Quinn stands there, looking down at the floor.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, pulling him into my arms and sitting down on the edge of the bed.
His lips go into a thin line as he rests against me. “Having little sisters sucks.”
I laugh, remembering all the times I would torment Harrison. “I’m sure they’re not so bad. When I was your age I used to make your dad’s life so miserable. He would whine to Grandma every day about how I was in all of his stuff, but he was also my best friend and I knew I could count on him for anything. He protected me.” Even when he was unable protect himself from the bullies. I don’t add the last part. That’s for Harrison to share with Quinn when the time is right.
“Come on, let’s go eat some food and figure out what we’re going to do today.”
“We have school today,” he says solemnly.
I scrunch my face in detest. “Fine, after school you’re all mine!”
Quinn and I walk downstairs hand in hand and into the kitchen. Their house is huge, especially compared to the house in which we grew up. Even Harrison’s apartment in California could fit in here. I suppose, though, with a family of five you need a lot of room.
As we step into the kitchen I pause. Harrison is standing in the middle of the room drinking coffee with Peyton hanging off his back. Katelyn is plating up food, and Elle is sitting at the island playing with her doll.
“Morning,” he says, tipping his mug toward me.
Katelyn turns and smiles. “Sorry they woke you up this morning. I told them not to, but Quinn said it was tradition.”