4
Izzy
New Beginnings
Ifinish packing my duffel bag and zip it closed. Standing and looking around Kit and Bobby’s guest bedroom, I sigh at how little I own. Two small boxes filled with books and fight trophies, my school bag full of heavy textbooks, and my duffel bag filled with jeans and workout clothes; ninety-nine percent of which display the Rollin logo somewhere on the fabric.
That’s it.
This room was already furnished when I came here, so the bed and closets don’t belong to me. The linen doesn’t belong to me. Not even the lightbulbs belong to me.
Just two boxes and two bags.
Crap.
In the hours and days I spent arguing with my brothers about moving out, I forgot to mention the car I like to Bobby. As soon as news broke – as in, as soon as Bobby snitched to everyone that I was moving out – all the guys came over and argued until they were red in the face.
Jon thinks it’s unsafe. Well, they all think it’s unsafe, but Jon made the most noise about that. Aiden thinks it’s a waste of money when I could stay here, or at his place, or Jon’s. Jack’s pouting because he thinks he loses Uncle status unless he’s up my ass all day.
And Jimmy simply sits in silence and watches it all go down.
“Izzy, come downstairs.” I smile at Kit’s shouted demand. I’m not a guest here, I’m family. But it’s Saturday, which means… “Pancakes are ready!”
I move down the stairs and enter the kitchen with a smile. It smells syrupy in here. “Morning.”
“Mornin’,” Jack grumbles. He’s so cute when he sulks.
Bobby walks from the fridge, his hands full of the butter and clean utensils. He drops a kiss on the crown of my head and flops down in a chair across from me. He pointedly stares at the spare to his left, and not until Kit sits in the chair, does he smile and relax.
I watch him pour more syrup than any man hoping not to have a heart attack ever needs. “Bobby?”
He licks butter off his knife and glances up. “Hmm?”
“I was wondering if you can help me. Today, or tomorrow at the latest.”
It’s like his body language literally screams‘oh, no big deal.’He looks down to his plate and starts cutting hefty pieces of pancake. “Sure, we’re all gonna help today. We’re not leaving your place till you’re all set up.”
Of course they aren’t.“No. I meant, I’ve found a car I want to buy. I was just hoping you might check it out for me. Test drive it.”
“You want a car? You should’ve said something. We would’ve organized it for you.”
Of course they would have!“I wanted to organize it myself, Bobby. I’ll be paying for itmyself. I just want you to take it for a test drive.”
“Alright…” He shrugs easily and licks syrup from his finger. “Or, hey! Do you just want the Highlander? You can have it, I’ll buy something else.”
Kit snorts into her coffee.
“No!” I can’t even stay angry at this clueless ass. Nor am I surprised he’s offering up his own car. His new car! “No. I don’t want your car. I want my own car. I want you to help me test drivemycar.”
Cutting more pancakes, but glaring at me from beneath his lashes, he tries to intimidate me into submission. I scoff internally. Yeah right. “Fine,” he grumbles. “But the offer’s there any time you change your mind.”
“I won’t. But thanks.”
* * *
Six hours, one gym trip, two beginners fight classes taught, and one car trip later, I walk into my new home and take the keys from the lock in the front door. Bobby, Jack, and Kit step in close behind me, and Jon, Aiden, and Jim pull into parking spaces out front behind the Highlander.
It’s a whole family affair, despite the fact I have only enough stuff to fill the trunk. Once.