Chapter 37
EVIE
Before I open the front door, I hear hushed voices on the other side.
“Smile,” a man hisses. Then a second later, “Shit, no, don’t smile. You’ll scare her.”
Doing my best to hold the laughter in, I open the door. Instantly, all four men straighten their backs and smile so broadly, all I see are teeth.
When I burst out laughing, the look on their faces become even funnier.
One of the men glances at the ones next to him, and grumbles, “I told you not to smile.”
I manage to calm myself down enough so I can reach out a hand to the first man.
“I’m Evie.”
A chorus of hi’s sound up. The one shaking my hand says, “Thank God you didn’t get your father’s looks. I was a bit worried when he told us he found you.”
Dad comes walking out of the kitchen. “I heard that.” Then he adds, “The one with a death wish is Dave.” Dad points at each of them. “Max, Axel, and Mike.”
Dad throws his arm around my shoulders, and says, “Team, this is my little girl.”
I start to feel a little awkward when they all just stare at me.
Axel is the first to move as he pulls me away from Dad and into the living room.
“Let me tell you about your old man. We were stuck in a shit hole –”
“Watch your language!” Dad snaps.
Axel rolls his eyes, but continues, “We were stuck in a poop hole. I mean an actual poop hole. We figured it would be the last place anyone would search for us. Luckily, I wasn’t stuck at the bottom.”
“Nope, that would’ve been me,” Dave says dryly.
I listen to them bantering while I take my time to look at each of the men.
Mike can’t be much older than me. He’s attractive in a boyish kind of way, but the second you look into his eyes, the boy fades to the background, and I see the same inner strength that Dad has.
Max could be in his thirties, it’s hard to tell. His light brown hair is shaven short, and his brown eyes never stop moving.
Axel looks like a big teddy bear with his thick beard.
Dave stands next to Dad, and I get a feeling they’re really close even though Dave is much younger than Dad.
I’ve heard so much about them and have been looking forward to meeting the men who seem to be like brothers to my father.
“Let’s get going,” Dad says. Actually, it’s more like an order. “I promised my girl fun.”
Only then does Dad glance around the apartment. “Where’s Rhett?”
At that moment Rhett comes out of the bathroom.
“I was worried there for a second,” Dad teases Rhett as he throws his arm over Rhett’s shoulder. “Team, this is my son.”
I cover my mouth when the proud look on Dad’s face makes my eyes burn.
“Yeah-yeah,” Axel growls. “You’re gonna make our girl cry on her birthday.”